The Road to the Final Four

Coaching high school sports requires coaches to be puzzle masters. Every year, your team loses some pieces to graduation, and you need to find new ones that fit. Scott Piersma has been putting together those puzzles for 14 years as the girls varsity volleyball coach. He knew what pieces would be returning in 2024—Bella Potempa, Ella Rickert, Elizabeth Alex, and All-State performer Abby Vander Wal (see next story) were already in place. But who would fill the remaining spots? Could they complete the puzzle? What would the final picture look like?

As the summer progressed, the pieces began to fall into place. Jenna Wasco, who transferred to Timothy in the middle of her junior year in 2023, was now eligible to play as a right side hitter. Miriam Pozdol Niego would start at libero, and Audrey Williams, who played on the JV team as a freshman, would share the middle with Ella.

Excitement built as the season approached. Piersma and co-coach Sheralynn Kellough believed this group had the potential to experience a lot of success—at least on paper.

In anticipation of a strong season, Piersma worked with Athletic Director Jack LeGrand to build a schedule stacked with tough competition, including 4A and 3A schools known for strong volleyball programs. The season began with a match against 4A York. The Lady Trojans lost in a close match, followed by another loss to 4A Riverside Brookfield. This wasn’t what they had anticipated. Ella Rickert admitted she was “discouraged.” Elizabeth Alex said, “We weren’t flowing.”

Piersma and Kellough did what good coaches do—they reminded the players that the season had just begun and made some strategic adjustments. Those adjustments paid off with victories in a couple of single matches, followed by a win at the early-season Westmont Tournament. In the championship match, they defeated their cross-town rival and nemesis, IC Catholic Prep, which launched a long series of victories.

The team’s confidence soared after a single-match victory over perennial 3A powerhouse Wheaton St. Francis. Both coaches and players pointed to a key turning point in the season: a win over 3A DePaul College Prep—who also went downstate—in the Montini Tournament. From there, the Lady Trojans went on a roll, racking up 38 straight victories.

It was a record-setting year with 39 wins and a solid third-place finish at state. 

Talent, experience, a once-in-a-lifetime player (Vander Wal), and excellent coaching were all factors in the team’s success. But intangible qualities—those unseen on the court—also played a crucial role. Wasco admitted she wasn’t even sure she’d try out for volleyball after transferring. “The girls on the team encouraged me to come to offseason workouts and summer camp. They made me feel welcome and were so encouraging. I’ve played on a lot of club teams and at another school, but this was the best team I’ve ever played on. Not just because of the talent, but because of the quality of the people and their character. Everyone is very inclusive and supportive.”

Senior co-captain Norah Rudman shared, “It wasn’t just the skill of our players, but the bonding of our team that happened because of the time we spent together on and off the court.”

The Lady Trojans’ playoff run included a Regional Championship over host Rosary and a Sectional Championship, where they again defeated rival IC Catholic Prep. That led to the long-anticipated Super Sectional—played on their home court in the WAC. It was a special night. The stands were packed, the crowd was loud, and the Red Zone was in full voice. The opponent was Chicago Latin, a team the Lady Trojans had already beaten earlier in the season. While they admittedly didn’t play their best match, they prevailed and celebrated wildly with their home fans.

Members of the team emphasized that their Christian faith was at the heart of their chemistry and success. The cross emblazoned on their jerseys symbolized their focus on representing Jesus in their play, attitudes, and sportsmanship. Their faith was further deepened through weekly devotions every Wednesday. These devotions were described as “deep and powerful,” and were built around a theme Piersma had heard the previous year during a team retreat. The team also celebrated their faith during home games by dancing and singing along to “Praise” by Elevation Worship when it played between sets.

The team advanced to the Final Four in 2A, which took place at Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal. They faced a familiar downstate foe, Bloomington Central Catholic, who had also defeated Timothy in the 2015 semifinals. Unfortunately, history repeated itself in 2024. However, the Lady Trojans bounced back the next day to defeat El Paso-Gridley, tying Timothy’s best downstate finish with third place.

Beyond their performance on the court, the players learned valuable life lessons from their teammates and coaches—lessons they’ll carry with them into the future. Audrey Williams gained confidence and learned the importance of mental toughness. Jenna Wasco and Bella Potempa appreciated their coaches’ approach of “letting them figure it out” and “getting over mistakes.”

All in all, it was a record-setting year with 39 wins and a solid third-place finish at state. But more than that, the team will cherish the relationships they built and the life and faith lessons they learned along the way.

Now, Piersma and Kellough will begin the work of putting together next year’s puzzle.