By Joe Medley, East Alabama Sports Today

BIRMINGHAM — Spring Garden’s only state championship in volleyball came in 2007, and the eight basketball players on that team went on to go undefeated en route to a basketball state title.

The current Spring Garden volleyball team, one win away from a state title, has nine basketball players.

“This has that same feel,” Spring Garden coach Ricky Austin said.

The Panthers not only survived the first day of the state volleyball tournament but swept it, including a 3-0 victory over 14-time and defending state champion Addison in the 1A semifinals.

It marked Spring Garden’s first victory over Addison in Austin’s long tenure as head coach and avenged a five-set loss to Addison in the North Super Regional semifinals.

The Panthers also avenged a 3-0 loss to Addison in last year’s state semifinals.

The Super Regional loss doomed Spring Garden to third place, but Austin said they were right on schedule at state.

“I didn’t feel like regional was the right time to beat them,” he said. “I felt like they’re good enough that we only beat them one time.”

That one-time victory now advances Spring Garden to Thursday’s championship match, where the Lady Panthers will face University Charter at 2 p.m. in Bill Harris Arena.

“I didn’t do anything to keep us from winning at regionals, but when we played them we saw a few things that we tweaked that just made a little bit of difference, not so much in the game but giving our girls confidence.”

Ace Austin led Spring Garden with 17 kills, and Avery Steward had 30 assists. Chloe Rule defended the net with 11 blocks, and libero Layla Ingram had 10 digs.

“To beat a good team like that, you’ve to have an alpha type player, and Ace was just enough of an alpha type player to make a huge difference tonight,” Austin said. “Chloe Rule was great defensively. Olivia Law was great blocking and scoring off the hit on various areas of the court.

“Our setter Avery Steward probably played the best game I’ve seen her play from a setter standpoint. Kristen Lewis, a defensive specialist, and Layla Ingram, our libero, made some unbelievable digs to keep some balls alive.”

Earlier in the day, Spring Garden swept Faith Christian, coached by Austin’s former basketball player Avery Gowens. The scores were 25-13, 25-12, 25-8.

Austin took pride in the connection when he and Gowens shook hands under the net.

“He said that, if there’s one thing that he liked, it’s that it was two Spring Garden people here,” Gowens said.

Austin recalled Gowens as a “hard worker.”

“He was always at practice every day,” Austin said. “Never was a starter but was a very good role guy and a good teammate.

“Never once did you ever see anything in his eyes that he ever thought, ‘I can’t do something.’ He was always positive about, I can do whatever I asked him to do, and that’s what I remember about him, and how much he believed in me at his coach.”

Gowens, who just concluded his second season as Faith’s head coach, copped to an extra “want to beat” his former coach but called it a “friendly competition.”

“I feel like part of my competitive spirit comes from my Spring Garden roots,” Gowens said. “It comes from basketball and being under him, and learning that whatever sports you’re in, you give it your all, and you dedicate yourself and blood, sweat and tears, nothing less.

“That’s what he’s done to make Spring Garden successful in any sport, even softball and football, sports he’s not even touched. He just has that impact on every player.”

Faith Christian (35-23) finished off its most successful season since 2018, the last time the Lions made it to Birmingham. The 2018 team advanced to the semifinals.

Led by Ace Austin’s 21 kills and Steward’s 38 assists, Spring Garden dominated the match. Rule had 10 kills and five blocks. Law contributed six kills and five blocks. Layla Ingram posted eight digs.

Ally Folsom paced Faith with five kills, and Kayson Cronan had 19 assists.

For Faith, the accomplishment was getting back to Birmingham. It marked a first for the three seniors, Folsom, Abigail Morse and Hannah Hubbard and bridge the program back to the 2018 team.

Spring Garden swept Faith in all three of their clashes this season, the others coming on Aug. 26 and Sept. 19.

“They’ve improved since we played them last time,” Austin said. “They did a good job of covering the floor and not being caught up on the moment first time here. That’s kind of big, but I was proud of our bunch for just settling down and finishing this thing and taking the next step.”