C-G wins highest-scoring game in state tournament, will play for Class 4A title

Cary-Grove's Jess Bartczyszyn (left) and Mallory Wilczynski jump to block a shot by Marist's Mallory Salis on Friday during the IHSA Class 4A state semifinals at Redbird Arena in Normal. (Sarah Nader – snader@shawmedia.com)

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NORMAL – In 17 seasons as Cary-Grove’s girls volleyball coach, Patty Langanis couldn’t recall having witnessed such a high-scoring game.

Back and forth the Trojans battled Marist, neither team budging during Game 1 Friday in the Trojans’ 35-33, 25-19 Class 4A state semifinal victory.

Neither team wanted to lose, but nobody stepped up to put an end to the madness.

“That was probably the most intense game ever,” C-G senior outside hitter Ashley Rosch said. “I’ve never been in a game that went that high. It was crazy.”

Finally, a Trojans squad that has experienced the highest highs and lowest lows at Redbird Arena said enough was enough. Middle blocker Mallory Wilczynski’s block tied the game, 33-33, and the Trojans turned to senior outside hitters Rosch and Melanie Jereb to finish off Marist. Jereb calmly tipped a free ball at the net for C-G’s go-ahead point, and Rosch’s ace completed the Trojans’ comeback win.

C-G (37-4) went on to beat the RedHawks (34-7) in the second game, 25-19, and advanced to the 4A state final for the third consecutive season.

“Honestly, I didn’t even notice the score most of the time,” Jereb said. “Most of the time I was just focusing on the next pass, the next kill. I never looked at the scoreboard.”

Five times the Trojans held game point. For Marist, they had four opportunities to win Game 1. C-G couldn’t take advantage of its first chance, up 24-23 after a great solo block by Alex Larsen.

The teams’ combined for 68 points in Game 1 to set an IHSA state finals tournament record, smashing the previous record of 58 set in 2003 by Barrington and Belleville, and topped the 4A record of 52 which C-G set in 2009 against Glenbrook South. C-G’s individual total of 35 points in a game also is a state record.

“Things weren’t coming easy for us throughout the match and the way these guys persevered to fight, to make them in the state championship, I’m really proud of the entire team,” Langanis said.

C-G’s return to the state final is especially impressive considering its public school status – a point Langanis isn’t afraid to point out. Langanis nearly had her wish of an all public school 4A final, but Benet Academy (38-3) beat St. Charles East, 2-1, in the other semifinal. The Trojans play Benet at 8:55 p.m. today in the first match between the two teams.

“We for sure were worried about a letdown [after Game 1],” Langanis said. “The adrenalin, the girls when they came over to our side of the net, they were out of their minds excited.

“It took a team that had a lot of guts to survive that match which our girls did tonight.”

It surprised no one that Jereb and Rosch scored C-G’s final two points in each game with the seniors each pounding a kill to end the second game. Although Jereb (11 kills) and Rosch (10) came through it took a team effort to beat Marist. Right side hitter Alex Larsen added three kills for the Trojans as six different players recorded a kill for C-G.

“I typically like to look at the block and see where they’re headed,” Jess Bartczyszyn said. “I really like to mix up the offense, and I think we tried to go into this game with that mindset.”

The Trojans’ strategy of utilizing all the hitters paid off. Bartczyszyn’s confidence in her attackers never wavered even during close stretches and especially in Game 1. Defensively, five Trojans registered at least five digs, led by Jereb’s 16.

“Our middles [Sheila Wilhelmi and Wilczynski] and Alex, if they keep performing like that, it makes us a formidable opponent,” Langanis said.