The Red Raiders secured their 2023 title with a 25-13, 25-17 victory over Crystal Lake South and a 14-1 FVC record.

“It’s one step on the list of goals every single season,” HHS coach Karen Naymola said. “It’s a big accomplishment because we don’t take anyone lightly.”

The bad news on Oct. 10 was the injury to senior middle blocker and outside hitter Georgia Watson.

Putty, a 2023-24 junior, is one of this season’s commits to the University of Illinois baseball program. The Illinois head coach, Dan Hartleb, has amassed 532 victories in 19 seasons at Illinois. Putty’s prep coach at Huntley, Andy Jakubowski, earned career win No. 500 last season and totals 514 overall wins.

“Putty visited Eastern Illinois and U of I – there were other schools but he chose not to go on a visit,” Jakubowski said.

The Red Raiders will go for an outright FVC championship when they host Crystal Lake South Oct. 10.

Against PR, Laura Boberg tallied 18 assists, two kills and two digs. Morgan Jones pitched in six digs, four kills, one block and one ace.

In the win over the Whip-Purs, it was Jones leading with nine kills and eight digs; Laura Boberg tallied 23 assists, four digs and three kills; Lizzy Williams had eight kills and eight digs; Georgia Watson had five kills, eight digs and two aces and Mari Rodriquez led the back row with 11 digs.

The Red Raiders posted a 4-1 triumph at Dundee-Crown Oct. 5 for a 7-1 Fox Valley Conference record. They are tied with Crystal Lake South for the league’s lead with only a game with Burlington Central Oct. 10 remaining. The Red Raiders’ lone FVC loss was an 1-0 overtime defeat to Cary-Grove Oct. 3.

Officials gathered near a pylon of the Cary-Grove end zone. The scoreboard read host Trojans 28, Huntley 27. Would the Red Raiders’ Jacob Witt’s second catch in as many seconds, for a two-point conversion from quarterback Braylon Bower hold up? Then the referee held up both hands, and Huntley had prevailed, 29-28 on a memorable Oct.

Senior boys honored are: Luke Grubbs, Zach Zuzzio, Ryan Anderson, Logan Borzych, John Collins, Zach Donlea, Noah Jensen, Matt Markowski, Andrew McVeen and Jacob Stalino.

Allison, Grubbs and Zuzzio have helped the underclassmen learn the nuances of the sport.

“Allison, Zuzzio and Grubbs share a post-season goal of helping their teams qualify for the state meet,” head coach Matt Kaplan said.

This season, Willis is a freshman contributing to the McHenry County College Scots, a junior college power building for another run at the NJCAA Volleyball National Tournament. MCC, under the direction of Kyle McCall, finished ninth at the Cedar Rapids, Iowa nationals.

“Willis is doing well,” McCall said. “She has moved into the starting role on the right side for us.”

“Sloan played a season best of 82 on Monday,” Red Raiders coach Lindsey Allen said. “This is an exciting finish to a great season. I cannot wait to see where she goes in her senior year.”

“Dingbaum posted an impressive final round of 82 at sectional,” Allen commented.

A 2-1 overtime win at Crystal Lake Central Sept. 30 was followed by a 1-0 loss to Cary-Grove Oct. 3. HHS fell to 11-5-1, 6-1 in the FVC and a first place tie with Crystal Lake South.

CLC

A more determined Huntley boys soccer team came out from a tie with Crystal Lake Central ready for the first overtime session.

Sam Locascio fired a round of 77 in the post-season meet at Mt. Prospect Golf Club. He just missed an individual state qualifying spot as the final qualifier shot a 76.

“Locascio had a career low today at the sectional,” Huntley coach Collin Kalamatas said. “We actually stuck around for about an hour and half after our guys were done because he had a chance at possibly playing in a playoff for the last spot to state.

The night was a special one for Roberts, who later enjoyed duties as an honorary team captain at the coin flip before the Huntley-Crystal Lake South varsity game. The night was in support of pediatric cancer and regional resource Cal’s Angels. Roberts’s condition of t-cell acute lymphoblastic Leukemia is in remission.

