By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

SPRING GARDEN – There’s no doubt Spring Garden junior Ace Austin is a phenomenal athlete. A basketball commitment to the University of Alabama, the talented point guard is also quite the outside hitter in volleyball.

Ace led the Lady Panthers with 746 kills this season, a number which helped her team dethrone three-time defending state champion Addison and earn its first Class 1A state championship since 2007. She was recently selected by the Cherokee County volleyball coaches as their 2023 All-County Volleyball Most Valuable Player.

So what makes Austin such a dominant hitter on the volleyball court? Believe it or not, hula hoops helped play a part.

“We put hula hoops in the corner of the volleyball court earlier this year, and I said ‘Ace, if we win a state championship this year, you’re going to have to wear these corners out,’” Ace’s father and head coach Ricky Austin said. “It’s amazing how many kills she had just painting the corner. That made defenses shift around. When they shifted one way, they had to shift back the other way. She could really go from the corner to right in front of the net. That made us really special – not just her being a good hitter, but being dynamic.”

Ace said when she hits a ball, she always visualizes a hula hoop or box as the target when she makes her swing.

“This season I was really focusing in on trying to hit the corner,” Ace said. “There were many games where I would hit the corner, but it would be out by just an inch. It would be close. Throughout the season, I was really able to paint the corner.

“Against Addison (in the 1A state semifinal match), I’m pretty sure my first few points were right down the corner. When you get used to painting one side, then they’re going to have to shift and you can hit the other way.”

Of course it also helps having a little natural athletic ability as well.

“We’re blessed to have one who has the jumping ability. To me, that’s where Ace stands out,” Coach Austin said. “She hits the ball really hard, but her jumping ability puts a different trajectory on the ball. I think her point guard peripheral vision and floor awareness helps her see the floor.

“I’ll see things and I’ll call where I think there are open spots on the floor, but 90 percent of the time she does it on her own. I asked her ‘How do you know that girl wasn’t there?’ She just said ‘I just go up there and when I look around before I swing see where I feel the hole at. I hit it toward that hole.’ A lot of girls their timing has to be so precise just to get it o ver the net. They don’t have but a small margin of error there to hit it over the net, much less stand up in the air and find a hole to hit it in.”

Another big reason Ace is able to post so many kills is her setter, fellow junior Avery Steward. Steward, also an all-county volleyball selection, posted 1,407 assists during Spring Garden’s run to its latest state title last season.

“The connection between Ace and Avery goes back to when they were little kids, going to travel softball tournaments, going to youth basketball games,” Coach Austin said. “In my mind, those two don’t think they can be defeated.”

“We can tell when it’s off just a little, but it doesn’t take long to get back into rhythm,” Ace said. “To have that connection, it’s something that starts when you’re younger, just by being friends. She understands me. She knows where I like the ball. I think many fans can tell just how good of a connection we have – and not just me and Avery, but our whole team. I think it’s a connection that’s very special that hasn’t been with our volleyball team in a while.”

Making for what Ace called “a fun year.”

“A lot times we’ll be sitting in class and be like ‘We just won state,’” Ace said. “Sometimes you just let it go over your head, but we’re like ‘Wow.’ When you walk through that gym and you see those state championship trophies, it really gives you a good feeling. It shows it wasn’t just given to you. We had to work hard for it. It’s something everybody wants to have. Everybody wants to see a trophy (in their trophy case), but I think our school is blessed to have the athletes and the coaches to help us put them in there.”

Joining Ace Austin and Steward from Spring Garden on the All-Cherokee County Volleyball Team is senior middle Chloe Rule. Rule delivered 383 kills and 122 blocks for the Lady Panthers last season.

Class 2A state runner-up Sand Rock (49-18) also had three selections in senior outside hitter Katelyn St.Clair, senior setter Rylin St.Clair and senior libero Chloe Stephens.

Katelyn St.Clair collected 909 kills, 474 digs, 82 aces, 28 blocks and 11 assists. Rylin St.Clair contributed 1,529 assists, 339 digs, 91 aces, 90 kills and 40 blocks. Stephens managed 911 digs, 90 aces, 84 assists and five kills.

Sophomore setter Macy Lea, sophomore middle/outside hitter Nevaeh Gaidurgis and sophomore libero Ellisan Givens were selected from Class 4A state tournament participant Cherokee County (34-18).

Lea accumulated 1,052 assists, 208 digs, 72 kills, 39 blocks and 38 aces. Gaidurgis gained 501 kills, 267 digs, 66 aces, 53 blocks and 29 assists. Givens contributed 570 digs, 70 assists, 33 aces and 13 kills.

Class 1A Super Regional participant Cedar Bluff and Gaylesville both had a pair of selections.

Representing Cedar Bluff is sophomore setter Rylie Walker and sophomore outside hitter Kindal Grace. Walker accumulated 429 assists, 64 kills, 44 aces and 39 digs. Grace gained 232 kills, 37 digs, 31 aces and 19 blocks.

Senior setter Emma Givens and junior middle hitter/back row Alyssa Calvert were chosen from Gaylesville. Givens garnered 544 assists, 198 digs, 116 aces and 87 kills. Calvert collected 197 kills, 91 digs, 41 aces and 19 blocks.