http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com Latest news from the Chicago Sun-Times - High School Sports en-us webmaster@suntimes.com (Editor) Newspapers http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/csp/cms/sites/YourSeason/assets/img/logo.gif http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com 84 34 30 Copyright 2013
Barrington’s Jeff Hochstein had a miserable morning. Six hours later, he made sure Minooka had a miserable day. Hochstein had nine digs, an ace and 13 kills, including the match-winner, to lead Barrington (34-7) to a 25-18, 20-25, 25-18 victory over Minooka in the third-place game of the IHSA boys state volleyball tournament Saturday at Hoffman Estates. Hochstein struggled offensively in both … ]]> Sat, 02 Jun 2012 21:19:06 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12941654-393/boys-volleyball-barrington-downs-minooka-takes-third-in-class-3a.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12941654-393/boys-volleyball-barrington-downs-minooka-takes-third-in-class-3a.html Through the early part of the season, Minooka coach Janel Grzetich was pleasantly surprised with how her team developed. But as the wins kept piling up, Grzetich started to realize the Indians were very much for real and quite capable of making a run in the state playoffs. At this weekend’s state tournament at Hoffman Estates, Minooka capped off an impressive 2012 … ]]> Sat, 02 Jun 2012 20:31:27 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12940936-393/boys-volleyball-minookas-impressive-season-ends-with-third-place-loss.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12940936-393/boys-volleyball-minookas-impressive-season-ends-with-third-place-loss.html Luke Jacobson’s thunderous, nearly-vertical kill might not have been the difference in the match, but it sure felt like it was. Jacobson’s kill helped Glenbrook North fight off one set point at 24-22 in Game 2 of its IHSA boys state volleyball tournament semifinal match with Minooka, and after a hitting error by the Indians erased the second, the Spartans went on … ]]> Sat, 02 Jun 2012 17:23:42 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12937111-393/boys-volleyball-glenbrook-north-holds-off-minooka-in-state-semi.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12937111-393/boys-volleyball-glenbrook-north-holds-off-minooka-in-state-semi.html
Minooka coach Janel Grzetich had it easier than her players. All she had to do was stand on the sidelines and watch. But she still was a nervous wreck. Minooka rallied from a 20-16 deficit in Game 1, then bounced back from Game 2 loss to defeat St. Rita 25-23, 23-25, 25-18 Friday and advance to the semifinals of the IHSA boys … ]]> Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:07:22 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12920084-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-regroups-wipes-out-st-rita.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12920084-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-regroups-wipes-out-st-rita.html Glenbard East may have lost to Wheaton Warrenville South more than most teams and certainly most recently, but the Rams are not the only team to feel the Tigers’ wrath this season. “They have 12 seniors who are a very determined group,” Glenbard East coach Marci Maier said. “They have a bitter taste in their mouths from last year, and as with … ]]> Thu, 31 May 2012 19:10:11 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12897890-393/boys-volleyball-ww-south-puts-perfect-record-on-line-in-state-quarters.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12897890-393/boys-volleyball-ww-south-puts-perfect-record-on-line-in-state-quarters.html
Belleville East had Minooka against the ropes in Tuesday night’s championship game of the Romeoville Sectional. What the Lancers didn’t have was an answer for the man possessed, Indians senior opposite Rick Bishop. The 6-foot-4 senior had nine of his 15 kills in the third game, and scored nine of his team’s 11 points in an 11-5 run midway through Game 3 … ]]> Tue, 29 May 2012 21:36:00 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12855874-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-fights-off-belleville-east.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12855874-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-fights-off-belleville-east.html Fifth verse, same as the first. Minooka boys volleyball coach Janel Grzetich was certainly relieved that the season-long song didn’t change it’s tune this time around for her top-seeded Indians as they powered past Plainfield North 25-18, 25-18 in the Romeoville Sectional Friday night. “My nerves were getting the best of me all day long just because it’s the fifth time that … ]]> Fri, 25 May 2012 22:43:50 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12781014-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-prevails-over-plainfield-north.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12781014-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-prevails-over-plainfield-north.html Minooka defeated Plainfield North for the fourth time this season Thursday in Plainfield to complete a perfect Southwest Prairie Conference season. But neither side was complaining too much about the outcome. Rick Bishop had nine kills and a block, Nick Vertin had five kills, 6-6 junior middle Maalik Walker added two kills and three blocks and junior setter Phil Hannon added 22 … ]]> Thu, 17 May 2012 21:40:46 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12606667-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-outlasts-plainfield-north.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12606667-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-outlasts-plainfield-north.html
