By Rich Winter

A mild upset in the Region 7B volleyball playoffs as the 20-11 Edgemont Moguls knocked off 25-5 White River to earn their first-ever SoDak 16 appearance. While those in the Philip gym may have been surprised, Susan Ostenson's Moguls believed.

“We set a goal to win the Panhandle Conference and we did that,” Ostenson said. “We talked about it early in the season and one of our other goals was to make the SoDak 16.”

Wait, Panhandle Conference, what?

Edgemont is located in the extreme southwestern part of South Dakota. During their season they played teams from South Dakota, Wyoming and in the Panhandle Conference of Nebraska. While we don't hear a lot about Edgemont volleyball, folks in Edgemont remember the glory days when the team qualified for back-to-back state tournaments in 2010 and 2011, finishing 4th in the Class B tourney in 2011.

That 7B win over White River meant something to the town and the school with an enrollment of 48.

The Moguls lost in straight sets to Warner in the SoDak16 but Ostenson thinks the experience will benefit the team going forward.

“We lose just one senior and it was invaluable to get that experience and see that next level of volleyball,” she said. “I really feel like they will work hard and have that hunger knowing this is a completely different level.”

That one senior is multi-sport standout Morgan Peterson. She is a starter on what should be a good Edgemont basketball team, and she won the Class B 300-meter hurdles at the 2021 state track meet. Peterson contributed 294 assists and 211 kills for the Mogul offense.

Keep your eyes open for the coach's kid, junior Peyton Ostenson who has 835 kills (374 this season) in her career.

“Peyton is a multi-sport athlete but her heart is in volleyball,” she said.

This summer Peyton traveled east to play with 'Rising Stars'.

“Peyton got to see that different level of volleyball and she really improved this year,” she said. “Peyton goes to the gym and always has her hands on volleyball or basketball.”

In that five-set win over White River, Ostenson blasted 29 kills.

Edgemont had three juniors on this year’s team along with four freshmen and two eighth-graders that all saw significant playing time.

Ostenson feels like her eighth-graders, Fallon Ostenson (niece) and Raelee Provorse both have that desire to get better while loving the sport.

“Fallon is just tiny but her desire to get into the gym and stay after practice is unmatched,” she said. “Raelee is our libero and she has the desire and is very coachable.”

Edgemont had their two leaders and a bunch of role players that played unselfish volleyball.

“The girls feel like ya can't get a kill unless you get a pass,” she said. “That team mentality was able to take us as far as we got.”

Don't be surprised if Edgemont is knocking on that state tournament door in 2022.