St. Francis on collision course with Joliet Catholic
Like two ships passing in the night, so have been St. Francis and Joliet Catholic.
They don't play each other during the regular season. They only compete in one common tournament, the Asics Challenge at Mother McAuley, where they didn't meet on the court. Neither lost before that weekend and neither has since.
And it's a near certainty they're on a collision course to decide the Class 3A state volleyball championship.
The volleyball playoffs start this week, with all eyes in 3A pointing to a St. Francis-Joliet Catholic match in the St. Francis sectional final. The two best teams in the state, regardless of class. Only one moves on.
"It seems kind of silly that two of the top 10 teams in the country are going to play in a sectional final," St. Francis coach Peg Kopec said, "but it is what it is. It all comes down to one match."
Joliet Catholic beat St. Francis in supersectionals last year en route to the 3A state championship. St. Francis eliminated Joliet Catholic from the playoffs the two years before that. Both teams return the bulk of last year's lineups, St. Francis led by senior outside Kelsey Robinson (committed to Tennessee) and senior setter Kristen Kelsay (Nebraska) and Joliet Catholic senior outsides Annemarie Hickey (Wisconsin) and Alyssa Warren (Seton Hall).
Lemont and Rosary are the most likely teams to get in the way of a St. Francis-Joliet Catholic final, though it is not likely. One match could determine if St. Francis wins its ninth state championship.
"We felt like it was the state championship last year," Kopec said, "and probably will be again this year."
As clear as the 3A crystal ball appears, a deep pool of contenders dot the Class 4A bracket.
Lyons Twp., Sandburg, Benet, Hinsdale Central and Glenbrook South are among those with a realistic shot at winning it all.
"There is definitely double-digit teams that have a chance to win it all," said Benet coach Brad Baker, who guided his team to the 4A championship game last year. "We want to put ourselves in a position to be one of those teams that has a chance."
At the 4A Lockport sectional, top seeds Benet and Hinsdale Central have split two matches this season and would appear to be the teams to beat. No. 3 seed Naperville North, which lost to Hinsdale Central in three sets in its season opener, is the most likely foil to the No. 1 vs. No. 2 meeting. But the DuPage Valley Conference champions must first get by Upstate Eight co-champion Waubonsie Valley in regionals.
"We know in our sectional it's tough to win a regional," Naperville North coach Jennifer Urban said.
Benet, too, faced a prickly challenge in regionals with Naperville Central. The surging Redhawks have made big strides since a 2-7 start, beating Naperville North twice in conference.
"We know we're going to have to play multiple good matches in a row," Baker said. "That's the reality of where we play volleyball. But we know if we play solid volleyball we're as good or better than any team in the state."
If Benet clears regionals, it likely would meet either Neuqua Valley or Downers Grove North in a sectional semifinal. Neuqua, in search of its first regional title, will hope to do so on its home floor. But the Wildcats will likely have to do so against a Trojans team that beat Neuqua at the Waubonsie Valley Invite. Neuqua also will be short-handed, with setter Sam Skryd out for the year with a torn ACL and outside Nikki Federico questionable with a partially torn MCL.
"The majority of our team has been playing volleyball for a long time," Neuqua coach Kelly Simon said. "We have a lot of talented kids. Not everybody has got the playing time this season, but they will now."
York (22-8) is arguably the hottest team in the 4A St. Charles East sectional, 10-1 since Sept. 26. The Dukes, who upset Geneva last year in a sectional semifinal before bowing out to eventual state champion St. Charles East, face a similar road this year. But they first must get by West Chicago in regionals in a matchup of two of the best young teams in the area.
Immaculate Conception, aiming for another long run in Class 2A, is a top seed in the Aurora Christian sectional. The Knights will likely have to get by St. Edward, who beat them in supersectionals last year, in a regional final and then Interstate Eight Conference champion Westmont in sectionals. Fellow Suburban Christian Conference member Chicago Christian could be waiting for the Knights on the other side of the Chicago Christian supersectional in Palos Heights should the Knights advance that far.