Second-year Hinsdale Central coach Mike Konrad will face his alma mater in the playoffs for the first time at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, when the Red Devils play top-seeded Lyons in the Riverside-Brookfield boys volleyball sectional final.
The second-seeded Devils would grab their first sectional championship and trip to the state tournament with a second victory this season over Lyons.
Lyons last advanced to the state tournament in 2005, when it finished in fourth place. Konrad was a starting junior setter on that team.
“Meeting them in the playoffs will be very exciting,” Konrad said. “I was part of the last [Lyons} team to go downstate. I will be nervous, but it will be exciting. Our guys are feeling good.”
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Hinsdale Central and Lyons each registered semifinal victories Friday, May 29, in the R-B Sectional semifinals to set up the showdown between West Suburban Silver rivals.
Lyons beat fifth-seeded Hinsdale South 24-26, 25-12, 25-21, behind senior Jake Fisher’s match-high 15 kills. The Lions (22-14) trailed 20-17 in the third game before recording eight of the final nine points, including six in a row.
“We need to play more consistent as a team to continue in this tournament,” Lyons coach Joann Pyritz said.
Junior Nose Egiebor led the Hornets (11-15) with 11 kills.
The Devils (24-12) then beat third-seeded Oak Park-River Forest 25-16, 25-23 behind Jake Regnery’s 10 kills and Jake Zeeb’s seven kills. Senior setter Kian Peterson had 29 assists.
Solli Algozino had seven kills for OPRF (13-24).
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