Mother McAuley outside hitter Connie Lebel (15) draws a double-team during the Mighty Macs' quarterfinal win over Huntley. Mother McAuley defeated Assumption (Louisville, Kentucky) for the second time in three days to finish third at the Asics Challenge. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comMarie Clare Brusek remembers where she was when Marist captured the Asics Challenge championship two years ago.“I was in the stands, watching,” said Brusek, who was in eighth grade in the fall of 2017.Brusek wasn't in the stand...
Illprepvb.com presents 200 reasons we can't wait for volleyball in the fall: Middle hitters
Emily Surin was the third-leading attacker for Joliet Catholic during its run to the Class 3A championship match last fall. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, Illprepvb.com continues its look at 200 reasons why we’re looking forward to girls high school volleyball resuming in the fall.Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday released long-awaited guidance for schools across the state that would allow them to re-open in the fall. Each school district will determine how to implement the guidance based on its unique circumstances, the statement ...
Normal U-High hustles past scrappy Rochester to win program’s 15th sectional title
Normal University High defeated Rochester at Mahomet-Seymour on Wednesday to advance to Friday's supersectional at Taylorville against Centralia. By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.com Back-to-back blocks by Rochester, which had trailed by as many as 9 points, helped the Rockets pull within 22-20 in Game 1 against Normal University High in the Class 3A sectional final Wednesday at Mahomet-Seymour. “It’s probably the most demoralizing thing in volleyball,” said U-High coach Mike Bolhuis, whose team shrugged off those blocks en route to a 2...
IHSA moves girls' volleyball to 'spring,' boys' volleyball season to 'summer'
The IHSA released a revised schedule for girls' and boys' volleyball, which means that scenes like this played out last November will have to wait until April or May of 2021, if at all. Some Illinois high schools plan to reopen as usual this fall. Others plan to use a “hybrid” approach format, combining in-person and e-learning. Then there are those high schools that will rely entirely on e-learning for the first semester.But whatever their differences are and whichever learning format they employ, they all have one thing in common – th...
Sterling poised to go back-to-back; Herscher, Offerman look to bounce back & more
Breelyn Borum (17) and Sterling will try to become the first Class 3A team to win back-to-back IHSA championships since St. Francis won the third of its three consecutive titles in 2014. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illprepvb.com continues its coverage of the 2019 Illinois girls high school season with another set of team previews. School: HerscherConference: Illinois Central Eight (new)Head coach: Joel Huizenga Last season’s highlights: 22-13 overall, 10-1 in conference (Interstate 8), lost to Fieldcrest, 25-20, 18-25, 25-22, in a...
Dave Perillo, IHSA Boys Volleyball Official of the Year in 2017-18, passes away at age 71
David Perillo was as noted for his prowess in the kitchen as he was for his fanaticism for all things sports, excluding the Cubs. (Photo courtesy of the Daily Herald). David Perillo, 71, a familiar face around the Illinois high school volleyball scene and particularly in the western suburbs, passed away suddenly on May 24. Perillo possessed a lifelong passion for the game of baseball. He volunteered countless hours to coaching little league, refereeing high school volleyball games as an IHSA official, and serving on the board for the Nape...
Lions 15-1 wins battle, but 1st Alliance 16 Silver wins war on ‘Epic’ final day of WCPL
1st Alliance 16 Silver won the Windy City Power League 15&16 Open division. Lions 15-1 defeated Epic United 15 Elite ROX to win Bracket A Sunday at Velocity. Maybe it wasn’t the way 1st Alliance 16 Silver wanted to go out, but the girls from Western Springs finished on top nevertheless. Despite losing to Lions 15-1, 21-25, 25-20, 17-15, in a Bracket A semifinal Sunday at the Velocity Athletic Club in Mokena, 1st Alliance 16 Silver won the Windy City Power League 15&16 Open division title. 1st Alliance 16 Silver, which won Bracke...
Prairie Ridge turns to Baudin, Sheridan; we look at L-W East, Rochester & 15 more
Hannah Baudin stepped in at setter for Prairie Ridge last fall when Jayden Otto was injured. Baudin and Trinity Sheridan will be asked to shoulder a bigger load this fall with the graduation of four starters off last year's fourth-place Class 4A finisher. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). Illprepvb.com continues its coverage of the 2019 Illinois girls high school season with another set of team previews. School: Elgin Conference: Upstate 8Head coach: Amy Zapata Last season’s highlights: 16-18 overall, 3-6 in conference, won Westminster ...
The Future is ‘wow’ in the 16s division at the Asics Boys Summer Challenge
Future 16 Elite defeated Ultimate B16 Gold in the championship match of the Asics Boys Summer Challenge 16 division Sunday in Mokena. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThe Future is now.With a healthy lineup, Future 16 Elite captured the championship of the Asics Boys Summer Challenge on Sunday at the Velocity Training Center in Mokena with a dominating 25-14, 25-22 victory over Ultimate B 16 Gold. “I’d say it was a pretty good day for us,” said Future coach Kate Wright. “We’ve got all our starters back on the court, a...
Marist, Jedry hold serve at home, hold off Notre Dame Academy (Kentucky)
Marist defeated Notre Dame Academy Thursday in the teams' annual match preceding the Asics Challenge this weekend at Mother McAuley. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Marist libero Mairead Boyle. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Avery Jedry has never experienced a loss on her home court. The Marist outside hitter made certain that she and her teammates didn't experience the feeling Thursday night. Jedry put down the final 2 kills as Marist survived a slugfest and defeated Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills, Kentucky...