Pleasant Plains defeated defending Class 2A state champion St. Thomas More Friday in a semifinal at Redbird Arena. NORMAL – Down 24-23 in Game 3 of its semifinal against defending Class 2 State champion St. Thomas More Friday at Redbird Arena, Pleasant Plains found a way. A tip kill by 5-foot-8 junior middle hitter Anna Kanilakan, a service ace from 5-7 junior libero MacKenzie Houser and a kill to an open corner by 5-10 senior Allie Edwards gave Pleasant Plains a thrilling 25-22, 15-25, 26-24 victory over St. Thomas More and sent the ...
Hartsburg-Emden bounces St. Teresa; Newark routs Grayville in Class 1A semis
Hartsburg-Emden meets the media after defeating Decatur St. Teresa Friday at Redbird Arena. NORMAL -- Moments like these don’t come often for schools like Hartsburg-Emden, which has an enrollment of 75 students. Of course, it helps when one of those students is 6-foot senior outside hitter and University of Memphis recruit Anna Hayes. Hayes had 17 kills while hitting just a shade under .300 as Hartsburg-Emden (36-4) defeated Decatur St. Teresa 25-17, 25-14 to advance to the IHSA Class 1A state championship match Saturday at 10:30 a...
Marist, Belleville Althoff seek to defend state titles this weekend at Redbird Arena
Belleville Althoff reached the state finals with a 25-18, 23-25, 25-16 supersectional victory over Mt. Zion. Durand coach Molly Kelsey was reminded last Friday what many fans of Illinois volleyball already knew – the most deserving teams don’t always get to Redbird Arena.Durand, which finished third in Class 1A in 2017 and returned every starter save one from that team, saw its 37-3 season end in a 25-23, 24-26, 25-20 supersectional loss to Newark last Friday at Westminster Christian. “I, like many others, believe that this was a state serie...
Marist, Marian Catholic to meet for the third time after winning at Eisenhower
Marist and Marian Catholic will meet for the third time this season in the finals of the Eisenhower Class 4A Sectional. By Randy Whalen Special to Illprepvb.com Marian Catholic girls’ volleyball coach Ryan Summers put it best. "We out-Temi-ed them," he said. Temitayo “Temi” Thomas-Ailara was amazing with 25 kills as the Spartans rallied for a 22-25, 25-16, 25-19 victory over Sandburg in the second semifinal of the Eisenhower Class 4A Sectional Monday in Blue Island. The victory set up a third meeting this season with Marist,...
128 teams, 96 games, 32 sites, 1 goal: scouting this week’s sectionals
Mike Layne's Murphysboro team is part of a loaded Class 3A sectional field at Mascoutah. The 2018 IHSA Girls State Volleyball Tournament resumes Monday with 32 sectional semifinals in four classes. Here is a look at the various sectionals across Illinois: Class 4A Normal Community Supersectional At Bloomington Game 1, Monday, October 29, 5:30 p.m. – O’Fallon (30-7) vs. Edwardsville (23-12) Game 2, Monday, October 29, 6:30 p.m. – Bloomington (31-4) vs. Normal Community West (25-11) Game 3, Wednesday, October 31, 6:00 p.m. – win...
Downers Grove North ends 30-year drought at Bartlett supersectional
Downers Grove North beat St. Charles East 25-13, 25-17 Friday at Bartlett to earn its first state finals berth since 1988. A movie ticket cost $3.50. Postage stamps were 24 cents. The Dow Jones closed at 2,168. A former movie actor, Ronald Reagan, was president. And the first game under the lights was played at Wrigley Field. 1988. Yes, it’s been a long time since Downers Grove North advanced to the IHSA Girls Volleyball State Finals. How long? Head coach Mark Wasik was in fourth grade. “This is a group of girls who are s...
W-S-S prepares for one final run; can Lakes break odd-year habit?
Windsor-Stewardson-Strasburg finished second in Class 1A last year, but the Stewardson-Strasburg school board voted not to renew the co-op with Windsor beyond the 2018-19 school year. School: BementConference: Little Okaw ValleyHead coach: Stephanie EcclesLast season’s highlights: 8-15 overall, 3-4 in conference, lost 25-13, 25-23 to top-seeded Broadlands (Heritage) in a Class 1A regional semifinal.Top returnees: 5-4 senior setter Tatum Auth (246 assists), 5-6 junior outside hitter Shelby Strack (67 kills, 344 digs).Top newcomers: 5-8 juni...
Sterling makes short work of Morton to reach first-ever state finals
Sterling advanced to the state finals for the first time by defeating Morton 25-12, 25-7 Friday. By Randy Whalen Special to Illprepvb.com STERLING – Josi Borum waited for four years for this moment. It didn't disappoint the Sterling senior. Josi Borum teamed with her sophomore twin sisters Bree and Brooklyn Borum for 31 kills as the host Golden Warriors dominated in all areas in a 25-12, 25-7 victory over Morton before a packed house on Friday to capture the Sterling Class 3A Supersectional. The Golden Warriors (39-1) adva...
Benet eludes Bloomington in three sets to reach Class 4A Final Four
Bloomington gave No. 2 Benet all it could handle before bowing in the supersectional at Normal. By Randy Sharer Special to Illprepvb.com NORMAL — Momentum showed no loyalty in the Normal Community Class 4A Supersectional on Friday. First, No. 2 state-ranked (Lisle) Benet had more momentum than it could use in Game 1. Then Bloomington revealed its true talent in Game 2 before both teams turned Game 3 into a thriller. When the leather stopped flying, Benet had escaped with a 25-11, 22-25, 25-23 triumph. “Game 1 was a fluke,” said ...
Watch out for Waubonsie Valley; WW South, Orangeville improved
Waubonsie Valley, led by AAU All-American setter Melissa Walden, figures to be one of the top teams in the state this fall. School: Downers Grove NorthConference: West Suburban SilverHead coach: Mark Wasik Last season’s highlights: 27-13 overall, 6-0 in conference (conference champions), won Warrior Blast invite, won regional and sectional titles, lost 17-25, 25-16, 25-15 in Class 4A supersectional.Top returnees: 6-0 senior four-year outside hitter and St. Louis recruit Margaret Mahlke, 5-11 senior outsi...