Burlington Central ends Sycamore’s season, reaches regional semifinals

SYCAMORE – Sycamore was cruising, up seven points and looking to prolong its season after dropping the first set Tuesday against Burlington Central in a Class 3A Sycamore Regional semifinal.

The Rockets had other plans, rolling off 14 of the next 16 points in a 25-15, 25-18 win.

“Sometimes I feel like we’re a little up and down, but I feel like we really came together, and I felt like it was more of a mental thing and not a skill thing,” Burlington Central’s Emily Maramba said. “We really came together, and mentally, and went on that serve run.”

Kylie Walsh hammed a kill to put the Spartans (10-22) ahead 14-7 in the second set after the Rockets (27-8) led wire-to-wire in the opener. They also led 15-10 until the Rockets tied it at 15 on a Maramba kill, one of her team-leading seven on the night.

The lead would grow to 18-15 on an ace by Sarah Jack. Again Sycamore tried to get back into the game with a kill by Bella Culotta, but the Rockets put together three more in a row, two on aces by Haidyn Schatz.

“It took us a little bit to respond,” Burlington Central coach Julia Smagacz said. “Going into Thursday we’ll need to be a little more urgent. But I think relying on the hitters who were putting the ball down, that is what helped us out.”

Peyton Strout had five kills and Schatz had four for the Rockets. Ainsley Wilson and Leah Freesemann also had four each.

Maramaba was only fifth on the team in kills entering Tuesday.

“She is really, really smart with where she places the ball,” Smagacz said. “She has a really wicked shot Zone 5 [the defense’s left back]. That’s her favorite shot. And luckily she was able to capitalize on that quite a bit tonight. ... She’s also just a really intense player, and she’s kind of a force to bring us together and lift us up.”

The Rockets will face Vernon Hills in the regional final Thursday with a trip to the St. Viator Sectional on the line.

Sycamore was playing without star Ava Carpenter, who was injured against Morris on Oct. 8.

“The girls responded well,” Sycamore coach Jennifer Charles said. “We had to switch people within their roles as far as playing positions. I thought Kylee Walsh, the one who had to step in and be our other outside, I thought she did an amazing job taking on that role. She hadn’t played outside in two and a half years. So to come in and play that role to the best of her ability, I’m super proud of her.”

Walsh had three kills Tuesday. Khiara Thomas led the Spartans with six kills and she added two aces.

Charles said she liked the way her team not only battled Tuesday but throughout the season.

“We had some ups and downs, some peaks and valleys, but I think overall I’m proud of them,” Charles said. “They could have, after Ava went down, quit. But they dug in, and we got some good quality wins without Ava. We would have loved to have had her these last three weeks, but I’m proud of the girls and the way they responded.”