So, mere minutes after the junior setter/right-side hitter and the RedHawks won the state championship, Teresi got the chance to take a look at the trophy up close and personal.

And he was hyped up.

“I’ve wanted this freshman year and sophomore year,” Teresi said. “It was so sad when we lost those years. But winning this year … I’m actually so happy about it.”

Teresi was itching to get that final kill on June 1 in a 25-21, 28-26 victory over York at Hoffman Estates, helping Marist win its first state championship since 2018.

He definitely got it.

“I just wanted them to set me the ball,” Teresi said afterward. “I don’t even know what to say. I’m just so excited.”

Teresi, who repeats as the Daily Southtown Boys Volleyball Player of the Year, has had RedHawks fans excited for three years. He was primarily a setter as a freshman, developed into a strong hitter as a sophomore and was an even stronger hitter this spring.

The 6-foot-4 Teresi finished with 327 kills, 575 assists, 174 digs, 68 blocks and 65 aces. The Ohio State recruit received tons of postseason accolades, including being named the East Suburban Catholic Conference’s player of the year for a third straight season.

Teresi’s versatility has already impressed his teammates and coach Jordan Vidovic.

He also received notice from his opponents. After Marist’s 25-17, 25-15 state quarterfinal win over Public League power Payton, Graham Miller and Francis Richmond raved about the Marist star.

“Seeing that kid swing and seeing someone who swings like that who sets so well is just something you don’t usually see,” Miller said of Teresi. “We had some good blocks against him, but just how high he can get and how he can hit, it’s hard to slow him down. He moves around, and you have to make sure you know where he is at.”

“I was pretty impressed he did so well because what he does is so very, very, very hard,” Richmond said.

Later, Teresi tallied nine kills, 12 assists, four digs and a solo block in the win over York.

York coach Ken Dowdy knew the Dukes were going to have their hands full with Teresi.

“He does everything,” Dowdy said of Teresi. “You are not going to shut him down completely. He’s going to get his kills. You have to accept that. You just can’t get the other players go off.”

While Teresi’s power continues to cause jaws to drop, his serving keeps getting more effective as well. If he’s not getting aces, he’s causing havoc with the opponents’ serve receive.

Vidovic never put a speed gun to Teresi’s serves but guessed they are in the range of 60-70 mph.

“It’s college level,” Vidovic said. “At its max out, it’s by far the most velocity we’ve ever had here, without any question. (Teammate Nathen) Toth can give him a run for his money sometimes, but Christian’s serves are the hardest.

“If you had a stopwatch, the amount of time it leaves his hand to the time it would get to a passer … there is zero comparison.”

Teresi said he started to jump serve at age 6. His older brother, Colin, played in club tournaments and Christian tagged along. He and his father, Marty, put some of the down time to good use.

“I remember going to my brother’s tournament at Adversity and they had these badminton nets that were my height,” Christian said. “My dad would always toss the ball to me.

“I would hit over it. That’s how I learned my jump serve.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

First Team

Jeremiah Aro, Sandburg, junior, right-side hitter: Ended up with 300 kills and 50 blocks for Eagles. All-state, all-conference.

Josh Bluhm, Lockport, senior, right-side hitter: Had 338 kills and 155 digs to go with 52 blocks and 21 aces. All-state, all-conference. Committed to William Penn.

Evan Dziadkowiec, Lockport, senior, setter: Tallied 876 assists to boost career total to 2,765. Added 207 digs, 67 kills, 39 blocks and 34 aces. All-state, all-conference. Committed to Loras.

Connor Jaral, Lincoln-Way West, senior, outside hitter: Had 342 kills, 139 digs and 46 blocks. All-state, all-conference. Committed to Loras.

Noah Konopack, Lincoln-Way West, senior, setter: Notched 872 assists, 237 digs and 26 aces. All-state, all-conference.

Trey Marek, Lincoln-Way East, senior, outside hitter: Had 361 kills while hitting over .300 and providing a 2.40 passing percentage. All-state, all-conference. Committed to Illinois Wesleyan.

Justin McGary, Marian Catholic, senior, setter: Came up with 811 assists, 166 digs, 147 kills, 60 blocks and 42 aces. All-state and all-conference. Committed to Missouri Baptist.

