Byron defeats K-M in volleyball, heads to state

ROCHESTER — Saturday, November 4, was the day the Byron volleyball girls were waiting for. And they delivered, taking down Kasson-Mantorville, 3-1, in the Section 1, Class 3A championship match, at Mayo Civic Arena. Set scores were 19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-20.
For the first time since 2009, the volleyball Bears qualified for the state tournament. Adding to Byron’s euphoria was that they accomplished it against their biggest rival, Kasson-Mantorville.
That sends the Bears to the place they have been aiming for, Xcel Energy Center, annual site of the state tournament.
Byron senior team anchors Fjerstad and Nelson, both had huge impacts on the court Saturday. Like teammate Fjerstad, the 6-foot Nelson got things done in a variety of ways. She finished with 10 kills, 3 assists, 13 digs, 3 blocks and 1 ace serve. Byron was the No. 1 seed in this section tournament, K-M No. 2. The Bears were ranked fifth in the state, KoMets, seventh.
Starting the match understandably a bit jittery, the Bears committed too many errors, and K-M snatched the first set with ease, 25-19. But that wake-up call was all Byron needed, winning three straight to claim the match and coveted Section title. Kasson-Mantorville finished its season, 21-5. Byron takes a 23-4 record into the state tournament that begins on Wednesday, November 8.
Stats: Kasson-Mantorville: Ellie Ask, 14 kills, 4 digs; Abigail Baker, 3 kills, 7 digs; Mya Boelter, 16 digs; Abby Distad, 35 assists, 7 digs; Rebekah Burch, 2 assists, 2 blocks; Ta’Leigha Coker, 6 kills, 1 block; Skylar Flicek, 4 kills, 1 block; Kaia Langemo, 8 kills; Ava Pitzenberger, 11 digs; Aloaha Ricke, 3 kills, 11 digs, 3 aces.
Byron: Kailani Schroeder, 33 assists, 2 kills, 1 ace, 18 digs, 3 blocks; Lauren Fjerstad, 16 kills, 2 assists, 13 digs, 1 block, 6 aces; Kaydence Fjerstad, 5 kills, 4 digs, 1 ace; Ella Nelson, 2 kills, 3 assists, 14 digs, 1 ace; Zoe Dearborn, 10 kills, 1 dig, 3 aces; Lexi Nelson, 10 kills, 3 assists, 13 digs, 3 blocks, 1 ace; Addie Johnson, 8 digs, 2 assists; Marren Radke, 3 digs.
Volleyball Bears blast Tigers
BYRON — The Byron volleyball team was up for the task on Wednesday, November 1, as they eliminated Stewartville, 3-1, in a Section 1, Class 3A semifinal match, with set scores of 19-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-17. Now the Bears have their sights set on the state tournament, provided they can oust another friendly foe and powerhouse, the Kasson-Mantorville KoMets. Defeating Stewartville, a program with 24 state-tournament appearances and 5 state titles, was no small task, but it was one huge accomplishment. It sets up Byron’s next biggest match of the year, a show-down on Saturday, November 4, versus the No. 2-seeded and No. 7-ranked KoMets, in the Section 1-3A championship match, at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. The winner of the rematch of last year’s section final (K-M won that meeting) goes to next week’s Class 3A state tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Wednesday’s semifinal match at Byron High School marked the third consecutive season the Bears and Tigers have met in the Section 1-3A semifinals, and the first time the match has taken place on the Bears’ home court. Byron won 3-0 last year at Stewartville, after the Tigers had won 3-2 on their home floor in 2021.
Stewartville: Abbie Langseth, 24 assists, 11 digs, 1 block; Peyton Krause, 7 kills, 1 block; Kylie Minnich, 4 kills, 15 digs; Olivia DeCook, 1 block; Charlie Holmes, 5 kills, 2 blocks; Kate Klavetter, 8 digs; Makaya Christopherson, 15 digs, 3 aces; Dream Petersohn, 10 kills, 3 blocks; Reagan Mittelstadt, 7 digs.
Byron: Kailani Schroeder, 37 assists, 1 kill, 2 aces, 15 digs; Lauren Fjerstad, 17 kills, 6 aces, 14 digs, 1 assist; Kaydence Fjerstad, 6 kills, 2 digs, 2 blocks; Ella Nelson, 6 kills, 5 assists, 3 aces, 12 digs; Zoe Dearborn, 2 kills, 5 digs, 1 assist, 1 block; Lexi Nelson, 16 kills, 6 digs, 5 blocks, 2 assists, 1 ace; Addie Johnson, 8 digs; Maryn Radke, 4 digs.
KoMet’s sweep Falcons—on way to title match
KASSON — The Kasson-Mantorville volleyball girls are finished with Falcons and in search of Bears. That’s because following a convincing 3-0 victory on Wednesday, November 1, against sixth-seeded Faribault in a section semifinal match, the K-M kids will play in a rematch of last year’s section title match. They’ll face No. 5-ranked and top-seeded Byron on Saturday, November 4, at Mayo Civic Arena, for a trip to state. The winner goes to next week’s Class 3A state tournament, which begins Wednesday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Kasson-Mantorville has represented Section 1, Class 3A at the state volleyball tournament each of the past two seasons. The KoMets don’t intend to relinquish their crown easily — or at all. To return to the Xcel Energy Center for a third consecutive season, though, K-M will face a very familiar opponent — one that took the KoMets to five sets in last year’s Section 1-3A championship match, and one that swept the KoMets earlier this season on K-M’s home court.
K-M (21-4) faced a bit of adversity against Faribault on Wednesday, with the first two sets coming down to the wire. The KoMets found a way to hold off the Falcons and win those sets, 25-23 and 25-22. They then controlled the third set, winning 25-16, to clinch another trip to the section final. K-M’s four losses have all been against exceptional opponents: Byron (3-0 at K-M, Sept. 29) and three Class 4A programs — Century (3-2, Sept. 5 at Century); New Prague (2-0, Sept. 9 at Shakopee); and New Prague (3-2, Sept. 26 at New Prague). The win is the seventh in a row for K-M and its 17th in their past 19 matches.
It’s also their second 3-0 sweep against Faribault this year; the KoMets won 3-0 at Faribault back on August 31. Saturday, K-M will seek its 11th trip to state in program history and their sixth trip in a stretch of seven tournaments.
Kasson-Mantorville Stats: Ellie Ask, 13 kills, 13 digs, 2 blocks; Mya Boelter, 11 digs; Abby Distad, 29 assists, 6 digs, 3 aces; Ta’Leigha Coker, 3 kills; Skylar Flicek, 1 kill, 1 block; Kaia Langemo, 6 kills, 6 digs, 3 aces; Ava Pitzenberger, 8 digs; Aloaha Ricke, 7 kills, 5 digs, 2 blocks.