Minooka at Joliet Catholic on volleyball center stage

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Lauren Robertson (6), Jillian Hickey (2) and Joliet Catholic will meet Minooka on Wednesday in a neighborhood volleyball tussle. | Art Vassy~Sun-Times Media

Updated: November 4, 2011 5:37PM

When Minooka travels to Joliet Catholic on Wednesday, it’ll be more than just another volleyball match.

It’s a meeting between two local powers, as the two teams combined for a 60-15-1 record last season. Joliet Catholic played in its third straight Class 3A state championship match and finished second, while Minooka finished 26-7-1 and advanced to the Class 4A sectional finals.

“It’s a local rivalry and a fun night,” Minooka coach Chris Hoelscher said. “Many of the kids are very good friends and all know each other. I coached (Joliet Catholic standouts) Kelly Feigh and Lauren Robertson (at UNO) and a lot of these kids played together.”

The two schools have met early in the season every year since 2004. Joliet Catholic has won every meeting, but last year’s second game went down to the wire before the Angels polished off a 25-17, 25-23 victory behind nine kills from Feigh.

“If we want to build the program up to being consistently with the best, we have to play the best teams and get better,” Hoelscher said. “No matter what happens, it’s a win for us all the way around and hopefully, we’ll be better prepared the remainder of the season.”

The Indians are one of two local public schools that schedule Joliet Catholic in the regular season. The other is Bolingbrook, which the Angels will travel to play Sept. 8.

“It’s a local match and a lot of girls know each other from club,” Joliet Catholic coach Christine Scheibe said of the Minooka match. “Kelly Feigh is best friends with Stacey Perinar on Minooka. Having that local rivalry is good and it’s always a well attended match between the two schools.”

One more home opener

When Mother McAuley comes to Lockport today, it won’t just be a match-up between two teams that have combined to win 38 sectional titles. It will be the final home opener for Lockport coach Julia Hudson, who will retire at seasons end after 32 years as Porters coach.

“I am approaching this opening match like any other opening match,” Hudson said. “I want us to compete and use this as a measuring stick for where we are in our development.

“With that said, memories of past matches with McAuley — such as the one in 1997 on a Friday night with standing-room-only at the storied Central gym where we did win in three, might try to creep forward. But I will save them for another time.”

The two teams have faced off downstate three times. McAuley won the 1984 semifinal and 1992 quarterfinal tussle and went on to win state both times. The Porters toppled the Mighty Macs 15-12, 15-9 to capture third in 1991.

Joliet Central plays host

Joliet Central will host its second annual volleyball tournament over the weekend. It was something the school started last year when West and Central split into two programs again.

“I owe that all to (athletic director) Steve (Locke),” Central coach Suzzanne Bambule said. “He’s the one that did all of it and he makes the coaches jobs easier.”

In addition to the host Steelmen, also in the field are Bloom, Bradley, Brooks, East Aurora, Glenbard West, Metea Valley, Sandwich, Simeon, and Wilmington. Pool play starts Friday.

“We’re excited to have some good teams there,” said Bambule, whose squad finished 14-22 last year. “We’ve got a young team, a small team, but a hard working team.”