AHSAA 49th Elite Eight State Volleyball Championships
CLASS 3A FINALS
Montgomery Academy 3, Geraldine 9
BIRMINGHAM – The Montgomery Academy Eagles (47-6) fell by seven points behind to Geraldine High School early in the AHSAA 49th Elite Eight State Volleyball Championship Class 3A finals at Bill Harris Arena.
Once Coach Julie Gordon’s team settled down, however, they clawed
back to win the first set 25-20, then clinched the school’s second state
title in a row winning the final two sets 25-20, 25-17 to open the
2019 championship day.
For Gordon, it was the sixth state title she has coached for the
Eagles and pushed were individual coaching wins closer to her next goal
of 1,500 wins.
All seven state finals are scheduled for Bill Harris Arena today and
all seven are being live-streamed over the NFHS Network with announcer
Jerry Young handling the play-by-play.
Thursday’s victory belonged to a veteran bunch of seniors and juniors, said Gordon.
Senior middle hitter Brooke Horne earned MVP honors with 12 kills in
her middle hitter role. Junior Anaya Thomas totaled 11ckills, and
senior Mary Gray Turner added 10 kills and 13 digs. Junior Ann Cobern
Chapman had eight kills. Senior setter Millie Stevenson
had 35 assists and 11 digs and senior libero Grace Jackson had 23 digs.
Geraldine (42-9), coached by Renee Bearden, played tough the entire
match. Senior Haven Hall had 10 kills and seven digs to lead the
Bulldogs. Senior outside hitter Jerika Gary had nine kills and eight
digs. Setter Kirby Smith totaled 18 assists and sophomore
Jayden Dismuke had a team-high digs.
Bearden played on Geraldine’s 2001 state championship team.
CLASS 3A ALL-STATE TOURNAMENT TEAM
Brooke Horne, Montgomery Academy (MVP); Anaya Thomas, Montgomery
Academy; Millie Stevenson, Montgomery Academy; Haven Hall, Geraldine;
Jerika Gary, Geraldine; Jayden Dismuke, Geraldine.
Geraldine Lady Bulldogs Finish their season as the 2019 AHSAA 3A Volleyball State Runner-Up