John Mikrut, Brother Rice, junior, right-side hitter: Had 313 kills, 130 digs, 42 aces and 31 blocks. All-state, all-conference.

Aidan Peloquin, St. Rita, senior, outside hitter: Packed powerful swing and was strong on defense for Mustangs. All-state and all-conference. Made AVCA All-American watch list.

Christian Teresi, Marist, junior, setter/right-side hitter: Led RedHawks with 327 kills, 575 assists, 174 digs, 68 blocks and 65 aces. All-state. East Suburban Catholic Conference’s player of the year. Committed to Ohio State.

Nathen Toth, Marist, junior, outside hitter: Had 287 kills, 182 digs, 54 blocks and 53 aces for state champions. All-state. Named state tournament MVP by Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association. Took visits to MIT and Princeton.

Jozef Walus, Reavis, junior, outside hitter: Racked up 252 kills, 241 digs and 26 aces. South Suburban Red’s player of the year.

Second Team

Luke Brannigan, Marist, senior, outside hitter: Paced RedHawks to state championship with 213 kills, 217 digs, 35 blocks and 33 aces. All-state, all-conference.

Marco Budzak, Oak Lawn, sophomore, setter/right-side hitter: Had 370 assists, 157 digs, 160 kills and 31 blocks. All-conference.

Mitchell Carrera, Oak Forest, senior, setter/right-side hitter: Totaled 606 assists, 37 blocks, 103 kills and 60 aces. All-conference. Committed to Cornerstone.

Sebastian Corral, St. Laurence, senior, middle hitter: Had program-record 58 blocks to go along with a .680 hitting percentage. All-state, all-conference.

Ian Faber, Chicago Christian, senior, middle hitter: Finished with 99 blocks and .533 hitting percentage. All-state, all-conference.

Kaden Kaczmarek, Providence, senior, middle hitter: Had 197 kills and .380 hitting percentage with 51 blocks, 36 digs and 24 aces. Catholic League White’s player of the year.

Ethan Kuziela, Marist, senior, setter/right-side hitter: Had 172 kills, 451 assists, 91 digs, 35 blocks and 26 aces. Committed to Illinois Wesleyan.

Phoenix McGruder, Marian Catholic, senior, outside hitter: Totaled 316 kills, 139 digs, 52 blocks and 44 assists. Had .287 hitting percentage. All-state, all-conference.

Matthew Muehlnickel, Lincon-Way East, junior, outside hitter: Had 259 kills while passing at a 2.40 clip. All-state, all-conference. Committed to Lindenwood.

Sebastion Pardol, Argo, sophomore, outside hitter: Tallied 334 kills, 173 digs and 52 aces for Argonauts. All-state, all-conference.

Ahmad Powell, Homewood-Flossmoor, junior, outside hitter: Totaled 226 kills, 132 digs, 32 aces and 28 blocks. Had 2.31 passing efficiency. All-state, all-conference.

Kevin Rodriguez, Lockport, senior, libero: Chalked up 272 digs, 70 assists and 20 aces. Had 2.23 rating in serve receive. All-state, all-conference.

Honorable Mention

• Colin Alvers, Lincoln-Way Central, junior, libero.
• Myles Aquino, Sandburg, senior, libero.
• Paul Baker, Brother Rice, junior, outside hitter.
• Anthony Barbato, Oak Forest, senior, opposite hitter.
• James Bullock Jr., Marian Catholic, senior, middle hitter.
• Gabriel Chapman, Crete-Monee, senior, outside hitter.
• Nate Epley, Homewood-Flossmoor, senior, outside hitter.
• Andrew Flores, Lincoln-Way West, junior, libero
• Sam Jager, Chicago Christian, sophomore, libero.
• Drew Kregul, Lincoln-Way West, junior, middle hitter.
• Jeremy Lin, De La Salle, junior, outside hitter.
• Jack Meador, Marist, senior, middle hitter.
• Michael Miller, Tinley Park, senior, outside hitter.
• Krystian Paulich, Reavis, junior, libero.
• Matthew Phelan, Brother Rice, junior, setter.
• Aydin Provost, Mount Carmel, junior, right-side hitter.
• Tyler Sempek, Andrew, senior, libero.
• Matthew Suchecki, St. Laurence, junior, setter.
• Kyle Swarens, Lincoln-Way East, senior, setter.
• Juvontae Thompson, Bremen, senior, outside hitter.
• Hunter Vedder, Lincoln-Way West, junior, outside hitter.
• Wade Welke, Lockport, senior, outside hitter.
• Cael Whitchurch, Lemont, senior, setter.
• Charlie Zeiler, Stagg, sophomore, libero.

