A conference title. A tournament championship. A 20-match winning streak.
With the state playoffs just days away, Lockport is the hottest team in the south suburbs.
Surprise? Senior setter Cameryn DeBlecourt called the shot a long time ago.
Only minutes after Lockport lost to Joliet Catholic in its final match of the shortened spring season, the 5-foot-7 DeBlecourt made a prediction.
“I’m extremely excited about the future,” she said. “We have so much potential. Next year I think we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”
She — and the Porters — are living it out.
DeBlecourt was at the top of her game over the weekend. She helped lead Lockport to five victories and the championship of the Autumn Knights Tournament at Lincoln-Way Central.
Senior outside hitter Grace Juergens was all-tournament with 34 kills. DeBlecourt, however, had a team-leading 46 assists and also contributed 32 digs.
Lockport (26-6) beat the host Knights 25-17, 25-13 in the tourney final.
On Thursday, the Porters defeated Lincoln-Way East 25-21, 25-17 to clinch their first conference title since 2008.
A force? No doubt. And amazing foresight by DeBlecourt.
“I saw a team that had already jelled together through such a short COVID season,” DeBlecourt said. “We had so many great players returning and I knew everyone would put the trust in each other to make the plays and get the wins.”
DeBlecourt, meanwhile, has embraced the leadership role both on the court and beyond. Lockport coach Nick Mraz calls her the team “voice.”
She definitely used it in the huddle after a Game 1 loss Saturday during pool play against Lincoln-Way West.
“She said, ‘We can’t be OK with this. It can’t happen again,'” Mraz said. “She pretty much said it was unacceptable. Obviously, we woke up from there.”
Lockport won the match 15-25, 25-18, 15-8.
For the season, DeBlecourt has 336 assists and 245 digs. She shares the setting duties with sophomore Lainey Green.
Junior right-side hitter Aleksa Simkus said DeBlecourt is one of a kind, though, when it comes to telling it like it is.
“She gets really fired up,” Simkus said. “She is very eloquent and has a really strong voice. She’s the one willing to call people out — not in a mean way, but in an encouraging way, a turn-the-game-around type of way.
“She’s a leader in every aspect.”
Taking the reins: Mother McAuley coach Jen DeJarld spent the weekend at her daughter Jane’s graduation ceremony at Boston College.
Assistant coach Meg Gardner stepped into the main chair and guided the Mighty Macs to the title of the Autumnfest Tournament at Glenbard East.
McAuley defeated Benet 25-14, 25-22 in the championship match.
Call it a gift for coach.
“Saturday was Jen’s birthday,” Gardner said. “We told her we wanted to bring her home a championship, so that was exciting.”
Gardner, a McAuley graduate, has been DeJarld’s assistant for 17 seasons.
“It was great,” Gardner said. “I’ve been pretty lucky to have fantastic mentors in my life like Jen DeJarld and Nancy Pedersen. I’m just really proud of our players.”
McAuley rebounded from Thursday loss to Montini. The Mighty Macs played in that match without senior setter Caroline Macander, who was out with an illness.
Senior libero Gigi Navarrete was the MVP at Autumnfest. In five matches, she had 63 digs and nine aces.
“She just anchored our defense all weekend long,” Gardner said. “She was a lights-out defender. Her passing was incredible. And just her leadership and energy was contagious to the team. It was a well-deserved honor.”
Hammer down: Marist (27-6) continues to build steam toward the playoffs behind the powerful arm of senior middle hitter Mary Clare Brusek.
On Oct. 12, Brusek had 11 kills and five blocks as the RedHawks defeated state powerhouse Benet 25-19, 22-25, 25-23.
The Western Michigan recruit then had 38 kills and 12 blocks to earn MVP honors as Marist swept five matches at the Plainfield Fall Harvest Festival.
“MC knows the challenge in facing a team like Benet for a conference title from previous years,” RedHawks coach Jordan Vidovic said. “She pulled us out of the tougher situations and kept everyone together.
“She continued her great play into the weekend and controlled the net on Saturday in the championship.”