Post by doctorwho on Aug 19, 2010 17:38:00 GMT -6
Chicago Sun Times Pre Season Ranking
Lions and Trojans and Redwings...oh, my!
By Back Rowon August 11, 2010 10:55 AM
Phil Brozynski
Illinois' Top 20 girls volleyball teams
1. (Lisle) Benet (Last year's record: 35-5; Last year's finish: lost to Quincy in Class 4A supersectional) -- Juniors Meghan Haggerty and Jenna Jendryk cut their teeth with the AAU 18 division national champs from Sports Performance. Experience won't be an issue.
2. Cary-Grove (Last year's record: 36-4; Last year's finish: defeated Lyons to win Class 4A state championship) -- Kelly Lamberti was unstoppable in Bloomington last year, Ashley Rosch was a beast at the net and the Trojans will not miss a beat with Colleen Smith taking over at setter.
3. Lyons (Last year's record: 37-5; Last year's finish: lost to Cary-Grove in Class 4A championship) -- With 6-foot Alexis Viliunas' wrist in a cast until mid-September and back-up setter Erin Juley still getting over an ACL, it may take away for Lyons to find its form.
4. Breese Mater Dei (Last year's record: 35-7; Last year's finish: lost to Joliet Catholic in Class 3A state championship) - Fred Rakers (five state titles) is chasing St. Francis' Peg Kopec (seven) among Illinois' active coaches. Is this the year he draws closer?
5. Marist (Last year's record: 29-9; Last year's finish: lost to Mother McAuley in Class 4A sectional semifinal) -- The Redhawks should be clearly better than their south side rivals this fall. Of course, that does not mean that they will beat the Macs in the state tournament.
6. Hinsdale Central (Last year's record: 33-6; Last year's finish: lost to Benet in Class 4A sectional final) -- Five-foot-9 senior all-everything Natalia Skiba and 6-foot-1 junior Ally Davis are two of the best players in the western suburbs. But Benet keeps getting in the way.
7. Lemont (Last year's record: 30-8; Last year's finish: lost to St. Francis in Class 3A sectional semifinal) -- Is this the year Lemont finally gets past St. Francis and Joliet Catholic? With six starters back, this will be the Indians' best shot at winning the state's toughest sectional.
8. St. Charles East (Last year's record: 32-7; Last year's finish: lost to Cary-Grove in Class 4A supersectional) -- Last fall, the Saints were unable to duplicate their magical 2008 finish. Meghan Niski, Erienne Barry and Olivia DeSormey are hoping no magic will be necessary.
9. Sandburg (Last year's record 32-7; Last year's finish: lost to Mother McAuley in Class 4A sectional championship) - Summer does not mean all that much. Nevertheless, the Eagles did not drop a set while winning the Palos Courts Summer League.
10. Mother McAuley (Last year's record: 29-11; Last year's finish: lost to Lyons in Class 4A sectional final) - Outside hitter Mary Kate Styler, libero Bridget Powell and setter Kailey Scott are back for the Mighty Macs, who somehow always find a way to get it done.
11. West Chicago (Last year's record: 22-15; Last year's finish: lost to York in Class 4A regional final) - DuPage Valley Conference favorites? There isn't anything Julia Conard cannot do, and very little 6-3 Emily Pachke and 6-3 Andrea Skipor cannot block.
12. Providence (Last year's record: 17-20; Last year's finish: lost to Stagg in Class 4A regional final) - Rachel Ellingson takes over for Nan Airola, who returned after more than 30 years as a teacher and coach. Junior Nora Mitros and her supporting cast return intact.
13. York (Last year's record: 28-9; Last year's finish: lost to St. Charles East in Class 4A sectional final) - The Dukes try to overcome the loss of Lauren Zerante behind juniors Caroline Rose, Katie Gallagher and Morgan Semmelhack and setter Emily Iverson.
14. St. Francis (Last year's record: 35-3; Last year's finish: lost to Joliet Catholic in Class 3A sectional final) - How do you replace Kelsey Robinson (Tennessee) and Kristen Kelsay (Michigan State)? Meg Vonderhaar, Gina Madonia and Daiva Wise have big sneakers to fill.
15. Joliet Catholic (Last year's record: 41-1; Last year's finish: defeated Breese Mater Dei to win Class 3A state title) - Six-foot-2 middle Lainey Wyman and little used outside Jordan Huston are the sum total of experience for the defending Class 3A champions.
16. Payton (Last year's record: 28-8; Last year's finish: lost to Nazareth in Class 3A sectional championship) - Joel Anderson toughened his team's schedule to include trips to Effingham and Quincy. But a healthy Roxanne Rivera is the key to the Grizzlies' season.
17. Freeburg (Last year's record: 38-2; Last year's finish: defeated Chicago Christian to win Class 2A state title) - Three-peat? Why not. There is plenty of talent coming back led by Chelsi Hummert, who led the team in kills, aces and assists.
18. Chicago Christian (Last year's record: 28-11; Last year's finish: lost to Freeburg in Class 2A state championship match) - The Kamps - Madison, Maggie, Stacy and Emily - could be all that stands between Freeburg and another state title.
19. Lanark Eastland (Last year's record: 40-2; Last year's finish: defeated Mt. Pulaski to win Class 1A state title) -- The Cougars get a slight nod over Mt.Pulaski as the best of the smallest schools thanks to setter Hope Linker and 6-1 middle Courtney Blair.
20. Normal U-High (Last year's record: 32-7 ; Last year's finish: lost to Sycamore in Class 3A supersectional) - Six-foot-1 outside hitter Valerie Nichol and the Pioneers are the best "big school" in the Bloomington/Peoria area.
