Calhoun County Shines as Alexandria and Pleasant Valley Sweep Way to North Championships

Calhoun County, AL – Alexandria, Pleasant Valley sweep way to North championships. Cherokee County, Faith Christian, Spring Garden join area Elite Eight qualifiers. Includes regional results and pairings and state pairings.

Alexandria continues to validate its season-long slogan of “no ceilings.” Pleasant Valley remains on course to send its retiring coach out as champion.

The Valley Cubs and Raiders will go to the Elite Eight as regional champions, and the long list of area teams that qualified for the Elite Eight grew longer Thursday.

Alexandria, having clinched its first state tournament berth since 2020 Wednesday, completed their region run with a 3-0 victory over Lawrence County in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 5A North Super Regional final.

The brutal North Super Regional, which includes most of Class 5A’s top 10-ranked teams, marked the end of the line for Alexandria in 2021 and 2022. Alexandria coach Whitney Welch has made finishing strong a season-long focus, hence the slogan.

Led by head coach Whitney Welch (right), Alexandria celebrates Thursday after clinching the Class 5A North Super Regional title. (Submitted photo)

“‘No ceilings,’ it’s really like it says,” Welch said. “If this team just has confidence in themselves and just kind of go after it fearlessly, there’s nothing stopping them from doing whatever they want. I’ve always felt that.”

Pleasant Valley, the reigning Class 2A runner up, downed Lexington 3-0 in the North Super Regional final. Winners of 17 matches in a row, the Raiders did not lose a set in four matches in Huntsville’s Von Braun Center.

The Raiders’ late-season march includes their second Calhoun County title under Dana Bryant, who announced in August intentions to retire after this school year. She set a goal for her 18th and final season as Pleasant Valley’s head coach … the state title that eluded the Raiders when flu ravaged the team ahead of their loss to area rival Donoho in last year’s state final.

Pleasant Valley’s Super Regional title marks its first under Bryant.

“You know, all I can say is, the Lord has been good to me,” Bryant said. “He has given me an amazing group of girls to finish my career with. I could not ask for a better group, and I love each and every one of them.

“The fact that they love each other, and they love what they’re doing and they love the game has really made this last season enjoyable.”

At the South Regional in Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl Multiplex, Faith Christian won its first-round and quarterfinal matches Thursday to qualify for the Elite Eight. The Lions will play Sweet Water in Friday’s 10 a.m. regional semifinals.

Also clinching a state berth Thursday was Cherokee County, which played its way to the 4A North Super Regional semifinals. The Warriors will play Madison County on Friday’ at 10 a.m..

In Class 1A North, Spring Garden swept Jefferson Christian and Shoals Christian to punch its ticket to Birmingham and reach the regional semifinals. The Panthers will play Addison on Friday at 10 a.m.

Other area teams that clinched state berths in Wednesday’s North Super Regional action include Oxford (Class 6A), Glencoe (Class 3A) and Donoho (Class 2A). In the South, Wellborn (Class 3A) clinched its first state-tourney berth since 2004.

Alexandria

Alexandria (52-8) beat Brewer 3-2 in the semifinals and Lawrence County 3-0 in the final to win its first Super Regional title. The Valley Cubs also extended a school record with their 52nd win.

Top performers for Alexandria:

— Kailey Dickerson: 40 kills, one assist, 18 digs, one block, four aces.
— Eryn Spradley: 27 kills, one assist, four digs, two aces, one block.
— Kirsten Heathcock: two kills, two blocks.
— Cassidy Hartsfield: 11 kills, five digs, six blocks, four aces.
— Kaden Pritchett: five kills, three digs, four blocks.
— Devan White: four assists, 31 digs, one ace.
— Ava Johnson: one kill, one assist, 17 digs, one block.
— Charlee Parris: 16 digs, one ace.
— Christian Hess: 31 assists, 24 digs, three aces.
— Sophie Martin: two kills, 44 assists, one dig.
— McKinley Cooper: six kills, three digs, one block.

Pleasant Valley

The Raiders (37-12) beat Lexington 25-11, 25-16, 25-17 in the semifinals and Sand Rock 25-14, 25-14, 25-14 in the finals. Top performers for Pleasant Valley:

— Lily Henry: 28 kills, 24 digs, two blocks, one ace.
— Ella Parris: seven kills, 10 digs, 11 blocks.
— Allie Bryant: 13 kills, one assist, four aces, 21 digs,
— Maddie Schwabe: three kills, 49 assists, four aces, 17 digs, seven blocks.
— Madison Schwabe: six kills, four assists, one ace, 19 digs,
— Ellie Patterson: six kills, four blocks.
— Madi Hay: one kill, one ace, 17 digs.

Oxford

The Yellow Jackets (41-15) lost to Mountain Brook 17-25, 15-25, 12-25 in the Class 6A North semifinals but beat Shades Valley 25-19, 25-22, 26-24 in the third-place match. Top performers for Oxford:

— Payton Brooks: 52 assists, 11 digs.
— Jamea Gaston: 25 digs, two aces.
— Kaelyn Crossley: 11 digs, two aces.
— Ava Thomas: 30 kills, five digs.
— Mileah Prince: 16 kills, two blocks, two digs.
— Jaslyn Montgomery: four kills, two blocks.
— Sydney Jones: three kills.
— Daelyn Bozeman: five kills.
— Arilyn Pool: seven digs.
— Berkley Mooney: two digs.

