PR, CL Central on collision course

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Prairie Ridge, with Taylor Brauneis, plays in an IHSA Class 3A Vernon Hills Sectional semifinal match Tuesday. (Nick Dentamaro - ndentamaro@nwherald.com) (justinedmondsnwh ())

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Six local girls volleyball teams won regionals last week and will start the second round of the playoffs in their respective sectionals tonight.

Here is a breakdown of what to expect for each McHenry County team still standing as they pursue a berth in the state semifinals Nov. 13 in Normal.

Prairie Ridge and Crystal Lake Central could meet for a third time in Thursday’s Class 3A Vernon Hills Sectional final.

The Wolves are playing their best volleyball of the season and cruised through the Antioch Regional, giving up five points to Chicago Lake View in the regional semifinal and beating the host Sequoits on Saturday. Prairie Ridge will face St. Viator at 7 p.m. today in the Class 3A Vernon Hills Sectional semifinal.

The Lions will try to disrupt a potential meeting between the Wolves and rival Crystal Lake Central, which plays Wauconda at 6 p.m. today in the other semifinal. But Prairie Ridge coach Stefanie Otto is confident her team can arrange a third match against Central, which has defeated Wauconda this season.

“I am very excited about the way they’re playing right now; the girls are really jelling on the court,” Otto said. “We’re healthy and well-balanced with this lineup, which is nice.”

Central earned the top seed in the sectional, and Prairie Ridge is a No. 3 seed. St. Viator is seeded second and Wauconda fourth.

Taylor Brauneis and Taylor Humm lead the Wolves (28-9); Lindsey Anderson, Tracy Friel and Julie Jeziorowski lead the Tigers
(34-3).

Also in Class 3A, Marian Central will face Freeport at 6 p.m. today in a Rochelle Sectional semifinal.

Class 4A Huntley Sectional

With a high-octane offense and a deep bench, all that talent could allow Cary-Grove players to look ahead, but C-G has been successful this season because it has concentrated on the here and now, senior setter Abbey Heredia said.

“Everyone on this team has been through tough losses,” Heredia said. “We don’t want that to happen this season.”

Huntley enters today’s Class 4A Huntley Sectional semifinals playing stronger than ever.

C-G will face South Elgin at 6 p.m. today in the first semifinal, and Huntley takes on Boylan at 7 p.m.

The Red Raiders and the Trojans could face off for a third time this year in Thursday’s final. C-G beat Huntley in both of the teams’ previous meetings.

Class 2A Oregon Sectional

Harvard (23-12) will face Sterling Newman Central Catholic in the Class 2A Oregon Sectional semifinal at 7 p.m. today, trying to make it into a sectional final for the first time in three years.

“They’re super pumped,” Hornets coach Kelly Brierley said. “[Sterling Newman has] a lefty on the outside, which will be different, but we’re just going to worry about our side of the net ... We’re just focusing on our game, keeping our offense fast and limiting the amount of unforced errors.”

Harvard is led by outside hitter Ashleigh Fisher and libero Marcy Nystrom.

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