Niles HS Sports Roundup: Vikings Get Two Key Volleyball Victories

NILES NORTH

Volleyball: The Vikings rallied to beat Deerfield at home on Oct. 13 19-25, 25-20, 25-14. Andrea Lopez led the team with nine kills for the match while Taylor Louis chipped in with eight kills as well. Niles North got a big lift from Alethea Busch, who had four kills and a block in the decisive third game.

Niles North also used a three-set rally to defeat Maine West 20-25, 25-11, 25-20 on Oct. 18. Lopez had 13 kills while Louis had 12 kills and two blocks.

The Vikings improved to 21-13 on the season, including 7-2 in the Central Suburban League North and earned the No. 8 seed in the Class 4A Glenview Sectional. The Vikings face off against Leyden on Oct. 25 in the regional semifinals hosted at New Trier. A date with the No. 1-seeded Trevians likely awaits in the regional finals two days later if the Vikings advance. The complete Class 4A bracket can be found here.

Boys Soccer: Niles North fell 2-0 to No. 9 ranked Leyden on Oct. 8.

It was a rough season for the Vikings, the No. 12 seed in the Class 3A Evanston Sectional, who also fell to cross-town rival Niles West in the regional semifinals on Oct. 18. Senior Pawel Dabek scored for the Wolves, who advanced to face Glenbrook South in the regional final on Oct. 21.

Football: Niles North couldn’t overcome an injury to starting QB Tony Granato in a 39-7 loss to Deerfield. Video highlights are .

NILES WEST

Boys Golf: For the second straight season, Nate Lee advanced to the state championship. The sophomore shot a 78 at the Homewood-Flossmoor Sectional, tying for sixth out of the individuals to advance to the state tournament.

Senior Nick Hester barely missed out on joining Lee for the trip downstate. Lee shot 83, putting him in a six-way playoff for the last three spots into the state tournament. However, Hester was eliminated on the first playoff hole. Maine West’s Tom Kukec was among the three golfers in the playoff to advance.

At the state tournament hosted at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington, Lee tied for 86th, shooting a combined 173 (86-87) for his two rounds at the par-72 course.

Football: Niles West struggled to get anything going offensively in a on Oct. 15. The Wolves had a couple of turnovers in key spots and couldn’t stop Glenbrook South’s bruising running attack.

The Wolves finish up the season against Evanston at home on Oct. 21.

Notes: The IHSA Board approved a recommendation to establish Competitive Dance as a state series sport beginning in the winter of 2012-13.

“I believe it is a positive any time you are able to add a sport or activity that allows more students to be involved and participate,” IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman said. “We believe that many of our member schools will take advantage of this opportunity and hope this decision provides further growth for dance among high schools in Illinois.”