By Randy Whalen
Correspondent
Kate Walsh had tears in her eyes as she made her way toward where her Sandburg teammates were taking group pictures.
The senior outside hitter had a great match, helping the Eagles to another regional championship.
Walsh walloped a match-high 15 kills as Sandburg defeated Homewood-Flossmoor 25-17, 21-25, 25-15 on Oct. 26 in the title match of the Class 4A Sandburg Regional.
It was the 15th win in the last 19 matches for the Eagles (24-13), who will face host Mother McAuley in the Mother McAuley Sectional semifinals on Oct. 30. It was Sandburg’s 19th straight regional championship.
The Mighty Macs topped Shepard, 25-8, 25-12, to take the Thornwood Regional title.
“It’s just our last time playing in [the Eagles’ home] gym and it’s been such an emotional season,” Walsh said. “Before the third set we all talked to each other and we know how to calm each other down. We knew who to look for and played really well.”
Sandburg’s run of regional crowns started before anyone on this year’s tram was born.
“It doesn’t get old and this is special,” said Eagles coach David Vales, who has led the program since 2007 and has coached it to 16 consecutive regional titles.
Vales was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma prior to the start of this season.
“The girls didn’t have to rally around me,” he said. “They’ve done that enough this season. I told them to rally around themselves, to do it for them. And they did.”
A push kill deep in the right corner by senior setter-right side hitter Kiera Fitzgerald closed three-set match. Fitzgerald finished with four kills, 15 assists and eight digs
“It was unreal,” Fitzgerald said of getting the match-winner. “I’m new to hitting this season. I was just setting before, and now I know what our hitters feel like. It was just a great feeling to win this.”
Sandburg senior outside hitter Madi Mulhausen mashed eight kills, while fellow senior outside hitter Chloe McGregor-Paterson pounded six. Senior setter Maya Rihani had 19 assists, senior libero Reilly Chausse had 20 digs, and senior middle hitter Elise Sterling added two kills and two aces for the Eagles.
“It’s such a great experience for us,” Chausse said. “Not only for the team but for coach Vales. We were a little nervous but at the same time, I have confidence in the team. We just had to have that will to win and we did.”
Sandburg was 9-9 and had lost four in a row at midseason, including a SouthWest Suburban Blue match at Lincoln-Way West on Sept. 19. Vales saw his squad playing uninspired and “gave them a piece of my mind.” The Eagles responded with a win over Bradley-Bourbonnais and have been rolling ever since.
“It’s how we plan our season,” Vales said of the first-half struggles. “I’ve learned to take some lumps early as we figure out the best lineup for the end of the season, to get hot in the postseason.”
