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...

St. Francis outside hitter Anna Paquette tries to slip a kill past a pair of Nazareth defenders during the Spartans' victory in the Class 3A championship game Saturday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – Addy Horner wasn't afraid to step up with the match on the line.The sophomore setter/rightside hitter delivered a championship for St. Francis. Horner hammered the match-winning kill as the Spartans scored the final 3 points of the match and nudged Nazareth, 25-23, 25-23, in the Class 3A championsh...

Benet Academy defeated Naperville North, 25-12, 25-17, to win its 10th sectional championship since 2008. At Plainfield NorthWednesday, it was Gabi’s turn.“You never know who it’s going to be,” Benet Academy coach Brad Baker said. “You never know who to gameplan for. It’s not like we have one person we go to all the time. We just go to whoever we have to.”Wednesday in the Plainfield North Class 4A Sectional championship match, that “whoever” was 6-1 outside hitter Gabija Staniskis.Staniskis had 14 kills, including 6 in the second set after...

Glenbard South iproved to 16-3 overall with a 25-21, 25-16 victory Thursday over Fremd in Glen Ellyn. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThis is the year they’ve been pointing to since a boys’ volleyball team first took the court at Glenbard South in 2020.And, so far, they haven’t disappointed.Thursday, the Upstate Eight Conference-contending Raiders improved to 16-3 by knocking off Mid-Suburban West co-leader Fremd, 25-21, 25-16, in Glen Ellyn.   “This is it,” said Glenbard South’s 5-10 setter Mike Hines. “This is it. We have ...

All that stood between Chillicothe IVC's Kenna Wollard and the top spot on the IHSA all-time career kill list was a COVID-shortened season in 2020. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Today, we are pleased to announce the Michio Chicago VBA/Illprepvb.com 2022 Girls All-State Volleyball Team. Coaches across Illinois were invited to nominate players to the all-state team. Team members were selected based upon their accomplishments on the court and in the classroom as high school student-athletes, not on any future potential or current recruitment sta...

St. Charles East's Kate Goudreau had 20 kills in the Saints' Class 4A semifinal against Mother McAuley. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) NORMAL – The feeling never gets old.“That’s what you want to do,” said Benet Academy coach Brad Baker. “You want to come down here, win on Friday, and play for a championship. Only two teams get to play for it, and we’re one of them.”Benet Academy punched its ticket to the IHSA championship game at 8:30 p.m. Saturday by defeating Barrington, 25-21, 25-16, in the first Class 4A semifinal Friday at Redbird Arena.Ben...

VC United 182 Elite defeated 1st Alliance 18 White in the championship match of the 18 American division at the Windy CIty Girls 18s National Qualifier in Schaumburg to earn a bid to the 2023 USAV Girls 18s Junior National Championships in Columbus, Ohio, April 28-30. https://youtu.be/ViX7WUS68nQ By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorVC United 182 Elite was a resolute band of warriors during its journey through the 18 American division of the 2023 Windy City Girls 18s National Qualifier at the Schaumburg Convention Center this weekend,...

Marist sophomore Bella Bullington (far right) had 8 kills in the RedHawks; 25-10, 25-16 victory over Benet Academy Tuesday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comIt was billed as a matchup for first place in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.Marist turned it into a mismatch.Sophomore Bella Bullington and Kamryn Chaney each had 8 kills as the host RedHawks cruised to a 25-10, 25-16 victory Tuesday over visiting Benet Academy.  Both teams were coming off losses in the title matches of their respective ...

Nobody has won more IHSA championships during the past 10 years than Benet Academy coach Brad Baker, who guided the Redwings to Class 4A titles in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2019. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) (Cover photo courtesy of Papa Bear) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL -- It all comes down to this. Here is a brief look at the 16 teams that will compete for four IHSA championships this weekend at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal: IHSA Semifinal Pairings, Friday, November 11(in bracket order) ...