The AHSAA
MONTGOMERY – Junior libero Ellisan Givens didn’t pitch a perfect game in Cherokee County’s 3-0 volleyball victory over Anniston in the Lady Warriors’ Class 4A, Area 12 match Monday night.
But she came mighty close.
Givens, who captured this week’s AHSAA Volleyball Spotlight, served 21 aces in the first set 25-0 win, didn’t make it to the service line in the 25-3 set two win. She returned to in the final set, however, and delivered 22 more aces in game 3 as Cherokee County (22-6) closed out the match 25-0.
The Warriors of Coach Tiffany Rieger won the match with Givens serving 50 of her team’s 75 points with 43 coming on service aces. She didn’t just surpass the current AHSAA state record – she shattered it.
According to reporter Shannon Fagan of WEIS Radio, Rieger described Givens’ serving technique as “like a knuckle ball, low and flat.” Givens’ 21 aces in the first set broke the previous state record (19) set by Horseshoe Bend’s Lily Moss in last season’s Class 2A area tournament play in a 3-0 win over LaFayette. Moss had her 19 aces in the first set of that match. Givens broke her own new state record in the third set when she served 22 aces in the 25-0 run. Her 43 total service aces in the match also shattered the previous record (27) set by Saint James’ Lucy Edwards in a 25-6, 25-2, 25-5 win over Valley in 2019. Emma Cary of Providence Christian had 26 in a 2012 match win over Houston County, and Moss totaled 23 in her match with LaFayette.
Givens, who has 84 aces this season, apparently became the first player to serve all her team’s points in two sets in a single match. Moss accounted for her team’s points in one set in her record-setting effort in 2023. Cherokee County teammate Macy Lea also had a big week for the Warriors. The junior setter had 169 assists for the week pushing her career total over 2,700. The Warriors also handed Coach Rieger her milestone 250th coaching win a few days earlier as Cherokee County finished second at the Fort Payne Invitational tourney last weekend.
Givens’ record-setting performance was joined in this week’s Spotlight by Bob Jones High School senior setter Riley Lovell, who collected 76 assists for the Patriots (30-3) last week. She also delivered the 4,000th assist of her outstanding career becoming just the 14th player in AHSAA history to reach that lofty milestone. Huntsville High School’s Chelsea Wintzinger set the state record with 7,655 in a career that spanned from 2005-2009. The Panthers won four state championships during her prep career. Bayside Academy’s Sydney Chandler ranks second all-time with 7,505 playing on five straight state championship teams from 2007-2013. Prior to Lovell’s milestone last week, the most recent player in the AHSAA to reach 4,000 assists was Addison’s Gracie Manley, who helped the Bulldogs win four state titles during her five-year varsity career (2018-2022).
Other top performances reported this week include:
MILESTONES
SARALAND COACH NOTCHES 500TH WIN: Saraland high School head volleyball coach Dana Mason won her 500th career match last week as the Class 6A Spartans (19-3) beat Theodore in its only outing of the week. Mason is in her ninth season at Saraland after five years at Citronelle. Senior outside hitter Hannah Pearce led Saraland with 12 kills and four digs in the milestone win.
JAYCEE BERRONG, GERALDINE: The senior setter had 162 assists for the week pushing her career total past 1,500. She also had 18 service aces, 24 digs and 14 kills. Senior outside hitter Kentlei Rogers also had 88 kills, including notching her 1,000th career kill. She also had 63 digs and 10 aces for red-hot Bulldogs.
BAKER GARSIDE, ST. LUKE’S EPISCOPAL: The junior setter had 118 assists last week to push her career total past 1,500. She also had 40 digs and 10 service aces for the Wildcats.
K.K. CORLEY, SAINT JAMES: The junior outside hitter totaled 64 kills last week for the Trojans (13-5) to push her career total over 1,000.
ADDISON DOCKERY, HELENA: The senior outside hitter delivered the 1,000th kill of her career last week for the Huskies. She had 95 on the week with 15 digs to lead Helena to the Tuscaloosa tourney title. Teammate Kylie Scoles had 76 assists – and surpassed 1,500 in her career in the process.
KADENCE ROLSTON, MARS HILL BIBLE: The senior delivered 67 kills and 44 digs on the week for the Panthers (16-3) and reached a major milestone with her 1,000th kill. She finished the week with 1,021.
