Normal U-High, the No. 1 team in Illprepvb.com's preseason Class 3A rankings, opened the 2022 season Monday by defeating Bloomington in straight sets. By Randy SharerSpecial to Illprepvb.comBLOOMINGTON – When Bloomington High School scored its first point on Monday, Purple Raider fans showered Class 3A’s No. 1-ranked visitor, Normal University High, with the obligatory chant of, “overrated.”After the Pioneers shrugged off that opinion to win, 25-14, 25-17, Joe Sanders, coaching his 25th season-opener for Bloomington, wasn’t sure what a rea...

Montini is still figuring things out after losing four Division I seniors from last year's IHSA championship team, said captain Jordan Weatherly (16). By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAll good things must come to an end.Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. UCLA basketball’s 88-game winning streak. Cal Ripken’s streak of 2,632 consecutive games played. UConn women's basketball 145-game regular-season conference winning streak.And Montini’s 36-match volleyball win streak. Ironically, it ended right where it began.York ended the defendi...

Sports Performance 16 White dropped only one set during the entire tournament to win the 16 Spirit division at the 49th AAU Girls Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday. Orlando, Florida – There are exceptions to the “No sure thing” rule.For example, take the 18 Classic championship match at the 49th AAU Girls Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday.There was no way that a Sports Performance team wasn’t going to walk away with a national title. The only question was whether i...

Barrington opened the 2022 season with a 22-25, 25-19, 25-12 victory at Stevenson. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBarrington’s Jessica Horwath, a University of Arizona beach volleyball recruit, opted out of the indoor club season last winter and spring to work with Progression Beach Volleyball club in Darien, where she and her partner played in several big-time tournaments against taller, more mature opponents.So whatever happens on the court during this high school season is unlikely to fluster her … for example, dropping the first s...

Oswego's Anthony Ramirez (6) had 4 kills in the Panthers' regional semifinal win over Naperville North in a Downers Grove North regional semifinal Wednesday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSometimes it takes more than a powerful outside hitter or a strong blocking middle making play after play to turn a match around.Sometimes it takes a 5-foot-6 defensive specialist.After his team dropped an error-plagued first set to Naperville North, Oswego 5-6 junior Connor Kehoe toed the service line to begin the second.B...

The late Dave Boze established the first volleyball club in the Great Lakes Region more than 40 years ago when he founded “Circus.” Four years ago, Illprepvb.com was approached to collaborate on the creation of an Illinois High School Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame.Unfortunately, at the time, nothing ever came of that phone call. But we felt that the creation of a coaches’ Hall of Fame was long overdue.In July 2020, with input from current and former coaches, players and officials, Illprepvb.com put together the initial class of the ...

Edwardsville's Sydney Davis (14) and teammates will have some big shoes to fill with the graduation of Gabby Saye off last year's IHSA Class 4A fourth-place finisher. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Today, Illprepvb.com continues our look at some of the top high school players in Illinois with those members of the Class of 2024 expected to return and make an impact for their teams this fall. Class of 2024 Gwen Adler, 5-9, Jr., S, BarringtonAvery Allen, 5-7, Jr., OH, Mahomet-SeymourMolly Amendt, 5-11, Jr., MB, Lena-WinslowAddison Beekman, ...

Logan Clarida (20) and his Lincoln-Way West teammates will meet Lockport for a regional title Thursday after they defeated Plainfield North in a semifinal Tuesday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comDon't be late!Andrew Tomaszewski made sure the Lincoln-Way West seniors weren't to their graduation.Tomaszewski, a senior setter, served an ace on match point as the Warriors avenged a season-opening loss to Plainfield North by toppling the Tigers, 25-22, 25-23, Tuesday in the opening semifinal of the Lockport Regiona...

Jace Milka (4) is one of eight Plainfield East seniors who are trying to do something even the great 2018 team was not able to achieve. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe 2022 Plainfield East Bengals are poised to do something even the great 2018 Plainfield East team could not accomplish.The 2018 Plainfield East team is the benchmark by which all the school’s boys volleyball teams are measured.That team opened the season with 19 consecutive wins before losing to Brother Rice, 25-22, 18-25, 25-23, at Brother Ric...