Ten random thoughts 11 days before the fun really begins

By Phil Brozynski

Random ramblings:

1. Get well wishes to St. Francis setter Mike Segneri, who has been sidelined on and off this season for one reason or another. It’s been a tough season for Mike, who suffered an ankle injury at Glenbard East, fought his way back to lead the Spartans to a second-place finish at the Brother Rice Smack Attack, then missed some time with illness. Segneri is a player who leaves it all out on the floor.

2. It does not seem fair that guys like Mike Segneri and Dan Dierking (Naperville Central) have their seasons pulled out from under their feet due to no fault of their own, while other kids make stupid, selfish decisions that not only cost them the remainder of their seasons, but punish their teammates, their coaches, their fans, their schools and anybody who loves volleyball.

3. I don’t hate on anybody. But you have to earn respect. Any team can have a great record, but you have to beat somebody…and not just in pool play, but when it matters!

4. If you want your comments posted, avoid using words that are not listed in Webster’s Dictionary.

5. Why do seven downstate Illinois rate two regionals? I realize there is a little geography involved, but the last time I looked, Belleville East and West and East St. Louis were in the same conference.

6. I would love to see a St. Rita vs. Morton sectional final at St. Rita.

7. Of all the teams ranked in the Sun-Times Top 10, Neuqua Valley has the easiest route to the state tournament. Whoever comes up from southern Illinois will have to spend a lot of time on the bus to get to Bolingbrook, and there isn’t a team in the top 30 between Neuqua and the sectional finals.

8. The state champion may come out of the Willowbrook sectional, but the toughest field top to bottom is at T.F. North. Highland Park is a close second.

9. Glenbard North is the top seed at Elgin, but look out for surging Lake Park.

10. Congratulations to Randy Lorenz, Nick Leiding, Max Deevy and the rest of the Barrington Broncos on sharing the Mid-Suburban West title with Fremd. The Broncos are a great example that it’s not always the size of the player, but the size of the heart that matters.