North Stars claim 4A sectional title

St. Charles North won its first Class 4A sectional title in nine years on Thursday night. The North Stars defeated Burlington Central 25-13 and 25-19 in the Burlington Central Sectional final.

The victory extends the team's season to 25 wins and 14 losses. It marks the first straight-set win for St. Charles North in its last 12 matches. Burlington Central, playing in its first season in Class 4A, finished the regular season with a 30-8 record.

Junior Brynn Hopkins credited the team's pre-existing chemistry for the result. She noted that the group did not need to build new bonds during the season. "We already had such good chemistry, and that's really what a team needs," Hopkins said.

The North Stars faced an early challenge in the second set. Burlington Central led 9-5 after an ace from Gabby Alesi. Hopkins recorded two kills, and Ellie Sutter added her seventh of the match to tie the score at 10. Consecutive aces from Holly Wilson gave St. Charles North a 16-14 lead. Sutter finished with a team-high 10 kills, while Mya Mikos recorded seven.

Coach Lindsey Hawkins observed that the Rockets adopted a more aggressive serving strategy, which disrupted the North Stars' serve receive. Hawkins said the team remained calm despite the pressure. "When that started shutting down a bit, I thought, 'Oh no, they're gonna get tense,' but they never really did," Hawkins said.

The North Stars played with urgency on the road. Addie Kashuba's ace helped establish a 10-2 lead in the first set. Middle blockers Molly Meshenky and Maddy Lewis contributed to a 14-4 advantage. Meshenky recorded four blocks and three kills. Hopkins added that the opposing student section created pressure, but the team silenced it.

St. Charles North will face Libertyville in the Fremd Supersectional at 6 p.m. Monday. Libertyville has a 38-1 record. Burlington Central coach Julia Smagacz noted that her team spent the season playing from behind. "First year in 4A, definitely competitive," Smagacz said.