Newark junior outside hitter Megan Williams (11) had 7 kills in Wednesday's loss to Geneseo. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comGeneseo twins Abbi and Maddi Barickman enjoy the feeling of winning on senior night.That’s especially true when it’s the other team that’s honoring their seniors.The Barickman sisters had a lot to celebrate Wednesday. Both played starring roles as the visiting Maple Leafs knocked off two-time defending IHSA Class 1A champion Newark in a 25-22, 20-25, 25-20 thriller.The North Central Co...
150 reasons to watch boys' high school volleyball in the spring of 2021, Part I
Led by outside hitter KJ Glab, St. Francis should be among the top teams in the state next spring. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 boys’ high school season, shutting down what had promised to be a highly competitive and entertaining quest to crown the 29th champion since the IHSA began sanctioning high school volleyball tournaments in 1992. Although we regret that so many talented seniors were denied a better ending to their high school careers, it’s not too early to look ahead to next spring when ...
Rio rides to the rescue as Kaneland rallies past hosts at Glenbard South regional
Kaneland's Bella Rio (16) dropped 19 kills on the hosts Tuesday at the Class 3A Glenbard South Regional to help rally the Knights to a 19-25, 25-11, 25-9 victory. https://youtu.be/onEu9VSGh5o By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor In tales from medieval times, the dashing knight, positively exuding nobility and virtue, would rush to the aid of fair maidens in distress.Tuesday in Glen Ellyn, it was the other way around.Kaneland senior outside hitter Bella Rio smashed 19 kills, including six in each of the final two sets, to help...
Georgetown-Ridge Farm coach recognized for efforts in and out of the classroom
Georgetown-Ridge Farm's Kim Fraser coaches volleyball and softball at the Vermilion County school of approximately 300 students. Congratulations to Georgetown-Ridge Farm volleyball coach Kim Fraser. Fraser was honored by the IHSA and Country Financial as part of of a program to recognize the efforts of educators and coaches/advisors who go beyond the call of duty to positively impact the lives of Illinois high school students inside and outside of the classroom. Fraser took over a program 11 years ago that had not won a match in fo...
'Exhausted,' 'predictable,' St. Rita falls to Glenbard West in three sets
St. Rita is in the midst of a brutal stretch of games that includes Sandburg, Glenbard West, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way West and St. Francis. Zach Carroll came off the floor looking like he had just run an ultra marathon. “I'm very exhausted,” he said.He had reason to be.The 6-foot-3 outside hitter and his St. Rita teammates laid it all on the line through the first two sets of their non-conference match Thursday at Glenbard West, leading 25-20, 14-11, and seemingly on the verge of a huge win heading into the IHSA tournament in 11 da...
Nazareth's defense thwarts Belvidere North in 3A finals; Normal West jars JCA
Normal West libero Sydnie Hernandez (9) stretches to reach a ball during the Wildcats' victory over Joliet Catholic in the Class 3A third-place game. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Class 3ABy Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNORMAL – Defense wins championships.And did Nazareth ever defend.The Roadrunners overcame a 12-6 deficit in the third set to defeat No. 1-ranked Belvidere North, 25-18, 20-25, 25-21, in the Class 3A championship match Saturday at Redbird Arena.Defense was the difference.The IHSA does not keep records for tournament digs, but ...
Champions Cup series continues under cloud of uncertainty over what comes next
Neuqua Valley's 5-10 outside hitter Bryanna Jones (76) is one of five newcomers on Sports Performance's 16 Elite team. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) CI Elite 17 Elite's Molly Warner (23) of tiny downstate Williamsfield tries to push the ball between a pair of defenders. Naperville North would have been crazy good this fall. The Huskies still might be this winter or spring. But that’s out of Paige Lauterwasser’s control.“It’s so crazy,” said Lauterwasser, a 5-10 sophomore who played on Naperville North’s 24-13 varsity team in 2019 as a fresh...
Hurlburt finds a way to balance both of his loves – family and volleyball
Former Glenbard East standout Alex Hurlburt helped to establish 630 Volleyball in the western suburbs. He now coaches individuals one-on-one so he can spend more time with his growing family. He sees individual coaching as complementing, not competing with, club volleyball, and works with boys and girls. https://youtu.be/Mk-32b5wX1A By Matt Le CrenSpecial to Illprepvb.comAlex Hurlburt has coached at nearly every level of volleyball during the past six years, from high school to club to college.He has even worked with USA Volleyb...
Illprepvb.com presents 570 reasons to watch girls high school volleyball this fall, Pt. I
Marist's Mary Clare Brusek (5) is one of several returning starters for the perennial Class 4A power and one of the reasons the RedHawks will be favored to win their third championship in the last four IHSA tournaments. On the cover is Breese Mater Dei's Tori Mohesky. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) Yes, the start of the 2021 fall girls’ volleyball season is still a few weeks away, but it’s never too early to speculate about what or who we’ll be seeing on high school courts across Illinois. Today, Illprepvb.com begins a look at 570 reasons ...
Lincoln-Way East seniors get a little help from sophomore Ava Nepkin to win SWSC Blue
Lincoln-Way East team members pose with the championship plaque following the victory over Sandburg that gave them sole possession of the Southwest Suburban Conference Blue division title. Lincoln-Way East sophomores Jada James (left) and Ava Nepkin. Lincoln-Way East’s seniors will go out as Southwest Suburban Conference champions – the school’s first league title since 2017 and just the second since 2006.But they owe a huge debt of gratitude to 6-2 sophomore outside hitter Ava Nepkin, who almost single-handedly gift-wrapped the victory...