Live from Normal: Cary-Grove vs. Lyons state title

Two of the state’s top programs should have made previous appearances in the state tournament, but haven’t. Lyons’ path has normally been blocked by Mother McAuley, but Lyons overcame that blockade with a two set win in the supersectional this season.

Cary-Grove has emerged as a recent power out of the Fox Valley, which already can claim Crystal Lake Central as a Class 3A fourth-place finishers earlier today. The Trojans could never get past Prairie Ridge or Crystal Lake South out of its own conference, and if C-G did, the Trojans (37-4) would lose to former power Barrington.

This is C-G’s first state appearance. Lyons (37-4) has never lost a state final in previous appearances in 1989 or 1976. Lyons coach Joann Pyritz (right) is 609-212 in 21 years. She won the state title in 1989 in her first season, but that squad finished with a 33-10 record, one of the worst in state history for a title team.

C-G’s Patty Langanis (left) is 410-150-2 in 15 years. She has won 30 or more matches in back-to-back seasons now. The Trojans also won 30-plus from 1999-2001.

Players to watch: C-G junior OH Kelly Lamberti had a match-high 17 kills in the semi against Glenbrook South. She entered the tournament with 373 kills with Kayla Klinger at No. 2 with 191 kills.

Lyons spreads it around more with Jocelynn Birks having 10 kills in the semifinal win over Quincy. Birks had 340 kills before state, ahead of Laura Williams (224) and setter-hitter Alexis Viliunas (204).

Ready to roll. Joe Panico in the big chair. Peg Campana is down judge.

SET1

C-G 1-0 Lamberti kill tip

C-G 2-0 Hargrove block

C-G 3-0 Heredia ace

C-G 3-1 Birks kill

C-G 4-1 Hargrove kill

C-G 4-2 Lambert service error

C-G 4-3 Birks gets away with a tip kill

C-G 5-3 Klinger kill for sideout

C-G 5-3 Hargrove killer jump-serve ace

C-G 6-4 net call on C-G

C-G 6-5 kill for LT

Tie 6-6 Lambert hit attempt in net

LT 7-6 Williams kill gives LT its first lead

Tie 7-7 Heredia push kill

C-G 9-7 Smith ace

C-G 10-7 another Smith ace. Timeout for LT to fix serve-receive?

C-G 11-7 LT hit err

C-G 11-8 Bazzoni slide for sideout

C-G 11-9 Lamberti hit in net

C-G 11-10 Smith passing err on miscommunication

Tie 11-11 Williams blocks Rosch

LT 12-11 Williams tip kill regains lead for LT

LT 13-11 Rosch slide attempt goes long, very long

LT 13-12 Lamberti sideout kill

Tie 13-13 Lamberti with crafty tip kill down line

C-G 14-13 Lamberti blocks Viliunas

Tie 14-14 Williams kill for sideout ties it

LT 15-14 ace for Viliunas

Tie 15-15 Viliunas gives it right back with service err

LT 16-15 Rosch jump serve in net

Tie 16-16 LT mistake leads to Lamberti kill

C-G 17-16 Birks hit goes long

C-G 18-16 Hargrove on a mini slide for kill. LT timeout

LT could use an extra hammer or try going to Birks more. So far no one is blocking Lamberti.

C-G 19-16 Lamberti block to close in for set win

C-G 20-16 Stroka’s hit goes in net

C-G 21-16 Lamberti hammers kill to mid of LT’s floor

C-G 21-17 Birks kill for sideout.

C-G 22-17 Lamberti right back with a kill

C-G 22-18 Heredia passing err, two hits call by Panico

C-G 22-19 Bazzoni kill on an overpass. C-G timeout.

The crowd count looks pretty even. I think C-G has more students. They are hoping to see the first Trojans state championship in school history.

C-G 22-20 Birks kill gives LT hope

C-G 22-21 Panico call on Heredia for another double hit pass err

Tie 22-22 Bad passing leads to Hargrove hitting error. C-G timeout

Down the stretch, Lamberti in back row, Birks in front row

LT 23-22 Birks kill not controlled by D

Tie 23-23 Lamberti from the back with a kill

C-G 24-23 LT called for pass err

C-G 25-23 Hargrove ace down the line. Even Langanis was shocked with a giant leap in the air.

Lamberti credited with 7 kills, Birks 4 kills in the first set

SET 2

LT 1-0 Heredia in net

Tie 1-1 Birks hit is long

LT 2-1 Heredia pass err, two hits

Tie 2-2 Lamberti kill

LT 3-2 Birks kill

Tie 3-3 Har-grove kill for Cary-Grove. I’ve been waiting to type that.

C-G 4-3 Lamberti blocks Williams

C-G 6-5 double hit C-G

Tie 6-6 Birks kill from the back row

C-G 7-6 Lambert kill

C-G 8-6 Hargrove ace

C-G 8-7 service err

Tie 8-8 Lamberti hit in the net

C-G 9-8 Heredia dump kill

C-G 10-8 ace by Heredia

C-G 10-9 Heredia’s next serve sails away out of bounds

Tie 10-10 Smith attempt long

C-G 11-10 Vazquez goes for overpass kill, it goes in the net

C-G 12-10 Birks hitting err. LT timeout.

C-G 13-10 Lamberti kills an overpass

C-G 14-10 Klinger ace beats DS on a dive

C-G 14-11 Klinger service error in the net

C-G 14-12 Big kill for Viliunas on a dump

C-G 14-13 Smith hit in the net. Lundstrom is coming up big on digs.

C-G 15-13 Klinger back row kill

C-G 16-13 Lamberti kill. Uh, oh. LT is letting them get away after coming within one

C-G 17-13 Rosch ace

C-G 17-14 Rosch service err over end line

C-G 18-14 Lamberti on a questionable kill called in by the corner judge

C-G 19-14 Heredia push kill

C-G 20-14 Klinger kill to corner finds open court. LT another TO.

C-G 20-15 Birks sideout kill on tip

C-G 21-15 LT in the net

C-G 22-15 Lamberti kill in the corner. Closing in on a state title ever more.

C-G 22-16 Uh, oh, a service error

C-G 22-17 Viliunas goes left on second contact kill

C-G 23-17 Heredia with a rare second contact kill

C-G 24-17 Rosch roars through with a kill down middle for match point

C-G 25-17 Hargrove ace down the line, hit out of bounds by Lundstrom.

Trojans win their first state title in any sport. Wins state in their first trip. A big prize for Langanis and her assistant coach Courtney (DeBolt) Slinko, the former Stevenson and Michigan State star setter. DeBolt was the head coach at Buffalo Grove before moving over to C-G when she got a full-time teaching position.

The Fox Valley is no stranger to state titles with CLC winning in 2007 Class 3A.

Going back to the Libertyville Supersectional, Sky High club co-director Scott Harris predicted a Cary-Grove state title. Lamberti finishes with a match-high 12 kills. Birks credited with eight and Williams four.