West division winner Barrington won its fourth Mid-Suburban League championship in the past five years Thursday, defeating East winner Prospect, 25-17, 25-17, in Mt. Prospect. By Phi BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBarrington’s boys volleyball team has had more players miss time with injuries and illness this season than the Chicago Cubs’ pitching staff.Six-foot-1 outside hitter Eli Rodda, the team’s lone four-year varsity player and projected as a six-rotation starter, suffered a knee injury April 9, and, prior to Thursday, made only one...
Downers North staggers Glenbard West; Willowbrook holds off Timothy Christian
Aidan Akkawi led Downers Grove North with 11 kills in the Trojans' 25-19, 25-12 rout of Glenbard West Tuesday in Downers Grove. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comPractice made perfect for Downers Grove North on Tuesday.Or at least as close to perfect as a volleyball team can get against an elite opponent.The Trojans, ranked No. 3 in the latest Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys H.S. Rankings, made only five hitting errors and got dominant performances across the board in sweeping second-ranked Glenbard W...
West Chicago’s Vince Spadoni is the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb Player of the Week
Vince Spadoni had les West Chicago to a share of the Upstate Eight East division title this spring. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Each week during the volleyball season, we announce an Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week. Coaches throughout Illinois are invited to nominate a player for their outstanding performance on and off the court. This week, the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week is West Chicago’s 6-6 outside hitter Vince Spadoni. West Chicago's Vince Spadoni Spadoni has 300 kills, 48 a...
Marist puts down Glenbard West threat; West Chicago finishes the job vs. Rebels
West Chicago earned a piece of the Upstate Eight Conference East division title with its 25-23, 25-23 victory Thursday over Ridgewood. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMarist star Christian Teresi put his own spin on the basic law of gravity on Thursday.Everything that goes up must come down, of course. But when Teresi puts the ball down, it sometimes goes back up, occasionally almost to the rafters.The Ohio State recruit did that at a key moment in the second set against host Glenbard West, smashing back-to-back sets from Jacob F...
Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb Player of the Week Savanah Weathers rises above the rest
Marist's Savanah Weathers (10) was named the MVP of the 32-team 2025 Mizuno Crimson Classic last weekend at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSavanah Weathers doesn’t remember being the MVP of anything during her volleyball career.“Maybe in grade school,” she said.Weathers certainly won’t forget her most recent accolade, however – being named the MVP of the 32-team Mizuno Crimson Classic last weekend at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora.Weathers led Marist...
Glenbard West vies to be best at West Suburban Silver-heavy Blue & Gold invite
Last year's tournament runner-up Glenbard West is hoping to finish on top at this year's Wheaton North Blue and Gold Tournament behind (from left) Cara Herbert, Farryn Burridge, Phoebe Risner, Ella Rowe and Kayla Street. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe Wheaton North 40th Annual Blue and Gold Tournament has a definite West Suburban Silver vibe going.With defending champion Benet Academy exiting for the Mizuno Crimson Classic this weekend, Glenbard West pulled down the No. 1 seed in the 12-team tournament that opened Wednesday and w...
A hot basketball recruit, Carmel frosh Liv Johnson can heat up volleyball courts, too
Carmel freshman Liv Johnson plays club basketball for All Iowa Attack and already has offers from Illlnois, Iowa, Marquette and DePaul, among others. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comCarmel freshman Liv Johnson knows how to make a good first impression. And a second.Carmel coach David Pazely first saw the 6-foot-1 middle hitter play last season.“I actually watched her play in a tournament in Milwaukee for her club team,” Pazely said. “She was in the middle of her eighth-grade year and she was playing right side and I was impressed b...
These 100 high school players in the Class of ’27 do not take a backseat to anyone
Mia Lamberti helped (Bartonville) Limestone reach the IHSA Class 3A championship game opposite Mahomet-Seymour in 2024, (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Notice: You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, re-post, or use the content of the Site for public or commercial purposes, including the text, images, audio, and video, without Illprepvb.com, LLC’s written permission. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorLast time out, we looked at 200 girls among the best in the graduating Class of 2026.Today, we present 100 players among the be...
Presenting 200 of the best H.S. players who take their final curtain calls this fall
St. Ignatius' Marin Thaxton (6), who helped lead the Wolfpack to the IHSA Class 3A semifinals two years ago but was sidelined most of last season by injury, was expected to be medically cleared to resume play last week. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Notice: You may not distribute, modify, transmit, reuse, re-post, or use the content of the Site for public or commercial purposes, including the text, images, audio, and video, without Illprepvb.com, LLC’s written permission. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorLast week, we looked at 200 gir...
Sports Performance girls immersed in culture, family life during visit to Brazil
Sports Performance competed in the COPA Internacional U18 Tournament in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, during its recent trip to the South American country. The girls from Aurora went 7-0 to win the tournament. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comSports Performance athletes are no stranger to international travel.But Ellie Stiernagle, Haley Burgdorf and Faith Jordan stand out for their recent experiences.The trio took their third trip abroad in as many years when Sports Performance owner Troy Gilb put together a group of 16 players to compete ...