TAYLOR ISHMAEL, SPANISH FORT: The senior middle hitter led the Class 6A Toros (29-6) with 54 kills last week and surpassed 1,000 kills for her career in the process. She also served 11 aces.
ELLA LOMAX, DAPHNE: The Trojans’ junior outside hitter totaled 73 kills last week, upping her season total to 266, and moved past 1,000 kills for her career. She also served 15 aces.
LYNLEIGH COBB, WINSTON COUNTY: Had 98 kills for Winston County (14-4), including her 1,000th career kill, and teammate Mari Stewart distributed 146 assists and served 11 aces to also reach her 1,000-assist career milestone, as their team finished 6-2 on the week.
ASSISTS
MAMIE BACHOFER, SHOALS CHRISTIAN: The setter led the Flame (14-5) to a 6-0 record for the week including winning the Belgreen Bulldog Bash with a victory over Mars Hill Bible in the finals. She had 193 assists, 27 digs and 11 aces.
ADDY GUSTAFSON, MADISON COUNTY: The junior setter managed 151 assists and 71 digs last week for the Class 4A Tigers (21-7).
BAYLEE ROGERS, PRATTVILLE CHRISTIAN: Recorded 148 assists, 34 digs and 17 aces for Prattville Christian (17-8) finished 4-3 on the week.
EMMA RIGSBY, JASPER: Had 145 assists, 37 digs, 13 kills and 14 aces as the Vikings (13-8) went 5-2 for the week.
CHLOE MAE, CENTRAL-FLORENCE: Had 145 assists and 40 digs leading the Wildcats (16-7) to through pool play undefeated before falling to Jasper 2-1 in the Gold Bracket of the Eddie Preuitt Ford Tournament at Hartselle.
CALLEE TAYLOR, DONOHO: The Falcons’ setter had 144 assists, 29 digs and 10 aces as Donoho (17-80 went 6-1 on the week and won its own Donoho Classic tourney.
MIA WILSON, BRIARWOOD CHRISTIAN: Led the Lady Lions with 136 assists and 37 digs as Briarwood (15-10) finished second at the Husky Challenge Invitational at Hewitt-Trussville High School.
SAWYER HUGHES, G.W. LONG: Had 242 assists and 18 digs to help the Rebels claim runner-up in the Silver Division of the Enterprise Invitational tourney last weekend. Anna Clair Free also had 99 kills for the week.
LIBBY ROGERS, FAIRHOPE: Had 118 assists, 48 kills and 7.5 blocks as the Class 7A Pirates (22-7) finished second at the Bayside Academy Battle by the Bay tourney.
MADI LOPEZ, HOOVER: Led the Bucs (21-4) to the championship of the River City Rumble in Chattanooga (TN) with 116 assists, 55 digs and six aces.
ABBY DiMATEO, BAYSIDE ACADEMY: The eighth-grade setter had 109 assists, 20 digs, seven kills and eight aces last week for Bayside Academy.
KILLS
KALEIGH MILLER, NORTHSIDE: Upped her season total to 210 kills with a strong performance last week as Northside improved to 16-2 on the year. She is averaging four kills per set this season.
MELAINA HAINES, MOBILE CHRISTIAN: Had an impressive week with 111 kills, 72 assists, 57 digs, 18 service aces and five blocked shots to lead the Leopards (16-3) seven straight wins to claim the title of the Battle of the Bay Invitational at Bayside Academy.
ISLEIGH HICKS, SOUTHEASTERN: Led the Mustangs’ efforts last week with 82 kills, 51 digs and 12 blocks. She had 649 career kills, including 145 this season, by the end of the week.
MILLIE BURGESS, VESTAVIA HILLS: Helped the Lady Rebels (13-3) win six matches and the tourney championship at the South of Town Showdown at Thompson High School. She had 87 kills and 21 service aces.
BEA WIGGINS, SPAIN PARK: Had 79 kills, 82 digs, 11 blocks and six aces as Spain Park (17-6) reached the Gold Bracket finals of the River City Rumble at Chattanooga, ironically, falling to city rival Hoover in the championship match. The Jags were 5-0 versus Tennessee schools in the tourney.
AMIYA LEWIS, ASHFORD: Had 70 kills and nine blocks as the Yellow Jackets advanced to the Bronze Bracket semifinals at the Enterprise Invitational tourney.
