MAYOR'S CUP: Bayside wins tourney; Catholic impresses

Action from Saturday’s Mayor’s Cup Tourney at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex. Bayside Academy won the tournament. (Tim Gaye)

By DYLAN HURST

Catholic’s volleyball team made an impressive run through bracket play in the annual Mayor’s Cup in the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl on Saturday, defeating St. Paul’s Episcopal and Catholic before falling in the finals to perennial power Bayside Academy 25-11 and 25-12 in the championship match.

The Lady Knights had played over 20 matches on Friday and Saturday in pool play and bracket play to earn the right to play in the final. With this difficult schedule and tough opponents, the Lady Knights were running on empty by the championship match. 

“I think it had a lot to do with pushing through how tired we were,” junior Lennon McAnnally said. “But I still think we saved up enough energy to have some fun.” 

McAnnally, a standout transfer from Prattville Christian, is playing her first season for the Lady Knights this year. She showed good energy during the game, and worked hard to keep her team and the fans energetic and motivated.

“I had fun during the tournament, and I feel like our team has gotten better,” she said. “We’ve all worked so hard, and I’m proud of our team.” 

Catholic head coach Sellers Dubberley knew how gassed his team was, but was proud of his team for reaching the finals and staying positive.  

“We just tried to have fun and stay loose and just enjoy our time on the court,” he said. “We had played a tough schedule and we had just ran out of gas. I don’t think it would have mattered who we played as tired as we were.” 

Catholic was among a dozen area teams competing in the prestigious tournament, with the top two teams in four pools advancing to gold bracket play and the third- and fourth-place teams in each pool competing in silver bracket play. The Knights finished second to Pelham in their pool, then won a quarterfinal matchup with St. Paul’s and a semifinal match with Trinity to reach the finals.

LAMP was in the same pool with Catholic and finished third in pool play after losing to the Knights 25-14 and 25-19 on Saturday morning. The Golden Tigers reached the semifinals of silver bracket play before losing to Providence Christian.

Trinity won its pool, beating Prattville Christian 25-10 and 25-20 in an opening-round match that eventually determined first and second place in the pool. 

The Wildcats finished unbeaten in pool play and defeated Brew Tech in the gold bracket quarterfinals before losing to Catholic.

The Panthers finished second in pool play and advanced to the gold bracket quarterfinals against Bayside Academy, falling to the Admirals 25-11 and 25-17. Hannah Jones had 33 kills, 14 blocks, 16 digs, five aces and two assists in the tournament, while Coco Thomas had 17 kills and 13 blocks, Avery Rogers had 37 digs, nine assists and a pair of aces and Jamie Johnson had 24 assists, 14 kills, three blocks, 12 digs and eight aces. Ella Jane Connell had 32 assists, a kill, a block, 16 digs and four aces, Naomi Taake had five kills, two blocks, 18 digs, five aces and two assists, Emma Cate Carter had seven kills, a block and six digs, Sally Swindall had five kills, Savannah Lamar had four digs and an ace, Sydney Lee had four digs and Brinkley Sailors had a kill.

Alabama Christian finished fifth in the pool that included Trinity, PCA, Houston Academy and St. Luke’s and did not advance to bracket play.

Montgomery Academy finished second in its pool, losing what proved to be the championship match to St. Paul’s Episcopal 27-25 and 25-19 on Saturday morning. The Eagles advanced to gold bracket play but lost to Pelham in the quarterfinals. 

St. James finished fourth in its pool and lost in the silver bracket to eventual champion St. Luke’s.