Top teams gravitating toward DuPage
The DuPage Area Girls Volleyball Tournament is entering the big time.
The formerly modest little tourney has expanded to 16 teams this weekend at Wheaton North.
"It's bigger and better," Wheaton North coach Carole Kristensen said.
Wheaton Warrenville South has long headlined the field, but now the Tigers will find some serious competition beyond feisty rival Wheaton North.
Naperville Central, Downers Grove North and Prairie Ridge have left the Glenbard West tournament to join the DuPage field, continuing the trend this season of top teams switching tourneys in pursuit of better competition. Additionally, Naperville North, Downers Grove South, St. Charles North, Sandburg and Neuqua Valley are among the new entries.
The blossoming event could grow to 24 teams as early as next year when it moves to Wheaton Warrenville South.
"The goal is 16 in state and eight out of state, but that could change," WW South coach Bill Schreier said.
Schreier got the idea to expand the tourney from the 24-team Tiger Classic boys volleyball tourney his school hosts in the spring.
"It's been very successful and well-received," he said. "We figured since the boys probably play one of the toughest schedules, we might as well up the schedule for the girls and see what it brings us."
The tourney, which soon could be called the Wheaton Classic, starts with pool play today and ends with bracket play Saturday. On Saturday the semifinals are scheduled for 11 a.m. and noon with the third-place match set for 1 p.m. and the title match at 2 p.m., though tourneys tend to run late.
You can look it up:ŒSt. Francis had won 31 consecutive matches in the Suburban Catholic Conference before being upset by Rosary 25-18, 20-25, 25-18 Monday in Aurora.
Prior to that, the last SCC team to beat the Spartans was St. Edward -- 25-22, 25-23 on Oct. 20, 2004, in Wheaton.
Mutual respect:ŒNeuqua Valley coach Kelly Simon was so impressed by Downers South alluding to its tradition of playing "Mustang volleyball" after the power swept her Wildcats on Monday that she read the Daily Herald story to her team the next day.
The Wildcats are in the process of building their own winning tradition, and they rebounded from their two-match losing streak with a 23-25, 25-20, 25-19 victory over visiting rival Waubonsie Valley on Tuesday.
"They were finally locked in tonight," Simon said of her players after edging Waubonsie Valley. "Absolutely, momentum is key, and just as the coach from Downers South said about her team, once you have that momentum the score kind of takes care of itself."
Downers South's coach is Colleen Reagan, who spoke of Neuqua Valley with respect after her club defeated the Wildcats.
"We consider them a team to contend with," Reagan said. "We're in the sectional together so tonight was important as I discussed with the kids just in terms of seeding.
"For them," Reagan continued about the Wildcats, "they've got great pieces and a good team. I told the kids before the game, they're just like us. They're high profile and they're looking to be big, and this is maybe their breakout year for their program.
"But this is probably our breakout year from the past couple years, so we're kind of in the same boat."
Thinking big:ŒKristen Stuart took over the Waubonsie Valley program with a long-term goal in mind.
"I want to build a power," said Stuart, a 25-year-old graduate of Naperville Central. "We have powers in the area like Naperville North, Central, St. Francis, Downers South. I want a tradition like that where every year is strong, every year we're contenders.
"We're lucky that Sports Performance is right down the street. I already have a ton of freshmen this year that are already in that club system and are very strong, so I hope that will continue."
Stuart is enjoying her first year of being a varsity head coach.
"I love it," said Stuart, whose Warriors took a 7-3 record into Thursday night's Upstate Eight Conference match at Larkin.