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Benet Academy volleyball second in state By randy whalen For the Bugle
Benet Academy was locked in a tight second set in the Class 4A State Championship match when a smash by Mother McAuley junior right side hitter Mary Claire Deacy couldn’t be cleanly picked up. The second touch by Benet flew backward and looked hopelessly like it was going down for a point. But that didn’t stop senior defensive specialist Christine Pullen from racing back and making a valiant effort for the ball. As she reached the ball, Pullen plowed into the back railing, far away from the court. No, her attempt didn’t result in a miracle return and she was shaken up on the play. But her play certainly did something else, it sparked the Redwings to rally for a second set win. Unfortunately, that momentum didn’t carry over to the final set and Benet fell to the Mighty Macs 2522, 18-25, 25-16 on Saturday, Nov. 11 at CEFCU Arena on the campus
see ‘benet ’ page 7
Benet Academy placed second in the IHSA Class 4A state girls volleyball state finals.
photo by randy whalen
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Valley View Educational Enrichment Foundation chosen for major donation from Meijer West Bolingbrook Employees of the Meijer store on Boughton Road in Bolingbrook have chosen the Valley View Educational Enrichment Foundation for a $5,000 donation. The presentation was made recently to the President of the Foundation, Mike Lawler, with Store Director Amber McMillen and some of her team members. “We are truly honored to have been able to support the Valley View Foundation. Thank you for all you do to enrich the lives of the children in the community we serve”, Ms. McMillen shared during the presentation. Meijer employees are asked to nominate local organizations who serve their communities for donations annually. The nominees are then contacted and information about the organization and donation request is forwarded to Meijer Corporate offices for approval and processing of the donation. During the presentation, Lawler shared more background about the Foundation and expressed gratitude for being chosen as a recipient of the very generous donation. “Your thoughtfulness in choosing this organization has a very profound impact on the students in our community. It is very likely that some of your children have experienced and benefitted from some of the grant programs funded by the Foundation through the years.” He invited them to attend some of the fundraising events delivered by the Foundation and also to consider volunteering. The Foundation was established to engage in fundraising activities to support a Grant program to receive applications and provide for funding of educational programs, designed and delivered by educators and others, which go above and beyond the curriculum delivered by Valley View School District 365-U in Bolingbrook and Romeoville, Illinois. The Internal Revenue Service confirmed it’s designation as a 501c 3 Not for Profit December 1990. In November 1994, a group met to establish the Board of Directors and began its initial operational efforts. The Foundation is a group of volunteers from the community who support the mission of the Foundation which includes Officers, Directors, and Committee members. The Grant program was announced to District staff and applications were requested for consideration in late 1994. In March of 1995, the first fundraising event was held. Following the event, 11 grants were approved for funding. Since that time, over 1,100 grant applications have been funded for over $1.8 million.
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Ashley McBryde coming to Rialto Theater
It was just announced that Ashley McBryde: The Devil I Know Tour will be at Rialto Square Theatre on Thursday, April 25. Tickets go on sale Friday, November 17 at 10 AM. GRAMMY, CMA and ACM award winner Ashley McBryde cut her teeth playing country songs in biker bars – and it shows. The Grand Ole Opry member’s 2018 major label debut Girl Going Nowhere (Warner Music Nashville) charmed The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, Paste, The Washington Post and more, all en route to landing a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album. McBryde closed out 2019 with ACM New Female Artist, CMT Breakout Artist, a New Artist of the Year win at the 53rd Annual CMA Awards and two nominations for the 2020 GRAMMYs for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “Girl Goin’ Nowhere.” Her follow-up Never Will was tagged by Rolling Stone as one of the most anticipated of the year alongside NPR, who also ranked her Top 10 RIAA PlatinumCertified single “One Night Standards” as one of the best songs of 2019. The album earned McBryde
a 2021 GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album, making Never Will the only album nominated for Country Album of the Year by the ACMs, CMAs and the Recording Academy in the same award season. Her GRAMMY-winning duet with Carly Pearce, “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” went all the way to No. 1 and earned McBryde and Pearce the ACM and CMA award for Musical Event of the Year. McBryde was also honored with the 2022 CMA International Artist Achievement Award for the most significant creative growth, development and promotion of the country music industry outside of the United States. Her collaborative project Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville featuring Brothers Osborne, Brandy Clark, Pillbox Patti, Caylee Hammack, Aaron Raitiere and Benjy Davis earned McBryde her third consecutive GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album, making her a six-time GRAMMY nominee. Upon its release, Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville garnered applause from The New York Times, NPR, Variety, Vulture, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Billboard and Stereogum, among many
more. With 11 songs all co-written by the Arkansas native, The Devil I Know is set for release on Sep-
