VOLLEYBALL REGIONALS: PCA returns to State tourney for fourth straight year
Olivia Rossi skies for a shot in PCA’s win in the South Super Regional on Thursday. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Each year, Prattville Christian senior Baylee Rogers noted, a new group of Panthers will play in the South Super Regional, determined to earn a trip to the state tournament.
“Each year is different because you get to do it with different people,” Rogers said. “It’s always fun when the new girls come in and we come into regionals and they’re like, ‘how does it feel when you make it to state?’ And I’m like, ‘you guys are going to experience that. We’re going to make it today. Y’all are going to feel it.’ It’s always fun seeing their reactions.”
On Thursday, Prattville Christian earned its fourth consecutive trip to the state tournament with wins over Ashford and Munford and Rogers has been the starting setter on all four, providing the leadership and stability for the younger players who want to continue the tradition she started in 2022.
“She’s our captain,” PCA coach Kaylon Cantrell said. “She leads them in practice, she leads them on the court. She’s got all of the setter records you can have at PCA and is pretty close to hitting 5,000 (career) assists. She kmows who to get the ball to at the right moment, she knows what needs to be done, she knows what needs to be said in the moments when something needs to be said on the court. There aren’t many like her.
If there’s one position every volleyball team needs a steady leader at, it’s a setter. And Rogers had 76 assists on Thursday alone, inching closer to the 5,000-career mark that only five high school setters have ever reached in Alabama High School Athletic Association history.
But it’s more than just assists for the four-year starter that calls herself a “chatterbox” on the court for the defending 4A state champions.
“This year is kind of like a wakeup call for some people,” Rogers said. “It’s time for you to be the leaders. That was fun seeing how everyone grew into it and was stepping up and being a leader.
“We adapted pretty fast with the new changes. I would say it was a little bit of a struggle at the beginning, just trying to figure out who we really wanted where and finding the right players for the right spots.
Replacing libero Natalee Wheeler, front line standout Jenna McClendon and defensive specialist Brylee Byrd, along with Paysley Bayer and Emma Cate Carter, created a little uncertainty early in the season but the one constant was always Rogers.
“We shuffled some people around for sure,” Cantrell said, “but a lot of these girls were on the team last year, too.
“This team just loves each other so well. They are such a family. They want to hang out with each other outside of volleyball. I think that has really helped. And we have really good leadership. We’ve had good leaders in the past, for sure, but this year I think the leadership is even better than before.”
PCA defeated Ashford 25-7, 25-12 and 25-8 in the opening round on Thursday. Rogers had 36 assists, five digs and three aces, Maren Diefenderfer had 14 kills, four digs and four aces, Olivia Rossi had 12 kills and Aiden Williams had seven digs and four aces.
The Panthers defeated Munford 25-9, 25-9 and 25-15 in the second round. Rogers had 40 assists, five digs and an ace, Rossi had eight kills, Diefenderfer had 21 kills, two blocks and an ace and Leah Cate Wilson had 10 kills and two blocks.
PCA (34-11) advanced to the semifinals and will determine seeding in the state tournament with Friday’s games. The Panthers will play St. Michael on Friday at 9:30 a.m. before facing either Geneva or Orange Beach in the championship or the consolation at 12:30 p.m. All four teams will advance to the state tournament at Birmingham’s CrossPlex on Wednesday at noon.
“I told them in the huddle, it’s exciting that we made it, but we don’t want to just make it,” Cantrell said. “We want to put ourselves in the best position we can to defend our state championship. We’re coming back to work tomorrow.”
AHSAA SOUTH SUPER REGIONAL RESULTS AND SCHEDULE (River Region teams in bold)
CLASS 7A
Game 1 -- McGill-Toolen 3, Fairhope 1
Game 2 -- Enterprise 3, Alma Bryant 1
Game 3 -- St. Paul’s Episcopal 3, Dothan 1
Game 4 -- Bayside Academy 3, Daphne 1
Game 5 -- McGill-Toolen 3, Enterprise 0
Game 6 -- Bayside Academy 3, St. Paul’s Episcopal 1
THIRD PLACE
St. Pau’s Episcopal (28-15) 3, Enterprise (26-16) 0
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
McGill-Toolen Catholic (44-2) 3, Bayside Academy (32-17) 0
CLASS 6A
Pike Road (31-13) 3, Benjamin Russell (8-21) 0
Spanish Fort (54-8) 3, Chelsea (21-21) 0
Montgomery Academy (40-6) 3, Brookwood (11-13) 0
Saraland (33-7) 3, Hueytown (13-18) 0
McAdory (23-15) 3, Murphy (10-8) 0
Northridge (24-18) 3, Stanhope Elmore (9-16) 0
Spain Park (35-7) 3, Gulf Shores (30-11) 0
Rehobeth (35-11) 3, Chilton County (22-14) 1
Spanish Fort (55-8) 3, Pike Road (31-14) 0
Saraland (34-7) 3, Montgomery Academy (40-7) 2
Northridge (25-18) 3, McAdory (23-16) 0
Spain Park (36-7) 3, Rehobeth (35-12) 0
SEMIFINALS
Spanish Fort (55-8) vs. Saraland (34-7), Fri., 10 a.m.
Northridge (25-18) vs. Spain Park (36-7), Fri., 10 a.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, 1 p.m.
THIRD PLACE
Friday, 1 p.m.
