DePaul Prep Defeats St. Ignatius to Win 3A Sectional

It didn’t look good for the Rams midway through the first set when they were down 18-12. Then, slowly at first, they cut the margin to 22-17. Then the Rams charged back outscoring the Wolfpack 7-1, taking the first set 25-23.

The second set saw the more typical Rams play—steady building a lead. They took the Wolfpack 25-16 in the second set and the match. A 3A Sectional final match and advance to the Super-sectional on Monday. One game away from the State Tournament.

The Wolfpack are an excellent volleyball team. Every bit the equal of the Rams. Ignatius returned most of their team from last’s 3A third-place finishers. It was the Wolfpack that ended the Rams’ season last year in the Sectional semi-final. The Rams have been working toward this win all year. Even so, the Wolfpack seemed a little shellshocked by the Rams’ first set comeback.

The did not get down; they came back and won. This just might be the Rams’ year. The Rams have a remarkable 36-3 record this year. But one the three losses came at St. Laurence on October 3rd in three sets.

St. Laurence is next. The Super-sectional is Monday evening at Hinsdale South high school. With the St. Ignatius defeat avenged, there is another defeat to take care of on Monday.

As for the photos, I went a little crazy. I shot 2987 photos. I picked out 109 to process. I ended up only working up 40. I wanted to get as many as I could knowing this would be a historic game between two of the top teams in the state.

The light is always challenging in the Gentile Gym. Very yellow non-LED lights. I spoke to St. Ignatius AD Mike Hurley about it. I told him that he could not be outdone by DePaul Prep AD Pat Mahoney who just bought new LED lights for the Tom Winiecki Gym which will be installed before the basketball season. Hurley smiled and said nothing about getting new lights. My personal crusade to improve the lights in Catholic Leagues gyms still has a way to go.

I hope you like the photos.

DePaul Prep Defeats Rosary in Two Sets; Improves to 6-0

The DePaul Prep Rams women’s volleyball team handled Rosary Tuesday evening at the Tom Winiecki Gym in two sets. The Rams have improved to 6-0 on the year and 1-0 in the GCAC.

Maybe the Rams were just taking care of business. Just going through the matches on the schedule. They were playing within themselves. Doing what they do.

But maybe, just maybe, it was more. The were down two of the best players, Ava Wilson and Maisy Erlenbaugh, who were out sick. Now it’s true that Rosary is a little down this year with a 3-8 record. But the Royals did beat the Rams last year.

Maybe this is a unique and special Rams squad that is working into an historic season. We won’t know for a while. There are still 29 matches to play and very good squads. (I originally wrote thirteen but I left out tournaments.)

But maybe. Just saying.

DePaul Prep Drops Wheaton Academy in Straight Set, 25-17, 25-16

The DePaul Prep Rams girls volleyball team defeated Wheaton Academy in straight sets, 25-17 and 25-16, last evening at DePaul’s Tom Winiecki Gym. The Rams were in control from the start and looked every part of a championship team but I am getting ahead of myself.

Head coach Caroline Gajzler and her staff have the Rams playing at a high level early this season helped by a very deep bench. It looks like every player on the team could start.

As for the photos, I think the ISO was too high. One does not get a good feel for that in the camera’s small electronic viewfinder. 8000 was too much. I ended up having to use the noise reduction. It’s good but makes the photos are little too cartoonish. Don’t worry, I will get it dialed in.

DePaul Prep Defeats Mount Carmel 41-38; Win Chicago Catholic League

Here is a preview of this week’s story in the Inside—Booster:

By Jack Lydon

This was a heavy weight prize fight between two top teams, #4 ranked DePaul Prep (27-2, 8-0) and #7 Mount Carmel Caravan (26-5, 6-2), with top players, Jaylan McElroy and Angelo Ciaravino, for the Catholic League Championship. The Almighty must have wanted to save this game for end of season and cast the City of Chicago into a deep freeze on its regularly scheduled day causing the postponement to the end of the season.

This was not only the best game in town Monday night; it was the best game of the season and everyone knew would be. DePaul Prep’s Tom Winiecki Gym as packed. There was an unconfirmed report that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelse snuck into the balcony seats after the game started but I did not see them.

The Rams fell behind 10-2 midway through the first quarter. Their shots were not falling. Mount Carmel scored inside early. Two things that typically do not happen. The Rams typically own the first quarter and give up very few points inside and trailed 14-8 at the end of the first quarter.

“They kept their composure. We talked about it. We have been there before. We are 13-1 in the playoffs the last two years. They have seen everything from down twelve with 2:50 to go to double overtime and overtime at Leo. They have seen a lot. It’s a thirty-two minute game,” said DePaul Prep head coach Tom Kleinschmidt.

The Rams rallied in the second quarter with stellar defense holding the Caravan to five points and going into halftime tied at 19-19. This would be one of those games decided in the last minute.

In the second half, the Rams came out of the gate scoring opening a seven-point lead at one point in the third quarter. But Mount Carmel is too good to go away quietly. The Caravan’s best player, Angelo Ciaravino, the fourth ranked player in the class of 2024, made his presence felt scoring 14 of his 18 points in the second half.    

“We did a poor job on [Ciaravino] late. We had some poor execution defensively. He is that good of a player. He going to the Big Ten for a reason,” Kleinschmidt said.

The game was tied at thirty-eight each late. The defenses were tough. A steal by DePaul Prep’s PJ Chambers led to a foul that stopped Chambers from a layup. The gym screamed for an intentional foul as Mount Carmel’s player wrapped up Chambers with both arms. Chambers free throw game the Rams a one-point lead.

Mount Carmel’s Ciaravino fifth foul caused another stoppage and a blizzard condemnation from the Caravan’s head coach Phil Segroves.

Two more free throws by sophomore forward Rashawn Porter game the Rams a three-point lead. The Caravan had the ball down three points and a chance to tie the game with a little over ten seconds to play. Point guard Noah Mister drove the lane, his right foot slide, he put his left for down, leaned back picking up his right foot, shot the ball which went in. A whistle rang out. The gym collectively growned thinking it was a shooting foul and Mister would have a chance to tie the game.

No. The call was traveling. The ref waived off for basket. DePaul Prep got the ball.

The Rams held on in the final few seconds winning 41-38 to secure the Chicago Catholic League championship for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. Their sole Catholic League championship since the Gordon Tech days.

“First goal is done, yes,” said Kleinschmidt of the championship. “It’s everything. It’s the best league in the state by far. One of the best in the Midwest. There are a couple places to be greedy in basketball. Winning, winning it all and at the free throw line you get greedy. We are extremely proud of being undefeated in the best league in the stat and one of the best in the Midwest. 27-2, just tied a school record.”

“We just took what they game us,” said DePaul Prep’s leading scorer, senior forward PJ Chambers, with 20 points said.

“It was very important to win the Catholic League. Coach [Kleinschmidt] was very clear on what it means to win the Catholic League championship by ourselves. It’s so nice to win it all by ourselves.” Technically, the Rams had secured at least a three way share of the Championship with Brother Rice’s defeat of Mount Carmel the previous Friday.

What’s the second goal?

“State baby!” Chambers said. The Rams enter the IHSA 3A division state championship tournament next week. They open the in the Carmel Catholic regional in Mundelein on Tuesday. As the number one seed, the Rams will initially face the winner of the Grayslake North and Amundsen and then the winner of Wauconda and Carmel Catholic.