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...
Metea Valley's Hutson exits loss to Benet after suffering right shoulder injury
Metea Valley's Kira Hutson (far left), who led the Mustangs to an IHSA Class 4A championship last fall, exited Monday's game against Benet Academy after her right shoulder popped out and back in after diving for a ball in ther back row during the first set. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBenet Academy’s 6-3 junior outside hitter Ava Novak was looking forward to Monday’s meeting with defending IHSA Class 4A champion Metea Valley and 6-5 Florida recruit Kira Hutson.“We want to get the best competition we can,” N...
Here are the final regular-season Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com rankings
Teams like unranked Wheaton North will get a fresh start when the IHSA tournament begins tonight. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Even if you were paying attention, based on the organization’s fixation on football you probably didn’t know there was an IHSA girls’ volleyball tournament beginning this week.A television show to present pairings? Endless tweets? Shutting down the website for an entire day so as not to interrupt people going to the website to check out the pairings? An early sneak peek for the press so they can beat their deadlines...
Seeking first visit to state finals, Metamora is more than a winning streak
Metamora's volleyball team has never qualified for the state tournament, a fact 6-foot sophomore outside hitter Esma Frieden (8), the Redbirds' kill leader, hopes to change this season. (Photo by Randy Sharer) Metamora High School setter Victoria Hall (4) has many weapons at her disposal including teammate Hannah Tellor (12). They have helped the Redbirds go 31-1 this season. (Photo by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comMETAMORA – To know the Metamora High School volleyball team, start with the end of its 43-match w...
Barrington rolls to Jacobs title; Glenbrook South stays perfect as summer ends
Willowbrook outside hitter Natalie Cipriano (1) and her teammates reached the cxhampionship match of their own tournament Saturday, but Metea Valley stoped the Warriors in the finale of the eight-team tournament. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAbout 30 miles separated Barrington and Glenbrook South at their respective tournaments Saturday.In eight weeks or so – should history repeat itself – that distance could be measured in feet.Barrington, which ousted Glenbrook South, 25-21, 25-18, from the IHSA Class 4A ...
Lyons invite provides teams with final opportunity to get ready for the dance
New Trier and middle hitter Sophia Ksanes split a pair of matches Saturday at the Lyons invite, defeating York and falling to Normal Community. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). https://youtu.be/7ABFXUKdrao By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorTen years have come and gone since Lyons won its one and only state title in 2010. That team, led by future University of Illinois stars Jocelyn Birks and Alexis Viliunas, avenged a loss to Cary-Grove in the Class 4A championship match 365 days earlier. The wait has been even longer for New Trier, which ...
Lincoln-Way East bests Glenbard West for bragging rights … at least for the present
Glenbard West's Parker Moorhead had 11 kills, but it wasn't enough as Lincoln-Way East defeated the preseason No. 1 Hilltoppers, 22-25, 25-21, 25-23, Thursday in Frankfort. (Archive photo by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/BXJExVvuOuU By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor277 days.That’s how much time has passed since Lincoln-Way East and Glenbard West met in the third-place game of the 2021 IHSA Boys Volleyball Tournament in Glen Ellyn last spring, a match in which the Hilltoppers spanked the Griffins, 25-14, 25-15.277 days.Water under...
McAuley beats Benet at Autumnfest; Marist stops Young at Harvest Festival
Benet's Annie Eschenbach (17) stretches to put down a kill over Mother McAuley defender Maeve Moonan (19) during the championship match of the Autumnfest Tournament Saturday at Glenbard East. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThe performance of Mother McAuley pins Ellie White and Mary Kate Sheehan on Saturday was outstanding.It left Benet feeling stuck.White crushed a match-high 15 kills and Sheehan had a big impact on the right side as the Mighty Macs beat Benet, 25-14, 25-22, to win the Autumnfest Tournament ...
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...
It's qualifying time for teams in latest Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com rankings
The qualifier season really picks up following last weekend's Mideast Qualifier in Indianapolis with local teams travelling from Missouri to Florida to Las Vegas to earn bids to USAV nationals. (Phoot by Dave Ruggles). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor‘Tis the season …… to compete in a USAV national qualifier.Last weekend’s Mideast Qualifier in Indianapolis, Indiana, was just the tip of the iceberg for USAV qualifiers. Coming up are the Sunshine Classic, the Red Rock Rave, the Show Me qualifier, the Lone Star Classic, the Windy Ci...