Sandburg celebrates a point during its semifinal win over Minooka Saturday at the Illprepvb.com/Crimson Classic hosted by Plainfield North. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Sandburg outside hitter Shelby Stefanon is not afraid to tell her setter when she’s feeling it.Especially since one of the setters in Sandburg’s 6-2 offense is her twin sister, Julia.“Sometimes she's like, ‘I'm feeling it. Get me the ball,’” Julia said“Yeah, yesterday it was like, ‘Set me more,’” Shelby replied. Julia knew just where she wanted to go with Sandburg clinging to ...
Shorthanded Michio Chicago 16 National hanging on until reinforcements arrive
Michio Chicago 16 National has yet to field its complete lineup this season, but hopes to have everyone back by the time it competes in the Mideast Qualifier in late March. https://youtu.be/YRzI_HfBbTw Michio Chicago 16 National’s bench is getting to be a very lonely place.But when the cavalry does arrive in a few weeks or so, the girls from the south side figure to be a force to be reckoned with.Last weekend in the Windy City Power League, Michio played without 5-9 setter Caroline Macander (concussion) from Mother McAuley, 5-7 defen...
1st Alliance 16 Black plays second fiddle to no one at the Windy City Power League
1st Alliance 16 Black has shown with its play on the court that it's a No. 2 team in name only. https://youtu.be/650uA-vrHT4 There are “No. 2” teams, and then there are “No. 2” teams that are really “No. 1s” in sheep’s clothing.Technically, 1st Alliance 16 Black may the Woodridge club’s “No. 2” 16s team, but you would have a hard time convincing anybody competing in the Windy City Power League 15&16 Open division.Saturday at the Sky High Volleyball Center in Crystal Lake, 1st Alliance 16 Black defeated UNO Girls 16 Elite (25-12, 2...
A difference-maker and class act, Jepsen is the 2019 Illprepvb.com Player of the Year
Marty Jepsen celebrates with his teammates after Marist won the 2019 IHSA Boys Volleyball championship. (Photo courtesy of Joe Hovanes) 2019 Illprepvb.com Player of the Year Marty Jepsen of Marist. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMarist had just edged Glenbard West 25-21, 25-23 in a hard-fought IHSA championship match. The two teams congratulated each other after they received their medals.As the Marist players shook hands with her and her team, Glenbard West coach Christine Giunta-Mayer took time to give o...
Benet avenges last year’s loss to Huntley in Autumnfest championship match
Huntley defeated Mother McAuley in the semifinals of Autumnfest, avenging an earlier loss to the Mighty Macs at the Asics Challenge. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comBenet’s masterful season continues. The undefeated Redwings, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A by Illprepvb.com, rarely let up and defeated No. 10 Huntley, 25-11, 25-21, in the title match of the Autumnfest tournament Saturday at Glenbard East in Lombard. Sophie Gregus led a balanced attack for Benet (34-0) with 6 kills, junior setter and tournament m...
1st Alliance VBC presents some of the top teams for the girls' 2021 "spring" season
Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (foreground) has enough pieces returning to make another run at Redbird Arena and a Class 1A championship in 2021. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The IHSA has made its decision and pushed girls' volleyball back to "spring." If we assume (not always a good thing when it comes to the IHSA) that girls will not have to decide between high school and club teams, here is what the 2021 field could look like: Class 4A1. Benet (41-1) – Brad Baker has some holes to fill with the departure of five seniors, but there’s more th...
Barrington hunts down Palatine in battle for Mid-Suburban West lead
Palatine dropped out of a tie for the Mid-Suburban West lead Tuesday with a loss at Barrington. The hunter vs. the hunted.“We’ve talked all season about being the hunted or the hunter,” said Palatine coach Pete Gavin. “Tonight, for sure, we were the ones being hunted.” No. 11 Palatine (26-4 overall, 6-2 in the Mid-Suburban West), which defeated No. 12 Barrington earlier this season in Palatine to gain an upper hand in the conference race, found itself on the wrong side of a 25-23, 25-20 score Tuesday in Barrington.Coupled with a loss to Fre...
From top to bottom and everywhere in the middle, Blue Steel VBC is about family
Blue Steel Volleyball Club's 16-1 boys team went 5-4 and finished 13th in the 16 USA division at the USAV Boys Junior National Championship. The team was coached by Melissa Massey (far right) and her sister, Lauren Martin (far left), and featured Massey's three sons -- Riley (23), Sutton (9) and Trent (standing behind Sutton) -- and Martin's son Landon (17). The first thing that jumps out at you when surveying the roster for the Boys BSVBC 16-1 team that competed at the recent USAV Boys Junior National Championship in Kansas City is th...
McAuley ends De La Salle’s season-opening win streak; Benet, Gregus stymie Nazareth
Ella Sandt and her Nazareth teammates had trouble containing Benet and outside hitter Sophie Gregus Tuesday in Lisle. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com De La Salle still believes.The Meteors saw their unbeaten start to the season end Tuesday. They battled, but fell short in a 25-20, 25-20 loss to host Mother McAuley in the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division opener for both teams.It was the sixth win in seven matches for the Mighty Macs (6-5), while De La Salle (8-1) saw its eight-match winning streak end. “We played ...
Illprepvb.com presents 200 reasons we can't wait for volleyball in the fall: Outside hitters, Pt. I
Decatur St. Teresa's Valerie Nutakor will lead the Bulldogs' bid for a second consecutive IHSA Class 2A championship in 2020. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, Illprepvb.com continues its look at 200 reasons why we’re looking forward to girls high school volleyball resuming in the fall.Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday released long-awaited guidance for schools across the state that would allow them to re-open in the fall. Each school district will determine how to implement the guidance based on its unique circumstances, the statemen...