Senior Aiden Schoeff and his Riverside Brookfield High School boys volleyball teammates show great potential when playing well. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, they once again delivered when needed May 7.
This solid performance pulled out a 26-24, 23-25, 25-17 victory at Glenbard South and a share of the Upstate Eight Conference East Division title with Glenbard East at 5-1.
“We always had the inner belief and trust that we could take it home. It was just going to come down to how hard we were going to work,” said the 6-foot-4 Schoeff. “Super-happy that we can say now that we at least share the conference title. It’s truly an honor. I’ve worked hard to get here. I’ve played all four years, my first year on varsity, so it feels good on top of that. It’s like the cherry on top.”
Juniors Michael Austin (16 kills), Gianfranco Crancich (24 assists) and Brandon Ruiz (11 assists, 2 aces), Schoeff (5 kills, 4 blocks), seniors Noah Beals (7 kills), Gavin Sharenow (7 digs, 19 service receptions) and Quinn Shipley (3 kills) and sophomores Aidan Darrah (9 kills, 4 blocks) and Kyle Kummer (8 kills, 8 digs. 20 service receptions) were top performers. Kummer has been playing more with senior John Bielobradek injured.
It’s now four straight won or shared conference titles for the Bulldogs (16-17) – the only ones in program history. The first two came in the former Metro Suburban Conference. The Bulldogs and Glenbard East (21-13) also shared the 2025 title. RBHS played arguably its best match April 21 in sweeping the Rams 25-21, 25-13 but then lost 25-20, 28-26 April 28 at Fenton (18-7, 3-3).
If Glenbard South (23-11, 4-2) had beaten the Bulldogs, the Raiders would have been co-champs.
“I think (this title) means a lot more because I’m a senior. I wanted to end it off with a good win,” said Beals, a second-year varsity player. “We knew we definitely had a fight ahead of us (at Glenbard South). Winning that first set really put us in the positon to take it home, push through.”
Offensively, RBHS hit .340 (48 kills, 16 attack errors). The Bulldogs dominated the middle as Schoeff had five kills in five attacks and Beals’ seven kills came in 11 attacks with one error.
In the third set, the Bulldogs’ 9-0 run turned a 6-4 deficit into a 13-6 advantage. The Raiders came within three points twice until the Bulldogs’ 6-0 run created their first match point at 24-15.
“We played really well. When we are efficient offensively, we can compete with just about anybody,” RBHS coach Dan Bonarigo said. “On the flipside, when we’re not, we’ve been in the mid-to-low .100s (attack percentage) but we’re still right there.”
Lyons Township (19-13, 3-2 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) and RBHS are the No. 4 and 15 seeds in the Argo Sectional.
LTHS boys gymnastics
Senior TJ Carr’s fourth state meet appearance with the Lyons Township boys gymnastics team Saturday was eventful all the way down to the final moments.
Despite battling a right knee injury, Carr was in contention for a top-five medal on horizontal bar at the third annual Illinois High School Gymnastics Coaches Association state meet at Hoffman Estates.
With the event’s final routine, Willowbrook/Addison Trail senior Jae Newman scored a first-place 9.3. That left Carr’s 7.9 in sixth, 0.7 from fifth.
“It is what it is. Because I hurt my knee at sectionals, I didn’t even warm up dismounts or anything,” Carr said. “I just had to push through that pain, trying to finish strong, and I did. It’s surreal for sure, knowing if I did a little better, but there’s nothing you can do.”
In their ninth straight team appearance at a state meet, the Lions finished sixth (133.65) among the 10 qualifying teams with their second-highest score. Their season-high 135.90 at the Downers Grove North Sectional, May 8, was the fifth-highest advancing score.
Carr, junior Evan Ries and freshmen Dante Rodriguez and Patrick Raddatz – the Lions’ four all-arounders – also were individual state qualifiers. Senior Jack Michaelson, junior Ignacio Rodriguez and sophomore Drew Trimmer also competed for the team.
“Based on the scores going in, we were in the middle of the pack,” LTHS coach Sam Zeman said. “We did a good job. Every teams leaves points on the floor, but overall it was a good meet.”
Carr also tied for eighth on pommel horse (8.05) and was 15th in all-around (46.75), Dante Rodriguez was 15th on vault (8.8), tied for 17th on parallel bars (7.75) and was 19th in all-around (44.40) and Raddatz was 16th on parallel bars (7.95) and tied for 17th on horse (7.3).
Carr and Michaelson left as quickly as possible to attend the school prom. Carr has done club gymnastics since sixth grade.
“There wasn’t pressure the entire time but as soon as I bowed down for the final time, (ending) it all just kind of hit me at once,” Carr said.