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

Erasmus T. Williams, a high-ranking official for the Republic of Liberia, climbed up into the driver’s seat of Markham fire truck No. 1533 Wednesday night with a big smile on his face.

He was also like a kid in a candy store dressing up in firefighter gear, which he wore over his dark blue suit.

Williams, who holds the lengthy title of coordinator/deputy minister rank diaspora affairs and ministry of state for presidential affairs of Liberia, was having fun with the truck but can’t wait for it to come into his West African country for some serious business.

Markham Mayor Roger Agpawa presented Williams and other Liberia officials with ceremonial keys to the 2001 fire truck, which the city has donated to the country. Liberia officials said there are just 10 fire trucks serving a nation of 6 million people, which has been causing strife for years but more so recently.

“We came here to let you know how important this donation is,” Williams told the City Council. “It doesn’t have to do with the amount — it has to do with the time. It was time for the city of Markham to respond and this will go down in the history of our country and the people of Liberia will forever be grateful.”

Markham native Moriel McClerklin, the African Diaspora Union ambassador to the United States and Canada, had a hand in getting the word out to various communities about the need for fire equipment in Liberia.

“There is a crisis that the country is having,” McClerklin said. “There have been a number of fires in the country that have occurred and there has been limited fire equipment. They are just standing by watching buildings burn down.”

He said the last significant disaster occurred in April, when the country’s House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’s home was gutted in the capital city of Monrovia.

“People were in the streets just crying.” McClerklin said.

McClerklin said he reached out to several communities.

It just so happened that in recent weeks, Markham purchased a new fire truck and city officials were trying to figure out what to do with the 2001 truck. The old truck received a new engine and looked so clean parked outside of City Hall that one firefighter joked, “Maybe we should keep it.”

Logistics are still being worked on for transporting the truck to West Africa, but once it arrives, it will be welcomed with open arms.

“You just cannot imagine how significant of an act that this is for the Republic of Liberia,” McClerklin said. “You are the first city that has responded to this urgent cry for help.”

Agpawa, who was gifted with a robe and hat by Liberia officials, has been invited to Liberia for a visit.

“We want to continue to be a blessing,” Agpawa said. “We’ve been blessed. We’ve done it regionally and now across the globe. We are doing what this government is called to do.

“We’re just grateful to be able to do that and I’m looking forward to the partnership of us working together.”

The mayor, a former fire chief in Country Club Hills, said if he visits Liberia, he could use his firefighting knowledge to pass on to firefighters in that country.

Fire chief Chris Nearing, who said a new fire engine costs in the $1 million neighborhood, said despite the truck’s age, it is in good shape.

“We actually just purchased a new engine and then this (the donation) came up and it’s a great place for it to be donated to,” he said.

“It’s seen a lot of action in the last 24 years. Over there, it could last another 20 years,” Nearing said. “Their environment is a little different than ours. They are not dealing with the salt and cold.”

The city also honored retired Deputy Chief Samuel C. Harris, who spent 33 years on the police force and picked up the nickname “Robocop.”

“Nobody compares with him,” Agpawa said. “He will always be my friend and he will always have friends in the Police Department.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

The junior second baseman knew she was going somewhere to play softball, but the destination depended upon whether her high school team could win Monday afternoon or not.

“I’ve been in Peoria for the state finals my freshman and sophomore years,” Pacyga said. “I wish we could go back to Peoria this year, but we will be back next year.”

Kansas City, here she comes.

The Western Illinois recruit was the only Lemont player to get a hit off Stanford-bound Elena Krause in a 7-0 loss to Pontiac in the Class 3A East Peoria Supersectional at the EastSide Centre.

Lauren Grames and Allison Pawlowicz drew walks and were the only other baserunners for Lemont (25-12), which came into the game as the reigning two-time state champions.

Krause, a junior right-hander, struck out nine for Pontiac (29-7), which plays at 10 a.m. Friday in the state semifinals against Fenwick (17-9) at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria.