“It was amazing,” Roberts said of the festivities.

The Red Raiders kept focus on the quest for the IHSA playoffs as an effective game plan worked on offense and defense in a 54-43 wild win over Crystal Lake South Sept. 29. HHS takes its 5-1, 5-1 record to Cary-Grove (5-1, 5-1) in a battle of Fox Valley Conference contenders at 1 p.m. Oct. 7.

“I felt we looked real strong first half, as we scored on five possessions.

After star Hudson Nielsen’s 11th goal of the season, a special soccer celebration took place, a “soccer slide” as he was joined by several teammates in celebration for a 4-2 win against Crystal Lake South.

Huntley’s victory gave it the Fox Valley Conference lead with a 10-4-1, 5-0 record. CLS was 4-1 FVC.

Huntley’s high-powered attack turned reached 40 goals in 15 games. HHS has a 40-10 commanding lead in total goals.

Freshman Izzy Whitehouse served for 10 of the Red Raiders’ 25 third set points in a 25-16, 24-26, 25-9 win over rival Jacobs to thrill the home fans. The Fox Valley Conference win came following a 21-25, 21-25 loss to McHenry.

“Whitehouse is our defensive specialist for us that comes in as a serving specialist during varsity matches,” Huntley coach Karen Naymola said.

“I put a small dent in the drywall,” Elm said of the golf simulator room.

Elm led the Red Raiders to a third place finish at the Class 3A Hampshire Regional with a 75 score, which tied for second place Sept. 27. Huntley edged Crystal Lake Central, 319-322, for the third and final team advancing spot, moving on to the Mt.

Minooka, whom the Red Raiders battled in the previous week’s meet, narrowly edged Huntley, 54-55 for the team title.

“We had our girls team get into ultimately a dual meet with Minooka,” Huntley coach Matt Kaplan said. “Our girls did a nice job getting four in the top 11 finishers. Haley Rahman did a great job in the last mile closing out her race getting fourth overall.”

Their Class 2A regional is Sept. 28 at Atwood Golf Course near Machesney Park with the sectional at Whisper Oak in Huntley Oct. 2.

The Red Raiders finished in fourth place with a 380 score as a team for the FVC tourney. Dingbaum ended with the best Red Raiders finish at fifth with an 89 score; Sloan was ninth at 94 Lackovic and Busky each  shot a 99.

The Red Raiders attack was a varied one, with equal doses of Haiden Janke rushes, Braylon Bower’s passing and a defense that held the Whip-Purs to two missed field goals when it was close and a consolation touchdown. Huntley improved to 4-1, 4-1 in the Fox Valley Conference.

“Each Monday we establish a theme of the week,” Huntley coach Mike Naymola said.

Seniors Zach Rogers, left and Taylor Casey were named winners when Huntley’s homecoming court royalty was recognized at halftime of the Sept. 22 football game.

Court members were also: freshmen class Kaitlin Bower and Isabella Fulk; sophomore class Amani Herrera and Jeniah Slaughter; junior class Victor Adeoye and Braylon Bower; senior class Casey, Gabriel De La Paz, Vicky Evtimov, Zack Garifo, Jack Laughlin, Ashlyn Pauwels, Sophie Thompson and Zach Zuzzio.

It was fitting that senior Lizzy Williams led the Red Raiders through a celebration with volleyball fans after an emotional win over Barrington Sept. 20. Williams delivered the first blow with three straight first set aces and concluded it with a match-securing kill.

Williams delivered the first blow with three straight first set aces and concluded it with a match-securing kill. Huntley outlasted Barington in three sets, 25-19, 22-25 and 25-20 for an 11-0 record.

Williams finished with seven aces, while Marni Rodriquez added three, Georgia Watson had two and Joycelyn Ehlring one. Williams said serving has long been her best part of her game, and she enjoys finishing off a match.