Donoho

The Falcons (28-24) finished fourth in 2A North, falling to Sand Rock 25-22, 25-21, 22-25, 12-25, 9-15 in the semifinals and Lexington 19-25, 17-25, 19-25 in the third-place game. Top performers for Donoho:

— Estella Connell: nine kills, two aces, five digs, five blocks.
— Sam Wakefield: 13 kills, three assists, four aces, 36 digs.
— Ryals Jones: nine kills, two assists, three digs, five blocks.
— Callie Taylor: one kill, 33 assists, three aces, 14 digs, one block.
— Kate Williamon: 11 kills, one assist, three aces, 23 digs.
— Ava Michaels: one kill, one assist, eight digs.
— Caroline Padgett: one ace, five digs.
— Anna Kate Whitson: one ace, eight digs.
— Lindsey Brewer: one kill, one ace, seven digs.
— Alana Maldonado: one block.

Faith Christian

The Lions (34-21) beat R.C. Hatch 25-1, 25-7, 25-11 and Brantley 25-12, 25-18, 25-10 and will play Sweet Water in Friday’s 10 a.m. Class 1A South Super Regional semifinals. Top performers for Faith Christian:

— Ally Folsom: two aces, 11 kills, nine digs, three blocks.
— Anna Kate Robertson: five digs, one kill, 23 assists.
— Serenity Pate: one kill, six blocks.
— Cheyenne Rice: two aces, one dig, four kills, two blocks.
— Kaylee Hughes: one kill.
— Hannah Hubbard: one kill, two digs, three aces.
— Kayson Cronan: two assists, seven digs, 14 aces.
— Amy Hubbard: two kills.
— Sarah Katz: one kill.

Cherokee County

Cherokee County (33-16) beat Cordova 25-8, 25-18, 25-7 and Priceville 16-25, 25-20, 25-8, 22-25, 15-13 to clinch a state-tourney berth and reach Friday’s 10 a.m. super regional semifinal against Madison County. Top performers for Cherokee County:

— Macy Lea: 52 assists, six kills, four digs, two blocks, one ace.
— Ava Haygood: 25 digs, 10 kills, four aces, six assists, one block
— Libby Curry: 16 digs, eight kills, five aces.
— Nevaeh Gaidurgis: 36 kills, nine digs, five aces, two blocks, one assist.
— Ellisan Givens: 19 digs, four assists.
— Raegan Garmany: six kills, three digs, one block.

Regional results, pairings

AHSAA North Regional
Von Braun Center, Huntsville
Class 6A
Wednesday
Oxford def. Muscle Shoals, 3-1
Oxford def. Gardendale, 3-0 (Oxford clinches state berth)
Thursday
Mountain Brook def. Oxford, 3-0 (Semifinals)
Oxford def. Shades Valley, 3-0 (For third place)

Class 5A
Wednesday
Alexandria def. Hayden, 3-0
Alexandria def. Madison Academy, 3-0 (Alexandria clinches state berth)
Southside def. Jasper, 3-1
Arab def. Southside, 3-0
Thursday
Alexandria def. Brewer, 3-2 (Semifinals)
Alexandria def. Lawrence County, 3-0 (Championship)

Class 4A
Thursday
Good Hope def. White Plains, 3-0
Jacksonville def. Oneonta, 3-0
Madison County def. Jacksonville, 3-0
Cherokee County def. Cordova, 3-0
Cherokee County def. Priceville, 3-2 (Clinches state berth)
Friday
Cherokee County vs. Madison County, 10 a.m. (Semifinals)

Class 3A
Wednesday
Glencoe def. Fayette County, 3-0
Glencoe def. Susan Moore, 3-2
Ohatchee def. Vinemont, 3-0
Plainview def. Ohatchee, 3-0
Danville def. Piedmont, 3-1
Thursday
Geraldine 3, Glencoe 0
Westbrook Christian def. Glencoe, 3-1 (For third place)

Class 2A
Wednesday
Donoho def. Holly Pond, 3-0
Donoho def. Lindsay Lane, 3-2 (Donoho clinches state berth)
Pleasant Valley def. Southeastern, 3-0
Pleasant Valley def. Falkville, 3-0 (PV clinches state berth)
Thursday
Sand Rock def. Donoho, 3-2
Pleasant Valley def. Lexington, 3-0
Pleasant Valley def. Sand Rock, 3-0 (Championship)
Lexington def. Donoho, 3-0 (For third place)

Class 1A
Thursday
Spring Garden def. Jefferson Christian, 3-0
Spring Garden def. Shoals Christian, 3-0 (clinches state berth)
Friday
Spring Garden vs. Addison, 10 a.m. (Semifinals)

AHSAA South Regional
Cramton Bowl Multiplex, Montgomery
Class 4A
Thursday
Munford def. Bibb County, 3-0
LAMP def. Munford, 3-0
Montevallo def. Talladega, 3-0

Class 3A
Wednesday
Prattville def. Randolph County, 3-0
Wellborn def, Alabama Christian, 3-1.
Wellborn def. Ashford, 3-1 (Clinches state berth)
Thursday
Mobile Christian def. Wellborn, 3-0
Prattville Christian def. Wellborn, 3-0 (For third place)

Class 1A
Thursday
Faith Christian def. R.C. Hatch, 3-0
Faith Christian def. Brantley, 3-0 (Clinches state berth)
University Charter def. Wadley, 3-0
Friday
Faith Christian vs. Sweet Water, 10 a.m. (Semifinals)