Class 1A, 2A, 4A, 5A Semifinals
Finals Set for 4 Classes as 52nd Elite 8 State Championships Complete First Day’s Action
BIRMINGHAM – Arab High School toppled Montgomery Academy in one semifinal game Tuesday, and Westminster Christian beat Gulf Shores in the other semifinal as both teams advance to the 52nd annual AHSAA Elite 8 Class 5A State Volleyball Championship game, which will be played at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Bill Harris Arena adjacent to the Birmingham CrossPlex.
In Class 1A, Addison and Covenant Christian posted semifinal victories over Spring Garden and Meek, respectively, Tuesday to advance to Wednesday’s Class 1A championship game at 12:30 p.m.
The Class 2A and Class 4A finals were set Tuesday. Two schools from Calhoun County, Donoho and Pleasant Valley, emerged with semifinal wins over G.W. Long and Bayshore Christian, respectively. The two rivals will meet in the 2A finals at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. And in Class 4A, a rematch between last year’s Class 3A finalists came to fruition when Montgomery Catholic downed Orange Beach and Trinity Presbyterian beat Deshler. That final, set for 4:30 p.m., will also set up a husband-wife final for the second straight year. Sarah Dubberley is the Trinity head coach, and her husband Sellers Dubberley coaches Catholic.
Class 3A, 6A and 7A open play Wednesday at the CrossPlex with those finals set for Bill Harris Arena Thursday. All matches are being live streamed over the NFHS Network’s school broadcast platform. Veteran announcer Jerry Young will be handling the play-by-play for all championship games. For more information, go to www.nfhsnetwork.com.
CLASS 5A SEMIFINALS
WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN 3, GULF SHORES 0
The Wildcats (46-9), last year’s Class 4A state champs, earned the chance for a repeat, albeit in Class 5A this year. The powerful front line of Coach Holly Richards dominated the semifinal straight-set 25-19, 25-13, 25-17 win over Gulf Shores.
Calli Tanielu totaled 18 kills and Meg Paparella had 15 to lead Westminster. The duo also combined for seven blocked shots, 24 digs and five service aces. Setter Paislee Shelton dished out 37 assists and had eight digs, and libero Rylee Sexton had 16 digs.
Gulf Shores (39-18), coached by Karen Atkins, was led by Lily Zlab with 13 kills and eight blocks. Julia Fisher added five kills and five blocks, and Macey Moore also had an outstanding game at setter.
ARAB 3, MONTGOMERY ACADEMY 0
The Knights (49-13) advanced to the state finals with the 25-21, 25-23, 19-25, 25-23 win over Montgomery Academy Tuesday at the CrossPlex. Laney Kelley and Karli Walker had 15 and 13 kills, respectively, for Arab, coached by Amy Hudson.
Sami Kate Hudson had 19 digs and eight kills, Sydney Ferguson added six digs and eight kills, and setter Anna McFerrin had 42 assists, two aces and six digs. Libero Marisa Pope managed 21 digs.
Caroline McDaniel had 22 kills and 12 digs to lead Montgomery Academy (44-7), coached by Julie Gordon. Elle McBride also had 12 kills, libero Parker Shegon totaled 29 digs and setter Addi Vinson had 46 assists, 18 digs and a team-high four blocks.
CLASS 4A SEMIFINALS
MONTGOMERY CATHOLIC 3, ORANGE BEACH 0
The Knights (29-10) were paced by setter Maria Schwarz. She had 35 assists and six service aces in the 25-13, 25-17, 25-17 win over Orange Beach.Allyse Rudolph totaled 14 kills, five blocks, four digs and four aces, and Lennon McAnnally had eight kills and eight digs. Libero Mally Barranco had three aces, four assists and 10 digs.
Orange Beach (33-11), coached by Sunne Young, closed out its first season in Class 4A in the semifinals. Outside hitter Amelia Edgeworth had 15 kills, libero Leyni Young had 15 digs, and Ensley Keel had 28 assists at setter.
TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN 3, DESHLER 0
Setter Addison Cherry had 39 assists as the Wildcats (43-10), last year’s Class 3A state champs, moved into the 4A championship match with a 28-26, 25-10, 25-15 victory over Deshler (45-6). Emma Moody had 17 kills and four blocks, Reese Patterson had nine kills, Holland Williams added six kills and three blocks, and Isabel Hill had 12 digs and three aces for Trinity, coached by Sarah Dubberley.
