Morton sophomore Luisangel Cortes-Curiel (3) tries to slip a kill past the outstretched arms of Downers Grove South's Mason Kolar (5) and Nick Koch (15). (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor“Our sectional,” said Downers Grove South coach Kurt Steuer. “Our sectional … ““It’s tough anywhere,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re seeded. But it is what it is. You got to go out and play.”Downers Grove South’s 25-12, 25-16 victory over Morton on Tuesday was almost inconsequential in the bigger picture, although So...

Chance Shampine overcame a serious back injury as a junior to lead Glenbrook South to its first IHSA quarterfinal berth since 2014 and become the first Player of the Year from the Glenview school since Sam Kim earned the honor from the Chicago Sun-Times in 2003. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comChance Shampine’s junior season didn’t go the way he expected.His senior season didn’t go the way anybody else expected.The Glenbrook South star missed more than half of the 2022 season with a serious back injury.“I...

Eastside Volleyball 18U Ninjas finished third in the 18 Club division at the 50th AAU Girls National Volleyball Championships in Orlando. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorORLANDO, Florida – “Someone stop me. Oh, someone please, just try and stop me.” – Katharine Hepburn in the 1938 movie classic, “Holiday,” with Cary Grant.There must be something to this red(head) mystique.Seeded fifth in the field of 58 teams, Sports Performance 18 Red won its third consecutive national championship, defeating Mill City 18s (Lowell, Massachusetts), 25-...

Timothy Christian players and their fans were decked out in pink Wednesday to raise cancer awareness, after which they paused to celebrate another Trojans' victory. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorPlaying without 6-3 junior outside hitter and University of Texas recruit Abby VanderWal for the first 10 matches of the season – a stretch during which the Trojans went 7-3 and lost to rival and probable sectional foe IC Catholic Prep -- might not have been the worst thing to happen to Timothy Christian.“I think we were able to learn and bui...

The Westville Tigers started the season with a bang, winning their own tournament without dropping a set. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThere is a lot of joy in Westville these days.More may be on the way if Ella Miller and her teammates have their way.The Tigers, 11-0 following Thursday's 25-14, 25-16 victory over Vermilion Valley foe Hoopeston, are off to the fastest start in program history and are creating a buzz around Westville, a town of 3,120 just south of Danville and close to the Indiana state line.“It’s really exciting ...

Setter Allison deFreese (3) gave Eureka 27 assists and 11 digs at Heyworth on Tuesday during a 25-19, 23-25, 25-12 Heart of Illinois Conference loss. (Photo by Randy Sharer)  By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comHEYWORTH – It’s hard to say whether Heyworth’s free-swinging style caused Eureka to turn tentative or it was Eureka’s tentativeness that emboldened its host on Tuesday.Whatever the case – perhaps some of both – Heyworth knocked off Eureka, 25-19, 23-25, 25-12, behind senior Ava Riddle’s 28 assists, 14 digs and 2 aces.“I saw th...

Glenbard West sophomore middle hitter Kayla Street (11) skies for a kill durng the Hilltoppers' victory Tuesday over visiting Oak Park-River Forest. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThree of Minooka’s losses during a recent four-match losing streak were in three sets.But this three-set match was different. The Indians turned their fortunes around and got a big 14-25, 25-20, 25-22 victory over Romeoville in a key Southwest Prairie Conference matchup Tuesday in Minooka. Sophomores Brooklynne Brass ...

Barrington's 6-11 junior and tournament MVP Cole Hartke had 9 kills, 2 blocks and 2 aces to help the No. 2-seeded Broncos defeat top-seeded Lincoln-Way East, 25-18, 25-19, in the championship match of the Wheaton Warrenville South Tiger Classic Saturday in Wheaton. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBarrington setter Carsten Wegh wasn’t sure what to expect Saturday.“We came in here and we didn't really expect to go too far,” he said. “We started the season rough, and Thursday (night in pool play) was ugly. We'd a...

By virute of its fourth-place finish in Class 1A last fall, (Sterling) Newman Central Catholic was subject to the IHSA's 1.65 multiplier and will compete in the Class 2A tournament for the next two years. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor The Illinios girls high school volleyball season begins in earnest in just a few days, and today Illprepvb.com continues its annual series of previews of the teams, players and coaches whose ultimate goal is a trip to Redbird (now CEFCU) Arena on the campus ...