Kate Goudreau (3) and St. Charles East defeated Nazareth, 25-16, 25-16, to win the Silver bracket at the ASICS Challenge hosted by Mother McAuley on Saturday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor“Just remember, stick to the plan,” said the Oz the Great and Powerful to Finley the monkey.“But the plan is you,” Finley replied.Whatever the plan was Saturday, Mother McAuley stuck to it. The result was the Mighty Macs’ sixth ASICS Challenge championship, and their first since the national championship team won it back in ...
Bolingbrook hopes to steal page from Andrew; North survives Naperville fray
Paige Lauterwasser, shown here during a match from last fall, powered Naperville North past rival Naperville Central in a DuPage Valley showdown Tuesday at North. (File photo by Dave Ruggles) At BolingbrookIt's a new season, but a match from last year couldn't help but be on the minds of Andrew and Bolingbrook players when the two teams met in a Southwest Suburban Conference battle Tuesday in Bolingbrook.After all, it was a rematch of last season's sectional final.This time, it was the host Raiders who showed they are a team to be reckoned ...
No. 2 Metamora upends No. 1 Normal U-High en route to Saints Fall Classic title
University of Illinois recruit Lily Barry of Normal University High went on the attack against Williamsville in the Gold Division third-place match of the Bloomington Central Catholic Saints Fall Classic in Bloomington on Saturday. Blocking for Williamsville were Brooklyn Holdener (1) and Nina Ledgerwood (4). (Photos by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepb.comBLOOMINGTON – Scoring efficiently paid off for Metamora as it used power and precision during a five-match, 10-hour span to win the 16-team Bloomington Central Catho...
Unbeatens no more: Mother McAuley, Fieldcrest taken down on the road
Marist's Elise Ward (shown here at last weekend's Wheaton Classic), had 10 kills to help the RedHawks take down previously-unbeaten Mother McAuley on Thursday (Photo by Dave Ruggles). On the home page, Tri-Valley's Emma Witte (12) and Hailey Warfel (9) put up a wall during a 25-22, 25-20 win over visiting Fieldcrest and Kate White (3) at Downs on Thursday. (Photo by Randy Sharer) Marist, hosting its archrival for the first time in four years, came out focused and didn't disappoint its huge home crowd Thursday.Outside hitter Kamryn Chaney c...
Everyone wins (and loses) at Rochester; Normal West upsets U-High at Intercity
Rochester's Emma Dixon (9) and Ellie Gegen (16) and Quincy Notre Dame's Abbey Schreacke (14), Emma Hoing (6) and Annie Eaton (4) were part of a triangular mini-tournament at Rochester on Saturday that also featured Metamora. All three teams went 1-1. Metamora and Quincy Notre Dame captains and coaches meet before their match at Rochester on Saturday. ROCHESTER –Metamora defeated Rochester. Rochester defeated Quincy Notre Dame. Quincy Notre Dame defeated Metamora.Each team won, and each team lost at the three-team mini-tournament hoste...
Bolingbrook makes a little history, beats Lincoln-Way East for first-ever SWSC title
Bolingbrook's Madison Shroba had 15 kills to lead the Raiders to their first-ever Southwest Suburban Conference championship Tuesday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorFirst, a brief history lesson.Bolingbrook was one of 10 schools that broke away from the old South Inter-Conference Association in 2005 to form the Southwest Suburban Conference. During the ensuing years, the Raiders have won conference titles in boys basketball, football, boys volleyball and girls basketball.So, when was the last time the Raiders ...
Falk, streaking De La Salle trip Providence in GCAC opener for both teams
Victoria Huptych and St. Charles North defeated Wheaton North, 25-15, 26-24, Tuesday in a key showdown in the DuKane Conference. (On the cover) Sophomore middle blocker Jenna Kolosta and Lockport defeated Plainfield Central in a nonconference match Tuesday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAnna Marie Marassa is in her 21st season as head coach at De La Salle. Her teams don't beat Providence very often. But the Meteors did Tuesday night.Behind 13 kills, 10 digs and 3 aces from Jen Falk, the Meteors def...
No. 6 Mahomet-Seymour shorthanded during three-set loss to No. 1 U-High
Mahomet-Seymour setter Madalyn Gaede set the ball for teammate Sydney McKinney during Thursday's 25-12, 22-25, 25-16 loss at Normal University High. (Photo by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – Two state-ranked teams on a roll collided in the Normal University High Gym on Thursday and it was the host Pioneers who rocked on.Ranked No. 1 in Class 3A by Illprepvb.com, U-High won its 13th consecutive match with a 25-12, 22-25, 25-16 decision over No. 6 Mahomet-Seymour.After that Game 2 meltdown, Pioneer coach&...
Huntley doesn't panic, races past previously unbeaten Barrington
Barrington's Berkeley Ploder (No. 10 shown here at Redbird Arena last fall) ended a marathon second set with a block Wednesday, but the 6-2 junior and her teammates eventually succumbed to Huntley in the third set. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Huntley's Allyson Panzloff By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorHuntley coach Karen Naymola admitted she was tempted to call a timeout with her team trailing 11-6 in the third set of its nonconference match Wednesday at Barrington.“I didn't take the timeout,” she said. “I didn't want to use one right a...
Student tops master as Lexington upsets previously unbeaten El Paso-Gridley
Lexington players rush the court after they complete their victory over previously unbeaten El Paso-Gridley. (Photo by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comEL PASO – Back when Kelli Aho was the star setter for Coach Andi Hardwick’s 2010 IHSA Class 1A championship team at Heyworth, the two could read each other’s minds.On Thursday, that was still true as the Aho-coached Lexington Lady Minutemen upset the previously unbeaten Hardwick-coached El Paso-Gridley Titans, 21-25, 25-17, 25-19.“It’s always fun seeing her,” said Aho, wh...