STATE VOLLEYBALL FINALS: PCA returns to title game with sweep of Alexandria; Catholic falters in 5A championship

Catholic’s Joi McGuire fires a shot past Guntersville defenders Shiloh Stanley (11) and Mary George Vandergriff in Wednesday’s Class 5A finals at the Bill Harris Arena. (Photo courtesy of AHSAA/ David Holtsford)

CONTRIBUTED

BIRMINGHAM – Prattville Christian will return to the championship round, thanks to a three-set match win over Alexandria in the Class 4A semifinals to the finals in the 55th AHSAA Elite 8 Volleyball Championships at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Wednesday.

The Panthers won the match with scores of 25-16, 25-18, 25-21.
The Panthers (38-11) can win their third title in the last four seasons after winning championships last season and in 2022.

The Panthers will face Cherokee County in the finals Thursday at 2 p.m., at the Bill Harris Arena.
Leah Cate Wilson led the Panthers with 14 kills and three blocks, and Maren Diefenderfer added 11 kills, four blocks and 1 seven digs. Morgan Fowler contributed 18 digs and two aces, and setter Baylee Rogers tallied 36 assists, four kills and seven digs.

Catholic falls in 5A Finals

Guntersville High School closed out the 2025 volleyball season Wednesday with the Wildcats’ 64th victory of the year with a 25-21, 35-23, 25-17 win over Catholic in the AHSAA Class 5A state finals at Bill Harris Arena.

The Knights (31-14) got strong performances at the net from Kierstyn Green and Joi McGuire. Both had 12 kills. McGuire also had 11 digs and Kierston had 14. Lucy Logsdon also had 13 assists, and 12 digs and Zaria Rudolph had seven kills, 14 assists and 11 digs.
   The championship was the sixth overall and the first for Guntersville since 2011. Catholic won back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023, reached the semifinals last season.

AHSAA ELITE EIGHT STATE
VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
At the Birmingham CrossPlex/Bill Harris Arena
CLASS 4A
QUARTERFINALS
Alexandria (44-11) 3, Geneva (26-13) 0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-17)
Prattville Christian (37-11) 3, Madison County (29-24) 0 (25-22, 25-13, 25-13)
Orange Beach (36-12) 3, West Morgan (31-30) 1 (25-18, 22-25, 25-19, 25-13=4(=)
Cherokee County (49-9) 3, St. Michael Catholic (13-19) 0
SEMIFINALS
Prattville Christian (38-11) 3, Alexandria (44-12) (25-16, 25-18, 25-21)
Cherokee County (50-9) 3, Orange Beach (36-13) 0
CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP (Bill Harris Arena)
Prattville Christian (38-11) vs. Cherokee County (50-9), Thursday, 2 p.m.

Wednesday’s Championship results
CLASS 3A
Mobile Christian (33-10) 3, St. Luke’s Episcopal (30-11) 0 (25-8, 25-13, 25-21)
CLASS 1A
Addison (34-14)  3, Meek (26-22) 0 (25-14, 25-15, 28-26)
CLASS 5A
Guntersville (64-5) 3, Catholic (31-14) 0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-17)
CLASS 6A
Spanish Fort (60-8) 3, Hazel Green (37-1) 0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-21)

Thursday’s Championship Matches
CLASS 7A
McGill-Toolen Catholic (46-2) vs. Thompson (31-11), 10 a.m.
CLASS 2A
Pleasant Valley (34-14)  vs. Mars Hill Bible (39-12), 12 p.m.
CLASS 4A
Prattville Christian (38-11) vs. Cherokee County (50-9), 2 p.m.