Erie-Prophetstown wins, Riverdale pulls past Rock Falls

After resting up some players to close the regular season, Erie-Prophetstown looked sharp to open the postseason in a Class 2A Rock Falls Regional semifinal win over Oregon on Tuesday night.

The top-seeded Panthers beat the ninth-seeded Hawks 25-12, 25-12 to advance to Thursday’s regional final at 6 p.m. against Riverdale. The Rams beat the regional hosts 26-24, 25-16.

Coming off their first regional title as a co-op last season, E-P (32-4) hopes to make an even deeper run.

Two of its senior standouts, Kaylee Keegan and Ashlyn Johnson, were fully back in action after sitting out at times to end the regular season.

“I love Kaylee as a setter,” Johnson said. “I’ve been playing with Kaylee for a long time, so it’s really nice to have a setter that I’m very connected with.

“When it comes to these hard matches like this, being able to be connected is always good.”

Erie-Prophetstown’s Kaylee Keegan (left) and Eden Jensen go for a block against Oregon Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in the Class 2A regional semifinal at Rock Falls. (Alex T. Paschal)

The Panthers reached the Sweet 16 last season before falling in straight sets to El Paso-Gridley in the sectional finals.

After another Three Rivers conference title and top seed in the regional, the Panthers are even more experienced this time around.

Erie-Prophetstown’s Ashlyn Johnson spikes against Oregon Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in the Class 2A regional semifinal at Rock Falls. (Alex T. Paschal)

“We’re very dedicated. I think that’s our big word this season,” Keegan said. “We are a dedicated, hard-working team.”

Oregon led the first set 1-0 but but would not lead again.

Emma Eckerd led the Hawks (5-20) with nine assists and eight digs. Skylar Bishop (two digs) had a block and an ace, and Lola Schwarz (two digs) had two kills.

Oregon was coming off a win over Hall on Monday.

Oregon coach Farrell Cain said the Panthers tall, powerful attackers were a challenge.

“All around, I think they’re a good team, that’s why they took the first seed,” she said.

Johnson said holding themselves to a high standard can be stressful for the Panthers.

“I think just staying calm, playing our game and just pushing through until the end,” she said of what keys success. “Just play as one. We’ve said all season that we’re probably one of the strongest connecting teams.”

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Erie-Prophetstown’s Brynn Brown waits to make a play against Oregon Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in the Class 2A regional semifinal at Rock Falls. (Alex T. Paschal)

Rockets lose momentum, fall to Riverdale

The first set was there for the taking.

Facing Riverdale in a back-and-forth contest to open the postseason, Rock Falls had a late one-point lead after a Kayla Hackbarth kill.

But the Rams stepped up when it mattered most in the regional semifinal matchup.

Fifth-seeded Riverdale scored the final three points to take the first set en route to a 26-24, 25-16 win. The Rams advanced to face top-seeded E-P in Thursday’s regional final at 6 p.m.

“Riverdale has been playing well toward the end of their season,” Rock Falls Jolene Bickett said. “I thought we had been, too.

“That first set, we kind of gave it away at the end.”

Bickett said some untimely mistakes came back to bite the Rockets (21-15) in the first set.

“And then in the second set, I thought we played well, and then in a couple rotations, the wheels fell off,” she said. “Riverdale played well. I think we’re pretty even on any given night, but today, they were the better team. And they they deserve to move on and give E-P a good shot at the regional title.”

Rock Falls' Ari Reyna plays the ball against Riverdale Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in the Class 2A regional semifinal at Rock Falls. (Alex T. Paschal)

Kaltrina Lecaj (one ace) had eight kills, Hackbarth added four kills and Addison Miller had three blocks. Miley Bickett had 14 assists and six digs as Bre Dallgas-Frey added four digs.

The Rams used a barrage of aces down the stretch to close out the second set after the Rockets led 15-14.

“We just serve-received very well,” Riverdale coach Amy Mitton said. “That’s something that we work on all the time. They played very hard, and they worked together. It’s a team that I’m really proud of.”

Coach Bickett said a few more things needed to go her team’s way.

“I thought we stuck to our game plan and they executed it pretty well,” she said. “I think if we could have gotten that first set home, the second set would have been a little bit different, but that’s volleyball.”

Bickett said this year’s group has been one of the best she’s been a part of.

“They will be successful,” she said. “Everybody loves to come to practice because they have fun, and it’s such a positive environment.”

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Rock Falls' Breanna Dallgas-Frey makes a a pass against Riverdale Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in the Class 2A regional semifinal at Rock Falls. (Alex T. Paschal)