Half a dozen teams encounter intense matchups Friday:
GDW Analysis:
WEST POINT: Half a dozen volleyball teams encountered one another Friday afternoon in the West Point playday from Jim Boyd Gymnasium.
Two courts were set up with each assignment consisting of 30 minutes of a running clock after a 5 minute warmup situation.
Playing for the first time in the July playdays were Cullman Christian School and Holly Pond.
Good Hope had spent a couple of days at West Morgan while West Point had one assignment from West Morgan and the other down at Corner High School.
Accepting invitations in being schools from outside the county were Boaz and Hayden, both in Class 5A of the AHSAA.
Holly Pond had a long time foe to begin its schedule, Adrien Adams' Lady Broncos started out with Good Hope, then had Hayden, Cullman Christian, Boaz and West Point.
Cullman Christian now officially in the AHSAA after a 2 year probation period, took on Hayden, followed by West Point, Good Hope, Holly Pond and Boaz.
Good Hope's schedule consisted of Holly Pond, Boaz, Cullman Christian. West Point and Hayden.
New West Point coach Meagan Cagle sent the Lady Warriors into battle with Boaz, Cullman Christian, Hayden, Good Hope and Holly Pond.
The varsity segment of this playday began at around 12:40 p.m. and ended by 5:20 p.m.
Good Hope coach Natasha Holder told GDW she was pleased on how her team is making progress in the first week of the 2024 playdays.
On Thursday, the defending Cullman County tournament champion took on Russellville, Elkmont, Hatton and Madison Academy.
Holder said her team held their own with Russellville and had good outings in the three other assignments.
GDW was able to see Holly Pond and West Point fight hard when the Lady Broncos met Boaz and the Lady Warriors battled Hayden.
Both locals made a series of good plays on the serving side and receiving side too.
The enthusiasm that Cagle displayed on the bench sent a positive signal to her team in giving all out efforts. This team has experience going into the start of the Cagle era and things are starting to click between the ball club and the coach.
Cullman Christian is on an upswing for now a full fledge member in the AHSAA. It was back in late July of 2022, CCS' new principal Heith Yearwood made a sales pitch to the AHSAA to get sanctioning. Now the Christian school, located near the Cullman County Sheriff's Department, has a new wooden floor that was recently installed.
The floor is formerly of the Boston Celtics' G League team.
CCS is working on stripping the floor, giving it a new paint job with the colors of Carolina Blue worn by it's athletic teams.
Next week will be dead time due to the AHSAA with all star sports week in Montgomery.
Volleyball teams can return to playdays for the last full week of July, from the 22nd to the 26th.
Good Hope is scheduled to host a playday series on the 22nd and 23rd with West Point to welcome a group of competitors on the 26th to campus.
Photo of Holly Pond coach Adrien Adams in a playday assignment Friday vs. Good Hope from Jim Boyd Gymnasium in West Point.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.
