By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

Spring Garden senior outside hitter Ace Austin and Cherokee County High School junior setter Macy Lea both wear the number 1 on their volleyball jerseys.

But that’s not the only thing they have in common.

Last season, the two suffered what could have been potential season-ending injuries. Ace had a high ankle sprain in a tournament at Good Hope on Aug. 24 after going up for a block and landing awkwardly on a Priceville player’s foot. She was on crutches and in a boot for a few weeks before returning to action.

A little less than a month later in Cherokee County’s match against Fort Payne, Macy went up to block an over-the-net pass. The girl hitting came under the net and Macy landed awkwardly on her foot. She suffered an avulsion fracture in her fibula.

Ace and Macy crossed paths during their respective rehabs the week before the Cherokee County Tournament. Both battled back in time to play each other in the championship match.

The Lady Warriors outlasted Spring Garden twice for the title. The winners bracket scores were 31-29 and 25-20. The championship match scores were 21-25, 25-21 and 15-12. It was Cherokee County’s first county volleyball title since 2013.

From there, both Ace and Macy led their respective teams back to the state tournament in Birmingham. Ace, who only played in 27 matches this season, led the Lady Panthers to their second straight Class 1A state title with a sweep of University Charter in the championship match. Cherokee County fell short to top-ranked Prattville Christian in the Class 4A Elite 8.

When it came time to decide their All-Cherokee County Volleyball Team, the coaches fittingly split their choice for the Most Valuable Player.

Ace finished the season with 385 kills and 162 digs. Macy posted 1,068 assists, 204 digs, 93 kills, 29 aces and 15 blocks.

The two competitors give credit to each other for helping get the other better during the stretch run of the season.

“She actually texted me and said ‘Congrats,’” Ace said of Macy on when the two found out they were co-MVPs. “It kind of just shows our mindset. We’re going to get back on that floor. I remember when we played them at county, you could tell we were both in a little pain, but we were still going to go through it. We just have that grit in us. We’re not going to miss these games.”

“I have a lot of respect for her and how hard she works,” Macy said of Ace. “I was really happy that I got (MVP) with her. I think she’s very talented. There’s a competitive relationship there, but I’m really happy we got (MVP) together.”

Both Ace’s and Macy’s respective head coaches tried not to let on they were very nervous about their respective injuries. The first thing Ace’s coach and father Ricky Austin said to the team following Ace’s injury was ‘We’re going to turn this negative into a positive.’

“The second thing I said was ‘This could be the best thing that could happen,’” When I said that, I was like ‘Did I really just say that?’ As a daddy, I’m saying that and heart is in my belly. I wanted to throw up because I could see in her face how much she was hurting, but as a coach, you can’t dwell on it. You know you’ve still got a team of competitors. You know you’ve still got a group of girls who are willing to do anything for you. You’ve just got to lead them into something.”

Lady Warrior head coach Tiffany Rieger said she sought out Coach Austin’s advice in dealing with Macy’s injury.

“Macy told the doctor she had the county tournament the following weekend, and he told her if she could stand the pain, she could play,” Rieger recalled. “I had mixed feelings about her playing. I wanted her to play if she wanted to play, but I also wanted to look out for her best interest long-term. I called Coach Austin. I knew he was in a similar position with Ace, and I always value his opinion and experience. He told me as long as the player is medically cleared and says she wants to play, he lets them because it builds character and develops mental toughness when you have to play through something like that. So, Macy went to rehab and was back on the court the next weekend.”

It turned out both coaches’ and players’ decisions to play in the county tournament paid big dividends for both teams.

Coach Austin felt the county tournament was the “starting point” for the Lady Panthers’ late season surge.

“When you play against a good team like Centre was this year, it exposed a lot of weaknesses,” he said. “Us finally getting to play with a full deck at that time and then playing against them, it was kind of the turnaround point, but it was the starting point as well.”

Winning county for the first time in 11 years was also a big turning point in the season for Cherokee County. It turned out Rieger had made the right decision to give the green light to Macy, who posted 74 assists, 11 digs, seven kills and three aces that day.

“I felt that Macy had one of her best performances that day. She was on point with every set and never slowed down even though I know she was in constant pain,” Rieger said. “The girls knew it had been too long since Cherokee County had brought home a county championship, and the drive to bring that trophy home was what pushed Macy’s determination not to let her team down.”

Neither player has let their team down since coming on to the varsity scene. Ace has been playing on varsity since seventh grade. Macy was pulled up to the Lady Warrior varsity squad when she was in eighth grade.

“She is definitely one of the best setters I’ve ever played against through my whole career,” Ace said of Macy. “Everything about her, she’s got the hustle, she also leads her team. She’s one of those players if you take her off the floor it’s going to make a difference. That just shows who she is.”

Macy said the feeling is mutual.

“(Ace) never fails to impress me. She’s a really great player. I think maybe there’s a little bit of competitiveness and eagerness to win between both of us. I think going against Spring Garden won’t be the same without her. She’s a tough opponent for sure.”

Joining Ace from Spring Garden on the all-county volleyball team is senior outside Maggie Jarrett (292 kills, 332 digs and 44 aces), senior setter Avery Steward (962 assists), and senior defensive specialist Kristen Lewis (424 digs).

Joining Macy from the Lady Warriors is junior libero Ellisan Givens (689 digs, 145 aces, 104 assists and 14 kills), junior middle/outside hitter Nevaeh Gaidurgis (515 kills, 303 digs, 63 aces, 54 blocks and 22 assists), sophomore outside hitter Ava Haygood (447 kills, 301 digs, 48 aces, 48 assists and 30 blocks), and freshman middle/outside hitter Jolie Alexander (201 kills, 94 aces, 81 digs, 55 blocks and 13 assists).

Cedar Bluff has three selections in junior libero Blakelea Hall (394 digs, nine aces, and an 82% reception percentage on 1121 reception attempts), junior setter Rylie Walker (315 digs, 586 assists, 45 kills and 42 aces), and senior outside hitter Kindal Grace (329 kills, 276 digs, 26 aces and 13 blocks).

Representing Sand Rock is sophomore libero Molly Grace Lay (403 digs, 91 sets, 28 aces and 37 assists). Senior outside hitter Alyssa Calvert (112 kills, 70 digs, 21 aces and 32 blocks) was chosen from Gaylesville.