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The News-Gazette's volleyball Top 10: Judah Christian still No. 1

matt daniels, the news-gazette, champaign-urbana, ill.
·3 min read

Oct. 3—Before the IHSA releases volleyball postseason

pairings on Friday, Sports Editor Matt Daniels takes another attempt at ranking the area's best of the best:

1. Judah Christian

➜ Record: 19-0 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 1

➜ The skinny: After winning at Oakwood on Monday night, Rachel Divan and the Tribe go for its 20th win in a row on Tuesday night at Normal Calvary. All told, Judah Christian has only lost one set all season during a three-set win against LeRoy on Sept. 9. Impressive stuff.

2. Mahomet-Seymour

➜ Record: 21-4 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 2

➜ The skinny: A solid showing at the Pekin Invitational this past Saturday saw Ellie Dallas and the Bulldogs collect a second-place finish along with four more wins. Two Apollo Conference matchups are on tap this week: tonight at Mt. Zion and Thursday at home against Taylorville.

3. St. Joseph-Ogden

➜ Record: 19-3 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 3

➜ The skinny: Whenever SJ-O hits the 20-win mark (it could happen Tuesday night gainst Monticello), it'll become the 15th time in coach Abby McDonald's 16 seasons the Spartans have done that. The only time it didn't happen? The condensed 2021 spring campaign when SJ-O still went 17-3.

4. Cissna Park

➜ Record: 21-3 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 4

The skinny: Just like St. Joseph-Ogden, Cissna Park is a consistent winner under Josh Landon. The Timberwolves have already crossed the 20-win threshold this season, the ninth time in the last decade the tiny Iroquois County school (see: enrollment of 93) has accomplished that feat.

5. Westville

➜ Record: 21-3 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 5

➜ The skinny: Ella Miller and the Tigers hit the 20-win plateau for the second straight season last Thursday against Salt Fork. Westville followed up with a Monday night nonconference home win against Marshall and will try to make it four in a row when it hosts Watseka on Tuesday night.

6. Milford

➜ Record: 17-3 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 8

➜ The skinny: The Bearcats will strive for their fifth consecutive win on Tuesday night at home when Schlarman makes the trip north to Milford after Anna McEwen & Co. swept past Hoopeston Area on Monday night in Vermilion Valley Conference play.

7. Monticello

➜ Record: 16-4 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 10

➜ The skinny: The Sages have yet to lose in Illini Prairie Conference play, going 4-0 in league matches. If Reese Patton and her teammates can keep that perfect conference record intact by this time next week, then major props. A trip to St. Joseph-Ogden is on tap Tuesday night before a home match with Bloomington Central Catholic on Thursday night.

8. Cerro Gordo/Bement

➜ Record: 18-3 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 6

➜ The skinny: Haylei Simpson and the Broncos are the second seed in the Lincoln Prairie Conference tournament, with CG/Bement opening up play in the 12-team event on Monday night and hoping to play for the tournament title on Thursday night in Argenta.

9. Watseka

➜ Record: 19-6 ➜ Previous ranking: No. 7

➜ The skinny: Brianna Denault and the Warriors didn't let last Thursday's three-set home loss to Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin — which snapped a 10-match win streak — linger too long. A sweep on Monday night at home against St. Anne has Watseka one victory away from the 20-win threshold.

10. St. Thomas More

➜ Record: 15-9 ➜ Previous ranking: Not ranked

➜ The skinny: A road sweep of Prairie Central last Tuesday was the only match for STM after 18 matches in a two-week span in September saw coach Brad Dalton's team play in tournaments on three straight weekends. Three matches in the next three nights — Tuesday at Pontiac, Wednesday at Urbana and Thursday at home against Unity — is now on the docket.