St. Francis' Emily Risley tries to get around the block of a pair of Taylorville defenders during Friday's Class 3A semifinal. (Photo by Dave Ruggles). By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comNORMAL – Not many high school athletes get to play for a state championship. Olivia Austin will play for her third in a year's time. Austin, a junior middle/opposite side hitter, had 6 kills in helping Nazareth to advance to the championship title match for the second straight season with a 25-19, 25-13 victory over Taylorville in the second...
Sky High Adidas 18 Elite claims Windy City Power League championship
Sky High Adidas 18 Elite clinched the Windy City Power League title by defeating Fusion 18 Silver early Sunday at the UNO Volleyball Center in Joliet. https://youtu.be/s51HnJnqF9A By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorPerseverance. Intelligence. Togetherness.Those are the elements that catapulted Sky High Adidas 18 Elite to the Windy City Power League championship Sunday at the UNO Volleyball Center in Joliet.“It's been crazy,” said Sky High Adidas 18 Elite setter and Wake Forest recruit Rian Baker (Fremd), one of only two Division I-b...
Downers Grove South passes chemistry test, erases early deficit to beat WW South
Wheaton Warrenville South's 2022 debut was spoiled by Downers Grove South, 25-12, 25-15, Monday in Wheaton. https://youtu.be/NGFUbtzNxo8 By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorMatthew Molnar, meet Colin Mason. Colin Mason, meet Mason Kolar. Mason Kolar, meet Nick Koch.Downers Grove South is no different than any other team at this time of the season. It’s a matter of getting reacquainted with each other after playing for five or six months with a different group of guys. That’s certainly true of the Mustangs.“We just have to build our t...
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...
Showdowns are set: Glenbard West vs. Barrington, Marist vs. Lincoln-Way East
Downers Grove South's Matt Molnar and the Mustangs advanced to the sectional final at Hinsdale Central against the host Red Devils by defeating Oswego on Saturday. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorWhen preparing his remarks for the team’s banquet last week, Barrington coach Charlie Spry asked outside hitter Jack O’Riordan about his favorite memory from the 6-foot-8 senior’s four years in the program.“He said his favorite memory was going to the state tournament as a freshman and watching the varsity play,” Spry...
Maine West reaches heights not heard of since Jordan's second coming with the Bulls
Maine West honored its nine seniors before Tuesday's game against visiting Maine East. The Warriors' 22-25, 25-26, 25-17 victory was the team's 24th of the season, tying the school record set in 1995. https://youtu.be/OVrNPGczPFc By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor1995. A year to remember.Windows 95 was released. The space shuttle “Atlantis” docked with the Russian Mir Space Station. The Dow Jones hit 5,117. Gas was $1.09 a gallon. And Michael Jordan hung up his baseball cleats and returned to the Chicago Bulls, eventually leading t...
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...
Setters take center stage at Glenbard East (Powell), Warren (Teresi) tournaments
Glenbard West's Danny Dorsey (16), Liam O'Neill (14) and Trevor Powell (17) put up an impenetrable wall at the net against Plainfield North in the semifinals of the Glenbard East Springfest tournament Saturday. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comGlenbard West coach Christine Giunta-Mayer has long known about senior setter Trevor Powell’s capabilities.Now the rest of the state is getting a glimpse of his talents.Two weeks after making his varsity debut, the 6-foot-6 Powell guided the Hilltoppers to the Springfest...