After ignoring a little nudging from mom and once calling volleyball a "girls' sport," Logan Novak has set school records for career assists and single-game assists at Joliet Central. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com When he steps onto the volleyball court, Logan Novak isn't intimidated by anyone. After all, when you just set a number of school records, why should you be? Novak, Joliet Central’s senior setter, set Steelmen school records for most assists in a career and in a match this season. But pe...
Shepard beats Oak Lawn for win No. 30, extends consecutive victory streak to 24
Shepard improved to 30-3 overall and won its 24th consecutive match, defeating Oak Lawn, 26-24, 25-17, Tuesday in Palos Heights. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe 2024 season must seem like a distant memory for Shepard’s 5-10 setter Conor Harkala, who was a sophomore setter on a team that finished 6-24.What a difference a few years can make.Tuesday, Harkala had 24 assists and twin brother Dylan added 10 kills as Shepard won its 24th consecutive match, improving to a program-best 30-3 overall and 10-0 in the South Suburban Conference ...
Student, scholar, athlete – York’s Hunter Stepanich is a modern renaissance man
As a junior tight end/defensive end, Hunter Stepanich (87) helped lead the Dukes to the IHSA championship game. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Outlier. Unicorn. Throwback. These are the some of the adjectives that can be used to describe York’s Hunter Stepanich. But even they might not be sufficient to describe what the 6-foot-8, 230-pound senior has accomplished during his remarkable high school career. Stepanich, who has committed to play football and volleyball at Princeton, has led the Dukes’ football, basketball an...
Here is an updated list of teams that have qualified for the USAV national championships
1st Alliance VBC has qualified 15 teams for the USA Volleyball Girls Junior Nationals in the 15-17s age groups. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorHere is an updated list as of May 11, 2026, of the local teams that have qualified for the USA Volleyball Girls National Championships in the 15s-17s age groups. The 2026 USA Volleyball Girls Junior 14s-17s National Championship will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, June 25-July 3. USAV Girls15s-17s qualifiers (41)17 Open1st Alliance 17 Gold (...
Belleville East slumbers during bus ride, awakens to defeat hosts at Willowbrook
Willowbrook's Matt Ciesinski (42) had 10 kills, but Belleville East won the teams' meeting at the Willowbrook invite, 15-25, 25-21, 15-12. (Photo courtesy of PiehouseSix.com/Sports) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Some teams can get off the bus ready to rock. That wasn’t the case for Belleville East on Friday. For the second time this season, the Lancers made the trip up Interstate 55 to play in the Chicago area, this time to make their debut at the Willowbrook Invite. “It’s a four-and-a-half hour drive,” said Belleville Ea...
Ultimate/Illprepvb Player of the Week Michal Marcisz making up for lost time
Glenbrook South's 6-5 opposite/setter Michal Marcisz led the Titans to a 7-1 record last weekn including a fifth-place finish at the Lincoln-Way East Invitational. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Glenbrook South’s 6-5 opposite/setter Michal Marcisz sat out last season with an injury, and the Titans are delighted to have him back.The same cannot be said of Glenbrook South’s opponents. Marcisz, a 6-5 senior, is on a tear. Last week, he averaged better than 10 kills and 7 assists per match to lead the Titans...
1st Alliance 18 Gold takes fifth in Open at USAVs as the 18s’ season comes to an end
The 2026 season was a roller coaster for 1st Alliance 18 Gold, which placed fifth in the 18 Open division at the 2026 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championship in Reno, Nevada, last weekend. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorFrom non-qualifier at the 2026 Windy City Girl's 18's National Qualifier in January to fifth in the nation …1st Alliance 18 Gold concluded its roller coaster ride of a season from the bottom of the dip to the top of the climb last weekend, finishing fifth in the 18 Open division at the 2026 USAV Girls 18s Junior ...
Chris ‘Godzilla’ Cudzilo, Glenbard West storm past Marist at Lincoln-Way East
Marist's sophomore setter Joey Staresinich (23) looks for a teammate during the championship match of the Lincoln-Way East Invitational Saturday in Frankfort. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.com Christian Cudzilo turned into Godzilla, and Glenbard West avenged its only two losses of the season to capture the championship of the 34th Lincoln-Way East Boys' Volleyball Invitational. Cudzilo clubbed a match-high 9 kills and added 6 digs and 2 blocks in the title match, a 25-11, 25-17 victory over Marist, Satur...
South never gets down in the mouth, the Hawks just respond … Maine-ly speaking
Maine South's six seniors -- (from left) Luka Babich, Simon Zwierczyk, Daniel Troyan, Nelson Arteta, Caden Kalinowksi and Elijah Graves -- celebrated a victory over Maine West Thursday in Park Ridge. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Maine South coach Garrett Fechner wasn’t going anywhere.“The thing I’m proud of our boys is … what really good teams do when not every play is going your way, it's the response, OK?” Fechner said. “You can just take it, or how do you respond to being down? You can call it a night, but I said them, ‘I’m...
Built on friendships to build a winning record, Morton stays hot at Willowbrook
Morton improved to 15-4 overall and 3-1 in the West Suburban Gold by defeating Willowbrook on Tuesday with a team that features a heavy reliance on youth, senior leadership and friendship. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIt starts with building friendships.Veteran Morton coach Tony Hornilla was faced with a dilemma at the start of the season. The two pin hitters he expected to fill those roles this spring did not return. “I called up two sophomores last year who were in line to be our next pins, but one left to play tennis...