Chloe Siegal had 10 kills, seven digs and 10 assists to lead Deshler, coached by Jana Killen. Outside hitters Ava Siegal and Cooper Thompson added eight and seven kills, respectively. Haley Goodloe contributed three blocks, six digs and six assists.
CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS
PLEASANT VALLEY 3, BAYSHORE CHRISTIAN 0
The Raiders (35-15), coached by Dana Bryant, advanced to the finals to take on Calhoun County rival Donoho Wednesday at Bill Harris Arena with a straight-set25-21, 25-17, 25-14 win over Bayshore Christian. It will be the sixth match this season between Donoho and Pleasant Valley Wednesday. Donoho is 4-1 in the previous five meetings.
Outside hitter Allie Bryant had 22 kills and 17 digs for Pleasant Valley, coached by her mother Dana Bryant. Middle hitter Lily Henry totaled 13 kills, three blocks and 10 digs, Maddie Schwabe contributed 31 assists and 11 digs, and her sister Madison Schwabe had 15 digs and four kills.
Bayshore Christian (22-22) was led by senior Ashlyn Whiteside’s seven kills and two blocks. The Eagles of Coach Dave Omtvfedt, playing in Class 2A for the first time, won the 1A state title in 2020 and finished runner-up in 2021 – playing Donoho each time.
DONOHO 3, G.W. LONG 0
Setter Samantha Wakefield had 32 assists, 13 digs and three kills in the 25-17, 25-7, 25-19 win over G.W. Long (29-11). Teammate Lily Grace Draper had 13 kills, Mary Marshall Perry had nine kills and Ansley Simmons had seven. Estella Connell chipped in six kills and four blocks.
The Falcons will be vying for their 13th state title overall in Wednesday’s finals. Donoho, coached by Anna Taylor, won the Class 1A state crown in 2021 and moved up to 2A this season.
G.W. Long (42-13), coached by Craig Long, was led by Emma Claire Long. She finished with 12 kills and 12 digs. Libero Ainsley Watts had 14 digs andSawyer Hughes, an eighth grader, managed 15 assists and nine digs. Maleah Long added 10 assists and three kills.
CLASS 1A SEMIFINALS
COVENANT CHRISTIAN 3, MEEK 1
The Eagles (35-18) of Coach Allyson Estave won a hard-fought 21-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-21) semifinal match over Meek to advanced to Wednesday’s state finals.
Ashlee Gann had 29 kills to lead Covenant Christian. Ella Estave added 13 digs and Zoe Griffin had nine kills.
Meek finished its season 21-24. No Meek statistics were available from the semifinals.
ADDISON 3, SPRING GARDEN 0
The Bulldogs (45-10) of Coach Kaydi Woodard downed Spring Garden 25-19, 25-18, 25-13) to move into the finals Wednesday. Senior setter Gracie Manley had 37 assists to lead Addison. Dacey Baker also had 11 kills, Abby Waldrep had nine, Katie Barrett had seven plus five aces, and Bailey Ory had 13 digs.
Spring Garden (41-15), coached by Ricky Austin, was led by Ace Austin’s 13 kills and Avery Steward’s 21 assists.
AHSAA 52nd ELITE EIGHT STATE
VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Birmingham CrossPlex & Bill Harris Arena
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
CLASS 1A
QUARTERFINALS
Spring Garden (41-14) 3, Pleasant Home (18-13) 0 (25-8, 25-18, 25-16)
Addison (44-10) 3, Kinston (16-16) 0 (25-3, 25-10, 25-5)
Covenant Christian (35-18) 3, Brantley (25-12) 1 (22-25, 25-13, 25-16, 25-9)
Meek (21-23) 3, University Charter School (25-8) 0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-21)
SEMIFINALS
Addison (45-10) 3, Spring Garden (41-15) 0 (25-19, 25-18, 15-13)
Covenant Christian (35-18) 3, Meek (21-24) 1 (21-25, 25-28, 25-21, 25-21)
1A FINALS
Addison (45-10) vs. Covenant Christian (36-18) or Meek (22-23), Wed., 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Lindsay Lane (23-25) vs. G.W. Long (28-10)
Washington County (22-5) vs. Donoho (41-14)
Pleasant Valley (34-15) 3, Tuscaloosa Academy (20-10) 0 (25-9, 25-14, 25-20)
Bayshore Christian (22-21) 3, Fyffe (21-28) 0 (25-22, 25-11, 25-16)
SEMIFINALS
Donoho (42-14) 3, G.W. Long (28-12) 0 (25-17, 25-7, 25-19)
Pleasant Valley (35-15) 3, Bayshore Christian (22-22) 0 (25-21, 25-17, 25-14)
2A CHAMPIONSHIP
Donoho (42-14) vs. Pleasant Valley (35-15), Bill Harris Arena, Wed., 2:30 p.m.
