Is one Sky High better than two? Which 1st Alliance team is first? It's still undecided

Sky High Adidas 16 Elite is a combination of two 15s teams from a year ago and has found itself among the upper echelon of teams in the Windy City Power League 16/15 Open division. On the home page is Sky High Adidas 16 Elite setter Jenna Meitzler from Barrington. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorBack and forth they go.1st Alliance 16 Gold and 1st Alliance 15 Gold found themselves in familiar territory Saturday during Windy City Power League play at the 1st Alliance facility in Woodridge – the championship match of Bracket A.Whether i...

Lee-Caracci, with a little help from her friends, leads Lyons past Willowbrook

Willowbrook suffered its first loss of the 2022 season Wednesaday at the hands of visiting Lyons Township, 25-20, 12-25, 25-22. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorThe graduation of Tia Kostic and Adriana Vassek – who together accounted for more than 500 kills – from last year’s sectional semifinalist Lyons team put the burden of being “that” girl squarely on the shoulders of returning outside hitter Kamryn Lee-Caracci.So far, Lee-Caracci has shown that, boy, she can carry that weight a long time.Wednesday in Villa Park, Lee-Caracci slamm...

Hinsdale Central exploits rotation error, rides momentum past Maine South

Jakobi Lange had 6 kills and an ace, and Hinsdale Central regrouped after a lengthy interruption during the second set to storm past Maine South, 14-25, 25-21, 25-16, Tuesday in Hinsdale. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) https://youtu.be/7T3NSE2_xWM By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorSometimes all it takes is something as innocuous as a service rotation error to turn a match around.After crushing Hinsdale Central 25-14 in the first set of the teams’ non-conference match Wednesday in Hinsdale, Maine South eased to an 8-6 lead in the second ...

Metamora turns a few heads despite loss to Marist; young U-High seeks to improve

Kitty Sandt and Nazareth bounced back from a 25-21, 25-13 loss to Maine South with a 25-18, 25-18 victory over Providence Catholic to reach the Bronze bracket Saturday at the Plainfield North Crimson Classic. (File photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorMetamora deserved a better fate Friday.The Redbirds, who return three starters from the team that opened last season with 27 consecutive victories and advanced to a Class 3A supersectional, found themselves on the other side of the net Friday against No. 2 seed Mar...

Oswego sticks to the game plan and Allen delivers in win over Plainfield North

Ben Rosenow had 5 kills and 3 aces in Oswego's win over Plainfield North on Thursday in Oswego. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorOswego had a three-pronged game plan following its tough 17-25, 25-18, 25-16 loss Tuesday to Plainfield East, the Panthers’ first in Southwest Prairie Conference play.Part I: Fix what was broken.“We worked on what we needed to work on in practice (Wednesday),” said Oswego’s 6-foot libero Alex Rosenow.Part II: Talk about how you respond following a loss, and stick to it.“We want to win c...

Nearly 80 girls from Illinois clubs named all-tournament at USAV, AAU nationals

Sports Perfromance 18 Kahl's Claire Simpson has some encouraging words for teammate and all-tournament selection Seiler Hruska (92) during the AAU tournament in Orlando. On the home page, Top Flight 17U Elite's Lauren Buxton of Pleasant Plains was an all-tournament selection in the 17 LIberty division at the USAV nationals in Indianapolis. Seventy-eight girls representing Illinois volleyball clubs were named to the all-tournament teams at the recently-concluded USAV and AAU national tournaments:2022 USAV Girls Junior National Championship ...

Hinsdale Central pockets three of a kind, defeats Whitney Young in two

After losing three straight, Hinsdale Central won its third match in as many days Thursday by defeating Whitney Young in Hinsdale. By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comThree seems to be Hinsdale Central’s magic number so far this season – for better or worse.The Red Devils won their first three matches before losing three in a row.Now they’re back on track after winning their third game in as many days on Thursday.Outside hitters Erika Kalman and Ellie Henneman pounded 9 kills apiece and junior rightside Elizabeth Sessa landed 8 to lead t...

Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year preparing for freshman year at Penn State

Nazareth graduate Katie Hurta changed her college plans in February and opted to play for former Mother McAuley great Katie Schumacher-Cawley at Penn State. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Katie Hurta helped to lead her Nazareth team past Belvidere North in the IHSA Class 3A championship match last November. By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comIndiana’s loss is Pennsylvania’s gain.A year ago, Katie Hurta was preparing for her senior season at Nazareth. In the 12 months that followed, much has happened, including a decision by the 2021-22 Ga...

Plainfield East maps a 'trust'-worthy victory over visiting Lincoln-Way West

Geography. Led by Matthew Molnar, Downers Grove South defeated Downers Grove North on Tuesday. Twenty-four hours later, Plainfield East surprises Lincoln-Way West. And tomorrow, another key geographic showdown when Glenbard West visits Lincoln-Way East. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comOne thing is apparent about the new Plainfield East boys volleyball head coach Jeff Wilkie.He trusts his players. That trust paid off in his coaching debut Wednesday. The Bengals held off a rally in the opener and...

Chemistry fuels 1st Alliance 17 Gold; emotion is the potion for Sky High 17 Elite

Kamryn Chaney of 1st Alliance 17 Gold and Marist smashes a kill past the outstretched arms of two VC United 171 defenders during the final day of Windy City Power League seeding Saturday at 1st Alliance in Woodridge. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWhat a week for 1st Alliance 17 Gold.First, the girls from the western suburbs earned an Open bid to the USAV Girls Junior National Championship by crushing the field at the 2022 Mizuno Northern Lights Qualifier last weekend in Omaha, Nebraska.Then Saturday, 17 Gold ...