Wheaton Classic has postseason feel

It might read the third week of September on the calendar, but there will be a decided postseason feel at Wheaton Warrenville South this weekend.

The second annual Wheaton Classic girls volleyball tournament kicks off tonight with 21 varsity teams playing in eight pools. Winners of each pool advance to determine the tourmanent champ.

The event that concludes Saturday features four of the top five teams in the Daily Herald Top 20: No. 1 Benet, Downers Grove South, Naperville Central and Naperville North.

All four are undefeated heading into tonight's action. All four could meet again in the Class 4A Downers Grove South sectional.

"It's a good opportunity to see this tough a competition this early in the season," Naperville Central coach Brie Isaacson said.

It could also factor into how the sectional is seeded in a couple weeks. Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley, Hinsdale Central, Hinsdale South and Downers Grove North are among the other Classic teams in the same sectional.

"The main reason we got into this tournament is we want to play teams from our sectional as often as we possibly can," said Benet coach Brad Baker, whose team does play Downers Grove South later in the season but neither of the Naperville schools. "You want to see how you compare against these teams. It gives you an opportunity to prepare. Seeing these teams in person is a totally different ballgame than scouting."

Naperville North won the tournament last year. Isaacson said it was a springboard for her team to the Class 4A state title.

"I think it helped us build confidence. When it comes down to those final matches you're not as nervous," she said. "The more times you can put yourself and your team in that position of playing in close matches against good teams, the better off you are."

Huskies on the prowl: If you wrote off Naperville North this season, best erase that idea. Despite losing Daily Herald All-Area captain Colleen Ward, now at Florida, the Huskies are 9-0 heading into tonight's grudge match at Naperville Central.

Jordan Pappas, a four-year varsity player, is steady at setter and Julie Chin gives the Huskies strong play in the back row. Audrey Wilson and Nrithya Sundararaman lead a group of hitters that has kept opponents guessing.

"We've talked about being a balanced team," Naperville North coach Jennifer Urban said, "and we've had that for the most part. Different people lead us in kills and digs every night and our blocking has improved a lot since last year."

The Naperville schools are the lone teams still unbeaten in the DuPage Valley Conference but Isaacson said it's still "anybody's conference." Naperville Central and Naperville North have, though, already beaten contenders Wheaton Warrenville South and Glenbard East, respectively, on the road in two games.

"They're more balanced than they've ever been," Isaacson said of Naperville North. "In the past you knew where the ball was going. Sometimes being more balanced is harder to defend."

Road trippin': St. Francis has this weekend off. The Spartans earned it after making the four-hour bus ride down I-57 to the Crossroads Classic in Effingham last Friday and Saturday.

"It's a rotate-your-tires-to-get-there trip," quipped Spartans coach Peg Kopec, adding the girls enjoyed a good $3 breakfast, small-town style.

St. Francis won the tournament the last two years. This time the Spartans had possible Class 3A title favorite and nationally ranked Belleville Althoff down a game and 24-20 in the second before losing in three games to settle for runner-up.

St. Francis turned the tables two nights later, rallying to beat Rosary in three.

Kelsey Robinson, Kelsey Vorgert and Kristen Kelsay all made all-tournament at Effingham.

"In the big picture it's fun to play teams from other states, teams you don't normally see," Kopec said. "It's good for the girls to do some traveling."

Movin' on up: After an 0-2 start, Glenbard West has run off seven wins in a row. Three-year starting setter Amy Kendall is "doing triple duty" for the Hilltoppers - setting, passing and hitting. Hilltoppers coach Pete Mastandrea credited Michelle Waggoner for stepping in as the other setter and said Bridget Lawson is "the team's best kept secret" at middle.

Glenbard West figures to be tested at its invite this weekend by downstate power Chatham Glenwood, among others. Then Hinsdale Central comes in Tuesday for a measuring-stick game in the West Suburban Silver.

"I think we're pretty solid. I don't want to overestimate us yet," Mastandrea said. "Hinsdale Central is a pivotal game for us."