AISA opens state volleyball tournament today

By TIM GAYLE

The Alabama Independent School Association’s state volleyball tournament kicks off Monday with a new format and a new home.

The AISA athletic committee voted earlier this year to change from a two-classification system to a three-classification system as the number of competitive programs has grown over the years. Some of the state’s best mid-sized programs, such as Edgewood and Coosa Valley, have had to compete in the state’s largest classification but will now avoid the schools that draw from much larger enrollments.

Volleyball programs are based on the number of females enrolled in the school, so a school such as Hooper Academy could be a Class AAA football team based on male enrollment and a Class AA volleyball program based on female enrollment.

In recent years, the AISA state volleyball tournament has moved from Faulkner, where parking could be an issue, to the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, but continuing construction at the Multiplex changed the venue to Garrett Coliseum. 

The coliseum experienced an electrical malfunction earlier this week, reducing its electrical capacity to a fraction of its normal output and city officials scrambled to find the AISA state tournament a suitable home while repairs started on the coliseum. When no suitable replacement could be found by Friday, officials agreed to keep the event at Garrett and bring in generators and portable lights.

The tournament starts on Monday and concludes Thursday, spaced out over several days to comply with COVID-19 regulations. 

The state volleyball tournament schedule:

CLASS A 

Game 1 -- Abbeville Christian vs. North River, Monday, noon

Game 2 -- Heritage Christian vs. Escambia Academy, Monday, noon

Game 3 -- Meadowview Christian vs. Crenshaw Christian, Monday, noon

Game 4 -- Jackson Academy vs. Pickens Academy, Monday, noon

Game 5 – Game 1 vs. Game 2 winners, Monday, approximately 2 p.m.

Game 6 – Game 3 vs. Game 4 winners, Monday, approximately 2 p.m.

Game 7 – Class A finals, Thursday, 11 a.m.

CLASS AA 

Game 1 – Chambers Academy vs. South Choctaw, Tuesday, noon

Game 2 – Hooper Academy vs. Cornerstone Christian, Tuesday, noon

Game 3 – Edgewood Academy vs. Lakeside School, Tuesday, noon

Game 4 – Coosa Valley vs. Patrician Academy, Tuesday, noon

Game 5 – Game 1 vs. Game 2 winners, Tuesday, approximately 2 p.m.

Game 6 – Game 3 vs. Game 4 winners, Tuesday, approximately 2 p.m.

Game 7 – Class AA finals, Thursday, 1 p.m.

CLASS AAA 

Game 1 – Glenwood School vs. Morgan Academy, Wednesday, noon

Game 2 – Tuscaloosa Academy vs. Macon East Academy, Wednesday, noon

Game 3 – Southern Academy vs. Pike Liberal Arts, Wednesday, noon

Game 4 – Lee-Scott Academy vs. Clarke Prep School, Wednesday, noon

Game 5 – Game 1 vs. Game 2 winners, Wednesday, approximately 2 p.m.

Game 6 – Game 3 vs. Game 4 winners, Wednesday, approximately 2 p.m.

Game 7 – Class AAA finals, Thursday, 3 p.m.