Dixon Volleyball Falls in Championship; Rock Falls Takes Second

BREAKING NEWS: In a thrilling weekend for local volleyball, the Dixon Duchesses and Rock Falls Rockets both showcased their talents but fell short in their championship matches. The Duchesses faced their first loss of the season at the Oregon tournament, succumbing to Stockton with scores of 25-12 and 25-16. Meanwhile, the Rockets were defeated by LaSalle-Peru, concluding their match at 27-25, 25-22, and 15-3.

The impact of these matches is significant. Both teams demonstrated exceptional skill, with Dixon defeating Erie-Prophetstown in the semifinals to reach the finals. Four players were named all-tournament: Leah Carlson and Morgan Hargrave from Dixon, along with Ashlyn Johnson and Lauren Abbott from E-P. In a strong showing, Eastland finished seventh, with Morgan McCullough and Trixie Carroll also earning all-tournament honors.

On the home front, the Rock Falls Rockets put up a fierce fight in their championship match but ultimately fell to LaSalle-Peru. Kaltrina Lecaj led the Rockets with an impressive 35 kills and 38 digs over five matches. Additionally, Miley Bickett contributed significantly with 91 assists, while Ari Reyna and Kayla Hackbarth added 26 kills and 22 kills, respectively.

In boys cross country, the Dixon Dukes claimed victory at the Leavey Invitational in St. Charles, scoring 41 points, beating St. Charles North (45 points) and Naperville North (75 points). Averick Wiseman finished second with a time of 15:10.4, while Dean Geiger came in third at 15:17.8.

As for girls cross country, Sterling’s team had participants in both the varsity and open races, with Lacey Updike and Lillian Hauck leading the varsity race.

In girls tennis, the Dixon Duchesses secured a dominating victory against Boylan Catholic, improving their record to 6-0 with a clean sweep of 5-0 in matches.

In swimming, the Sterling Warriors finished fifth at the Sterling Invite, led by outstanding performances from Chloe Clark and Macie Lofgren in relay events.

The results from these events are a testament to the athletic prowess of the local teams, sparking excitement for fans and players alike. Looking ahead, all eyes will be on how these teams rebound in their upcoming matches.

Stay tuned for more updates as the season progresses!