As a freshman and sophomore, Pacyga helped her team make that trip to state and win two championships. She declared that her team will be returning next spring to that stage.

“One hundred percent,” Pacyga said. “Seeing (Pontiac’s players) holding up that supersectional plaque gives me so much motivation. I think we can do it. I know we can.

“I’m excited for the future of Lemont softball. I think it’s great, and this is going to give us a lot of fire. I think you are going to see us back here at the same time next year.”

One of the positives for Lemont coach Chris Traina was knowing Pacyga has another year.

“Nat’s a gamer and a competitor,” Traina said. “If she has a bad at-bat, she’s willing to come in and forget that at-bat and be ready. I think her leadership is going to carry into next year.”

Pacyga, whose double to left field in the second inning was the lone hit for Lemont, said the scouting report related how Krause locates her first few pitches in the strike zone.

“I knew I was going up there swinging,” Pacyga said. “I tried to play super loose — just have fun and enjoy the moment.

“(Krause) had really good movement and was keeping us off our toes with her off-speed and rise pitches. Her drop is really good, too. Hats off to her. She’s a really, really good pitcher, and I know she’s going to do great things at Stanford.”

Rhea Mardjetko, an Illinois Wesleyan recruit, finished her career by pitching six solid innings in relief. The senior right-hander struck out seven and allowed just one earned run.

She’s the fifth sister to play softball for Lemont softball after Jade, Nina, Kali and Sage. And there is one more on the way as Mila, who’s in eighth grade, will try to keep the family tradition going.

“She is 5-foot-11 and she is just as good as me, Sage and all of my other sisters,” Rhea said of Mila. “She has a lot of potential.”

Pacyga, meanwhile, will be play stress-free softball in 2025, having already made her college decision. Western Illinois offers a fire science degree. Her long-term goal is to be a paramedic firefighter.

Her uncle, Brad, is a paramedic firefighter and her father, Brent, is a policeman, so she got the itch to help people early in life.

“It was something I always wanted to do,” she said. “Helping people is a big thing for me. I never really wanted to sit at a desk job. I always wanted to be on my feet.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

But after Triple-A Iowa manager Marty Pevey summoned Bote into his office in Louisville on Saturday to tell him that he made the show, Bote happily began packing.

Then the fun really began for the 31-year-old infielder, who last played in the majors in 2022.

“I was packing my stuff up in the locker room and the guys were like ‘what are you doing?’ I said ‘I’m going up.’

“This was the moment that got me emotional. Every single one of those guys was whooping and hollering. They were giving me big hugs. It’s just a moment I’ll never forget.”

Bote was in the Chicago Cubs’ starting lineup Sunday, batting eighth and playing third. He drove in a run on a fielder’s choice in a 5-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds in front of an announced crowd of 38,129 at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs (29-31) fell to 7 1/2 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central. They couldn’t keep the momentum from Saturday’s 7-5 victory over the Reds in a game that ended after midnight Sunday because of a rain delay.

The Cubs have lost nine of their last 12 games heading into a two-game home series against the White Sox starting Tuesday. Struggling at the plate has been an issue for the team.

By bringing up Bote and optioning infielder Nick Madrigal to Iowa, manager Craig Counsell is hoping for a little more pop in the lineup.

“I’ve always thought David was a solid IQ baseball player,” Counsell said. “He hits the ball really hard and that’s important in offense — especially today.

“He has the ability to do damage in this park and the time of year that we’re getting to, that’s an important thing to be able to do. I’m asking him to hit home runs and that’s a difficult request.”

Madrigal hit .221 in 51 games — 30 off the bench.

“There is a better version of Nick,” Counsell said. “Look, you get put in a role and you are a part-time player. You are in for defensive replacement of facing late-inning relievers. Playing sparingly is a difficult role to play in the big leagues. But it’s also one that is valuable and important.

“We think Nick can do it and do it well.”

Bottom of the 9th, two outs, two strikes, bases loaded, down three, rookie pinch-hitter:

Take it away, David Bote. #EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/ZXzHaV0u5V

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 13, 2018

Bote had dramatic game-winning and game-tying hits to become a fan favorite in 2018 and 2019 but had injuries the following seasons before being sent down on Aug. 4, 2022. He is looking forward to a second chance.

