By Trenten Scheidegger

BETTY KENDELL/PECATONICA FANS CLUB FACEBOOK PHOTO The Gazette
Elaina Rager was the top scorer for Pec while Kianna Degner was out. Rager (No. 11) is shown here in their Feb. 13 game against Forreston, waiting for the pass.

    The Pecatonica Indians have broken a number of school records and reached many milestones under three-year head coach, Daniel Rosenstiel. The Indians scratched another goal off the list when they claimed the NUIC-North Co-Conference Championship for the first time ever, last week.

    It’s also the first conference championship for Pecatonica girls’ basketball since the mid-nineties. That isn’t due to any sort of lack of success during Rosenstiel’s tenure. The NUIC-North has just been a hot spot for Illinois 1A girls’ basketball talent, and the same is true this year. Although the Indians can finally claim a spot atop the North, they have to share it with the Orangeville Broncos. The same Orangeville team that has claimed a conference championship for four consecutive seasons now.

    The Indians had a chance to make sure Orangeville’s streak atop the North came to an end this season on Feb. 11. After beating Orangeville 40-24 back in January, things were looking promising for Pecatonica. Not only had they already beaten the Broncos once, but they did so on the road, meaning the game to claim the lone spot atop the conference would be played on Pecatonica’s home court.

    It was arguably the biggest game of the regular season for Pecatonica, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Not only were the Indians coming off a loss to a very good Byron team, but they would be without their starting point guard, Kianna Degner, against Orangeville.

    Without Degner on the floor, Orangeville’s defense was able to really focus on the Indians’ leading scorer, Elaina Rager. Orangeville held Rager to just six points in the first half, which left the Indians trailing.

    The Broncos shot well enough from the free throw line to maintain their slim lead in the second half. In the end, Pecatonica fell by a final score of 42-38. Rager was the team’s leading scorer with seventeen points.

    The loss of Degner was significant. After putting on a dominant performance in Orangeville’s house, the Indians couldn’t produce the same results on their home floor.

    Rosenstiel spoke about not having Degner against the Broncos. “Unfortunate for us, but at the same time, you have to find a way.” Rosenstiel shared, later in the week after facing off with Orangeville. “Result wise, sure, not having her did play a result. I want to give credit to [Orangeville], they had a good game plan, but you don’t know if the game plan would have been the same if [Degner] was there or not. From a coach’s perspective, she’s basically like the coach on the floor for us, so it definitely played an impact. She directs our team. She’s basically like the engine to our team. I think she’s one of the best point guards in the area, so not having her definitely played a factor.” Rosenstiel shared, complimenting what Degner brings to the team.

    After taking the loss to Orangeville, the Indians had to win another difficult matchup to ensure they could still claim a conference championship. They did so, beating Forreston 61-23 on Feb. 13. Not only did they claim their first NUIC-North championship, but Rager surpassed 2000 career points. Pecatonica’s all-time leading scoring record continues to rise as Rager wraps up her high school career.

    Rosenstiel spoke about what it means to win conference, and how the team hopes to be playing for much more than that. “For the team, I don’t think it was the main goal. It comes along with being a good team, and we think we are a good team. Our end goal was always to make a run here in the postseason, that’s our number one priority.” Rosenstiel shared.

    That isn’t to discredit the team for winning conference. If anything, it echoes the very attitude this team has carried along its way to success. Rosenstiel explained, saying “I don’t want to take anything away from winning conference, it’s a goal we will definitely celebrate. In the season, as a coach and as a team, wins and losses, we kind of just move on, regardless. It sounds cliché, but it’s true with this group. We’ve responded every time we’ve lost and we’ve kept going every time we’ve won. Now, we are focused on how we can win each day, whether it’s in practice or games, to make sure we can keep this thing going. We’re definitely proud of it. Once the season is over, it’s something we’ll cherish.”

    Pecatonica earned the one seed in this year’s Hiawatha Regional. The Indians began postseason play on Feb. 18, taking on Alden-Hebron, results of which were not available until after press time.

 
 
 
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