Local Sports
PREP VOLLEYBALL: Raiders fall in state semfinals
By Michael CummingsRelated Photos
-
Good Hope High's volleyball team advanced to the Class 3A semifinals of the state tournament by beating Cottage Hill Wednesday.
Discussion
Add a comment on this storyPELHAM — Everyone else had long since gone home.
But Good Hope High’s volleyball team looked like it wanted to play all night.
Too bad the fifth game got in the way.
Playing in the final game of the evening, seventh-ranked Good Hope dropped a five-game heartbreaker to No. 2 Montgomery Academy Wednesday night in the Class 3A semifinals at the Pelham Civic Complex.
The Eagles’ epic 27-29, 25-22, 25-22, 26-28, 15-6 win ended the Raiders’ season one step short of the state championship game, a milestone they last reached in 2004.
Good Hope (38-16) overcame a 2-1 deficit and a match point in game four to force a decisive fifth game, but the Raiders fell behind 5-0 early and never recovered.
Raiders coach Rosemary Brown said her team showed more heart than it had all season in the loss.
“I am very proud of them — they did a great job,” she said. “We really could have pulled that out. It was back and forth, back and forth. They really played with their hearts tonight.”
Brown was right: The match was back and forth the whole time.
Good Hope overcame a five-point deficit to take the first game 29-27. Trailing 21-16, the Raiders rallied to get a game point at 25-24 before winning with a wild game point.
Jordan York had her kill attempt blocked by Montgomery Academy, but dug out the rebound before Good Hope sent the ball over to the other side, where the Eagles were already celebrating.
Montgomery Academy responded with a comeback of its own in game two. The Eagles fell behind 21-19 but rallied for six of the last seven points and a 25-22 win.
In game three, Good Hope again took the lead at 19-14, but saw Montgomery Academy take the set 25-22 with an 11-3 run.
The wildness continued in game four, when Good Hope won 28-26 after facing match point at 24-25. The Raiders took the game and evened the series when Montgomery Academy was called for a net violation at 27-26.
Katie Windsor led Good Hope with 31 kills and two blocks, while Kayla Johnson and Jordan York added 28 kills each. Ashley Stanley recorded 15 kills and 63 assists, while Brandi Hudson tallied 14 kills and five assists.
Montgomery Academy faces Bayside Academy today at 3 p.m. The Admirals defeated Catholic-Huntsville 25-15, 25-16, 25-21 in the other semifinal.
In the quarterfinal match against Cottage Hill, Good Hope won 25-14, 25-19 and 25-22.
Ashley Stanley paced Good Hope (38-15) with 35 assists and seven kills, while Brandi Hudson added 15 assists and six kills. Jordan York and Kayla Johnson recorded 14 kills apiece, while Katie Windsor had 13 kills.
Michael Cummings can be reached by phone at 734-2131, ext. 258 or by e-mail at michaelc@cullmantimes.com.
- Local Sports
-
- PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Holly Pond stays unbeaten, sets up showdown with defending champs
- PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Holly Pond stays unbeaten, sets up showdown with defending champs
- Wallace pitcher Holley signs letter of intent with UAB
-
CULLMAN FOOTBALL: Top-ranked Bearcats return to Russellville looking for revenge — one year later
Behold the power of three.
Heading into its Class 5A quarterfinal tonight at Russellville, Cullman High’s football team has already avenged two of its three losses from the 2008 season.
In week six, the Bearcats beat Erwin 42-16 to avenge a 25-20 loss from last season. And in week eight, Cullman downed Mountain Brook 28-13 to get revenge for last year’s 49-34 defeat.
Guess who the third target is. -
TALKIN' PREPS: Looks like more basketball parity this season
No juggernauts. No clear-cut favorites. Just a bunch of basketball teams that could beat every other team in the area.
-
AUBURN FOOTBALL: Washington may be playing himself into job as kick returner
The road to success has been long for Demond Washington.
Just about as long as his big return last weekend against Georgia.
With his Auburn Tigers trailing 24-17 in the fourth quarter this past Saturday, Washington took a Bulldogs kickoff at his own 1-yard line, weaved in and out of traffic and sped all the way to the end zone for a 99-yard touchdown. -
CULLMAN FOOTBALL: Versatile Adams fills multiple roles in Cats’ offense
Connor Adams has worn several labels over the past 15 months.
Starting running back, injured reserve, H-back, Wildcat quarterback, fill-in running back — those all fit the bill.
But here’s another one Adams can claim, and it’s something a little different:
Blessed. -
PREP BASKETBALL: Raiders give Hulsey family bragging rights
Tristan Hulsey didn’t hear a congratulatory yell from his father when he made a layup to give West Point High a one-point advantage heading into halftime.
His dad had a look of disgust on his face, instead. -
PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Aggies hold on, defeat Douglas
airview High’s basketball team stayed unbeaten with a nailbiting win Tuesday night, beating Douglas 52-20.
- PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Hiller drops 31 in Meek win
- Myrex signs national letter of intent with North Alabama
- More Local Sports Headlines