Twenty-six times in the two heart-stopping games Tuesday, Minooka junior Phil Hannon set up his teammates for points. But with the Indians facing game point for the third time in Game 1, he saw an opening and switched gears, dropping a shot to the floor in the middle of the Plainfield South defense to tie the score at 24. The Indians went … ]]> Tue, 01 May 2012 21:10:01 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12260119-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-holds-off-plainfield-south.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/12260119-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-holds-off-plainfield-south.html Points coming in chunks are a good thing. Minooka coach Janel Grzetich would be hard-pressed to disagree after her Indians defeated host Plainfield Central 25-13, 21-25, 25-16 in a Southwest Prairie match Tuesday night. Outside hitter Richard Bishop had nine kills and three blocks to lead the Indians. Minooka also received significant contributions from Matthew Svetlecich (7 kills), Nicholas Vertin (6 kills) … ]]> Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:09:46 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/11970663-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-outlasts-plainfield-central.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/11970663-393/boys-volleyball-minooka-outlasts-plainfield-central.html Lincoln-Way East was able to keep the bleeding to a minimum Friday and got maximum results. The No. 6 Griffins advanced to the Gold bracket of the Tiger Classic by defeating Minooka 25-20, 25-18 and Cincinnati Moeller 23-25, 25-15, 25-9. The key, said coach Kris Fiore, was not allowing any long runs. “I think it was consistency,” Fiore said. “When we played … ]]> Fri, 30 Mar 2012 20:57:30 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/11628889-393/boys-volleyball-lincoln-way-east-wins-two-advances-in-tiger-classic.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/11628889-393/boys-volleyball-lincoln-way-east-wins-two-advances-in-tiger-classic.html
A little bit of March Madness in May, perhaps? The feeling was certainly there Wednesday night as a young Joliet Catholic boys volleyball team took 2010 state semifinalist and top-seeded Minooka to the limit before falling 25-14, 22-25, 25-23 in the Joliet West Regional championship match. It almost had a David vs. Goliath feel, certainly after Game 1, when the taller, deeper … ]]> Wed, 25 May 2011 21:42:25 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/5597757-393/minooka-survives-joliet-catholic-scare.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/5597757-393/minooka-survives-joliet-catholic-scare.html Minooka finished fourth in the boys volleyball state tournament in 2010, when the Indians made a name for their program across the state. A year later, they don’t want to even think about their 2010 accomplishments. “That was a whole different set of young men,” Minooka coach Janel Grzetich said after watching her team knock off host Joliet West in straight sets … ]]> Tue, 24 May 2011 21:56:32 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/5577112-393/minooka-taking-step-closer-to-state-trip.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/5577112-393/minooka-taking-step-closer-to-state-trip.html When two rivals play each other, the atmosphere, no matter where, is going to be at a high. But when the two teams face each other three times in five days, a little familiarity can come into play and help one team more than the other. That was the case for Minooka and Plainfield North, Southwest Prairie rivals. After defeating the Indians … ]]> Sat, 30 Apr 2011 19:09:43 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/5117122-393/minooka-takes-down-rival-plainfield-north.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/5117122-393/minooka-takes-down-rival-plainfield-north.html
Some teams might take offense at being characterized as “scrappy,” but not Plainfield North. “This is a very scrappy team,” Plainfield North coach Kevin Vesper said. “But I’d rather have a scrappy team than a hard-hitting team any day. Defense wins championships. That’s true in every sport, especially volleyball.” Plainfield North, playing relentless defense against the taller visitors Wednesday, scrapped its way … ]]> Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:54:08 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/5043863-393/plainfield-north-scraps-minooka.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/minooka/boys_volleyball/5043863-393/plainfield-north-scraps-minooka.html