“I’m a different person than I was four or five years ago,” Bote said. “I’m thankful for that. I’ve learned a lot. I get the chance to do things differently with the same organization. That doesn’t happen very often.

“These guys are studs and I can’t wait to play with them.”

Bote tried to stay optimistic even through some of the difficult times.

“Don’t feel sorry for yourself,” he said. “No one else is going to feel sorry for you. I know what I’m capable of.

“Sometimes I have to trick myself. I’m not perfect at it. I’ve wallowed in my sorrow, too and it sucks. But I try not to let anyone else see it. I try to do it in a private setting or whatever is a safe place. But then I’m with my teammates and my guys, I’m like ‘let’s go!’”

Cub starter Ben Brown (1-2) was coming off a performance in which he threw seven no-hit innings against the Brewers on Tuesday but gave up five runs on six hits in five innings on Sunday, including a three-run home run to TJ Friedl.

Cody Bellinger had three hits for the Cubs.

In Louisville, three pitchers on the injured list picked up some action Sunday in Iowa’s 4-2 loss. Jordan Wicks (left forearm strain) gave up three runs on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings. Keegan Thompson (viral illness) struck out four in two scoreless innings. Daniel Palencia (right shoulder strain) threw a shutout inning with a strikeout.

Wicks made five starts for the Cubs before his injury.

“The important thing for him is to get pitches and build a foundation,” Counsell said of Wicks. “The first couple of outings have been really good for him from a health perspective. If we can have another good health day, that puts us in a good spot to consider the next step for Jordan.”

To make room for Bote on the 60-man roster, the Cubs transferred pitcher Adbert Alzolay to the 60-day injured list.

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

He opened last season at 5-foot-10 and backed up star right-side hitter/setter Christian Teresi. As a senior this year, Kuziela closed his high school career as a 6-foot-6 setter and right-side hitter.

And helped his team win a state championship.

“This feels pretty good,” Kuziela said, beaming afterward. “After last year, I could only imagine playing in the front row and knocking the heck out of the ball. It’s awesome.”

The RedHawks put an exclamation point on their awesome season Saturday night, rolling past York 25-21, 28-26 in the boys volleyball state championship match at Hoffman Estates.

Kuziela, an Illinois Wesleyan recruit, tallied five kills, 13 assists, three digs and two block assists for Marist (39-2). Teresi, the Ohio State commit, added nine kills, 12 assists and four digs. Nathen Toth totaled six kills and five aces, Luke Brannigan had six kills and Rorey Donnelly had nine digs.

Jack Bute paced York (37-5) with eight kills and Ben Brown followed with seven.

It’s the fourth state championship and the first since 2019 for Marist, which came in ranked No. 2 in the nation in the latest USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

The RedHawks reached the final match of the season by defeating two-time defending state champion Glenbard West 28-26, 26-24 in a wild semifinal held earlier in the day.

Toth led with 16 kills. Teresi added eight kills and 17 assists. Kuziela had four kills and 17 assists.

Teresi already provided grace with his setting and power with his hitting. With newfound height, Kuziela developed similar skills, giving the team more problems for opponents to worry about.

“Ethan doesn’t have a lot of hitting experience, but you would never guess that because his hitting is awesome,” Toth said. “Having two setters who can hit — it’s hard to defend against that.”

Kuziela’s growth spurt wasn’t expected, but he’s reached new heights with the extra height.

“Last year, I was too short to play right side, and this year, I was able to play it,” he said. “The doctor said I would top out at 6-1 or 6-2, but I passed that. It’s definitely been a big jump.”

And there’s supposedly some room to grow.

“The growth plates are still open, but I don’t know,” Kuziela said. “I personally think I’ll stop growing, but maybe I can squeeze maybe an inch or two more.”

Marist coach Jordan Vidovic wasn’t sure how Kuziela and his emerging frame would work out.

“It started to look like an option and we just rode with it,” Vidovic said of letting Kuziela swing away. “He had some tough conversations with me this year, I’ll tell you, just on the mental end.

“I was really tough on him. We knew what he could do, but could he do it in this setting? He really stepped it up in a major way. I don’t know if we would have won this without him.”

Kuziela is heading to Illinois Wesleyan a new man as well. When he committed, he was still 5-10.

