5A & 6A VOLLEYBALL: Pike Road, St. James qualify for state tourney

Abby Wilson and Pike Road advance in Class 5A while St. St. James celebrates and moves on. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

Last year, there seemed to be a few regional tournament jitters.

This year, it was clear sailing for Pike Road, who swept Elberta and Satsuma in straight sets to advance to the state tournament for the first time in school history.

“It’s huge,” Pike Road coach Joi Washington said. “It sets the tone about who we want to be, what we expect out of Pike Road athletics, first of all, but then Pike Road volleyball.” 

From starting the program under Geoff Waring in 2018 as a fledgling 3A program to one that battled in the area tournament semifinals under Washington in 2019, from winning their first area title in 2020 but losing in the second round of the 5A regional to finally breaking through in 2021, it’s a squad that has taken small steps forward with each successive year.

“These girls have worked hard,” Washington said. “In the weight room, they’ve worked hard. In the field, they’ve worked hard. On the court, they’ve worked hard. It’s really good to see them get the fruits of their labor. Last year, I think we were a little big-eyed and shell shocked about being here. This year, I told them to embrace it, have fun.”

Last year, the Patriots looked out of sync in falling to Satsuma. This year, the same two teams matched up again and a more confident Pike Road swept Satsuma 25-18, 25-20 and 25-15 on Wednesday after beating Elberta earlier in the day. 

“We kind of got in our groove a couple of weeks ago,” Washington said. “Really just pushing them to show up every single point and give our best. Today, this kind of tournament, this time of year, it’s find a way to win, survive and advance.

“Much respect to Elberta and Satsuma, two really good programs. We’ve been punching it since June so I’m excited for the girls and the program.”

Gracie Branham had 12 kills, a pair of blocks, 19 digs and three aces, Allie Lovrich had 14 kills and 11 digs, Kirsten Hill had 14 digs and an ace and Rylie Fureigh had seven digs, 31 assists and three aces.

With the win, Pike Road earned its first trip to the state tournament, but first the Patriots will attempt to bring home a South Super Regional championship. Pike Road (22-11) will play Providence Christian (27-18) in one semifinal on Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, while Sylacauga (29-8) will play Bayside Academy (52-6) in the other semifinal.

The two winners will meet for the regional title on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., while the two losers will play in a consolation round, also at 6:30 p.m., to determine the seeding for next week’s state tournament. The Patriots accomplished their main goal on Wednesday, but there’s plenty more at stake in Thurday’s slate of games.

“It’s all mental,” Washington said. “They know we’re playing for the seeding for next week. We made it, that was our goal, now we’ve got to prove we deserve to be there.”

St. James cruises into 6A semis

There was more than a trip to the state volleyball tournament on the line for the St. James Trojans against Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa in the 6A Super Regional on Wednesday.

Win and the Trojans return to the state tournament after a one-year absence. Lose and the private school fails to maintain the necessary points required to stay in 6A under the Competitive Balance Factor and the Trojans drop to 5A in 2022.

“I’ll take the higher classification every time for the win and a chance to get back to state,” St. James coach Karen Lee said.

The Trojans won the first two sets against Hillcrest, 28-26 and 25-19, before dropping the third set 25-19. With a berth in the state tournament (and their classification) hanging in the balance, the Trojans rebounded to edge the Patriots 25-22 to earn a berth in next week’s 6A state tournament.

With the win, St. James earned its ninth trip to the state tournament since the regional format was adopted in 2012, making six consecutive trips as a 4A program in 2012-17, two as a 5A program in 2018-19 and now one as a 6A program.

“We are just ecstatic,” Lee said. “To make it back to state, in this classification, with basically nine, 10 girls all year long, we’re absolutely thrilled. To be one of the last eight standing in 6A? We couldn’t be more thrilled.

First, the Trojans will attempt to bring home a South Super Regional championship first. St. James (22-15) will play Saraland (51-4) in one semifinal on Thursday at 12:45 p.m. at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, while Northridge (33-16) will play St. Paul’s Episcopal (42-8) in the other semifinal.

