By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

CEDAR BLUFF – Back on Sept. 19 in a match against Fort Payne, Cherokee County High School junior setter Macy Lea went up to block an over-the-net pass. The girl hitting came under the net and Lea landed awkwardly on her foot.

“My (left) ankle touched the ground,” Lea recalled. “I had a high ankle sprain and an avulsion fracture in my fibula. None of my ligaments were damaged. They were just really stretched.”

Lea has been walking on crutches to help let her ankle heal. She went to physical therapy earlier this week and just happened to see Spring Garden senior outside hitter Ace Austin there. Austin herself had a similar injury earlier this season and just recently returned to the Lady Panther lineup.

While at the rehab facility, Lea and Austin couldn’t help but talk about Saturday’s Cherokee County Tournament.

“I was like ‘Are you playing?’” Lea said she asked Austin. “She was like ‘Yeah, I’m playing.’ I was like ‘Okay, then I’ve got to play.’”

It was almost as if Lea knew the two players and their respective teams would collide in Saturday’s tournament championship match at Cedar Bluff, and she didn’t want to miss that opportunity.

“They told her she could play through the pain,” Cherokee County coach Tiffany Rieger said. “She told me she was playing Saturday, and I was like ‘Girl, you have a fracture.’ She was like ‘I’m a different breed Coach.’”

That ‘different breed’ of player practiced on Thursday in preparation for Saturday’s tournament.

“She said it kind of hurt a little bit hitting her heel,” Rieger said. “She said ‘Coach, I’m just going to do me until I can’t do me anymore.’ This was really important to her.”

Bad ankle and all, Lea posted 74 assists, 11 digs, seven kills and three aces for the day, helping the Lady Warriors earn their first county championship since 2013. They opened the day by defeating Cedar Bluff 25-18, 25-9, then outlasted Spring Garden twice. The winners bracket match scores were 31-29 and 25-20. The championship match scores were 21-25, 25-21 and 15-12.

“It was definitely hard and I definitely felt it, but I feel like it was worth it and I would do it again,” Lea said. “We haven’t taken this thing home in a while, especially since I’ve been here. We come close last year, but to bring it home this year is just extra special. I feel like everybody’s hearts were in it today.”

“She’s definitely one tough kid,” Rieger said. “She ran our offense like a champ today.”

Spring Garden coach Ricky Austin said he was glad both Lea and his daughter were able to play in the county tournament on Saturday.

“Both of them are healthy. They looked like they moved well. Both of them affected the game. That’s what competitors do,” Austin said. “I spend a lot of time talking to kids about ‘Are you hurt or are you injured?’ There’s a difference. Those two were injured and now they’re hurt and they’re playing. That speaks highly of both of their toughness and competitiveness wanting to help their teams win.

“There was no doubt in my mind Macy would play after I talked to Tiffany last week. That was nice to see both of them out there.”

Following their first loss to the Lady Warriors (31-10), Spring Garden (22-10) defeated Cedar Bluff 25-15, 25-13 to reach the rematch in the championship.

For the day, Ace Austin led the Lady Panthers with 43 kills, 20 digs, two aces and two blocks. Avery Steward added 71 assists, 15 digs and three aces. Maggie Jarrett contributed 16 kills, 29 digs, four blocks, three aces and an assist. Olivia Law accumulated 10 kills, 24 digs, three aces and a block.

Kristen Lewis came away with 47 digs, five aces and three assists. Montana Highfield had three kills, three digs and a block. Chloe Fennell finished with four kills, four blocks and two digs.

Ava Haygood accumulated 29 kills, 19 digs, three aces and three assists for the Lady Warriors. Nevaeh Gaidurgis delivered 22 kills, 11 digs and three aces. Jolie Alexander collected 12 kills, nine digs, four aces and three assists. Ellisan Givens gained 46 digs, nine aces, six assists and a pair of kills.

Jesslyn Hincy had 24 digs, two assists and an ace. Libby Curry contributed six kills and a dig. Raegan Garmany and Lilly Shaw tallied seven and six kills respectively. Shamiya McElrath managed two digs and a kill. Kadie Henderson finished with a pair of aces.

Cedar Bluff opened the tournament with a 25-4, 25-4 win over Gaylesville. Sand Rock defeated Gaylesville 25-14, 25-7 in losers bracket action. The Lady Wildcats were then eliminated by Cedar Bluff 15-25, 25-17, 16-14.