GDW Analysis:
VINEMONT: In having a great volleyball season, the Vinemont Lady Eagles will see it continue into the next stage of the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) playoffs.
Step one was accomplished Wednesday evening when Vinemont won the 3A, Area 11 championship.
The Lady Eagles defeated Hanceville 3 to 0 in the semifinals. At 8:45 p.m., Vinemont celebrated the championship with a sweep of Holly Pond.
Vinemont has experienced winning like never before in this sport. The Lady Eagles go to the North Super Regionals next week in Hoover with a school record 48 victories. The Lady Eagles tallied a 10 & 0 season vs. their area.
Holly Pond will join Vinemont in the Super Regional for its runner up berth from the area.
The Lady Broncos overcame a 1 to 0 deficit in their semifinal with Locust Fork, taking three in a row in comeback fashion by scores of 26 to 24, 27 to 25 and 26 to 24.
Hanceville started the tournament in defeating JB Pennington 25 to 15, 25 to 8, 17 to 25 and 25 to 20.
The Vinemont-Hanceville battle was won by the Lady Eagles 25 to 13, 25 to 23 and 25 to 17.
Coaches all area team:
Blakely Baggett, Ava Olinger and Sadie Nail of Holly Pond.
Reagan Robinson, Caroline Miller, Morgan Flanagan and Carley Stephens of Vinemont.
Stephens was named the MVP.
Gameday Weekly All Performance team:
Vinemont: Carley Stephens, Reagan Robinson, Morgan Flanagan, Addison Holcomb.
Holly Pond: Blakely Baggett, Ava Olinger, Sadie Nail.
Hanceville: Alex Twitty, Aliyah Twitty, Olivia Stallings
Locust Fork: Ava Hancock, Dianna Boatright
Co players of the tournament: Stephens and Robinson of Vinemont.
Flash Facts:
Under Bobby Daniels in his first season with Vinemont, the Lady Eagles have enjoyed an incredible run for working on getting better from one assignment to the next.
Vinemont compiled an outstanding mark of 23 wins and 3 losses from Vinemont Gymnasium.
Stephens and Flanagan have been consistent all season in their final year of wearing a Vinemont uniform.
Two other seniors that have added to the strength of the squad are Abby Kuykendall and Aubrey Sandlin.
Sandlin got credit for the match set clincher with the serve as Robinson delivered a kill to end the championship match in 1 hour, 7 minutes.
Miller, Holcomb, Arleigh Thomason and Ava Abernathy mix in their moments with the team very sound at this time of the volleyball season.
Holly Pond's talent consist of Baggett in her junior season, while Nail just finished playing as an 8th grader and Olinger a freshman.
GDW analyzed a determined Lady Broncos' squad, led by coach Adrien Adams in their thriller over Locust Fork when they delivered in crunch time of each set they won after losing the opener 25 to 17.
Stallings finished her career for Hanceville by raising her level of play.
The Twitty sisters will be looked upon to continue a surge by Hanceville in 2025 with Morgan Hammock to be in her third season leading the squad.
Photo of the 3A, Area 11 VB team:
From left, Reagan Robinson, Morgan Flanagan, Caroline Miller and Carley Stephens of Vinemont.
Sadie Nail, Blakely Baggett and Ava Olinger of Holly Pond.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton
