Newark junior outside hitter Megan Williams (11) had 7 kills in Wednesday's loss to Geneseo. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comGeneseo twins Abbi and Maddi Barickman enjoy the feeling of winning on senior night.That’s especially true when it’s the other team that’s honoring their seniors.The Barickman sisters had a lot to celebrate Wednesday. Both played starring roles as the visiting Maple Leafs knocked off two-time defending IHSA Class 1A champion Newark in a 25-22, 20-25, 25-20 thriller.The North Central Co...
150 reasons to watch boys' high school volleyball in the spring of 2021, Part I
Led by outside hitter KJ Glab, St. Francis should be among the top teams in the state next spring. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 boys’ high school season, shutting down what had promised to be a highly competitive and entertaining quest to crown the 29th champion since the IHSA began sanctioning high school volleyball tournaments in 1992. Although we regret that so many talented seniors were denied a better ending to their high school careers, it’s not too early to look ahead to next spring when ...
Marist moves to the top of the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com rankings
Plainfield East's Jace Milka (4) battles Bolingbrook's Tristan Benbow (7) and Andrew Sulima (9) during a match last week. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) A beats B, B beats C, C beats …. who? Marist moves up to the No. 1 spot in the first regular-season Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com Boys High School Rankings following its win over Lincoln-Way East, which in turn defeated previously No. 1-ranked Glenbard West, which in turn can reclaim the top spot if Marist falters at Warren. Or should Marist stumble, will it be supplanted by 2021 surp...
Rio rides to the rescue as Kaneland rallies past hosts at Glenbard South regional
Kaneland's Bella Rio (16) dropped 19 kills on the hosts Tuesday at the Class 3A Glenbard South Regional to help rally the Knights to a 19-25, 25-11, 25-9 victory. https://youtu.be/onEu9VSGh5o By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor In tales from medieval times, the dashing knight, positively exuding nobility and virtue, would rush to the aid of fair maidens in distress.Tuesday in Glen Ellyn, it was the other way around.Kaneland senior outside hitter Bella Rio smashed 19 kills, including six in each of the final two sets, to help...
Adversity takes second at USAVs, first in Illprepvb.com/1st Alliance VBC 18s Rankings
Adversity G18 Adidas poses with their silver medals Sunday at the 2021 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship in Columbus, Ohio, Adversity nearly overcame.Nearly.After dropping the first set, 25-19, to Premier Nebraska 18 Gold (Omaha, Nebraska), in the championship match of the 18 Open division at the 2021 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, Adversity rallied to take the second set, 25-19.The girls from Vernon Hills then eased to leads of 8-6 and 10-8 in the third set. But Premier went on a ...
Nazareth's defense thwarts Belvidere North in 3A finals; Normal West jars JCA
Normal West libero Sydnie Hernandez (9) stretches to reach a ball during the Wildcats' victory over Joliet Catholic in the Class 3A third-place game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 3ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Defense wins championships.And did Nazareth ever defend.The Roadrunners overcame a 12-6 deficit in the third set to defeat No. 1-ranked Belvidere North, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, in the Class 3A championship match Saturday at Redbird Arena.Defense was the difference.The IHSA does not keep records for tournament digs, but ...
Champions Cup series continues under cloud of uncertainty over what comes next
Neuqua Valley's 5-10 outside hitter Bryanna Jones (76) is one of five newcomers on Sports Performance's 16 Elite team. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) CI Elite 17 Elite's Molly Warner (23) of tiny downstate Williamsfield tries to push the ball between a pair of defenders. Naperville North would have been crazy good this fall. The Huskies still might be this winter or spring. But that’s out of Paige Lauterwasser’s control.“It’s so crazy,” said Lauterwasser, a 5-10 sophomore who played on Naperville North’s 24-13 varsity team in 2019 as a fresh...
Hurlburt finds a way to balance both of his loves – family and volleyball
Former Glenbard East standout Alex Hurlburt helped to establish 630 Volleyball in the western suburbs. He now coaches individuals one-on-one so he can spend more time with his growing family. He sees individual coaching as complementing, not competing with, club volleyball, and works with boys and girls. https://youtu.be/Mk-32b5wX1A By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAlex Hurlburt has coached at nearly every level of volleyball during the past six years, from high school to club to college.He has even worked with USA Volleyb...
Powered by the Stovall ladies, tiny Aquin is the little school that could
Thought the IHSA lists its enrollment as 88.5 students, (Freeport) Aquin has an actual enrollment of 75 students this fall. Fourteen of them participate in the volleyball program. Bentleah Stovall By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comWhen (Freeport) Aquin coach Robyn Stovall went to dinner with her family one recent Friday night, she had one request.“I said no volleyball talk,” Stovall said.That’s easier said than done considering she coaches her daughters, Bentleah and Ainsley, and the Bulldogs soon could be the talk of the town afte...
Illprepvb.com presents 570 reasons to watch girls high school volleyball this fall, Pt. I
Marist's Mary Clare Brusek (5) is one of several returning starters for the perennial Class 4A power and one of the reasons the RedHawks will be favored to win their third championship in the last four IHSA tournaments. On the cover is Breese Mater Dei's Tori Mohesky. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Yes, the start of the 2021 fall girls’ volleyball season is still a few weeks away, but it’s never too early to speculate about what or who we’ll be seeing on high school courts across Illinois. Today, Illprepvb.com begins a look at 570 reasons ...