ARGYLE — The Orioles are regional champions, knocking off Six Rivers Rivals Monticello and Pecatonica in WIAA Division 5 regional semifinals and championship. Argyle beat the Ponies 25-16, 25-16, 25-7 on Oct. 22, and then fended off the Vikings on Saturday, 25-21, 25-17, 23-25, 25-22.
Against Monticello, Brooke Wellnitz had 15 kills, 15 digs, 6 aces and a block against Monticello. Avari Steiner tallied 31 assists, an ace and a block. Haleigh Fish contributed 11 kills, and an ace. Claire Holmes and Brynn Harris each had an ace, with Harris recording 13 digs. Ellie Coffey had two aces.
“I thought they did a great job serving and played very well as a team,” Orioles coach Jen Butler said.
In the win over Pecatonica, Wellnitz tallied 24 kills, 27 digs, and blocks. Steiner added 42 assists, eight kills, nine digs and an ace. Holmes had 10 kills and three aces. Fish had an ace and eight kills. Harris finished with a team-high 28 digs. Jade Wellnitz had three blocks and Coffey added two more aces.
“It was an exciting night very proud of how the girls played. They worked hard and worked together for the regional title,” Butler said.
Pec was led by Cayla Doescher’s 15 kills, while Aleah Harris added eight kills. Harris blocked a team-high five balls, while Letti Newkirk and Isla Jorenby each had three blocks. Ella Orloff finished with 34 digs, Doescher had another 33 and Brooklyn Muench added 20 more. Lexi Lancaster led the Vikings with 18 assists, and Lila Schlimgen tallied six more.
Argyle will play another Six Rivers foe in the sectional semifinal on Oct. 29 — top-seeded Barneveld, at Barneveld. If the second-seeded Orioles can pull off the upset, they would play either Central Wisconsin Christian or Fall River in the sectional final on Halloween. That match would be played on neutral ground in Barneveld.
Division 3
Brodhead 3, Dominican 1
BRODHEAD — The Cardinals are regional champions again following a 25-13, 8-25, 25-18, 25-21 victory on Oct. 24.
Ella Olson and Elise Rear each had 10 kills for Brodhead, while teammate Kennedy Zimmerman added another eight. Chesney Walker tallied five aces, nine digs and five kills. Paige Bauman had two aces and 16 assists. Sadie Woelky finished the night with 15 assists. Leah Rear added 25 digs, while Elise Rear had 17 digs.
Brodhead now will travel to No. 1 seed Cambridge for the sectional semifinal on Oct. 29. The winner will play either River Valley or Viroqua on Oct. 31 at Marshall with the winner punching a ticket to state.
