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Pec wins sixth consecutive game to improve to 10-1
By Trenten Scheidegger
Ever since the Pecatonica Indians took a tough 47-24 loss to an undefeated Dixon team, they have responded resiliently. After picking up big wins over Winnebago and Hinckley-Big Rock, the Indians won their sixth consecutive matchup.
Pecatonica isn’t just winning games at a high-rate. They are dominating the competition. After falling to Dixon, the Indians immediately responded with a 60-31 victory over Polo. It’s clear they didn’t take their first loss of the season lightly, as the Indians have asserted their dominance ever since.
Between Nov. 24 and Dec. 15, the Indians’ closest matchup was a 49-36 victory over a now 8-3 Rockford Lutheran team. That victory came on the road as Pecatonica improved to 8-1 on the season.
Pecatonica head coach Daniel Rosenstiel watched as his team picked up another big victory on Dec. 10. This time, they did so in front of their home crowd as they played host to the Winnebago Indians. Winnebago opened their season with three wins, but they have suffered a seven-game losing streak, ever since. Their matchup in Pecatonica was the fifth of those seven losses.
Rosenstiel was very complimentary of his team’s play against Winnebago. Senior Payton Thomas had a career game as she put up 14 points, including a trio of three-pointers.
“Thomas had one of her best games of her career. She came out firing,” Rosenstiel shared, after his team beat Winnebago 46-28. Thomas also had five rebounds on the night.
The Indians took control of the game in the second quarter, when they went on a 23-6 run to blow the game wide open. In the second half, the shots stopped falling for the Indians, but it was their strong defense that remained consistent.
“When the defense is always on, it gives you more room for error on offense,” Rosenstiel said when discussing the second half.
Elaina Rager tied Thomas to lead the team with 14 points. Kianna Degner was nearly the third Pecatonica player in double figures as she finished with nine points and three assists. Korah Noud added seven in the victory.
The Indians returned home on December 14 to play host to the Hinckley-Big Rock Royals. The Royals came into the matchup with an overall record of 4-3. They were fresh off a 58-40 victory over Somonauk-Leland.
The Royals found themselves on the other end of a blowout when they came to Pecatonica. The Indians put it all together in a game that saw them have one of their best complimentary performances of the season.
Offensively, the Indians had no trouble getting their shots to fall. Rager racked up 25 points, which led all scorers. Freshman, Ryleigh Alexander, scored a career-high 13 points. She also had five rebounds. Fellow freshman Noud quietly had a big day as she finished with seven points and ten rebounds.
Degner dominated both sides of the ball in this one. Not only was the senior efficient on offense hitting six of her nine shots, but she also had seven steals and nine assists. Degner set the standard both defensively and offensively with her passing ability. The Indians combined for 21 assists and 27 steals as a team.
Rosenstiel took notice of the aggressive defense, and he was thrilled to see it help the offense get going.
“Overall, our defense was suffocating and when we get out in transition, we are at our best,” Rosenstiel stated after the Indians beat H-BR by a score of 68-37.
With the win over the Royals, the Indians picked up their tenth victory of the season. They improved to 10-1 before opening this week with a road matchup against a tough Galena Pirates squad on Dec. 16; results not available at press time. Then the Indians are off until Thursday, Dec. 26, when they begin play in this year’s Dixon Christmas Tournament.
