Junior Jessica Horwath (2) will try to lead Barrington to its first sectional championship since 2006 when the Fillies compete at Lake Zurich this week. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor We start the week with 128 teams. By late Friday, only 16 will remain. Who survives? Here it is, Illprepvb.com’s not-so-brief look at the 32 sectionals feeding into 16 supersectionals that will provide four fields of four semifinalists in each class November 12-13 at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State Univers...

Ben Schwieger (9) had 18 kills, 2 blocks and 12 digs in his final appearance in a Waubonsie Valley uniform before he departs to begin his college basketball career Sunday at Loyola-Chicago. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Ben Schwieger donned his Superman cape … er, his Waubonsie Valley jersey … for the last time Thursday at Naperville North.He made his final game one to remember.The 6-foot-6 senior outside hitter, who will begin his college basketball career Sunday when he arrives on the campus of Loyola University-Chicago, pounded 18 kills to g...

Naperville North's Paige Lauterwasser (14) smashed 17 kills Thursday, but it wasn't enough as Yorkville rallied for a 15-25, 25-20, 25-15 victory in the Class 4A regional championship match at Yorkville. (Photos by Dave Ruggles). Yorkville freshman Elle Norquist served the final seven points of Thursday's regional championship match. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNervous? Who, me?It was hard to tell whether Yorkville’s 5-5 freshman defensive specialist Elle Norquist was more nervous when she stepped to the service line late in Th...

Neuqua Valley's Kevin Kauling is now plying his talents at Lewis University in Romeoville, where he was a second team All-MIVA selection as a freshman. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) Illinois not only ranks second among all states in the number of boys who play high school volleyball (trailing only California in the most recent survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations), it is also near the top of the list for the number of its student-athletes who go on to play volleyball in college.So we asked club directors to send us ...

Lincoln-Way East (near court) won the far south suburban sectional title for the sixth time in the past eight years Tuesday, turning back Marist (far court), 23-25, 25-22, 25-21. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Randy WhalenSpecial to Illprepvb.comJared Byas made sure Lincoln-Way East was the team that was moving on. The Lincoln-Way East outside hitter had a match-high 18 kills and added 8 digs and 10 service points as the Griffins punched their ticket back to the IHSA quarterfinals with a thrilling, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21, victory over Marist in ...

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...

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 ...

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...