CAMRYN McMINN, PELHAM: Had 50 kills and 29 digs in match wins over Chelsea and Spain Park for Pelham (21-6).
KENNEDY MOSS, HUNTSVILLE: Managed 39 kills, two blocks, 28 digs and eight service as Huntsville (14-4) finished third in the Gold Bracket of the Jensen Beach East Coast Challenge at West Palm (FL).
JADYN BRITTON, ENTERPRISE: Had 33 kills to lead the Wildcats to a 5-1 record and runner-up finish in Enterprise’s own 15th annual invitational. UMS-Wright won the tourney with a 2-0 win over the host school. She also had 11 kills in a 3-0 regular season win over Dothan in Class 7A, Area 4.
PARIS McQUIRTER, McGILL-TOOLEN CATHOLIC: Helped the defending Class 7A state champion Dirty Dozen (20-6) win two Area 4 matches with 28 kills, 13 digs, four blocks and two service aces.
BELLA SELLERS, WICKSBURG: Recorded 24 kills in a five-set 22-25, 25-15, 27-25, 18-25, 15-8 victory over Dale County.”
BLOCKS
EEVY BELLAR, HAZEL GREEN: Had 36 blocks, 54 kills and 26 digs as the Trojans (20-2) won the Silver Bracket title at the Border Battle tourney at Franklin (TN). Teammate Ashton Douglas added 20 blocks.
HOLLAND WILLIAMS, TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN: Had 32 blocks and 66 kills to lead the Wildcats (18-7) to the Silver Bracket title of the Battle of the Bay tourney at Bayside Academy. Among the wins was a victory over the host Admirals.
MATTIE JOHNSON, ADDISON: Had 21 blocks and teammate Ava Bartlett had 20 as the Bulldogs (14-5) won four matches.
SAGE JACKSON, NORTHRIDGE: Managed 18 blocks and 28 kills for Northridge (12-10) last week.
AUBRIELLA HAIRSTON, PLAINVIEW: Had 18 blocks and 50 kills last week for Plainview (11-14) in six matches.
MARLEY COWEN, VESTAVIA HILLS: Managed 14 blocks and 36 kills on 76 attempts in the Rebels’ championship run at the South of Town Showdown tourney.
DIGS
ALLIE YEARY, MADISON COUNTY: Her 122 digs and nine aces helped spark Madison County to six wins over the week.
MELISSA PATEL, MOBILE CHRISTIAN: The Leopards’ junior libero had 118 digs last week to spark Mobile Chistian (16-3) to a championship at the Bayside Battle of the Bay Invitational.
EMILY MAGNUSSON, ARDMORE: Helped Ardmore (10-7) go 4-1 last week with 72 digs and eight service aces.
MARY FRANCES ITSEDE, HARTSELLE: Led the Lady Tigers (18-13) to the championship of its own Eddie Preuitt Ford 16-team invitational tourney with 60 digs, 10 blocks and 10 service aces.
ANNA CAMPBELL, THOMPSON: Had 52 digs and eight aces for the Warriors (16-4) as the host team won four matches and reached the semifinals of its own South of Town Showdown.
SERVICE ACES
RAYANNA AUSLEY, GENEVA: Was 60-for-60 in serve accuracy for the week with 32 kills, 46 digs and five blocks for the Class 4A Panthers (18-2).
TA’MAYA OMAN, SHOALS CHRISTIAN: Served 27 aces, had 87 kills and 46 digs as Shoals Christian won the Belgreen Bulldog Bash tournament.
KERIGAN FREEMAN, REHOBETH: Served 22 aces and had 25 kills for Rehobeth (18-6), which went 3-2 in the Enterprise Invitational and advanced to the Silver Bracket semifinals.
CLARA CRAWFORD, BRIARWOOD CHRISTIAN: The senior had 16 service aces, 14 blocks, 26 digs and 34 kills helping the Lions finish second at Hewitt-Trussville’s Husky Invitational.
HAYDEN HOWELL, GENEVA: Served 15 aces and finished with 62 assists, kills and 34 digs as previously unbeaten Class 4A Geneva (18-2) won five matches before dropping two at the Enterprise Invitational.
SHANNON ALFORD, NORTHSIDE METHODIST: Had 15 service aces and 22 kills as Northside Methodist (7-4) went 2-1 on the week.