Three Elgin-area teams still alive

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Three area squads remain in contention for a trip to the volleyball State Finals next weekend at Redbird Arena in Normal.

St. Charles East (Class 4A), Burlington Central (3A) and St. Edward (2A) all survived sectional title matches on Thursday and moved on to today's super-sectional round.

Local hopefuls Hampshire and Huntley weren't so fortunate.

Of the three survivors, only St. Charles East (35-4) has any experience with deep runs in the state tournament after finishing third Downstate last season.

Central and St. Edward have no athletes with any experience in this type of situation.

St. Edward (23-17) last qualified for the State Finals in 2004, a year before any of the current seniors stepped onto a court to don the Green Wave uniform.

Central (32-6) is in the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

"We've just got confidence right now," St. Edward coach Jaime Walton said Thursday after the Green Wave dispatched Oregon in two games for the program's fourth sectional title. "I don't think they are scared, they don't know any different. They just go out and play."

For the third straight match, St. Edward will have familiarity on its side when it opposes Immaculate Conception at 6 tonight at the Byron Super-Sectional. The Wave beat the Knights twice during the Suburban Catholic Conference's regular season.

"We definitely know (IC) a lot better so I would like to play them," said Walton. "I never like to play a team three times, but I'm sure it would be a good match."

St. Edward's secret to postseason success has been the leadership exhibited by its senior class, which includes Kristen Haggenjos, Katie Yohn, Molly Kelly, Rachel Varley and Tess Barry, among others. Junior Holly Knott, sophomore Margie Haggenjos and freshman Katie Ayello have also played huge roles when it has mattered most.

"I just do whatever the coach tells me to do," Ayello said. "This has been a great experience. The girls are so much fun and amazing and really nice. I really hope we get to state."

Central will travel to Freeport today to play Metamora at 6 in another super-sectional match. The Rockets, led by veteran coach Marv Leavitt, defeated Freeport in three games Thursday behind senior Molly Turk and juniors Stephanie Holthus and Taylor Scully. Leavitt reached the Sweet 16 previously with both St. Edward and St. Charles, but never advanced past the sectional title match.

"We know we are going to play great teams every step of the way right now and it's going to be a tough match and I think we're ready for it," said Leavitt.

St. Charles East will stay close to home today with a match against Crystal Lake South (32-7) at the Elgin Super-Sectional at 1 at Chesbrough Field House.

The Saints, who have only lost to two teams all season (Naperville Central, Joliet Catholic), have yet to even lose a game in the postseason. East cruised into the Elite Eight with a win against York behind senior setter Laura Homann and junior outside hitter Caroline Niski.

Brandon Mangia contributed