Preps

CAPSULE

Players to Watch: Scott Suchy, senior, guard. Suchy cracked the 1,000-point barrier this past season and is always a threat to score when he has the ball. His ability to drive to the basket and shoot well from outside makes him one of the area's best all-around scorers.

SYCAMORE – Veronica Behrens can’t use the state tennis tournament as a barometer of how well she played her junior season.

SYCAMORE – Every weekday morning this fall, Emily Launer has gotten a ride to school from Mackenzie Powers.

By DAILY CHRONICLE STAFF

AURORA – This probably wasn’t the start Kaneland girls basketball was looking for.

The DeKalb girls basketball team used balanced scoring and a strong defensive effort to claim a 51-26 victory over Harlem in the season opener on Tuesday.

Cody Schmitt

DEKALB – Andrew Morreale’s season didn’t end the way he wanted it to.

The Hinckley-Big Rock girls basketball team started its Class 1A title defense with a 58-21 win over Sandwich at the Somonauk Breakout tournament.

At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Tim Humes has been quite an imposing force since he stepped onto the Somonauk High School varsity baseball diamond as an assistant coach three years ago.

There aren’t many tougher losses than the one Hayley Guyton suffered at the Class AA state golf tournament.

NORMAL – Sycamore volleyball coach Debbie Klock knew she was at an advantage when the Spartans squared off against Crystal Lake Central on Saturday.

SYCAMORE – The hallways leading up to the fieldhouse at Sycamore High are filled with photos of the best teams in all sports in the school’s history.

NORMAL – Stephanie Huber remembers being in sixth grade and being in awe of what she was seeing.

ST. CHARLES – During Saturday’s St. Charles East regional, the DeKalb-Sycamore co-op swim team accomplished two major goals they set at the beginning of the season.

NORMAL – With the right-side attack bottled up in Game 2, Sycamore volleyball coach Debbie Klock knew it was time to make a change.

SYCAMORE – Sycamore made adjustments.

NORMAL – In the Sycamore volleyball team’s run to the Class 3A state finals, the Spartans always felt in control of their destiny on the court.

SYCAMORE – C.J. Compher admits that he came to Sycamore last year with a “pretty-boy swagger.”

DeKALB – When Grace Waller was first diagnosed with cancer last November, her goal immediately became getting in shape to get back in the pool and swim with her DeKalb/Sycamore co-op teammates.

NORMAL – The immediate reaction was an intense internal pain.

NORMAL – In the Sycamore volleyball team's run to the Class 3A state finals, the Spartans always felt in control of their destiny on the court.

SYCAMORE – The door opens and Earl Hollister quickly rolls through in his wheelchair.

SYCAMORE – Sycamore High School Principal Tim Carlson was all smiles Thursday morning as he and other school and city officials prepared to deliver a final pep talk to members of the school's state-bound volleyball team.

HINCKLEY – Hinckley-Big Rock coach Greg Burks called her “one of the all-time greats.”

The last time the Sycamore volleyball team took a trip to Normal to play in the state finals, coach Debbie Klock told her young players to keep their eyes open.

SYCAMORE – Before this season started, Sycamore volleyball coach Debbie Klock got the three juniors in her playing rotation together and told them they had to grow up, quick.

Nayman happy with play at LB for Sycamore

SYCAMORE – Sycamore knows Montini well.

STERLING – When this year’s senior class entered Sycamore High as freshmen, there were 17 volleyball players.

Confidence is a crazy thing.

PEORIA – Tyson Kinsley moved from admirer to admirer Saturday, looking like he needed every moment with them.

It was a night when everything went right for Sycamore and after dismantling Normal University High 25-14, 25-12 on Saturday night in the Class 3A Sterling Super-Sectional, the Spartans are headed to their second state final four in the past three seasons.

SYCAMORE – Sycamore put the game out of reach with a touchdown drive just before half in the first round of the playoffs.

Sycamore cross country coach Mike Lambdin knows today’s boys Class 2A state cross country meet will be a tough task for his Spartans.

ROCHELLE – Kate Binder’s motivation is simple.

Longua a versatile offensive lineman for Sycamore

SERENA – Volleyball can be a game of momentum.

ROCHELLE – The Sycamore volleyball team remained calm.

HINCKLEY — Heather Weissinger remembers not being able to get into the second game against Dwight in last season’s sectional final loss.

HINCKLEY — Heather Weissinger remembers not being able to get into the second game against Dwight in last season’s sectional final loss.

ROCHELLE – Whenever the Sycamore volleyball team hits a bump in the road, Jill Johnson is the player there to stop them from falling too hard.

Dave Dudzinski’s parents woke up Tuesday morning to quite a surprise.

SERENA – As expected, Hinckley-Big Rock's girls volleyball team found little in terms of resistance from Christian Liberty Academy.