AISA VOLLEYBALL: Hooper Academy tops Glenwood for Class AAA title

Hooper Academy won the Class AAA state volleyball championship, defeating Glenwood for the title. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

For two sets, Hooper Academy looked almost unbeatable.

In their matchup with Glenwood School in the Alabama Independent School Association Class AAA volleyball finals, the Colts looked more confident and more aggressive in a 25-14 win to open the match.

The Gators made a late rally in the second set, trimming the deficit to 25-21, but the Colts still had the upper hand in the best-of-five series.

“They had it in their minds what they wanted to do,” Hooper coach Jessi Hayes said of her players. “My girls knew exactly how they needed to start, how they needed to play and the things they could do to help themselves. But Glenwood stepped it up and made it a little difficult on us.”

Suddenly, Glenwood found all the open spots on the floor and rallied for a 25-17 win in the third set. It was hard not to have flashbacks to last year’s battle between the two, won by Glenwood. Hayes called her squad over for a pep talk and to make a couple of adjustments.

“We changed up where we were standing in the back coverage,” she said. “But I also told them -- I think we started slacking up on our hitting -- not to slack up any more. Hit the ball. Do not be afraid. Be confident in hitting the ball. They’re turning it on you and you’ve got to step it up just a little bit more than you thought.”

Hooper (23-4) grabbed control of the third set, then withstood a furious Glenwood rally late to beat the Gators 25-23 and win the school’s first-ever volleyball championship at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Tuesday afternoon.

After making the school’s first trip to the finals last season, Hayes’ group finished the mission this season, splitting with the Gators in the regular-season series, losing a second time to the Gators in a tournament and then winning when it mattered most.

“Amazing,” Hayes said. “Glenwood’s been good for years. They’ve been great. And last year, I knew we felt down about it. But this year, we came in with a positive attitude and with confidence because of how our season went, because we did end up splitting with them this season. But they’re a great team, a great program, so this feels very amazing.”

Making the all-tournament team were Annie Bressler, Kaylee Midkiff and Grace Seale of Hooper, Anna Grace Griggs and Maddie Moody of Glenwood, Lee-Scott Academy’s Kate Dickerson and Southern Academy’s Madeline Chapman.

AISA STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

Multiplex at Cramton Bowl

CLASS AAA

Quarterfinals

Hooper Academy 3, Bessemer Academy 0

Lee-Scott Academy 3, Clarke Prep School 0

Southern Academy 3, Fort Dale Academy 0

Glenwood School 3, Morgan Academy 0

Semifinals

Hooper Academy 3, Lee-Scott Academy 0

Glenwood School 3, Southern Academy 0

Finals

Hooper Academy 3, Glenwood School 1

CLASS AA

Quarterfinals

Edgewood Academy 3, Pickens Academy 0

Macon East Academy 3, North River Christian 1

Patrician Academy 3, Abbeville Christian 1

Lowndes Academy 3, Jackson Academy 0

Semifinals

Edgewood Academy 3, Macon East Academy 0

Lowndes Academy 3, Patrician Academy 0

Finals

Edgewood Academy 3, Lowndes Academy 0

CLASS A

Quarterfinals

Coosa Valley Academy 3, Snook Christian 0

Escambia Academy 3, Heritage Christian 0

South Choctaw Academy 3, Evangel Christian 0

Cornerstone Christian 3, Meadowview Christian 0

Semifinals

Coosa Valley Academy 3, Escambia Academy 0

South Choctaw Academy 3, Cornerstone Christian 0

Finals

Coosa Valley Academy 3, South Choctaw Academy 2