Louden Moran (far left) had 5 kills Monday to help Lincoln-Way West defeat Minooka. (photos by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com It’s only the second week of April, but Monday's match-up between No. 2 Minooka and No. 4 Lincoln-Way West could have implications for the end of May. The two teams figure to be the top seeds in the local sub-sectional as part of the Belleville East sectional. A lot can happen between now and then, but at the moment, it's Lincoln-Way West with the upper hand as Ben Pluskota led a...
Lincoln-Way East, Sandburg looking beyond Velocity Summer League title tilt
Lincoln-Way East and Sandburg, which met for the Velocity Summer League title Thursday, should be among the top teams in the south suburbs this fall. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThere were times at the end of last season that Lincoln-Way East had five sophomores on the floor.The Griffins took some lumps with the youth movement, finishing the season 18-19. It was their first losing record since 2009 and the first losing season for coach Kris Fiore. But if its performance during the summer is any indication, Lincoln-Way East won't ...
Whitney Young learns from former Olympian, but No. 1 Marist still schools Dolphins
Whitney Young’s (left to right) Chelsea Thorpe, Jordan Quinones, Anya Korbut, Bianca Hernandez and Perry Lucas with head coach Keba Phipps. By Randy Whalen Special to Illprepvb.com As a two-time Olympian, Keba Phipps knows something about playing with the best and playing against the best. Now the head volleyball coach at Whitney Young, Phipps took her team to play the best in the state on Thursday when the Dolphins traveled to Marist. There, the host RedHawks continued to do what they have all season and cruised to a 25-19, 25...
Bolingbrook moves on without Mitchem, and we look at 18 other schools
Bolingbrook set a school record with 24 wins last fall, but star 6-foot-2 outside hitter Natalie Mitchem is now attending Ball State, and the Raiders must carry on without her. Illprepvb.com begins its coverage of the 2019 Illinois girls high school season with the first set of previews. School: Bloomington Central Catholic Conference: Illini PrairieHead coach: Teresa UlrichLast season’s highlights: 21-15 overall, 5-4 in conference (fourth place), finished third at Saints Fall Classic, fifth at Sterling invi...
York communicates, then dominates Downers Grove South
Downers Grove South's Addison Karmik, Jessica Juerke, Holly Kaczmarek, Rose Dumford and Lucy Dumford. York got off to a rough start Monday at Downers Grove South. It was just a matter of talking things out. “I think we started to see what the other team (Downers Grove South) was doing, we started to communicate more with each other … talking about setting up the block, covering tips and short serves … all that,” said York’s 5-foot-11 senior outside hitter Sophia Glabus. “That was definitely a game-changer there,” she said. Y...
‘Oh, Homewood-Flossmoor’ rallies from big third-set deficit to beat L-W East
Lincoln-Way East's Kaleigh Ritter, Nicki Bechtold, Molly Skoda, Jess Pappas and Hannah Kowalczyk. By Randy Whlen Special to Illprepvb.com Energy. Homewood-Flossmoor brought that when it mattered most. As a result, the Vikings got a huge win as they knocked off host Lincoln-Way East 28-26, 19-25, 25-22 in a SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue Division battle Tuesday in Frankfort. Junior outside hitters Miara Bolden (4 kills, 6 blocks) and Lia Sidberry (7 kills) led the way for Homewood-Flossmoor (18-7, 1-0), which registered its ...
Assumption snaps Marist’s winning streak at 56 in final of ASICS Challenge
Assumption (Louisville, Ky.) defeated Marist 25-21, 25-20 to win the ASICS Challenge at McAuley. By Randy Whalen Special to Illprepvb.com No one wants to lose. Especially not after winning 56 straight matches. So, although the win streak is over for Marist, the defending Class 4A state champions vow that this will make them a better team when the postseason begins. Meanwhile, they will have to start a new run after their 56-match winning streak ended with a 25-21, 25-20 loss to Assumption (Louisville, Kentucky) in the title mat...
Adversity founder Mike Hulett remembered as a coach, friend and mentor
Adversity founder Mike Hulett passed away suddenly on May 9. (photo courtesy of USA Volleyball) Michael R. Hulett, founder of Adversity Volleyball Club and the former head coach for the U.S. Men's and Women's Sitting Volleyball Teams who passed away suddenly May 9, was remembered as a friend, a mentor and an inspiration."The Adversity family and volleyball community experienced a significant loss with Mike's passing," said Adversity girls' program director Melissa Vandrey Masterson. "We lost a mentor, a coach, and more importantly, a friend...
Joliet Catholic armed and ready to challenge Sterling, rugged Class 3A field
Led by Bella Ray (14) and Jillian Gray (4), Joliet Catholic is eager to improve upon last year's third-place finish in the Class 3A tournament. (Photos by Dave Ruggles). Three state titles. Three runner-up finishes. Third-place finishes in 2006 and 2018. A fourth-place trophy in 2005. More than 560 wins during the head coach Chris Scheibe’s 19-year tenure. Joliet Catholic has been a preeminent player in IHSA girls volleyball since Allie Quigley & Co. defeated Barrington and former U.S. national volleyball team member Nellie Spicer for ...
Chicago Christian, Joliet West looking to make long tournament runs in 2019
Chicago Christian, which finished 9-2 and in third place at the UNO Summer League, hopes to return to the top of the Class 2A world in 2019. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comA decade ago, the Chicago Christian girls’ volleyball team was on top of the world.With seven seniors back from last season’s Class 2A sectional final squad, the Knights hope to get back there in 2019.Chicago Christian has certainly showed this summer that it’s capable of getting back to Redbird Arena. The Knights tuned up for the upcoming fall campaign by g...