What to watch for: 5 preseason girls volleyball storylines for Kankakee County

Just as quickly as last spring’s prep sports season ended, a new season of fall action is almost upon us. Girls volleyball action begins Aug. 25, and here are the top storylines to look out for in the Daily Journal area.

Can Cissna Park, Addison Lucht 3-peat?

One of the area’s most consistent, successful programs since its inception in 1984, Cissna Park has been enjoying another surge in recent years with four straight seasons of at least 30 wins and back-to-back trips to the Class 1A State Finals. With all but two players back from last year’s third-place team, including the three-headed monster of seniors Addison Lucht, Josie Neukomm and Sophie Duis, the Timberwolves are eyeing a championship appearance this year. And if they make it, there’s a good chance Lucht also will earn her third straight Daily Journal Player of the Year award.

Bradley-Bourbonnais looks to keep All-City stronghold

The last time a team other than Bradley-Bourbonnais held the All-City title in girls volleyball, the upcoming senior class was starting preschool. The Boilermakers made it a dozen straight All-City championships last year, but if they look for a lucky No. 13, they’ll do so with almost a totally new cast of characters. Head coach Leigh Reiniche will look to replace 83% of the team’s kills, 53% of its blocks, 85% of its digs and 70% of its assists from a year ago. For over a decade, replenishing that well hasn’t been much of an issue for the Boilers, at least in All-City action. But with Bishop McNamara returning several key pieces and Kankakee under former standout Lauren Penrod’s leadership for the second season, the competition could be quite thick.

Can Wilmington keep ICE crown, take next step?

With Rachel Smith on the outside and Molly Southall on the right side, Wilmington has as lethal of a hitting duo back in the fold as anyone around. The Wildcats were undefeated Illinois Central Eight Conference champions and made the Class 2A Super Sixteen before a sectional title match loss to Chicago University. Several conference foes, namely longtime rivals Manteno, Peotone and Coal City, will look to dethrone the conference champs. In fact, aside from Cissna Park’s quartet of Lucht, Neukomm, Duis and Ella Schluter, the only other area teams returning multiple Daily Journal All-Area first-teamers all hail from the ICE. Wilmington boasts Smith and Southall, while Manteno’s Maddie Gesky and Danika Fletcher and Peotone’s Mia Connolly and Allie Werner return.

Will Beecher’s unbeaten RVC streak reach a decade?

There’s dominance, and then there’s what Beecher volleyball has done to the rest of the River Valley Conference. They ran through conference play a perfect 12-0 last year, their ninth undefeated RVC season in a row. The Bobcats haven’t lost an RVC match since before the COVID-19 pandemic, a 2-1 loss to Gardner-South Wilmington in 2019. Including the RVC Tournament, that’s 59 conference wins in a row going into this year, and with RVC Player of the Year Elena Kvasnicka leading a deep crop of returning talent, their goals aren’t changing this year.

Who will emerge in Class 2A?

Whether it’s the bevy of ICE teams, the Bobcats, Bishop McNamara or teams to the south like Watseka, there’s never a shortage of talented mid-sized programs around town. Through conference matchups, regular-season games and tournament action, these teams will all jab plenty of blows with one another by the time late October brings the start of regional play, making it always a mystery as to who has the upper hand in the one-and-done postseason.

In addition to Wilmington’s sectional title match appearance, Bishop McNamara made it a regional four-peat and would love to add one for the thumb. But Coal City, Peotone, Beecher and Watseka have all won at least one regional since the pandemic. And while they haven’t won one since ending their regional four-peat in 2017, Manteno has had five seasons of 20-plus wins since then.