(Photo by Dave Ruggles)Sixteen teams that were ranked in the preseason made the 1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com final rankings for 2018. Seven teams ranked in the preseason were among the other teams worth mentioning. The final rankings are partly based on each team’s finish in the IHSA tournament, and partly based on a team’s body of work during the entire season.1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Fin...

  Norris City-Omaha-Enfield hopes to return to Redbird Arena after losing to Cobden in the 2017 sectional finals. 1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Final Regular Season Girls Rankings(Last week’s ranking in parenthesis. Rankings will not be updated again until after the state tournament.)1. Marist (1) 32-2Closes out regular season with big win over Nazareth. Next: vs. Bremen/Eisenhower winner Tuesday at Bradley-Bourbonnais.2. Benet (5) 30-5Puts Huntley loss in rearview mirror, beats Marist. Next: vs. Romeoville/Oswego Eas...

1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Week Eight Girls Rankings(Last week’s ranking in parenthesis)1. Marist (1) 31-2Camryn Hannah, RedHawks are not in Kansas anymore. Next: at Benet Tuesday, hosts Nazareth Thursday.2. Nazareth Academy (7) 26-3Finishes off St. Charles North without Leilani Dodson.Next: hosts St. Francis Monday, at Marist Thursday.3. Huntley (14) 30-3Seton Hall recruit Taylor Jakubowski is MVP of Autumnfest.Next: hosts Hampshire Tuesday, hosts Harvest Christian Thursday.4. St. Charles North (11) 28-5Gigi Crescenzo, N...

Bloomington went 4-1 at the Scholastic Cup tournament, losing only to nationally-ranked Leon (Florida). 1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Week Seven Girls Rankings (Last week’s ranking in parenthesis) 1. Marist (1) 26-1 Ellie Kurpeikis, RedHawks stay Whitney Young. 2. Sterling (2) 26-0 Travels to Geneseo Tuesday for Big 12 showdown. 3. Benet (3) 23-4 Valentina Tabares, Kyla Kenney rule Scholastic Cup. 4. Sandburg (4) 24-4 Eagles able to hold off Natalie Mitchem, Bolingbrook. 5. Marian Catholic (5) 22-5 Thom...

NIC-10 powerhouse Belvidere North doesn't figure to be challenged until the state tournament. 1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Week SixGirls Rankings(Last week’s ranking in parenthesis)1. Marist (1) 24-1Assumption ends RedHawks’ win streak at 56. 2. Sterling (2) 22-0Warriors have no trouble with rival Cavaliers. 3. Benet (3) 16-4Six-foot freshman Annie Remmes bolsters middle.4. Sandburg (7) 22-4Eagles finish third at prestigious ASICS Challenge.5. Marian Catholic (4) 20-5Falls to Sandburg, finishes fourth at ASICS Challenge....

York's Jessica Levy powers home a kill during a recent match. 1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Week Five Girls Rankings(Last week’s ranking in parenthesis)1. Marist (1) 18-0Avery Jedry putting up big numbers for No. 1. 2. Sterling (2) 17-0Big showdown Tuesday when LaSalle-Peru visits. 3. Benet (3) 15-4Senior setter Ally Van Eekeren dishes, blocks, kills, digs.4. Marian Catholic (4) 15-3‘Temi’ time too tough for Mother McAuley at Rich East5. Plainfield Central (5) 13-4Regan Trueblood knows where to turn at crunch time.6. Naza...

1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Week Four Girls Rankings(Last week’s ranking in parenthesis)1. Marist (1) 16-0RedHawks win second straight Wheaton Classic title. 2. Sterling (2) 16-0Golden Warriors travel to Rochelle Tuesday, Ottawa Thursday. 3. Benet (3) 12-4Redwings second at Wheaton despite missing leading attacker.4. Marian Catholic (5) 8-3After losing to Marist, Spartans visit Joliet Catholic Tuesday.5. Plainfield Central (17) 10-4Cannot close out Marist after leading 23-21 in the third set.6. Nazareth Academy (14) 13-2...

1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Girls Rankings Week Two(Last week’s ranking in parenthesis)1. Marist (1) 8-0Katie Mather setting winners for Jordan Vidovic’s RedHawks.2. Sterling (3) 12-0Bree Borum leads Golden Warriors to title at Rock Falls.3. Marian Catholic (2) 5-2Loses to Munster (Indiana) in four sets, travels to Marian Central next. 4. Benet (4) 5-2Redwings can’t be casual when they call on Angels Tuesday.5. Sandburg (5) 7-1Eagles take control of conference with win over Lincoln-Way East.6. Waubonsie Valley (8) 7-2Sh...

Monmouth-Roseville, one of the smallest schools in Class 3A, won the Macomb invite Saturday. 1st Alliance Volleyball Club/Illprepvb.com 2018 Week One Girls Rankings(Preseason rank in parenthesis)1. Marist (1) 6-0Another “magical season” in store for Camryn Hannah & Co.? 2. Marian Catholic (8) 5-1Nothing fancy from the Spartans, just in-your-face volleyball.3. Sterling (4) 6-0Who’s the boss? Avenges 2017 loss to Joliet Catholic at Metea Valley. 4. Benet (3) 4-1Redwings sorely miss Hattie Monson, Sophie Gregus, Caitlin Wepfer.5. Sandbu...