CLASS 4A
QUARTERFINALS
Trinity Presbyterian (42-10) 3, Madison County (32-20) 0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-23)
Deshler (45-5) 3, Satsuma (22-14) 0 (25-14, 25-17, 25-23)
Orange Beach (33-10) 3, Priceville (28-14) 0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-19)
Montgomery Catholic (29-10) 3, West Morgan (40-15) 0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-16)
SEMIFINALS
Trinity Presbyterian (43-10) 3, Deshler (45-6) 0 (28-26, 25-10, 25-10)
Montgomery Catholic (29-10) 3, Orange Beach (33-11) 0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-17)
4A CHAMPIONSHIP
Trinity Presbyterian (43-10) vs. Montgomery Catholic (29-10), Bill Harris Arena, Wed., 4:30 p.m.
CLASS 5A
QUARTERFINALS
Gulf Shores (39-17) 3, Jasper (52-11) 2 (19-25, 25-21, 16-25, 25-17, 15-11)
Westminster Christian (45-9) 3, Providence Christian (20-26) 0 (25-15, 25-9, 25-12)
Arab (48-13) 3, Faith Academy (27-19) 0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-14)
Montgomery Academy (44-6) 3, Lawrence County (35-24) 1 (23-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-21)
SEMIFINALS
Westminster Christian (46-9) 3, Gulf Shores (39-18) 0 (25-19, 25-13), 25-17)
Arab (49-13) 3, Montgomery Academy (44-7) 1 (25-21, 25-23, 19-25, 25-23)
5A CHAMPIONSHIP
Westminster Christian (46-9) vs. Arab (49-13), Bill Harris Arena, Wednesday., 10 a.m.
WEDNESDAY’S SCHEDULE
at CrossPlex
CLASS 3A
QUARTERFINALS
Geraldine (32-16) vs. Prattville Christian (35-19), 9 a.m.
Opp (13-17) vs. Ohatchee (32-16), 9 a.m.
Houston Academy (23-14) vs. Plainview (61-11), 9 a.m.
Susan Moore (48-10) vs. St. Luke’s Episcopal (40-12), 9 a.m.
SEMIFINALS
Wednesday, p.m.
4A CHAMPIONSHIP
Bill Harris Arena, Wed., 2:30 p.m.
CLASS 6A
Hazel Green (39-21) vs. Bayside Academy (50-13) , Wed., 10:30 a.m.
Northridge (36-14) vs. Mountain Brook (49-12) , Wed., 10:30 a.m.
Pelham (38-16) vs. Hartselle (34-13) , Wed., 10:30 a.m.
Oxford (24-2) vs. Spanish Fort (44-16), Wed., 10:30 a.m.
SEMIFINALS
Wednesday, 6 p.m.
4A CHAMPIONSHIP
Bill Harris Arena, Wed., 2:30 p.m.
CLASS 7A
QUARTERFINALS
Sparkman (45-12) vs. St. Paul’s Episcopal (34-12), Wed., noon
Auburn (22-15) vs. Bob Jones (46-10) , Wed., noon
Enterprise (41-8) vs. Hoover (35-16) , Wed., noon
Huntsville (34-13) vs. McGill-Toolen Catholic (48-8) , Wed., noon
SEMIFINALS
CrossPlex, Wednesday, 5 p.m.
4A CHAMPIONSHIP
Bill Harris Arena, Thursday, 2 p.m.
