Despite some graduation losses, Lincoln-Way East (far court) again figures to be among the best boys volleyball teams in Illinois this spring. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorHere are the 2023 1st Alliance VBC/Illprepvb.com Boys High School Preseason Rankings (with last season’s record):1. Glenbard West 39-3Trevor Powell, Danny Dorsey and Gavin Swartz are gone, so who will step up this year? Next up: Thursday vs. Lincoln-Way East.2. Marist 36-3Six-foot-5 Marty Canavan and sophomores Nathan Toth,...
Bella Bullington admits her Japanese is a little rusty ahead of her trip ‘home’
Six-foot sophomore outside hitter Bella Bullington from Marist is one of 21 Sports Perfromance players who are going to Japan to train with college and high school players from Tokyo and Nagano March 23-April 1. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSpending a week in Japan may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for some high school student-athletes, but for Bella Bullington, it’s like going home.Or, in her case, it is going home.“I’ve actually lived in Japan,” said Bullington, one of 21 Sports Performance vo...
Lyons Township teaches York that to err is human, but to be consistent is divine
York players gathered prior to their West Suburban Silver match with visiting Lyons on Tuesday, won by the Lions, 25-23, 25-20. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWhat’s the difference between a good team and a great team?“Consistency,” said Lyons Township’s 6-6 junior outside hitter Luka Kostic. “We’ve really been focusing on consistency because early in the season we were having our ups and downs. We want to be a very good team at all times and not have ups and downs or loops or hills or anything like that.“Consistency … that’s the ma...
McAuley's Moonans celebrate final home game with big win over Lyons Township
Kamryn Lee-Caracci had 5 kills for Lyons Township at Mother McAuley on Wednesday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMother McAuley honored its seniors Wednesday, and the Mighty Macs sent them out in style.In a possible sectional championship preview, McAuley made short work of visiting Lyons, 25-16, 25-16.Junior Ellie White led the way with 9 kills, 16 digs and a block, while middle blocker Maeve Moonan made sure her final home match was a good one with 6 kills and 4 blocks.“I was excited,” Moonan. “I was a li...
Sports Performance’s 18 girls, boys win 2023 SPVB Presidents Day Challenge titles
SPVB 18 Elite's Audrey Brcka (Wheaton North) overcomes the block of a pair of defenders during action at the 2023 SPVB Presidents Day Challenge. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorKitty Sandt was happy simply to be back on the court.Winning the 18/17 Girls division at the 2023 SPVB Presidents Day Challenge was a bonus.“We had a month off,” said Sandt, SPVB 18 Elite’s 5-11 setter and the tournament MVP. “I think we really improved since then because we've been really training hard. But it was nice to finally play so...
Up, down and out … just another Sunday at Windy City Power League 16/15 Open
Fusion 16 Dawgs' Elissa Furlan (Richmond-Burton) passes a ball from the back row during the Marengo club's match with MOD Elite G16 Blue Sunday at the 1`st Alliance Training Facility in Woodridge. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor“One day you're up and the next day you're down …” Maybe the Blues Magoos were on to something back in 1967, because the lyrics to their one-hit rock wonder, “We Ain’t Got Nothin’ Yet,” off the album “Psychedelic Lollipop” and popularized in the movie “Easy Rider,” describe perfectly S...
Life is a highway for Illini Elite; Michio, Team One roll on day one of 16/15 seeding
The Windy City Power League 16/15 Open division seeding event got underway Saturday. Two weeks ago, Mission 17 Elite (pictured) went 3-3 at the 18/17 Open division seeding event, finishing 21st overall and 12th among the 17s. https://youtu.be/4IfrKftYYYQ By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe 1st Alliance Volleyball Club training facility in Darien is just a hop, skip and jump for Bloomington-based Illini Elite Volleyball Club owner/director and Illini Elite 16 Cardinal coach Andy Erins.“What I like about this (location) is that I ...
White & Co. rock power league seeding; Sandt says 'no mas' to title match losses
SPVB 15 Elite's Ellie Stiernagle (77) attempts to get past the block of Adidas G15 Adidas' Bridget Ferriter (3) and Avery Maddox (14) Sunday at the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. On the home page, SPVB 18 Elite's Anna Murphy skies over the net for a kill im a match against Balance 18 White. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorPrepvolleyball.com National Class of 2024 Player of the Year. Volleyballmag.com second-team All-American.The accolades keep pouring in for 1st Alliance 17 Gold’s Ellie White (Mothe...
Be like … Sophie? Arndt is Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Player of the Year
Lucy Arndt (12) grew up wanting to emulate former Aquin great Sophie Brunner, who led the Bulldogs to two IHSA championships in basketball. Leading Aquin to an IHSA Class 1A championship this fall certainly qualifies. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comFreeport Aquin’s Lucy Arndt grew up wanting to emulate Sophie Brunner, who led the Aquin girls’ basketball team to IHSA Class 1A championships in 2011-12 and 2012-13 before playing at Arizona State University and briefly in the WNBA and Italy.Arndt did emulate ...
1st Alliance 16 Gold wins WCPL 16/15 Open; Illini Elite 16 Black is a family matter
1st Alliance 16 Gold's Jenna Kolosta (Lockport) skies over an Adversity defender in earlier Windy City Power League action. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/2dvSCVZf9Xo By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAdversity G16 Adidas coach Lucas Yanez believes that some club teams will eventually catch up to 1st Alliance VBC’s 16s and 15s at the Windy City Power League.But that someday was not Sunday.1st Alliance 16 Gold held off 1st Alliance 16 Silver, 24-26, 25-17, 15-9, Sunday at Connect44 in Lombard to finish 12-0 a...