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...
Benet turns up the pressure, rallies to beat Lyons for ninth Wheaton Classic title
Benet outside hitter Gabija Staniskis redirects a kill past a pair of Wheaton Warrenville South defenders during quarterfnal play Saturday at the Wheaton Classic. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBenet Academy’s girls were anxious to wrap up play Saturday at the Wheaton Classic with homecoming festivities ongoing at the school’s Lisle campus.But all that went out the window after the Redwings dropped the first set of the championship match to No. 1 seed Lyons Township.“After we lost the first set, we knew homeco...
Normal U-High bests St. Thomas More in showdown of 1A, 3A state powers
Sophomore outside hitter Levyn Snow (5) and the Normal U-High Pioneers, coming off a 3-2 performance at last weekend's Illprepvb.com Plainfield North Crimson Classic, rallied to defeat defending IHSA Class 1A champion St. Thomas More on Monday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – The question of how far apart elite teams are in different classes got an answer on Monday when reigning IHSA Class 1A champion Champaign St. Thomas More traveled 58 miles to visit Class 3A’s No. 1-ranked Normal University Hi...
Montini putting the puzzle together, befuddles visiting Genoa-Kingston
York's Emelyn Stettin tries to work around the block of Glenbard West's Penelope Vilkama during the team's West Suburban Silver opener Tuesday in Glen Ellyn. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comDon't count out Montini.Led by a monster match from senior Jordan Heatherly, the defending IHSA Class 2A champions showed that despite a .500 record over their first 10 matches, they aren't done yet. Heatherly had 9 kills, 4 blocks, 17 assists and 14 digs as Montini never trailed and held off a furious rally in the sec...
Marist soul-searching sears St. Francis; Metamora vexes Normal West in 3A tussle
Metamora sophomore Esma Frieden (8) banged out 22 kills to lead the Redbirds to a 25-22, 17-25, 25-19 victory Tuesday at Normal West. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) CHICAGO -- Between 2017-19, the Marist girls’ volleyball team lost a total of seven matches in winning back-to-back Class 4A state titles and then placing third.Last Saturday, the RedHawks dropped two matches in a row and finished fourth at the Crimson Classic, which led them to do some soul-searching.“I feel like it motivated me to be more of an impact player,” said Marist outside h...