Krieger, Plainfield North advance

Updated: May 24, 2011 9:48PM

Plainfield North’s Jack Krieger was back in the lineup after recovering from a broken thumb when the Tigers’ basketball season ended in the Bolingbrook Regional semifinals.

Krieger and his volleyball teammates were in the Bolingbrook Regional semifinals Tuesday night, and this time the outcome was much better for the Tigers.

Plainfield North advanced to the championship match Wednesday to face top-seeded Neuqua Valley thanks to a tense 25-17, 24-26, 25-21 semifinal victory over Romeoville.

“As a senior I would have loved to have gone all the way for basketball, but that didn’t happen and maybe this is it,’’ Krieger said.

Successive kills by Jake Barber and Krieger made it 24-21 in the third game before Eric Rash put away the game winner.

“It’s a good feeling,’’ Krieger said. “I think we came out sluggish, but we picked it up. A win is a win.’’

Matt Guerrieri (30 assists), Barber (13 kills), Rash (9 kills) and Krieger (6 kills, 5 block kills) led Plainfield North (28-4), whose coach called the victory ‘’very nervewracking.’’

“I want to give congratulations to Romeoville, they played unbelievable,’’ Plainfield North coach Kevin Vesper said. “That game three could have gone either way. It just happened our team made key plays at the end.’’

Deonte Scroggins (9 kills, 3 block kills), Nick Oderio (8 kills), Wayne Fitts (8 assists, 3 aces) and Damitri Taylor (13 assists) nearly kept the season going for Romeoville (16-17-1).

“We did a lot of great things,’’ Romeoville coach Debra Fehrenbacher said. “Every game they gave everything they had. I’m losing 10 seniors – they played their rumps off tonight.’’

Krieger said Plainfield North will definitely need to have a good start in the title match.

“We’ve got to come out and jump on them right away like (Plainfield) East did today,’’ Krieger said.

Plainfield East put up a good fight against Neuqua Valley, losing 25-22, 25-22 in the first semifinal.

“This team in the beginning of the year would not have done that,’’ Plainfield East coach Daniel Vergo said of the close games. “They didn’t know how to win. Throughout the year they’ve learned. I’m very proud of them.’’

Andre Flores had eight kills and an ace and Michael Simpson contributed three kills and three digs for Plainfield East (16-12). The Bengals led 13-8 in the opener and were still in the game at 22-22.

“We were forcing them to make errors,’’ Vergo said. “They regrouped and they executed the way a good team should.’’

“It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win,’’ Neuqua Valley coach Erich Mendoza told his 29-6 team after the match. “Let’s make sure we come out more focused to play tomorrow.’’

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