Members of the Lewis University men's volleyball team showed their support for the Bolingbrook HIgh School boys' team at Thursday's game against Romeoville. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LQ_9FZqU54 By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorAnyone who attended a Lewis University men’s volleyball home match this season might have noticed a large and vocal section of high school students wildly cheering on the Flyers.Those high school students were members of the Bolingbrook boys’ volleyball program, who “adopted” the Lewis University men’s...
‘Lost in the sauce,’ Sandburg succumbs to defensively-improving Lincoln-Way East
Lincoln-Way East improved to 4-0 in the Southwest Suburban Conference with its win Tuesday at Sandburg. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorLost in the sauce.That’s how Sandburg coach Madisen Babich described her team’s performance Tuesday.“They outplayed us. They outworked us. I think we were in the mindset of looking past them and not really worried about them. But how could you not ever be worried about a Lincoln-Way East?” she said.“It’s jersey to jersey,” Babich added. “It’s Sandburg versus Lincoln-Way East, no matter who's in that je...
Downers Grove North’s Aiden Akkawi is the Ultimate/Illprepvb Player of the Week
Downers Grove North's Aiden Akkawi led the Trojans to the championship of the Downers Grove South Richard Griesheim Invitational with 13 kills in the title match against Oak Park-River Forest. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorEach week during the volleyball season, we announce an Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week. Coaches throughout Illinois are invited to nominate a player for their outstanding performance on and off the court.This week, the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week is Do...
Downers Grove North defeats Oak Park-River Forest to claim Downers South title
Downers Grove North takes a curtain call after defeating West Suburban Silver rival Oak Park-River Forest in Saturday's championship match of the Downers Grove South Richard Griesheim Invitatational. (Photos by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorDowners Grove North’s Aiden Akkawi has never been part of a team that has won a tournament.“This is big,” he said. “We’ve never won a tournament all the years I've been here. I think it’s been since like 2013 or something like that. It’s been a long drought.”So Saturday, Akkawi w...
Downers Grove North proving it belongs in the conversation, takes down rival York
Downers Grove North fetaures (from left) libero Stellan Hammond, libero Ryan Pawlik, middle hitter Dylan Quinn, middle hitter Gino Andreatta, middle hitter Quinn Leahy, outside hitter Zak Baker and outside hitter Aiden Akkawi. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorIt’s been 31 years since Downers Grove North reached the IHSA quarterfinals. Is this the year the three decades-long drought ends?Six-foot-3 outside hitter Aiden Akkawi believes it is.“We’re proving to the whole state (that we’re one of the best teams in Illinois),” he said. “...
Naperville North goes three sets (of course) to beat rival Naperville Central
Of course, Naperville Central and Naperville North went the distance Thursday. What else would you expect from this neighbrohood rivalry? The teams are represented by (front row) Justin Wang and Isaac Merz (Naperville Central) flanking Ermuun Batchuluun (Naperville North), and (back row) Grant Anderson and Owen Hoag (Naperville North) flanking Naperville Central's Teddy Bramlett. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorNaperville North has not fared well in three-set matches this season.Entering Thursday’s home contest against crosstown rival ...
Sandburg outlasts Lane Tech at Tiger Classic with a splash of water and a smile
A splash of water and a smile"We're No. 1?' Sandburg coach Madisen Babich could either be indicating a zone for her server or reminding everyone where the Eagles rankied at the 21st Annual Tiger Classic hosted by Wheaton Warrenville South and the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com Editor Madisen Babich is Sandburg’s biggest cheerleader. “I'm like a psycho on the sidelines,” she said. “I feel like I need to put a jersey on because the players all stare at me like, ‘She's lik...
Like their older brothers before them, youngest Saurers now sharing the court
Kaden Saurer (left) is a freshman at Queens University of Charlotte while eldest brother Kyle is a redshirt freshman at Brigham Young. The two oldest Saurer brothers played one season together at Elgin Academy before Kyle graduated and the school dropped the boys' volleyball program. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorOne brother attempting to follow in the footsteps of an older brother can be challenging.One brother attempting to follow in the footsteps of two older brothers can be extremely challenging.But two brothers following in the ...
Sandburg’s Jeremiah Aro is the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week
Sandburg'sJeremiah Aro (9) ;ed the Eagles to their third Tiger Classic championship last weekend. (Photo by Dave Ruggles) By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorEach week during the volleyball season, we announce an Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week. Coaches throughout Illinois are invited to nominate a player for their outstanding performance on and off the court.This week, the Ultimate VBC/Illprepvb.com Player of the Week is Sandburg’s 6-6 rightside hitter Jeremiah Aro. Aro was named the MVP at last weekend’s 21st An...
Too much time on their hands? No. 1 seed Belleville East falls in Tiger Classic opener
Belleville East's (from left) Jack Byers, Tyce Watson, Keegan Rose, Drew Neutzling and Chase Nesbit will chase Silver, not Gold, when the Tiger Classic resumes Saturday. By Phil BrozynskiIllprepvb.com EditorMaybe Thursday's two-and-a-half bus ride from Northbrook to Aurora wasn't such a bad thing after all for Glenbrook North at the 21st Annual Tiger Classic.Certainly, waiting around the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora for an hour-and-a-half for their opponents to show up probably did not do top-seeded Belleville East any favors...