Illinois: Angels soar high in 3A volleyball

These Angels are in the clouds. And virtually untouchable.

Joliet Catholic Academy’s girls volleyball team has posted six consecutive 36-plus-win seasons, and it is perhaps just a few hours away from a 40th win this season. The Angels have won two state championships in six years.

They haven’t lost to anybody in Illinois this year, winning 39 of 40 matches with only an early-season loss to nationally ranked Assumption High School of Louisville, Ky.

Friday (5:30 p.m.) at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill., Joliet Catholic launches its quest for a second consecutive Class 3A state title by meeting Crystal Lake Central (37-3) in the state semifinals. A victory sends the Angels into Saturday’s 5:30 p.m. final against Sycamore (34-6) or Breese Mater Dei (34-6).

The Angels, who lost just one starter from last year’s 39-3 team, have won 32 straight matches, including 25-17, 25-9 Saturday over Oak Forest in a supersectional that took less than half an hour to complete. But it’s not like Joliet Catholic is cruising into the state’s final weekend with ease. In its sectional final against St. Francis, the top-seeded Angels were within a point of being eliminated when they rallied for a 19-25, 26-24, 25-22 victory in a classic No. 1-versus-No. 2 matchup.

"This felt like the state championship. They are the best team we’ve played from Illinois," senior outside hitter Annemarie Hickey, a Wisconsin recruit and one of four Division I recruits playing for Joliet Catholic, told the Chicago Tribune.

The best, at least until this weekend. Crystal Lake Central, which won the 2007 state title with a perfect 42-0 record, has won 31 straight matches since a loss to Crystal Lake Prairie Ridge on Sept. 10.

In Class 4A, Glenbrook South (36-4) is back in the state final four for the first time since 2002. In Friday’s semifinals at 6:30 p.m., the Titans will face Cary-Grove (34-4), which previously knocked off defending 4A champ St. Charles East. Quincy (36-3) meets LaGrange Lyons (36-4) in the other semifinal at 7:30. The title game will be played at 7:45 p.m. Saturday.

Class 1A matchups: Mt. Pulaski (29-11) vs. Payson Seymour (36-2), 9:30 a.m. Friday; defending champion Lanark Eastland (38-2) vs. Toledo Cumberland (29-2), 10:30; title game, 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Class 2A matchups: Defending champion Freeburg (36-2) vs. Carlinville (35-3), 11:30 a.m. Friday; Chicago Christian (27-10) vs. Harvard (27-12), 12:30 p.m.; title game, 12:45 p.m. Saturday.

Alex Dragicevich, a basketball star for Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, a Chicago suburb, signed a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday with Notre Dame on the first day of the NCAA early signing period. A 6-foot-6 guard, Dragicevich averaged 20.9 points a game last season for Central Suburban North League, regional and sectional champ Glenbrook North (23-5).

"Alex has great size for a guard," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. "What has impressed me most about his game is how well he handles the ball."

Other signees included 6-5 forward Jerome Richmond of Waukegan, 6-5 guard Crandall Head of Rich South and 6-11 center Myers Leonard of Robinson, all going to Illinois. Whitney Young senior guard Ahmad Starks signed with Oregon State and teammate Anthony Johnson signed with Purdue. Both were starters on last season’s Class 4A state championship team, which also featured current Central Florida freshman Marcus Jordan.

A 28-15 loss to Loyola Academy in September was part of the reason why Mount Carmel, a usual Chicago Catholic Blue power, slipped to 2-3 in league play this year and finished in an unthinkable fourth place.

At noon Saturday at Chicago’s Gately Stadium, the Caravan (8-3) will get another shot at Loyola with so much more riding on the outcome. The winner advances to next week‘s Class 8A semifinals against defending champion Maine South (11-0) or Glenbrook South (9-2).

Mount Carmel, a No. 10 seed, has battled through the 8A bracket with a 19-14 win over Chicago Simeon and a 23-16 win over previously unbeaten and No. 2 seed Lincolnshire Stevenson, both victories labeled "upset" victories by Caravan head coach Frank Lenti. While the Caravan has relied on strong defensive performances in the playoffs, this is still a team averaging 32.5 points per game and has topped 40 points five times.

"It’s horrible to beat a team that good and now have to play them again when they’re clicking. … We are the underdogs," Loyola coach John Holecek told reporters after last week‘s 21-7 win over Warren.

Loyola (10-1) is a defensive coach‘s dream. The Ramblers have not yielded more than a touchdown in their last six games. In fact, the 15 points it gave up to Mount Carmel‘s high-powered offense, led by running back Milton Greer, were the most Loyola gave up to any team this season. In last week‘s victory over Warren, the Ramblers gave up just 26 yards in the second half. Will Forsythe threw for a career-high three touchdowns.

Other big games this week

7A: No. 2-seed Wheaton Warrenville South (10-1) takes on No. 4 St. Rita (9-2) of Chicago Catholic Blue. WW South‘s only loss is to defending 8A champ Maine South.

6A: Top seed Cary-Grove, averaging 52.4 points in two postseason games, battles No. 5 Chicago De La Salle, averaging 40 points a game.

5A: Top seed Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (11-0) goes for its 25th consecutive win against No. 5 Peoria Richwoods (10-1).

4A: No. 4 Quincy Notre Dame (11-0) takes on No. 1 Rochester (11-0) in a showdown of unbeatens. Notre Dame has not given up a point in the playoffs.

3A: No. 1 Carthage Illini West (11-0), defending champ and winners of 25 straight, battles No. 2 Wilmington (11-0). They are two of four remaining unbeaten teams in 3A.

2A: No. 1 Casey-Westfield (11-0), which hasn’t give up more than a touchdown in any game this year, meets No. 4 Marshall (10-1), which has given up six points in two playoff games.

1A: No. 10 Jacksonville Routt (8-3), the lowest remaining seed, battles defending 1A champion Concord Triopia Coop (10-1).

Boys soccer: OT goal sends Lyons to first title

A goal by Billy McGuinness in the fourth minute of overtime Saturday gave LaGrange Lyons its first state championship in boys soccer. Tied 1-1 with Lake Zurich, McGuiness scored off a corner kick from teammate Zach Pearsall, knocking the ball into the net with his chest.

"This is unbelievable. It really hasn’t even hit me yet," McGuiness, a senior defender who pushed into the attacking zone because it was a corner kick, told the Chicago Tribune.

In Class 2A, senior forward Billy Hamilton’s goal just 14 seconds into the title game carried St. Viator of Arlington Heights to a 1-0 win over Peoria Notre Dame in the championship game. St. Viator finished the season with a 24-4-1 record, as head coach Mike Taylor won his second state title.

Bloomington Central Catholic senior Kelly Curran became the ninth runner in state history to win at least two cross country state championships, as she won the Class 1A girls’ race with a time of 17 minutes, 46 seconds Saturday at Detweiller Park in Naperville. Chicago Whitney Young’s Lavinia Jurkiewicz won the Class 3A race with a time of 17:11.

In Class 2A, the team title went to Springfield High School for the first time. Last year, Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin won the title. Similarly, the Class 3A boys’ team title moved from Naperville North, the 2008 champ, to Naperville Neuqua Valley, which won its second state championship in three years. Orland Park Sandburg sophomore Lukas Verzbicas, ranked nationally, had the day’s best time, winning the Class 3A race with a time of 14:07.

Paul Bowker, a sports journalist for 25 years who has worked at newspapers nationwide, covers the Chicago area for MaxPreps. He may be reached at bowkerpaul1@aol.com.