“I shot up, so they are getting a little bounce out of it,” Kuziela said of the Titans.

St. Ignatius’ Michael Eastman, Kuziela’s cousin, was one of the first commits for Illinois Wesleyan in 2021 when the program started. He was named the team’s MVP this season.

“I wish he had one more year so we could play together,” Kuziela said. “But it didn’t work out.”

It also appears Marist is going to stay at No. 2 in the nation. Loyola won California’s Division I championship in mid-May. Could a No. 1 ranking in the country be in the cards next year?

“Absolutely,” Kuziela said. “With who is coming back, they don’t need the seniors. They’re all good.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

Andrew is a junior libero for the Warriors. David, meanwhile, played on the 2018 team that made it to the state quarterfinals but lost the first match.

As Lincoln-Way West prepared to play in this year’s quarterfinal round, Andrew made some big plans. And he let David know about it during a chat on FaceTime.

“I told him, ‘Oh yeah, we’re going to win state, which is something you couldn’t do,’’’ Andrew said.

David, however, had an ace in the hole that turned the tide in this discussion. He was a redshirt senior setter for UCLA, which recently won the NCAA national championship.

“He posted a picture of the national championship trophy and said, ‘Well, you can’t do this,'” Andrew said of his brother’s accomplishment. “He one-upped me on that one.”

Andrew will have another chance at a state title, but he and the Warriors felt the sting Friday in a 25-17, 25-17 loss to York in the boys volleyball state quarterfinals held at Hoffman Estates.

Loras recruit Connor Jaral contributed eight kills to lead Lincoln-Way West (32-8), while Drew Kregul and Hunter Vedder each had five. Flores came up with a team-high seven digs.

York (36-4) was led by Ben Brown and Jack Bute with nine kills apiece.

Marist, the Southland’s other team in the quarterfinals, won in 41 minutes with a 25-17, 25-15 decision over Payton. The RedHawks (37-2) used 15 players and were led by Ethan Kuziela with eight kills and 14 assists. Ohio State commit Christian Teresi added six kills and 13 assists.

Kuziela did his damage with an .800 hitting percentage for Marist, which came in ranked No. 2 in the nation in the latest USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

But despite the kidding around that happened before the quarterfinals, David Flores was invested in Lincoln-Way West. Flores, who played four years at Ball State before moving on to UCLA, postponed his trip back to California to watch Friday. He gave Andrew some tips and pointers.

In 2018, Andrew watched David play on the court at state. The roles were reversed Friday.

“I remember watching him in the state tournament and wondering if I would ever someday make it here,” Andrew said. “It was interesting watching him on the floor, knowing maybe I could have the same opportunity he had. I’m not just living his dream. I’m living his reality.”

UCLA, Ohio State, George Mason and Loyola have expressed interest in Andrew.

Last season, the Warriors had seven players on the roster who had older brothers on the 2018 team. That’s been whittled down to three in Flores, Vedder and Colin Dargan.

They are all juniors and looking for a return trip to state.

“We’ll be able to bounce back next year,” Vedder said. “We have 11 returning players and we are losing two starters. That’s going to be huge for us.”

Lincoln-Way West coach Jodi Frigo, who also coached the 2018 team, also is optimistic about a return trip to state in 2025.

The route to the quarterfinals this spring was interesting. The Warriors beat Belleville East 19-25, 27-29, 26-24 to win the Collinsville Sectional, and the route to that match also was intriguing.

“We stopped for lunch in Edwardsville, but they lost power in the whole town,” Frigo said. “We had to get on the bus and find a new place to eat. Collinsville had a water main break, and we had to shift the game to a different school.

“But the kids had fun and they enjoyed making a little noise this year.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

Even if for a few seconds, thousands of people in the stands and the public-address announcer thought Rockford Boylan’s Rasheed Johnson was the winner. But Rizzs knew better.

“I knew I won it,” Rizzs said. “When the commentator on the PA said it might be Johnson, I’m like, ‘No way.’ I looked over and saw 10.66 pop up and me at No. 1 — I just clapped with excitement.”

Indeed, Rizzs was right.

He became the first individual track state champion in school history with a 10.66-second run in the Class 2A 100-meter race, beating Johnson’s 10.67 and Mascoutah’s Noah Feldt with a 10.69.

