By Phil Brozynski

The Illinois High School Association does listen....occasionally.

After nearly universal condemnation of the changes to the state tournament schedule made last fall, the IHSA Board of Directors approved a recommendation at its last meeting to modify the tournament schedule to more closely mirror what was in place under the previous two-class system.

What does it mean?

No more regional semifinals and finals on the same day.

No more sectional semifinals and finals on the same day.

No more 10 minutes rest between matches.

And no more three-hour bus rides to Pekin on a Monday to play a Class 4A supersectional at 6:00 p.m. in front of a few dozen fans, coaches, officials and maintenance staff.

The IHSA board approved a recommendation that beginning in 2008 all Class 1A-4A regional preliminary and semifinal matches will be played at the regional site on Wednesday and Thursday. Regional championship matches will be played on the subsequent Saturday.

Sectional semifinal matches will be played at 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. on a Tuesday and sectional finals will be played at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. All supersectional matches will be played on the subsequent Saturday.

Saturday regional finals and supersectional matches can be played beginning anytime between 1:00 and 7:00 p.m.

These changes will allow for fans to travel to regional and supersectional championship sites regardless of distance, and will give coaches and players time to prepare for regional and sectional final opponents.

Now if the IHSA would just do something about those “loaded” sectionals.

Posted by Back Row at 07:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

By Phil Brozynski

Being a sophomore might not be the most envious position in the high school hierarchy, but it was certainly a position of strength on the volleyball court this fall.

Twenty-one Illinois athletes were among the 337 sophomores recognized by PrepVolleyball.com for their accomplishments during the 2007 high school season.

The “Soph 79," the best of the crop, included Bartlett’s 5-foot-10 outside hitter Carly Sahagian and Hampshire’s 5-9 setter Kara Wehrs. Sahagian had 250 kills, 64 aces and 40 blocks, while Wehrs and her sister Amy, a highest honorable mention selection, led the Whip-purs to the Class 2A title game.

Joining Amy Wehrs on the highest honorable mention list were Plainfield North’s Kyle Baker, Burlington Central’s Stephanie Holthus and St. Francis’ Kelsey Robinson. Baker teamed with Amber Deweerdt to lead Plainfield North to 29 wins while Robinson had a team-high 298 kills for the Class 3A runner-up.

The Elite Honorable Mention list included 5-11 outside hitter Maggie Strus of Stagg, while Mother McAuley’s Jessica Faulk and Hersey’s Katie Lill were named to the High Honorable Mention roll.

Benet Academy’s Gina Finke and Brianne Riley, Joliet Catholic’s outstanding young outside hitter Annemarie Hickey, Sandburg’s Mary Kate Imrie and Deerfield’s 6-1 middle Taylor Stanfel were Honorable Mention selections, while McAuley’s Jessica Galotta was a Special Mention choice.

Other Illinois players among the top 337 sophomores in the nation are Belleville Althoff’s Carly Thomas, Normal’s Jackie Gerig, Bloomington’s Lauren Seyller, Waterloo’s Madison Dodd, Freeburg’s Samantha Kassing and Maggie Fitzgerald of (Champaign) St. Thomas More.

Posted by Back Row at 07:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

By Phil Brozynski

Nine Illinois athletes were named to the 2007 PrepVolleyball.com All American team, including three-time selection Kelly Murphy of Joliet Catholic and repeat selection Colleen Ward of Naperville North, it was announced last week.

PrepVolleyball.com named 150 athletes in 37 states high school All Americans. The criteria includes being recognized as one of the top five players in your state, with the exception of volleyball hotbeds California, Texas, Indiana and Illinois, where you must be among the top 10.

California led the list with 13 All American selections, followed by Illinois (9), Texas (9), Ohio (9), Michigan (6), Alabama (5), Tennessee (5), Indiana (5), Colorado (5), Florida (5), Kansas (5), Minnesota (5), Missouri (5), North Carolina (5) and Virginia (5).

Arizona, Washington, Pennsylvania and New York each had four selections; Nebraska, Wisconsin, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah each had three. Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey and South Carolina had two players named to the list.

The following states each had one player named to the team: Arkansas, Alaska, Idaho, Maryland, Iowa and West Virginia.

The Illinois selections were: Michelle Bartsch, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Collinsville; Lauren Budde, a 5-10 middle blocker from Breese Central; Kelly Farrell, a 5-6 setter from Crystal Lake Central; and Jordan Haverly, a 6-1 outside hitter from Keith Country Day.

Also named were Rebecca Heath, a 5-11 outside from Naperville Central; Paige Stevens, a 6-1 outside hitter from Neuqua Valley; Carli Weiler, a 5-6 libero from Mother McAuley; Muphy and Ward.

Murphy, Ward, Farrell, Heath and Stevens were each first-team selections on the 2007 Sun-Times All-Area girls team. Weiler was a second team Sun-Times All-Area selection.

PrepVolleyball.com also named its top 59 frosh team. Four players from the Chicago area were named highest honorable mention including Jenny Buczek of Sandburg, Hannah Crippen of Plainfield North, Mari Faines of (Chicago) Payton and Meg Vondehaar of St. Francis.

Courtney Keefe of Lemont was named special mention.

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