Bolingbrook hopes to steal page from Andrew; North survives Naperville fray

Paige Lauterwasser, shown here during a match from last fall, powered Naperville North past rival Naperville Central in a DuPage Valley showdown Tuesday at North. (File photo by Dave Ruggles) At BolingbrookIt's a new season, but a match from last year couldn't help but be on the minds of Andrew and Bolingbrook players when the two teams met in a Southwest Suburban Conference battle Tuesday in Bolingbrook.After all, it was a rematch of last season's sectional final.This time, it was the host Raiders who showed they are a team to be reckoned ...

No. 2 Metamora upends No. 1 Normal U-High en route to Saints Fall Classic title

University of Illinois recruit Lily Barry of Normal University High went on the attack against Williamsville in the Gold Division third-place match of the Bloomington Central Catholic Saints Fall Classic in Bloomington on Saturday. Blocking for Williamsville were Brooklyn Holdener (1) and Nina Ledgerwood (4). (Photos by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepb.comBLOOMINGTON – Scoring efficiently paid off for Metamora as it used power and precision during a five-match, 10-hour span to win the 16-team Bloomington Central Catho...

Unbeatens no more: Mother McAuley, Fieldcrest taken down on the road

Marist's Elise Ward (shown here at last weekend's Wheaton Classic), had 10 kills to help the RedHawks take down previously-unbeaten Mother McAuley on Thursday (Photo by Dave Ruggles). On the home page, Tri-Valley's Emma Witte (12) and Hailey Warfel (9) put up a wall during a 25-22, 25-20 win over visiting Fieldcrest and Kate White (3) at Downs on Thursday. (Photo by Randy Sharer) Marist, hosting its archrival for the first time in four years, came out focused and didn't disappoint its huge home crowd Thursday.Outside hitter Kamryn Chaney c...

Everyone wins (and loses) at Rochester; Normal West upsets U-High at Intercity

Rochester's Emma Dixon (9) and Ellie Gegen (16) and Quincy Notre Dame's Abbey Schreacke (14), Emma Hoing (6) and Annie Eaton (4) were part of a triangular mini-tournament at Rochester on Saturday that also featured Metamora. All three teams went 1-1. Metamora and Quincy Notre Dame captains and coaches meet before their match at Rochester on Saturday. ROCHESTER –Metamora defeated Rochester. Rochester defeated Quincy Notre Dame. Quincy Notre Dame defeated Metamora.Each team won, and each team lost at the three-team mini-tournament hoste...

Penn State recruit Ava Falduto has little IC Catholic Prep thinking big

IC Catholic Prep's Ava Falduto will head to Penn State University to play libero when her high school career ends in two years. (Cover photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorState.Hall of Fame coach Jean Field led Immaculate Conception (now IC Catholic Prep) to Redbird Arena six times during her long and storied career, winning Class A championships in 1981 and 1984 and a Class 2A title in 2013.IC Catholic Prep has not been back since. Ava Falduto wants to change that.“Lucy (5-0 junior setter Russ) and I have been on v...

Presenting the latest 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Girls H.S. rankings

York junior outside hitter Emelyn Stettin (8) and the Dukes took down Hinsdale Central last week and have two matches this week before hosting Glenbrook South and Lyons next Monday and Tuesday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Short and sweet. That’s how we’ll keep the introduction to this week’s rankings. However, we would like to take this time to thank the folks at Rochester for their wonderful hospitality Saturday. We arrived unannounced (it was a late – actually early Saturday morning -- decision to make the 360-mile round trip) and th...

Presenting the latest 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Girls H.S. Rankings

Mother McAuley junior outside hitter Ellie White (8) was named the tournament MVP after leading the Mighty Macs to the championship of the ASICS Challenge last weekend. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) It was a hiccup. Mother McAuley, which lost back-to-back matches to Marist and Assumption (Louisville, Kentucky) heading into last weekend’s ASICS Challenge, rediscovered its mojo Saturday by beating Hamilton (Sussex, Wisconsin), Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Nebraska) and Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills, Kentucky) to win the 24-team event. “We hav...

Bolingbrook makes a little history, beats Lincoln-Way East for first-ever SWSC title

Bolingbrook's Madison Shroba had 15 kills to lead the Raiders to their first-ever Southwest Suburban Conference championship Tuesday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorFirst, a brief history lesson.Bolingbrook was one of 10 schools that broke away from the old South Inter-Conference Association in 2005 to form the Southwest Suburban Conference. During the ensuing years, the Raiders have won conference titles in boys basketball, football, boys volleyball and girls basketball.So, when was the last time the Raiders ...

Falk, streaking De La Salle trip Providence in GCAC opener for both teams

Victoria Huptych and St. Charles North defeated Wheaton North, 25-15, 26-24, Tuesday in a key showdown in the DuKane Conference. (On the cover) Sophomore middle blocker Jenna Kolosta and Lockport defeated Plainfield Central in a nonconference match Tuesday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAnna Marie Marassa is in her 21st season as head coach at De La Salle. Her teams don't beat Providence very often. But the Meteors did Tuesday night.Behind 13 kills, 10 digs and 3 aces from Jen Falk, the Meteors def...

No. 6 Mahomet-Seymour shorthanded during three-set loss to No. 1 U-High

Mahomet-Seymour setter Madalyn Gaede set the ball for teammate Sydney McKinney during Thursday's 25-12, 22-25, 25-16 loss at Normal University High. (Photo by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – Two state-ranked teams on a roll collided in the Normal University High Gym on Thursday and it was the host Pioneers who rocked on.Ranked No. 1 in Class 3A by Illprepvb.com, U-High won its 13th consecutive match with a 25-12, 22-25, 25-16 decision over No. 6 Mahomet-Seymour.After that Game 2 meltdown, Pioneer coach&...