No. 2-ranked Metamora received 7 kills from Esma Frieden (8) during a 25-14, 25-18 win over visiting Bartonville Limestone on Tuesday. On the home page, Bartonville Limestone setter Alayna Rudebeck (2) found herself in a joust against Metamora's Sophie Fletcher. (Photos by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comMETAMORA – What was slated to be a barnburner got washed away by uncharacteristic unforced errors from Bartonville Limestone in a matchup of Mid-Illini Conference co-leaders on Tuesday.Few opponents of Metamora, rank...
Taylorville stuns No. 1 Normal U-High; IC's Falduto, Russ keep their vow
The Taylorville Tornado3s are surrounded by their fans after knocking off No. 1-ranked Normal U-High at the (Chatham) Glenwood Class 3A Supersectional. (Photo by Randy Sharer) At (Chatham) GlenwoodCHATHAM – Down a set and trailing 23-17 in Game 2, Taylorville needed a lot of things to go right in order to upset Normal University High in the Chatham Glenwood Class 3A Supersectional on Friday.The stars improbably aligned as Taylorville pulled out a 22-25, 26-24, 25-23 shocker over U-High, which came in ranked No. 1 by Illprepvb.com.“We w...
Benet Academy, Naperville North on a collision course after sectional victories
Benet Academy's Annie Eschenbach slams a kill past the outstretched arms of Oswego East's Cailyn Smiley (14) and Ava Stiller (13) during Monday's first sectional semifinal at Plainfield North. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAnnie Eschenbach remembers.“This is the game that we lost last year,” said Eschenbach, Benet Academy’s 6-4 middle hitter and one of a handful of returning starters who lived through last year’s 25-14, 18-25, 25-18 sectional semifinal loss to Plainfield North at Oswego.“Going into this game,...
No. 6-ranked Rochester wins 'basket case' showdown with No. 1 Normal U-High
Normal University High's Lily Barry (12) had 19 kills and 19 digs, but her efforts were not enough to prevent the Pioneers from falling to Rochester in a Central State Eight showdown in Normal . (Photos by Randy Sharer) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – Nothing symbolized the grinding nature of Tuesday’s Central State Eight Conference matchup between Rochester, ranked No. 6 in Class 3A by Illprepvb.com, and No. 1 Normal University High more than the penultimate point in Game 2.U-High’s swarming defenders ricocheted a ball...
Illprepvb.com presents a first look at Illinois' top 2023 club teams … the 17s
IC Catholic Prep's Ava Falduto (4) should help 1st Alliance 17 Gold's bid for a national championshp. On the home page, not every volleyball plauer in Illinois plays for an Illinois-based club. Herrin's Karli Mann (23, far left) plays for Evansville United in Indiana. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorToday, we turn our attention to the 17s as we continue our look at some of the top club teams in Illinois. This year’s crop of 17s has some high bars to hurdle.Last summer, 1st Alliance 17 Gold won the 17 Open c...
Timothy Christian plays 'the right way' 24 hours after heartbreaking loss to IC Prep
Timothy Christian was back at it Wednesday, less than a day after a crushing 25-21, 21-25, 26-24 loss to rival IC Catholic Prep. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSometimes the hardest thing to do is sports is to come back after a crushing defeat. That was the challenge for Timothy Christian Wednesday at Westmont, 24 hours after a heartbreaking 25-21, 21-25, 26-24 loss to Illprepvb.com Class 2A top-ranked IC Catholic Prep.“That’s what I told the girls as we were getting ready,” said Timothy Christian coach Scott Piersma. “The test is...
MVP Ellie White, Mother McAuley claim ASICS Challenge championship
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...