Evanston has yet to meet a tournament it didn’t like in 1998.
Saturday was no exception as the sixth-ranked Wildkits (31-6) buried Central Suburban South foe Niles West 15-11, 15-5 to capture the Evanston sectional championship.
Not since 1990, when Evanston captured its second straight state title in what was then a club sport, have the Wildkits been alive this late in the school year. Appropriately enough, Niles West was the site of those back-to-back honors and now serves as a springboard for Evanston’s entry into this season’s Elite Eight.
“We did what we had to do to win the sectional,” said outside hitter Jeremy Hoff, who had 14 kills. “Now we’re going to step it up to the next level so we can win state.”
No. 2 seed Niles West (17-17) came into Saturday’s match with a great deal of confidence gained from a hard-fought 15-11, 16-14 loss to the Wildkits in the regular-season finale.
That momentum was quickly erased when Hoff greeted West’s Tylor Robinson with an unreturnable spike for the first point of the afternoon. Though the Indians grabbed a 3-2 lead on a Curt Heller ace, Evanston quickly reeled off eight straight points starting with a Niles West net violation and ending with a stuff by Ryan Owens (5 blocks).
Hoff contributed five kills during that run, which ended with the Wildkits enjoying a commanding 11-3 lead, while Colin Simmons (8 kills) and Patrick Palma (6 kills) added three apiece.
Though West trimmed the lead to 12-7 when Tylor Robinson (5 kills, 2 blocks) stuffed Hoff, the Wildkits leader answered his rejection with four more kills.
Unable to block a Simmons kill that set up game-point, Mike Hoffman misfired on a set by Bryan Paliza (16 assists), sending it straight into the net along with West’s upset hopes.
Niles West grabbed an early 4-3 lead in Game 2 but were unable to prevent the seasoned Wildkits from putting together another decisive run. After his final kill gave Evanston the lead for good at 5-4, Hoff, enjoying a well-earned rest, watched his team build a commanding l3-4 lead.
“(The team) decided a week ago that if they got Downstate they’ll shave their heads,” said Hulett shaking his. “If we get to the Final Four, I’ll shave my head.”
Like it or not, Hulett’s haircut is halfway there.
