Payton makes history, earns trip to state

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At the start of the volleyball season, Payton coach Joel Anderson assembled his team and told them they held in their power the chance to do the unexpected and play for a potential state championship.

The Grizzlies turned their coach into a prophet in their stunning 21-25, 25-20, 27-25 win over Marian Central in a Class 3A supersectional Saturday at Grayslake Central.

Payton (37-1) becomes the first Public League volleyball team to advance Downstate since the conference relinquished its automatic qualifier five years ago.

“I told them at the start of the year to go out and do it,” says Anderson, in his second season as the Payton coach.

Senior stars Courtney Cunningham and Ellyse Rodriguez powered the Grizzlies’ historic win. Cunningham, an outside hitter, registered 16 kills and five blocks. Rodriguez had seven of her nine kills in the decisive third game.

“It seemed we were down two points the entire third match,” Anderson said.

Marian led 23-21 in the third game before Rodriguez scored consecutive kills.

“My coach just told me I had to take the match over and I had to really up my game,” Rodriguez said. “We were ready to win this match. We knew it was our destiny.”

Sophomore setter Roxanne Rivera recorded 25 assists for the Grizzlies.

“In the last match I just told her to keep setting Ellyse because she was so hot,” Anderson said.

After Rodriguez forged the tie at 23, she served with the Grizzlies ahead 24-23. Marian recorded a sideout for the match’s final tie. Payton won on freshman Michelle Schultz’s kill.

“It smacked right off the hand of another girl, and it was great because Michelle had been kind of struggling up until then,” says Anderson.

“We were the first Public League [volleyball team] to win a sectional the other night, and now everything we do is more about history,” says Anderson.