Matt Swiatkowski (9) and Benet Academy, who defeated Oswego, 25-20, 25-14, in the regional championship match Thursday in Oswego, will face Plainfield South in a sectional semifinal at Hinsdale South at 2:00 p.m. Saturday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWith their team trailing 21-16 in the third set to No. 2-ranked Downers Grove North in the regional championship match Thursday on the Trojans’ home floor, even the most fervent Plainfield South fan had to have some doubt creeping into their mind.But not Do...

St. Charles North's Diego Torres (8) had 5 kills during the North Stars' 25-18, 25-23 victory over Geneva in Saturday's quarterfinal match at the regional hosted by St. Charles East . )File photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNobody has done a study of the IHSA boys volleyball tournament, but…Since the NCAA Division I men’s basketball field expanded to 65 teams in 1985, the No. 8 vs. No. 9 seeds have the closest head-to-head record with the No. 9 seed owning an 83-77 advantage, a 51.88 winning percentage.Somebody fo...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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. “...