Local Sports

If the flurry of activity and emotion involved in a high school volleyball match makes it similar to a hurricane, Jessica Polakovic is the eye of the storm.

Two Morris Daily Herald area varsity girls volleyball teams finished well above .500 this season, and another was one win below the barrier but had arguably its best season ever.

BEECHER — No Brad Schmitt to coach the Coal City Lady Coalers.

WINNETKA — Alyssa Applebee, a Seneca High School sophomore and member of the Morris co-op for girls swimming, finished 45th in diving Friday at the IHSA Swimming and Diving State Meet, hosted by New Trier.

When the Morris Redskins take the court for the first time in 2009-10 Monday night, they will start five returning lettermen, but just one full-time varsity starter.

A pair of players with double-digit scoring averages leads the core of four returning boys basketball players for the 2009-10 Gardner-South Wilmington varsity team.

LEXINGTON — Rachel Mack scored 18 points and came away with 5 steals Thursday as the Gardner-South Wilmington (2-0) rolled to a 62-14 blowout of Peoria Heights at the Lexington varsity girls basketball tournament.

Alyssa Applebee of Seneca will be representing Morris Community High School this weekend at the 2009 IHSA State Swimming Meet to be held in Winnetka. Applebee, a sophomore, will take part in the diving event. The preliminary round will be held Friday morning.

COAL CITY — After finishing 5-6 in the Interstate Eight Conference last season, Coal City coach Mark Masters is shooting to move up this season.

COAL CITY — What’s next for the Coal City Coalers?

FAIRBURY — Through the first 8 minutes of action in the second round of the Prairie Central Tournament, the Morris girls basketball team looked like it may have had a carry over from the previous night. Coming off the heels of a 28-27 overtime loss to Iroquois West in the opener, it looked like another long night for the Lady Redskins.

SENECA — With a roster of 31 candidates on hand, the Seneca Fighting Irish wrestling squad looks to move up in the Interstate Eight Conference standings.

The Seneca Fighting Irish went 26-3 in varsity boys basketball during the 2008-09 season, but much has changed since that season ended in the regional round.

The complexion of the Southwest Prairie Conference has changed a bit, but Ray Liberatore hopes one thing about the SPC remains the same — its varsity girls basketball champion.

SOMONAUK — Right after Somonauk took its first lead of the game Monday evening, the Seneca Lady Irish closed with a flourish and put away the Lady Bobcats.

Morris defensive coordinator Andy Peterson couldn't shake the after-effects of the season. While not exactly moping over the Redskins season-ending loss to Mendota, Peterson was still thinking about football, nonetheless.

Up until a little over a week ago, his desk down at the District 101 Recreation Center was rarely occupied. Given certain times of the day, you might have caught a glimpse of Morris Athletic Director and Head Football Coach George Dergo, but that was about it.

FAIRBURY — Starting slow, hitting the stretch slower and ultimately finishing at a standstill, the Morris girls basketball team tipped off the season with an overtime loss to Iroquois West, Monday. The Lady Redskins were limited to just a solo first-quarter field goal and a solo third-quarter field goal before holding the ball in the overtime and losing to the Raiders 28-27.

LOCKPORT — Sophomore Alyssa Applebee became Morris' first IHSA Girls Swimming and Diving State Meet qualifier in more than a decade Saturday as she won the diving event at the Lockport Sectional.