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Pecatonica volleyball takes second at Byron Power Classic
By Trenten Scheidegger
PHOTO COURTESY OF PEC VOLLEYBALL The Gazette
The Pecatonica lady Indians came away from the Byron Power Classic Tournament with a hard-earned second place. From left: Maren Davis, Ericka Alexander, Maddox Thomas, Paige Lender, Elaina Rager, Kianna Degner, Payton Thomas, Jaidon Hastings, Chloe Green, Samantha Cobb, Bri Carden and Lisa Mellentine.
The Pecatonica Indians continued their excellent start to the 2024 volleyball season when they went to compete in this year’s Byron Power Classic Tournament. There, the Indians faced off with Dakota, Scales Mound, and Stillman Valley in pool play.
Pec handled their business in the early parts of pool play. Dakota couldn’t get much of anything going with the Indians winning both sets by a score of 25-12. It was much of the same against Scales Mound. Pecatonica picked up a 2-0 sweep, winning both sets by a score of 25-13.
Payton Thomas and Elaina Rager proved to be a problem against Dakota as they combined for 13 kills. Kianna Degner was her usual self, leading the team with 20 assists. Maren Davis racked up three blocks against Dakota.
Against Scales Mound, Degner showed that she is much more than just a facilitator of the offense. Although she still led the team with 12 assists, Degner also totaled five kills and six digs in an energizing performance.
Stillman Valley would give the Indians a much tougher challenge, however. In fact, it was the first time the Indians faced a deficit that day as Stillman Valley took the first set 25-23. Pec responded in a big way, taking the second set 25-18. The third set came down to the wire, but they prevailed, winning 15-13.
Rager reached double figures in kills against Stillman Valley as she led the Indians with 10. Bri Carden was right behind her with nine kills of her own, as well. Paige Lender added seven digs in the victory.
After going 3-0 through pool play, the Indians moved on to face off with Rock Falls in bracket play. Even then, the Indians weren’t really put to the test. The Pec ladies won both sets by scores of 25-17 and 25-18.
Degner took the setting to a new level as she totaled 23 assists against Rock Falls. Lender added another seven-dig performance, and Thomas led the team with seven kills. Jaidon Hastings added six kills of her own in the victory.
The sweep propelled the Indians into the championship round, where they would take on the Eastland Cougars. Eastland has been a force throughout the 2024 season. They carried a record of 11-2 into their championship game against the Indians.
Pec gave it everything they had in the opening set. Eventually, Eastland pulled away for a 27-25 victory. After that, the Indians didn’t quite have it as they fell by a score of 25-19. Head coach Lisa Mellentine was happy to see the team make it as far as they did. “We played well all day. This is the first time in a while that we have made it to the championship game at the Byron Tournament,” Mellentine shared, following the team’s second-place finish.
After the tournament, the Indians went on to fall to Lena-Winslow 2-1 in a close matchup. Pec bounced back with a 2-0 sweep over a tough Orangeville squad on Sept. 18. That victory improved the Indians’ overall record to 13-4 on the season.
Pecatonica continues the season when they travel to take on the Pearl City Wolves at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26. Pearl City is off to a 13-8-2 start to this season.