Lions and Trojans and Redwings...oh, my!
By Back Rowon August 11, 2010 10:55 AM
Phil Brozynski
Illinois' Top 20 girls volleyball teams
1. (Lisle) Benet (Last year's record: 35-5; Last year's finish: lost to Quincy in Class 4A supersectional) -- Juniors Meghan Haggerty and Jenna Jendryk cut their teeth with the AAU 18 division national champs from Sports Performance. Experience won't be an issue.
2. Cary-Grove (Last year's record: 36-4; Last year's finish: defeated Lyons to win Class 4A state championship) -- Kelly Lamberti was unstoppable in Bloomington last year, Ashley Rosch was a beast at the net and the Trojans will not miss a beat with Colleen Smith taking over at setter.
3. Lyons (Last year's record: 37-5; Last year's finish: lost to Cary-Grove in Class 4A championship) -- With 6-foot Alexis Viliunas' wrist in a cast until mid-September and back-up setter Erin Juley still getting over an ACL, it may take away for Lyons to find its form.
4. Breese Mater Dei (Last year's record: 35-7; Last year's finish: lost to Joliet Catholic in Class 3A state championship) - Fred Rakers (five state titles) is chasing St. Francis' Peg Kopec (seven) among Illinois' active coaches. Is this the year he draws closer?
5. Marist (Last year's record: 29-9; Last year's finish: lost to Mother McAuley in Class 4A sectional semifinal) -- The Redhawks should be clearly better than their south side rivals this fall. Of course, that does not mean that they will beat the Macs in the state tournament.
6. Hinsdale Central (Last year's record: 33-6; Last year's finish: lost to Benet in Class 4A sectional final) -- Five-foot-9 senior all-everything Natalia Skiba and 6-foot-1 junior Ally Davis are two of the best players in the western suburbs. But Benet keeps getting in the way.
7. Lemont (Last year's record: 30-8; Last year's finish: lost to St. Francis in Class 3A sectional semifinal) -- Is this the year Lemont finally gets past St. Francis and Joliet Catholic? With six starters back, this will be the Indians' best shot at winning the state's toughest sectional.
8. St. Charles East (Last year's record: 32-7; Last year's finish: lost to Cary-Grove in Class 4A supersectional) -- Last fall, the Saints were unable to duplicate their magical 2008 finish. Meghan Niski, Erienne Barry and Olivia DeSormey are hoping no magic will be necessary.
9. Sandburg (Last year's record 32-7; Last year's finish: lost to Mother McAuley in Class 4A sectional championship) - Summer does not mean all that much. Nevertheless, the Eagles did not drop a set while winning the Palos Courts Summer League.
10. Mother McAuley (Last year's record: 29-11; Last year's finish: lost to Lyons in Class 4A sectional final) - Outside hitter Mary Kate Styler, libero Bridget Powell and setter Kailey Scott are back for the Mighty Macs, who somehow always find a way to get it done.
11. West Chicago (Last year's record: 22-15; Last year's finish: lost to York in Class 4A regional final) - DuPage Valley Conference favorites? There isn't anything Julia Conard cannot do, and very little 6-3 Emily Pachke and 6-3 Andrea Skipor cannot block.
12. Providence (Last year's record: 17-20; Last year's finish: lost to Stagg in Class 4A regional final) - Rachel Ellingson takes over for Nan Airola, who returned after more than 30 years as a teacher and coach. Junior Nora Mitros and her supporting cast return intact.
13. York (Last year's record: 28-9; Last year's finish: lost to St. Charles East in Class 4A sectional final) - The Dukes try to overcome the loss of Lauren Zerante behind juniors Caroline Rose, Katie Gallagher and Morgan Semmelhack and setter Emily Iverson.
14. St. Francis (Last year's record: 35-3; Last year's finish: lost to Joliet Catholic in Class 3A sectional final) - How do you replace Kelsey Robinson (Tennessee) and Kristen Kelsay (Michigan State)? Meg Vonderhaar, Gina Madonia and Daiva Wise have big sneakers to fill.
15. Joliet Catholic (Last year's record: 41-1; Last year's finish: defeated Breese Mater Dei to win Class 3A state title) - Six-foot-2 middle Lainey Wyman and little used outside Jordan Huston are the sum total of experience for the defending Class 3A champions.
16. Payton (Last year's record: 28-8; Last year's finish: lost to Nazareth in Class 3A sectional championship) - Joel Anderson toughened his team's schedule to include trips to Effingham and Quincy. But a healthy Roxanne Rivera is the key to the Grizzlies' season.
17. Freeburg (Last year's record: 38-2; Last year's finish: defeated Chicago Christian to win Class 2A state title) - Three-peat? Why not. There is plenty of talent coming back led by Chelsi Hummert, who led the team in kills, aces and assists.
18. Chicago Christian (Last year's record: 28-11; Last year's finish: lost to Freeburg in Class 2A state championship match) - The Kamps - Madison, Maggie, Stacy and Emily - could be all that stands between Freeburg and another state title.
19. Lanark Eastland (Last year's record: 40-2; Last year's finish: defeated Mt. Pulaski to win Class 1A state title) -- The Cougars get a slight nod over Mt.Pulaski as the best of the smallest schools thanks to setter Hope Linker and 6-1 middle Courtney Blair.
20. Normal U-High (Last year's record: 32-7 ; Last year's finish: lost to Sycamore in Class 3A supersectional) - Six-foot-1 outside hitter Valerie Nichol and the Pioneers are the best "big school" in the Bloomington/Peoria area.