Earlier that day, Rizzs helped make more history, joining Quinton Williams, Vincent Enoch and Monroe Thompson Jr. as the first relay team in school history to win a state title. They ran a 41.94 in the 400 at O’Brien Field on the campus of Eastern Illinois in Charleston.

The Vikings tied for fourth place with Glenbard West at 32 points, just missing taking home a trophy by one point. Benton took third place with 33.

That result has Rizzs and his teammates fired up to not only bring home a trophy but to win a state championship in 2025.

Rizzs, who’s also a running back for the football team that took second in the state last fall in Class 4A, now has two team titles on his mind.

“This year for football, we actually want to go out and win it,” he said. “And in track, I want to go for the two-peat (in the 100 meters), win the state championship as a team and go No. 1.”

Rizzs pointed out that he and Thompson are scheduled to be back next spring, and speedster John Hannah III is a “hidden gem” who missed the season with an injury.

Chase Kwiatowski, a junior quarterback from Lake Central, Indiana, has run an 11.3 in the 100. According to his post on the social platform X, Kwiatkowski is transferring to St. Laurence, and Rizzs can’t wait to see how that plays out in both sports.

“And we have a sophomore who runs low 11 as well,” Rizzs said. “We’ll be able to coach up these new guys and get them in a relay and just keep going.”

This year’s relay team did well with Williams, a senior and Xavier track recruit, leading off.

“My job was to go out and catch the person in front of me,” Williams said. “I had to stay with the pack, and that’s what I did.”

After Rizzs worked some of his magic, Enoch took over. A Benedictine football and track recruit, Enoch broke his right ankle twice as a sophomore but was thrilled to be back as a senior.

“I just had to hold the lead,” he said. “We have three fast guys on our team, and my job as the third leg was to bring it home to Monroe.”

Thompson, a junior, finished the job.

“When I was going to the infield, all of my teammates started hugging me,” Thompson said. “It was great.”

St. Laurence coach Darrell Reed was happy with two historic finishes, but he also was glad to see Rizzs in the mix for both.

“Harley, hands down by far, is one of the best athletes we have on the team,” Reed said. “He had four races going from prelims into finals with less than 24 hours of rest, and that is really, really tough for a sprinter.

“For him to come back in the finals race and run 10.66 was incredible. He really fought for it. He leaned at the line and won by one hundredth of a second. It was absolutely insane.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

The sophomore left-hander also confirmed he gets nervous in the postseason.

“I have a lot more adrenaline and I’m more amped up,” Tosi said. “Honestly, when I throw a fastball, I get behind it more. I feel like I’m a little more wild because I’m so nervous out there.”

The way things are going, its opposing hitters who should be nervous.

In two playoff starts, Tosi has thrown 12 shutout innings, including seven in Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over league rival Brother Rice in the Class 4A Reavis Sectional semifinals in Burbank.

Tosi struck out four and allowed just three hits and three walks for the Caravan (19-14). Louisville recruit TJ McQuillan and Mario Medina each drove in runs, while Brady Holland added two hits.

Danny Sheehan gave up just one earned run for the Crusaders (20-18), who were trying to make their third straight trip to the state semifinals.

Mount Carmel plays at 4 p.m. Friday for the sectional title against Nazareth (37-0), which won the last two Class 3A state titles before being bumped up this year to 4A. The Roadrunners beat St. Ignatius 5-0 in the other semifinal.

Tosi may have been nervous, but he did a masterful job of pitching. It was just the third time in 2024 that Brother Rice was shut out.

“I believe most athletes do have nervous butterflies, and that’s totally normal and totally natural,” Mount Carmel coach Brian Hurry said. “To be able to contain those emotions is the challenge.

“If Ian didn’t have butterflies, I would be more worried.”

Tosi had an extra reason for being fired up for this game. As a freshman last spring, he gave up a bases-loaded walk in the seventh inning as Brother Rice pulled off a 6-5 victory in the Young Regional final. The Crusaders went on to take second place in the state.

This season, Tosi didn’t get to pitch against Brother Rice in Catholic League Blue play, so Wednesday offered the first chance to redeem himself.

“They weren’t beating me again,” Tosi said. “I came out here knowing we were going to win. We came out with the confidence we were going to win. I wasn’t going to let them beat be again.

