Girls volleyball: Northwest sectional preview
Buffalo Grove sectional
Teams to watch: Top-seeded Schaumburg (West) and No. 3 Hersey (East) were the champions of the Mid-Suburban League. The Saxons (27-7) defeated Hersey for the championship 25-19, 25-12 on their home floor. Saxons coach Jeanette Pancratz (650-301) and Hersey coach Nancy Lill (650-212) have each had a lot of success in the state tourney series. Pancratz has won 3 sectionals and 2 supersectionals while Lill has garnered 8 sectional crowns and 6 supersectionals. No. 4 Lake Zurich (29-6) and No. 3 Libertyville (29-6), led by veteran coach Chris Trzyna, have been strong clubs in Lake County this fall. Libertyville stopped Palatine, Prospect and Wheeling while winning the Prospect Invite Sept. 22. Lake Zurich is coached by former BG all-stater Matt Aiello, who also coaches his alma mater's boys team. Coaches have agreed this sectional could be up for grabs. No. 20 Buffalo Grove and 11 Prospect upset No. 2 Hersey (25-10) this fall. Fremd (25-10) and Barrington (15-20) tied for second in the MSL West while Elk Grove (21-14) and Prospect (16-19) shared second in the MSL East. Conant went 20-14.
Players to watch: Fremd: Stephanie Alesia (Jr.), Bridget Morton (Sr.); Schaumburg: Gabrielle Blackwell (Sr.), Heather Bolger (Sr.), Drewann Pancratz (Sr.), Alexandria Jackson (Sr.); Barrington: Jackie Patmore (Sr.), Katie Goldrath (Sr.); Hoffman Estates: Altrese Hawkins (Sr.); Conant: Katherine Hozian (Jr.), Michelle Kopecky (Sr.); Palatine: Kate Kleiva (Sr.); Hersey: Lauren Demkowski (Sr.), Ann Carroll (Jr.), McKenzie Forbes (Jr.), Shelly Mueller (Jr.), Katie Lill (So.); Buffalo Grove:Lauren Angotti; Prospect:Jackie Canonaco (Sr.), Megan Murray (Sr.), Hillary Trebels (Sr.); Rolling Meadows:Jackie Carbery (Sr.), Jenna Milas (Sr.); Lake Zurich:Crystal Wright (Sr.), Lydia Bauer (Jr.); Libertyville:Ali Haws (Sr.).
Division I futures: Three area players are headed to Division I schools for volleyball: Conant's Michelle Kopecky (West Virginia), Hoffman's Altrese Hawkins (Memphis) and Prospect's Hillary Trebels (Virginia).
The last word: "I think the top five teams can play well on any given night and can win it. Obviously, with its record, Schaumburg is the team to beat. But we are feeling confident that we can play with anyone." -- Fremd coach Curt Pinley, whose team has won 12 of its last 14 and split with Lake Zurich.
Niles North sectional
Teams to watch: Top-seeded New Trier is the Central Suburban South champ and entered the final week of the regular season with a 27-4 record. The Trevians had a 25-match winning streak napped at the Maine West Invite. Coach Hannah Hseih has guided the Trevians to four straight sectional crowns and five this decade. Stevenson (24-9) was the runner-up to Libertyville in the Crosstown Classic last weekend. Maine South has lost to CSL South champ New Trier three times this season, including the championship match of the Glenbrook North tourney. Elk Grove is coming off a second-place finish in its own tournament. The Grenadiers' 3 wins gave them a 21-14 record, their third straight 20-win season and fourth in six years under coach Joe DiSilvio. Elk Grove won at Maine West 25-16, 28-26 in both teams' season-openers. The Grenadiers went on to finish tied for second in the MSL East, their best finish since 1997. Maine West tied for first in the Central Suburban North with Glenbrook North. The two teams split during the conference season, each winning on the opponent's floor in three games. West coach Randy Tiller has seen his first two teams tie for the North crown (last year with Maine East).
Players to watch: Maine West: Mary Kusner (Sr.), Alise Tupuritis (Jr); Elk Grove: Anie Fitzpatrick (Sr.), Megan Maize (Sr.); New Trier: Karina Miastkowska, Jessie Atlas; Maine South: Haley Toter, Karen Solari, Allison Groessl.
The last words: "I like it because we haven't seen any of the teams here except for Maine West. I think it's so tough to have to play an MSL team for a second or third time. We have some good teams in this sectional, but I like our chances. I think we have shown we can compete with good teams." -- Elk Grove coach Joe DiSilvio on being the only MSL team in the sectional.
"The nice thing to watch has been how much fun this team has playing the game together. This team has executed the plans and been successful winning the conference for the second straight year." -- Maine West's Randy Tiller on tying for the Central Suburban North crown for the second time in his two seasons as coach.
-- John Leusch