PORT BYRON – The Rock Falls Rockets seized the momentum from the very beginning of Thursday evening’s Class 2A Riverdale Regional championship against the Newman Comets. Never letting up in their barrage of kills or defensive tenacity, Rock Falls prevailed 25-14, 25-14, claiming its fourth straight girls volleyball regional title.

The first set was back and forth up to a 3-3 tie. After that, it was almost all Rockets. Rock Falls (31-6) took the lead on a Newman serving error, then kept the momentum rolling. Rockets senior Taylor Reyna stuffed a block, junior Kacie Witherow tapped a kill, and Newman committed four hitting errors as Rock Falls stretched its lead to 10-4.

[ Photos: Newman vs Rock Falls Class 2A regional final ]

Senior Claire Bickett ignited a six-point Rockets run with three straight kills. Senior Zoe Henson followed with an ace, sophomore Ari Reyna slammed a kill, and a Comets hitting error pushed the margin to 16-6. A kill by Rock Falls senior Nicolette Udell and a block by Bickett closed the first set.

“I think we came in, we were ready to play,” Udell said. “We knew it was going to be a good game because of the atmosphere. It’s a rival team, and we were ready to play. We wanted to beat them really bad, because we want to continue on in this postseason.

“I think our passing started off really well, which that’s how it starts, and then our offense, we were just on today. There was no stopping us.”

Not rattled by the slow start, the Comets (28-6-1) came out with a renewed energy to begin the second set. The teams traded points up to a 10-10 tie. Newman senior Jess Johns hammered four kills, and senior teammate Kennedy Rowzee slammed a kill and stuffed a block to help the Comets keep pace through the 10-point tie. But the wheels came off shortly after that.

Consecutive Newman hitting errors sparked an 8-0 run for Rock Falls – a run expanded by an Ari Reyna block and kill and a Bickett ace and kill. Newman senior Molly Olson stuffed a block to cut the deficit to 18-11, but the Comets would draw no closer.

Facing the same team that finished fourth at the Class 1A state tournament last year – except for one player – the Rockets knew they couldn’t let up. And they didn’t.

Taylor Reyna hammered a kill to push the margin to 22-12, then Udell slammed two kills around a Rowzee kill. Bickett ended the match with a powerful spike.

“I feel like it was just being ready for the game all at once,” Rock Falls senior Denali Stonitsch said about the fast start. “I feel like Newman kind of had, not really a shock, but they were just kind of frazzled by how much we were pumped up and stuff, so I feel like that definitely benefited us.”

Although their season ended earlier than expected, the Comets won’t hang their heads. They know they have plenty to be proud of.

“I think overall we’ve had an amazing season. We tried as hard as we could, and unfortunately, we didn’t succeed as best we thought we could,” Rowzee said. “But I’m so proud of everything we’ve done this season, and I just can’t wait to see what the future holds for everyone.”

Newman coach Debbi Kelly echoed similar sentiments and gave Rock Falls all of its due credit.

“We told the girls, one night doesn’t define what they’ve done for Newman volleyball as a whole. It stings right now,” Kelly said. “Rock Falls played a great game, got us out of system, and we didn’t take advantage of opportunities that were given to us.

“Just like we told the girls, this doesn’t define you. They’ve made a great mark for Newman volleyball, and they have a lot to offer and are going to have great futures ahead of them.”

Bickett finished with 10 kills, eight digs and one ace; Stonitsch amassed 21 assists and four digs; Udell totaled nine kills; Carli Kobbeman contributed 10 digs; Sophia Moeller supplied four digs; and Ari Reyna chipped in two kills and two blocks for the Rockets.

Johns tallied nine kills and seven digs, Olson compiled 13 assists and nine digs, Rowzee had six kills, and Addison Foster chipped in five digs for the Comets.

Rock Falls, which has won nine regional titles under head coach Sheila Pillars, will turn its attention to the Princeton Sectional. The ultimate goal for the Rockets is to reach the state tournament, but they know they need to approach that goal one match at a time.

“Our goal is to definitely go to state. I feel like we definitely have a chance to,” Stonitsch said. “We just got to want it and bring it. We definitely have the team for it.”