tember 8, featuring chart-climbing lead single “Light On In The Kitchen,” along with the recently released title track, “Learned To
Lie” and album opener “Made For This.” McBryde is set to embark on her headlining tour later this fall. For more information, visit Ashley
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OBituaRy tREECE Jerry L. Treece, age 67, a resident of Plainfield, IL since 1993, formerly of Naperville, IL, passed away on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at Foster G. McGaw Hospital - Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL after a lengthy and tough fought battle with cancer. He was born on March 17, 1956, in Lafayette, IN. Beloved husband of Elizabeth Ann “Liz” Treece (nee Dietz), whom he married February 18, 1999, loving father of Ryan L. Treece of Joliet, IL, former spouse of Val Otiepka (Mother of Ryan) of Plainfield, devoted son of Naomi (nee Bolton) and the late Otis L. Treece, dear brother of Susan (George) Gero of Fairbury, IL and Mike Treece of Naperville, nephew of Doskie (the late Ed) Estes of California, fond uncle of Elizabeth (Dave) Bumpus and Matthew (Tiffany) Gero, great-uncle of Prestin and Meka Gero, and friend to many. Jerry grew up in Naperville, attended Naperville North High School and graduated from Naperville Central High School in 1974. He owned and operated Wheatland Plumbing Services in Plainfield for over 30 years. A talented athlete, Jerry participated in adult hockey and softball leagues and raced motocross in his younger years. Jerry also enjoyed playing golf, riding motorcycles with friends, and tropical beach vacations in Florida and Mexico. Private graveside services will be held
at Risen Lord Cemetery, 1501 Simons Rd, Oswego, IL 60543, (630) 554-7591. A Celebration of Life party in his memory will be held on Saturday November 18th from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM at Chop’d Restaurant, 12337 S. Illinois Route 59, Suite #155, Plainfield IL 60585. Causal dress attire, wear your best golf polo shirt! In lieu of flowers, donations in Jerry’s memory may be made to: American Cancer Society, PO Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123, 1-800-227-2345, https://www.cancer. org Arrangements by Overman-Jones Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Plainfield, IL. For more information, call (815) 436-9221 or visit www.overman-jones.com
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WE D N ES DAY, N OV E M B E R 15 , 2 0 2 3 | b u glenewspapers . com | page 7 ‘BENET ’ from page 1 of Illinois State in Normal. It was a rematch of last season’s Class 4A state title, which McAuley won by nearly the same score, 25-22, 17-25, 25-14. It was the state record 17th state championship for the Mighty Macs (38-4). Benet (393) saw its 20-match winning streak snapped. “She put in a 100 percent effort,” Benet coach Brad Baker said of Pullen’s attempt. “That’s what we do, play until the ball hits the floor.” Pullen was shaken up on the play but stayed in the game. The point drew the Mighty Macs within 17-16. But they never caught up. Ahead 18-17, sophomore middle hitter Lynney Tarnow (13 kills) had a trio of kills down the stretch as the Redwings ended the set on a 7-1 run to pull it out. “That’s just what Benet volleyball stands for,” Tarnow said of Pullen’s play. “That’s the effort.” It was but, just like the second set, which was tied once at 13-13, the third set was also tied once. That was at 1-1. Then senior superstar outside hitter Ellie White had a tip kill to start a 4-0 spurt which gave the Mighty Macs the lead for good. Ahead 9-6, McAuley went on a 7-1
run, which White capped off with back-to-back kills for a 16-7 lead. Benet, which defeated the Mighty Macs 25-22, 25-22 on Oct. 14 in the championship match of the Glenbard East Autumnfest, never got closer than five the rest of the way. An ace by junior right side hitter Abbey Williams (4 kills, 10 digs, 2 aces, 2 assists) ended it. “They looked like a team that had been there twice before and they played like it,” Baker said of the Mighty Macs, who were playing in their third straight State Title match. “They just outplayed us down the stretch. We were on the same level for two sets but we didn’t maintain it.” Back-to-back blocks by senior middle blocker Ellery Rees (5 kills, 2 blocks) helped McAuley to an 18-12 lead in the first set. The Redwings had a late push and closed within two twice, but served long on set point. Both teams had 41 kills. Junior outside hitter Audrey Asleson (17 kills, 3 blocks), junior middle hitter Stasys (5 kills, 6 blocks), senior outside hitter Ava Novak (3 kills), and sophomore setter Ellie Stiernagle (36 assists) led Benet, which defeated Willowbrook 25-19, 24-26, 25-16 on Friday, Nov. 10 in a semifinal.
White finished with a matchhigh 18 kills and added eight digs. Junior outside hitter Sydney Buchanan added eight kills, Deacy dinged two kills and two blocks, libero Sam Falk, who is one of nine seniors on the team, had 15 digs, and freshman setter Peyton Heatherly had 32 assists, 13 digs, and two kills, for the Mighty Macs, who defeated Barrington 25-19, 25-12 the day before in the last semifinal. It was the fourth Class 4A runner-up finish for the Redwings (2008, 2013, 2022, 2023). They also have four large school state championships (2011, 2012, 2014, 2019) and a third (2018) since 2008. Five seniors graduated from this season’s squad but only two of them (Novak and Pullen) played in the title match. So the Redwings will be a favorite to win the title next year. “We’re just going to have to work really hard and remember the last two years,” Tarnow said. “We’re not going to take anything for granted but we want better than second.” Baker agreed but also knows how neat it is to play for a state championship. “We want to get here and get first,” he said. “But there is an excitement to get to this level and be a part of this. It’s really special.”
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