The two winners will meet for the regional title on Thursday at 5 p.m., while the two losers will play in a consolation round, also at 5 p.m., to determine the seeding for next week’s state tournament.

To reach the state tournament, the Trojans had to win two games in the regional, defeating Hueytown 3-0 in the first round before taking on Hillcrest. Last year, in their first year as a Competitive Balance-adjusted 6A program, they were upset by Wetumpka. This year, the Trojans were playing much better. 

 “The girls were playing phenomenal today,” Lee said. “Our serve receive was clutch today, which put us in the offense a lot and just firing away with our hits. They were really playing as one from that first set.

“Hillcrest presented a bigger block, which made us a little leery of swinging away and utilizing their blocks, but (the St. James girls) got the job done. They (Hillcrest) were good on defense. They were digging a lot, putting up balls for their girls to hit. I’m very, very pleased with the way our back row played and dug out balls. For the most part, they did their job on the back row.”

St. James breezed through the 6A Area 3 competition with a perfect record in 10 games this season, but Lee said it was the remainder of the schedule against teams in lower classifications that prepared them for a return to the state tournament.

“We play tough teams, a lot of the teams that are here,” Lee said. “When you play them and you don’t play well, or you lose, it’s like, will we get back there? But when you look back, I’m so glad we played those teams because it does prepare you for the competition you see in the playoffs.”

CLASS 5A

First Round

Demopolis (12-14) 3, Charles Henderson (17-12) 0

Sylacauga (28-8) 3, Rehobeth (22-10) 2

Bayside Academy (51-6) 3, Brewbaker Tech (12-15) 0

UMS-Wright (25-14) 3, Jemison (16-13) 0

Satsuma (25-18) 3, Elmore County (25-12) 0

Pike Road (21-11) 3, Elberta (7-16) 0

Providence Christian (26-18) 3, Shelby County (13-13) 0

Andalusia (16-8) 3, Sipsey Valley (15-11) 1

Quarterfinals

Sylacauga (29-8) 3, Demopolis (12-15) 0

Bayside Academy (52-6) 3, UMS-Wright (25-15) 0

Pike Road (22-11) 3, Satsuma (25-19) 0

Providence Christian (27-18) 3, Andalusia (16-9) 0

Semifinals

Sylacauga (29-8) vs. Bayside Academy (52-6), Thursday, 2 p.m.

Pike Road (22-11) vs. Providence Christian (27-18), Thursday, 2 p.m.

Consolation finals, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.

Championship finals, Thursday, 6:30 p.m.

CLASS 6A

First Round

Northridge (32-16) 3, Eufaula (9-14) 0 

John Carroll Catholic (28-15) 3, Sidney Lanier (7-14) 0 

St. Paul’s Episcopal (41-8) 3, Stanhope Elmore 0 

Spanish Fort (47-13) 3, Helena (22-23) 0 

Gulf Shores (34-21) 3, Pelham (39-12) 1 

Saraland (50-4) 3, Wetumpka (23-18) 0 

St. James (21-15) 3, Hueytown (16-12) 0 

Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (23-19) 3, Opelika (13-14) 0

Quarterfinals

Northridge (33-16) 3, John Carroll Catholic (28-16) 1

St. Paul’s Episcopal (42-8) 3, Spanish Fort (47-14) 1

Saraland (51-4) 3, Gulf Sores (34-22) 1

St. James (22-15) 3, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (23-20) 1 (28-26, 25-19, 19-25, 25-22)

Semifinals

Northridge (33-16) vs. St. Paul’s Episcopal (42-8), Thursday, 12:45 p.m.

Saraland (51-4) vs. St. James (22-15), Thursday, 12:45 p.m.

Championship

Finals, Thursday, 5 p.m.

Consolation 

Finals, Thursday, 5 p.m.