“I didn’t want them to beat me again. I would have been sad for a long time if they beat me again. The whole season, I was waiting for this game right here.”

Surprisingly, he was able to get some sleep before the big game, even with revenge on the line.

“I had a good night’s sleep,” Tosi said. “But before I fell asleep, I couldn’t stop thinking about the game. I got lucky that I did fall asleep.”

McQuillan liked what he saw out of Tosi on the mound.

“He’s always great,’ McQuillan said of Tosi. “He throws strikes, and he always gives us a chance to win. He uses his command really well. He throws his change-up perfectly.

“He’s able to keep hitters off-balance.”

Coming up next will be a huge challenge for the Caravan as Nazareth is battle-tested. The move up to 4A hasn’t seemed to phase the Roadrunners.

McQuillan said he did some offseason hitting with Landon Thome, son of MLB legend Jim Thome, and fellow Louisville recruit Jaden Fauske. McQuillan said they are “cool guys.”

“Everyone knows Nazareth and their record,” he said. “But I think we’re really hot right now, and when we’re playing well, we can beat any team in the state and probably any team in the country.

“If we play the right way, we got it.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.

When the RedHawks racked up 98 wins but were stopped all three years in the sectional, the senior outside hitter was on the junior varsity for a season and on the varsity for two more.

“I was talking with Marty Canavan the other day,” Brannigan said of his former teammate. “And he said, ‘I don’t want to go to (watch) the sectional final game because we’re cursed.”

Consider that curse lifted.

Brannigan came up with six kills and five digs Tuesday night to help lead the host RedHawks to a 25-13, 25-13 victory over Jones in the Marist Sectional championship match in Chicago.

Ohio State commit Christian Teresi added seven kills, 11 assists and five aces for Marist (36-2). Ethan Kuziela had six kills and eight assists, while Nathen Toth tallied four kills and four aces and Rory Donnelly chipped in with 11 digs. Dallas Birkenbeuel led Jones (27-11) with five kills.

Marist, ranked No. 2 in the nation in the latest USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, is making its first trip to the quarterfinals since winning the state championship in 2019. The RedHawks play at 11:30 a.m. Friday against Payton (25-13) in Hoffman Estates.

The Southland will have two teams at state as Lincoln-Way West (32-7) moved on with a 25-18, 27-29, 26-24 victory over Belleville East (33-5) to win the Collinsville Sectional. The Warriors will take on York (35-4) at 2 p.m. Friday in another quarterfinal.

After Lincoln-Way East put up the sectional roadblock for Marist in 2021 and 2022, Brother Rice upended the RedHawks last season. Brannigan was determined to not let that happen again.

“Getting over the hump this year is special for our program,” Brannigan said. “This group of seniors is very special to me. I’m really proud of us.”

There are plenty of power-packed hitters in Marist’s lineup. Still, Brannigan accepts his role.

“I’m not going to be the guy who is getting 20 kills a game or bouncing balls to the ceiling,” Brannigan said. “But I know I can contribute to this team and be a huge part of it.”

Brannigan is giving up volleyball to attend Miami of Ohio and major in kinesiology. So, this is it for him, and his peers notice he’s making the most of his final season playing the sport.

“He brings a lot of talent to the team,” Teresi said. “The way he is a leader on the team helps out a lot. He’s been our captain the last two years and he holds all of us accountable of what we should be doing or shouldn’t be doing.”

Marist coach Jordan Vidovic pointed out that Brannigan is a valuable player.

“He does it all across the court,” Vidovic said. “He does so many of the things that nobody would notice. That’s huge.

“In our best years, we’ve had guys who have stepped up and done the dirty work when they needed to make other guys to look good. It’s a super-selfless attitude, and he gives that every day.”

Marist won state championships in 2002, 2010 and 2019, and Brannigan is hoping the RedHawks can end the week bringing home a fourth title. He thinks Marist has the right mentality.

“We had a lot of preparation even before the season started,” Brannigan said. “This year, more than any other year that I’ve been a part of this program, we’ve been prepared mentally and leadership-wise in the offseason.

“During the girls season, I had an amazing experience managing for them. I really got to understand being on the players’ side and getting to know what the coaches’ mentality is.”

Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.