If Tuesday’s Fox Valley Conference battle between Crystal Lake South and Prairie Ridge was any indication, next week’s rematch could provide one of the area’s most exciting postseason matchups.

The Gators held on to beat the Wolves 25-21, 15-25, 30-28 in a three-set thriller to sweep the regular-season series against one of their top rivals. On Tuesday, the teams will see each other for a third time when third-seeded South and fifth-seeded Prairie Ridge play in a Class 3A Crystal Lake South Regional semifinal.

The winner then could meet another familiar opponent, No. 2-seeded Crystal Lake Central, for the regional title Thursday.

An All-FVC title match at the Swamp is one of many possible regional championships that could feature two local teams.

Fox Valley Conference champion Huntley, a No. 2 seed, and third-seeded McHenry are in position to clash in the Class 4A McHenry Regional final. The Red Raiders swept the regular-season series against the Warriors and defeated McHenry in the same matchup last year to win their area-best fifth straight regional championship. No other area team has won two in a row.

Elsewhere, No. 2-seeded Dundee-Crown, which had its best FVC record in years, and No. 3-seeded Hampshire are the two highest seeds in the Class 4A Hampshire Regional. The Chargers won both of their regular-season meetings.

Top-seeded Woodstock North and seventh-seeded Woodstock could see each other for the third time this year in the Class 3A Woodstock North Regional final. The Thunder are coming off a two-set win against the Blue Streaks on Wednesday that earned them the outright Kishwaukee River Conference title – their third consecutive KRC title.

North already has set the team record for wins in a season and could reach 30 for the first time by winning two regional matches.

Second-seeded Johnsburg and third-seeded Richmond-Burton are the top seeds in the Class 2A Marian Central Regional.

Marian Central, a No. 6 seed that knocked off Johnsburg but lost to R-B earlier this year, could play spoiler there. The Skyhawks defeated the Rockets in two regular-season meetings, most recently Wednesday, but finished a spot lower in the KRC standings.

Trojans figuring it out: Cary-Grove dropped 10 of 11 matches in September but has since turned its fortunes around. The Trojans won the Schaumburg Invitational on Oct. 8, going 5-0 during their best stretch of the season.

With the playoffs starting next week, the Trojans are in a much better spot than they were a month ago.

“When you go most of the year losing, it’s hard to figure out how to have that winning mindset,” C-G coach Patty Langanis said. “We have the talent to do it, we just don’t have much time left.”

One of the biggest positives the Trojans have going for them is their health. Langanis said their FVC match against Jacobs last week was one of the few times this season where they had their full starting lineup available. Much of the team’s offense runs through middle blocker Tricia Kennedy and setter Isabelle Strader, who missed significant time early in the season because of illness.

Those two have made a big difference.

“Tricia and Isabelle have been running the show, and that’s been incredibly helpful,” Langanis said. “Tricia kind of puts the team on her back when she can and does everything she can. ... She’s playing six rotations, which she’s never done her whole life, so we’re expecting the world from her.”

Seventh-seeded C-G starts its playoff run against No. 10-seeded Antioch at the Class 3A Wauconda Regional.

With a win in their opener, the Trojans could play No. 2-seeded St. Viator in the final. C-G beat St. Viator 25-22, 11-25, 15-12 at the Schaumburg Invite.

Langanis knows her team is capable of a strong postseason.

“We’re a good team,” Langanis said. “If we can fix our errors, we’re going to be a team that’s hard to beat in our sectional.”

Wickersheim earns high honor: Woodstock North senior Katie Wickersheim was named the MaxPreps/American Volleyball Coaches Association High School Player of the Week in Illinois for her performance during the week of Oct. 10-16. In 15 sets, Wickersheim had 68 kills, 62 digs, seven aces and four blocks.

A winner is chosen every week for each state.

Wickersheim moved from libero to outside hitter this year after her older sister, Alyssa, graduated, and has excelled in her new role.

Milestones: Crystal Lake South’s Emma Stowasser surpassed 1,000 career assists over the weekend, posting 111 assists in five matches at Glenbard East’s Autumnfest Tournament. Richmond-Burton’s Alex Hopp reached 500 assists for the year and Elissa Furlan reached 500 career kills.