One of the goals this year for the Oak Park and River Forest High School girls’ volleyball team is to win the West Suburban Conference Silver Division championship, which hasn’t been accomplished by the program since 1993.
The Huskies entered their match on Oct. 3 at Glenbard West hoping to solidify their conference lead. But the Hilltoppers (23-2, 4-0 in WSC Silver) prevailed in a hard-fought battle 25-16, 9-25, and 25-23 to take over first place.
Grace Nelson led OPRF (21-5, 4-1) with 20 kills and seven digs. Kinsey Smith had 35 assists, six digs, and an ace. Samantha Shelton had eight kills; Gabby Towns seven kills and two blocks; Phoebe Shorney five kills, eight digs, and two blocks; and Keira Kleidon six digs.
Despite the defeat, a share of the WSC Silver title is still possible for the Huskies if Lyons Township (21-4, 3-1) defeats Glenbard West this week. OPRF defeated the Lions on Sept. 26 25-21, 25-23.
After the Glenbard West loss, the Huskies returned home on Oct. 4 to play Benet Academy, a perennial IHSA Class 4A powerhouse. OPRF hung in for a while, but the Redwings (25-2) gradually pulled away for a 26-24, 25-17 victory.
Nelson again led the way with 11 kills and 10 digs. Smith had 23 assists and an ace; Shelton seven kills, two blocks, and an ace; Ella Hullinger four kills and two blocks; and Kleidon five digs.
The Huskies look to snap their skid when they host Whitney Young on Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m.
Girls swimming
OPRF finished in 14th place with 120.8 points in the 45th Annual Trevian Relays at New Trier on Oct. 7.
Hailey Boland had the best individual finish for the Huskies, placing 10th in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:15.53. Avaa Ruffer had a season-best time in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing 17th in 1:02.66.
OPRF’s 400-yard freestyle relay unit of Jessica Li, Natalia Chlebek, Ruffer, and Boland placed 9th in a time of 3:47.94.
Cross-country
Both OPRF programs took part in the Twilight Invite at Naperville North on Oct. 4.
The boys took third in the team standings with 107 points, just three behind runner-up Plainfield North. Four runners placed in the top twenty and earned medals for the Huskies.
Senior Lewis O’Connor was 17th in 15:28.50. Junior Liam O’Connor came in 18th (15:31.30), senior Michael Michelotti 19th (15:33), and senior Daniel Johnson 20th (15:36.20).
Senior Mariano Escobedo (38th, 15:55.80), junior Andrew Harmon (45th, 16:00.30), and junior James Nacke (71st, 16:22.60) were OPRF’s other runners.
In the girls’ race, the Huskies came in 15th with 377 points. Senior Lenny Sterritt was OPRF’s top runner with a time of 18:58.70, good for 32nd individually.
Senior Anne Lynch (73rd, 19:39.20), junior Alana Gerona (98th, 20:05.80), sophomore Violet Schnizlein (103rd, 20:08.70), junior Malie Cassel (110th, 20:19.80), senior Ingrid Medgysey (111th, 20:22.80), junior Julia Chang (117th, 20:28.30), junior Grace Layton (121st, 20:36.10), senior Baani Parmar (131st, 20:52.10), and senior Malinda Meyer (156th, 21:57.70) rounded out the lineup.