Rockets capture first 4A regional title after defeating Chargers in five sets

Burlington Central secured its first Class 4A regional championship on Thursday by defeating Dundee-Crown 25-20, 21-25, 27-25. The victory marks the third consecutive regional title for the Rockets, who finished the regular season with a 29-7 record. This win concludes a season where the school had not previously captured a 4A regional trophy.

The second-seeded Rockets overcame a loss in the second set to take control of the match at Carpentersville. Lani Akenten led the offense with 11 kills, 11 digs, and two aces. Ainsley Wilson contributed 10 kills, while Tiernan Naus recorded 15 assists, four aces, and seven digs. Gabriella Alesi posted a double-double with 10 assists and 12 digs, and Lexi Pineda added eight kills and two aces.

Dundee-Crown, the ninth seed, finished the season with a 21-14 record. The Chargers could not overcome the sustained pressure from the Rockets in the deciding set. Central will now face the third-seeded St. Charles East in a sectional semifinal. That matchup is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Burlington Central.

In other regional finals, Genoa-Kingston lost to Johnsburg in three sets during the Class 2A Marian Central Regional. The third-seeded Skyhawks dropped the first set 24-26 but won the second 27-25 before falling 25-19. Adelaide Bruns of Johnsburg recorded 34 assists, four aces, four blocks, and 12 digs, breaking the school record for aces in a single season. Maddie Mays led Genoa-Kingston with 20 digs, while Alexis Sweetwood recorded 12 kills, an ace, and three digs.

Prairie Ridge ended its season with a two-set loss to Lakes in the Class 3A Cary-Grove Regional final at Cary. The fourth-seeded Wolves lost 25-18, 25-22 to the top-seeded Eagles. Adeline Grider recorded eight kills, three digs, and two blocks for Prairie Ridge. Tegan Vrbancic added 16 digs and two aces, while Braelyn Berry provided 10 assists. Sonora Bekere contributed two blocks and an ace in the final loss.