JCA volleyball makes its mark

JOLIET – Joliet Mayor Tom Giarrante, Will County Executive Larry Walsh and the Joliet Catholic community gathered Monday to celebrate JCA volleyball’s second-place finish in Class 3A at Redbird Arena this weekend.

Joliet Catholic played in the state tournament for the seventh time in 12 years (three state titles, two second-place finishes). Accomplishing the feat is great for the program, but it also benefits the school, community and future area volleyball players.

“I remember at Redbird Arena, we were warming up and I looked into the stands and there was this group of young girls sitting there,” Megan Rogers said. “I thought, this is going to be them in a couple of years.”

Those girls, watching in awe as JCA played its heart out, were at one point this season’s nine senior Angels.

Mallory Krzysciak and Nicole Witmer remember sitting at the very top of the bleachers, looking down and thinking about stepping on the court to play as a varsity player.

To the seniors, the teams from 2003 through 2010 made volleyball look easy. They realized once they were in the program how hard it would be to set a good example, but they were willing to work.

“Watching my sisters when I was little, I just thought that you go to JCA to play volleyball and make it to state,” Mary Murphy said. “After being in the program, I realized how hard they had to work to do it. They were blessed on being on such talented teams and we were a team that had to work so hard for everything that we were given. We earned every single thing and I think that’s is what being an Angel is all about. Working hard for what you really want to accomplish.”

The seniors know they are role models for the younger athletes, as Angels have been before them.

To them, this season sends a valuable lesson to future JCA teams.

“Never give up,” Brenna Garland said. “If you have a dream, go for it. Shoot for the highest possible outcome of that goal just like we did.”

Murphy told the crowd the Angels were special by making the impossible possible.

After a rocky 9-11 start, they turned their season around by going 15-5 in the remainder of the season. Madeline Grimm said the girls pushed harder toward the end of the season because they realized it was their last chance to make it to state.

Advancing to state did not shock the Angels, but it did surprise many they battled for the state title against St. Francis, losing, 25-18, 25-23.

“We were the definition of an underdog story,” Maddie Naal said. “No team in 3A has ever made it to the finals with more than eight losses, and halfway into our season, we had more than that. No one would expect us to make it down, and the fact that we put ourselves together and worked hard for it shows that we are passionate.”

After being seeded second in regionals, JCA (25-17) defied expectations and beat Lincoln-Way West, Providence, Champaign Central, Bloomington Central Catholic and Sterling to advance to state.

The Angels beat school rival Montini, 22-25, 25-19, 25-19, in the semifinals.

“We all worked so hard to get to where we wanted,” Ysamar Lozano said. “Ever since day one in summer camp and even before, we had a dream of going to state and to have it come true is magnificent.”

All dreams come to an end, however. The seniors – Rogers, Krzysciak, Lozano, Garland, Witmer, Grimm, Murphy, Naal and Keegan Fornoff – who dreamt of being Angels played their last game.

“You get here freshman year of summer camp and you think that it’s going to take forever,” Fornoff said. “But then it’s your last day at Redbird or your last day practicing in the gym. You realize that the last four years have gone.”

What does Fornoff recommend to the future Angels?

“Enjoy your whole experience playing volleyball here because it goes by too fast,” she said.