Neuqua holds off Naperville N.

With a loud home crowd on its feet and a 6-0 run to pull within a point of Neuqua Valley at 10-9, things were looking awfully good for Naperville North's boys volleyball team in Friday night's decisive game.

But the fun didn't last long. Second-seeded Neuqua Valley rattled off 9 straight points and then held off one more Huskies charge late as the Wildcats eventually prevailed 25-22, 13-25, 25-20 in sectional semifinal action. With the win Neuqua (33-3) advances to Tuesday's sectional title game at Naperville North against top-seeded Naperville Central, which dispatched of Oswego in two games in Friday's first semifinal contest.

After each team claimed a game, the Wildcats stormed ahead 10-3 in Game 3 as Rob Bauer recorded 3 of his 8 kills on the night and Brian Clark added two winners. But the host Huskies (24-14) stayed alive as Dan Orna and Matt Hasse each had kills during a 6-0 run.

Derek Menendez, however, snapped the streak with a kill that sent the Wildcats on a charge that didn't end until they had a 19-9 lead.

"I was getting a little scared actually," admitted Menendez, who finished the night with 5 kills and 3 blocks. "We needed a kill and Sean (Harmon) got me the set. We just needed to dig down deep."

Even after falling behind 19-9, the Mike Henry-powered Huskies put one last scare into the Wildcats. With Henry doing a little of everything on the court on his way to 20 kills, 5 blocks, 4 digs and 4 aces, Naperville North battled back to within 21-17 before coming up short in the final game.

"Everyone played their hearts out," Henry said. "We just couldn't pull through at the end."

For first-year Neuqua coach Erich Mendoza, Friday's triumph was a big one for a newcomer taking over a team that claimed a state trophy in 2007.

"We've showed all year that we can compete with the top teams," said Mendoza, whose team dropped a tight, three-gamer with Central earlier this year. "Traditionally North has been the team to come out of this sectional. That's why this is huge."

For the Wildcats Bauer and Clark each finished with 8 kills, while Harmon finished with 30 assists and Brad Stout led a solid defense with 15 digs. Huskies setter Mike Buckman had 28 assists and Miguel Cavillo had 7 digs.

-- Stan Goff

Naperville Central d. Oswego:ŒOswego coach Erica Lorenz and her Panthers took some giant steps this season. On Friday Naperville Central gave them a good look at where they may get with a couple more big steps.

Fresh off its first regional title ever, Oswego came to the Naperville North sectional and ran into a top-seeded Redhawks squad that was clicking on all cylinders. The end result was a 25-14, 25-17 triumph by Naperville Central that ended Oswego's year at 26-6-2.

"They probably are the best we've seen all year," Lorenz said. "We were not as sharp as we've been, but it was very intense."

The Redhawks used a near-flawless attack and a strong block to take Game 1 and carried that play over into comfortable leads of 9-3 and 16-6 in the second game. The only speed bump the favorites encountered came when Panthers jump-server Otavio Fleury rifled off 3 aces and 6 straight points to pull within 16-13.

"They had one good server, but we knew all we had to do was sideout and we'd be all right," said Naperville Central senior Matt Schmitz, who's picked a great time to play some of his best volleyball ever. "We've been playing real well as a team. We're all playing our best volleyball right now. It's awesome."

Schmitz had 5 aces, 4 kills and 4 blocks and with him serving, the Redhawks turned a 19-15 advantage into a commanding 24-15 lead in Game 2.

"This is by far the best match we've played all year," Naperville Central coach Bryan Johnwick said. "We had real solid blocking, especially in the first game."

Johnwick also singled out Schmitz, who has been increasing his role with the squad because of his strong play.

"Matt really stepped up," he said. "He's a three-sport athlete and he just plays with a lot of heart. He really wants this right now and he's really improved greatly throughout the season."

Matt Yanz paced the Redhawks with 9 kills and 4 blocks, then said, "I just want this to continue."

-- Stan Goff

WW South d. Conant:ŒWheaton Warrenville South showed once again that this is its time of the year, that the seven games that lead to the state championship are what the Tigers are all about.

The Tigers passed test No. 2 with their second postseason victory, a 25-17, 25-23 win over Conant, in the semi-finals of the St. Francis sectional.

The win sets up an all-Wheaton showdown with the host Spartans next Tuesday.

The Cougars (27-10) were tenacious and gave the defending state champion Tigers all they could handle in Game 2.

In a seesaw battle that easily could have extended the match to three games, the Cougars took the lead at 22-21, but the top-seeded Tigers (31-7) dug in and sealed the victory with setter Joe Kelly and Neill Nystrom each producing a pair of kills down the stretch.

"This has been a characteristic that our team has shown the past three weeks," said Wheaton Warrenville South coach Bill Schreier. "We've been able to respond to other teams' rallies. Earlier in the season, that would put us back on our heels. But now we're ready to stand up and go after things."

"We have a lot of tradition and we know that we always play strong at this time of the year," said the Tigers' Eric Hardek. "We kept our composure tonight. No one wanted to let a ball drop."

The Tigers, who finished a disappointing third in the DuPage Valley Conference and lost seven matches on the season, are looking at the postseason to erase their disappointment.

"We have an opportunity to redeem ourselves and that's what this is all about," Schreier said. "Going on a run and winning seven postseason matches and playing up to your potential at the end. And we believe that we're going to do that."

On Friday setter Kelly had a sneaky 5 dump kills of his own that confused the Conant defense and kept it off-guard.

But just as important he distributed the ball to his teammates with 23 assists, getting several of his hitters equally involved.

In a balanced attack Kevin Meuller led with 7 kills, but the other scoring hits were evenly divided among Nystrom, Neal Whittington and Hardek all with 5.

"That balance means we're passing well," Schreier said. "It means we're consistent and that Joe Kelly can run an offense. That's huge."

Brian Williams with 9 and Hardek with 6 were the leaders in digs.

Peter Lauterbach led the Cougars attack with 7 kills and David Kim had 10 digs.

"We had our opportunities in the second game," said Conant coach Peggy Scholten. "I was very happy with our serve-receive because Wheaton is an outstanding serving team. We responded to them well tonight and we played with poise and character."

-- Neil Shalin