Junior setter Drew Fiedler (8) will seek to lead Marist to its third consecutive IHSA championship Saturday in Bolingbrook after the RedHawks defeated Lane Tech, 25-22, 25-19, in a quarterfinal Friday in Bolingbrook. (File photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor “O…P…R…”“O…P…R…” “O…P…R…” “O…P…R…” “O…P…R…” Five times, the Oak Park-River Forest fans tried to count down the final point of the Huskies’ IHSA quarterfinal match against Lake Park Friday in Bolingbrook after their team had taken a 24-15 lead in...

Junior outside htter Tommy Clifford (20_ and his Glenbard West teammates are chasing the program's sixth IHSA boys' championship this weekend in Bolingbrook. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorGlenbard West and Marist have a lot in common this weekend.They’re both chasing Wheaton Warrenville South.Wheaton Warrenville South owns the IHSA record for most boys volleyball titles with seven. Glenbard West and Marist both have five. Marist has won the last two. Glenbard West is seeking its first since the 2023 season.Mar...

Bolingbrook's Dom Pietruszewski (5) looks for someone to set during the sectional championship match Tuesday at Hinsdale South. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Jimmie Chrusfield is quite a talent. Already an outside hitter on the U.S. Men's U19 National Team, the Oak Park-River Forest junior had one thing he hadn't experienced.  A trip to the IHSA state finals.  But Tuesday, he helped to make sure that the drought would end.Chrusfield had 11 kills, a block and 3 aces, including the ...

Joey Vellenga (11) and Lincoln-Way Central fell to Lincoln-Way East, 25-21, 24-26, 25-23, in an IHSA sectional semifinal Saturday in Frankort. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy Whalen Special to Illprepvb.comLincoln-Way East coach Kris Fiore put it best. “I was going no matter what,” Fiore said of traveling to O'Fallon for the sectional title match at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday. “I just didn't know if I'd be going as a dad or a coach.”He is going as a coach.Lincoln-Way East captured a scintillating 25-21, 24-26, 25-23 victory over distri...

Wheaton Warrenville South overcame the loss of outside hitter Marko Polovina 9 points into the match to defeat St. Charles North, 17-25, 27-25, 25-15, in the regional championship match Thursday in Warrenville. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Hunter Stepanich has had quite the high school career.The York senior played for a volleyball state title as a sophomore, a Class 8A football championship as a junior and led the Dukes on an improbable run to the Class 4A semifinals in basketball this winter.  ...

Jimmie Chrusfield (6) and Argo sectional No.1 seed Oak Park-River Forest defeated No. 17 seed Hinsdale Central Tuesday in a regional semifinal at Hinsdale Central. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor What is a trap game? That’s when a heavily favored, superior team gets unexpectedly upset by a supposedly weaker opponent. This happens because the better team unknowingly “looks ahead,” leaving them unfocused and vulnerable.Oak Park-River Forest, the No. 1 seed in the Argo sectional, could have succumbed to su...

Barrington, playing with its full starting lineup for only the second time since April 30, defeated Palatine, 25-14, 25-16, in a regional quarterfinal Saturday in Barrington. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor The gang is finally back together at Barrington.Six-foot-8 junior outside Matt Kravstov, who missed 11 matches while playing for the U.S. Men’s U19 National Team, and 6-9 junior middle Garrett Rohlwing, who missed three matches during the same 11-game stretch nursing a nagging injury, rejoined their teammates for a regional quar...

Plainfield Central players celebrate their 26-24, 25-22 victory over Lemont in a regional quarterfinal game Friday at Plainfield Central. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Hunger. That’s what drives Plainfield Central in 2026, according to 6-5 senior outside hitter Milo Nelson. “I've been playing varsity since my freshman year, and this is by far the most exciting season we've ever had,” said Nelson, who was a member of teams that went 11-25, 8-28 and 5-29 prior to this year. “Everyone on the court wants...