CLASS 5A
Game 1 -- Andalusia 3, Montevallo 0
Game 2 -- Faith Academy 3, Sylacauga 0
Game 3 -- Trinity 3, Providence Christian 0
Game 4 -- UMS-Wright 3, Beauregard 0
Game 5 -- Elberta 3, Elmore County 2
Game 6 -- Catholic 3, Headland 0
Game 7 -- Briarwood Christian 3, Citronelle 0
Game 8 -- Jemison 3, Brew Tech 1
Game 9 -- Faith Academy 3, Andalusia 0
Game 10 -- UMS-Wright 3, Trinity 0
Game 11 -- Catholic 3, Elberta 0
Game 12 -- Briarwood Christian 3, Jemison 0
SEMIFINALS
UMS-Wright (36-14) 3, Faith Academy (34-12) 0
Briarwood Christian (37-6) 3, Catholic (29-12) 1
THIRD PLACE
Catholic (30-12) 3, Faith Academy (34-13) 0
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
UMS-Wright (37-14) 3, Briarwood Christian (37-7) 0
CLASS 4A
Game 1 -- Geneva (24-11) 3, LAMP (12-14) 0
Game 2 --Cleburne County (13-13) 3, Jackson (17-5) 2
Game 3 -- Straughn (21-11) 3, West Blocton (9-7) 0
Game 4 -- Orange Beach (29-15) 3, Fairfield (18-9) 0
Game 5 -- St. Michael Catholic (12-16) 3, Indian Springs (11-10) 0
Game 6 -- American Christian (20-15) 3, Opp (13-17) 2
Game 7 -- Munford (22-23) 3, W.S. Neal (12-8) 0
Game 8 -- Prattville Christian (33-11) 3, Ashford (12-18) 0
Game 9 -- Geneva (25-11) 3, Cleburne County (13-14) 2
Game 10 — Orange Beach (30-15) 3, Straughn (21-12) 0
Game 11 - - St. Michael Catholic (13-16) 3, American Christian (20-16) 0
Game 12 -- Prattville Christian (34-11) 3, Munford (22-24) 0
SEMIFINALS
Geneva (25-11) vs. Orange Beach (30-15), Fri., 9:30 a.m.
St. Michael Catholic (13-16) vs. Prattville Christian (34-11), Fri., 9:30 a.m.
THIRD PLACE
Friday, 12:30 p.m.
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Friday, 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Game 1 -- Houston Academy 3, Thorsby 0
Game 2 -- T.R. Miller 3, Childersburg 0
Game 3 -- Lee-Scott Academy 3, Thomasville 0
Game 4 -- Mobile Christian 3, Greensboro 0
Game 5 -- St. Luke’s Episcopal 3, Hale County 0
Game 6 -- Glenwood School 3, Southside-Selma 0
Game 7 -- Flomaton 3, Altamont 2
Game 8 -- Northside Methodist 3, Alabama Christian 1
Game 9 -- Houston Academy 3, T.R. Miller 0
Game 10 -- Mobile Christian 3, Lee-Scott Academy 0
Game 11 -- St. Luke’s Espicopal 3, Glenwood School 0
Game 12 -- Northside Methodist 3, Flomaton 2
SEMIFINALS
Mobile Christian (28-10) 3, Houston Academy (37-10) 0
St. Luke’s Episcopal (28-15) 3, Northside Methodist (12-26) 0
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Mobile Christian (29-10) 3, St. Luke’s Episcopal (28-16) 0
THIRD PLACE
Houston Academy (38-10) 3, Northside Methodist (12-27) 1
CLASS 2A
Pike Liberal Arts (24-12) 3, Calhoun (6-13) 0
Samson (15-10) 3, Lanett (4-12) 0
G.W. Long (24-12) 3, Isabella 0
Horseshoe Bend (12-10) 3, J.U. Blacksher (8-13) 1
Washington County (24-9) 3, Ranburne (18-13) 0
Tuscaloosa Academy 3, Ariton (19-13) 1
Reeltown (11-8) 3, Houston County (12-6) 1
Highland Home (15-9) 3, Zion Chapel (12-16) 1
QUARTERFINALS
Samson (16-10) 3, Pike Liberal Arts (24-13) 0
G.W. Long (25-12) 3, Horseshoe Bend (12-11) 0
Tuscaloosa Academy 3, Washington County (24-10) 1
Highland Home (16-9) 3, Reeltown (11-9) 2
Game 13 -- Samson (16-10) vs. G.W. Long (25-12), Friday, 9:30 a.m.
Game 14 -- Tuscaloosa Academy vs. Highland Home (16-9), Friday. 9:30 a.m.
Game 15 -- Championship, Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14, Friday, 12:30 p.m.
Game 16 -- Consolation, Loser Game 13 vs. Loser Game 14, Friday, 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 1A
Game 1 -- Kinston 3, Keith 0
Game 2 -- Brantley 3, Wadley 0
Game 3 -- Sweet Water 3, Notasulga 0
Game 4 -- Millry 3, Maplesville 0
Game 5 -- Leroy 3, Billingsley 2
Game 6 -- Verbena 3, Choctaw County 1
Game 7 -- Fayetteville 3, McKenzie 0
Game 8 -- University Charter 3, Pleasant Home 0
Game 9 -- Brantley 3, Kinston 2
Game 10 -- Millry 3, Sweet Water 0
Game 11 -- Leroy 3, Verbena 0
Game 12 -- University Charter 3, Fayetteville 0
SEMIFINALS
Brantley (23-6) 3, Millry (24-8) 1
University Charter School (26-8) 3, Leroy (10-11) 0
THIRD PLACE
Millry (24-8) vs. Leroy (10-11)
REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
University Charter School (27-8) 3, Brantley (23-7) 0