Owen Bare (far left) watches Otis Yahn convert one of his sets into a kill during Glenbard West's run to the championship of Springfest at Glenbard East earlier this season. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorEach week during the volleyball season, we announce an Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week. Coaches throughout Illinois are invited to nominate a player for their outstanding performance on and off the court.This week, the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week is Glenbard West’s 6-0 s...

Mason Lupima (2) and Joliet Central defeated Southwest Prairie Conference rival Romeoville, 25-12, 25-19, on Tuesday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorReavis’ Pawel Greczek is no stranger to Argo. When he was a member of the Reavis JV team as a freshman, his team defeated Argo to win the conference championship.Tuesday in Summit, Greczek and the Rams added another notch to their belt, defeating Argo, 25-18, 25-18, in a battle of South Suburban Conference unbeatens, clinching no worse than a share of the league...

Glenbard West celebrated its victory over Oak Oak-River Forest by lying down in a circle on the Glenbrook North court with their feet facing toward each other. https://youtu.be/ovDweBeWGaM By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWhat’s the old adage? Familiarity breeds contempt?But in this case, familiarity bred respect.“We talked before the game,” said Glenbard West’s 6-0 setter Owen Bare. “We knew them. We knew the last time we played them, they came back super strong in the second set. So, we were ready for that.“We came together a...

Oswego utilized Thursday's home game with rival Oswego East to raise money for the Sean Edward Fader Memorial Scholarship Fund. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe Oswego boys’ volleyball team, its fans and the entire Oswego community remembered the all-too brief life and continuing legacy of Sean Edward Fader prior to Thursday’s home game between Oswego and Oswego East.Fader, a member of the Oswego volleyball team, was tragically killed in an automobile accident in the fall at the beginning of his senior year. The proceeds from Thursd...

Homewood-Flossmoor dropped a tough Southwest Suburban Conference match Tuesday at Stagg. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIt happens to every team at one time or another.You’re caught in a bad rotation and can’t get out.After a number of service errors contributed to a first-set loss, Homewood-Flossmoor opened the second set with another service error before finding itself stuck in a rotation from which it was unable to claw its way out.Stagg took advantage, building an 11-0 lead and cruising to a 25-21, 25-18 victory Tuesday in Palos H...

Maine West's junior libero Aidan Vega digs a ball under the watchful eyes of teammate Ronan Cusack (8) Saturday at the Geneva Invitational. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comGlenbard West’s players enjoyed competing at the Lincoln-Way East Invitational on Saturday.You could even say they dug it. The Hilltoppers rode some great defensive play plus the hitting and serving of tournament MVP Charlie Clifford to a see-saw 24-26, 25-8, 25-20 victory over host Lincoln-Way East in the championship match.Even Lin...

Glenbard West's Charlie Clifford (8) was an all-tournament selection at Glenbard East and the MVP at Lincoln-Way East. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorEach week during the volleyball season, we announce an Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week. Coaches throughout Illinois are invited to nominate a player for their outstanding performance on and off the court.This week, the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week is Glenbard West’s 6-4 outside hitter Charlie Clifford.Clifford was named the MVP o...

Members of the Lewis University men's volleyball team showed their support for the Bolingbrook HIgh School boys' team at Thursday's game against Romeoville. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LQ_9FZqU54 By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAnyone who attended a Lewis University men’s volleyball home match this season might have noticed a large and vocal section of high school students wildly cheering on the Flyers.Those high school students were members of the Bolingbrook boys’ volleyball program, who “adopted” the Lewis University men’s...

Lincoln-Way East improved to 4-0 in the Southwest Suburban Conference with its win Tuesday at Sandburg. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorLost in the sauce.That’s how Sandburg coach Madisen Babich described her team’s performance Tuesday.“They outplayed us. They outworked us. I think we were in the mindset of looking past them and not really worried about them. But how could you not ever be worried about a Lincoln-Way East?” she said.“It’s jersey to jersey,” Babich added. “It’s Sandburg versus Lincoln-Way East, no matter who's in that je...

Downers Grove North fetaures (from left) libero Stellan Hammond, libero Ryan Pawlik, middle hitter Dylan Quinn, middle hitter Gino Andreatta, middle hitter Quinn Leahy, outside hitter Zak Baker and outside hitter Aiden Akkawi. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIt’s been 31 years since Downers Grove North reached the IHSA quarterfinals. Is this the year the three decades-long drought ends?Six-foot-3 outside hitter Aiden Akkawi believes it is.“We’re proving to the whole state (that we’re one of the best teams in Illinois),” he said. “...