Birmingham, AL – Spring Garden sweeps Faith Christian and Addison to make it to the 1A finals, while Cherokee County falls in 4A quarterfinals.
Editor’s Note: For coverage of Pleasant Valley’s state championship win over Sand Rock read a an additional story.
By Joe Medley
Avery Gowens once called Ricky Austin “coach.”
Get that opposing coach on the court the coach of Austin’s Spring Garden team swept Gowens’ Faith Christian team in the class 1A state volleyball quarterfinals on Wednesday at the Birmingham CrossPlex, and Austin was proud of the bond when the two players Gowen were able to shake hands at the net.
“He told me that If there’s a thing he enjoyed, it was that there were there were two Spring Garden people here,” Gowens said.
Austin’s side (53-6) was able to beat Addison at the quarterfinals (more below) and avenge losing five sets during the North Super Regional semifinals, and will play University Charter in Thursday’s 2 p.m. final game.
Faith Christian (35-23) finished with the most successful season since the previous time the Lions reached Birmingham. The team of 2018 advanced to the semi-finals.
The match was dominated by Ace Austin’s 21 kills as well as Ace Austin’s 38 assists Spring Garden dominated the match 25-13, 25-12, and 25-8. Ally Folsom paced Faith with five kills. Kayson Cronan recorded 19 assists.
For Faith her greatest achievement was returning to Birmingham. This was the first time for the three seniors Folsom, Abigail Morse and Hannah Hubbard and bridge the program back to the 2017 team.
“It was a really tough match,” Folsom said. “It was much harder than the other games we’ve played this season. The team worked extremely very hard. We tried our best.
“I I wish we could continue, particularly the senior year. This is the furthest we’ve ever gone.”
Spring Garden swept Faith in three of their games this season, with the other two taking place on August. 26 and September. 19.
“They’ve been getting better in the last time we played them. game,” Austin said. “They performed well covering the floor and not getting focused on what was happening the first time they played here. This is a lot however I was very satisfied with the group for settling down and completing the task and moving on to the next stage.”
The Faith Christian and Spring Garden were on the biggest state stage, which was set up during both of their Super Regional finishes. Spring Garden was the North third place finisher, and Faith was the South’s runner-up.
Gowens played basketball with Austin on the grounds of Spring Garden.
“He was always in practice every day, and a tireless workaholic,” Austin said. “Never had a chance to be a player, but was an excellent role player and an excellent teammate.
“Never was there a time when you look into his eyes that thought’I’m not able to accomplish anything. He always believed that the fact that I could do anything I told him to do. That’s the thing I remember about him and the amount did he believe in me as his coaching.”
Gowens who recently concluded his second year in the role of Faith’s coach admitted to having an extra “want to defeat” the former head coach, but described it as”a “friendly match.”
“I believe that a large part of my competitive spirit stems in my Spring Garden roots,” Gowens stated. “It is a result of basketball and playing under him, and also learning that no matter what sport you play you’re giving your best and commit yourself, your sweat, blood and tears and not a thing less.
“That’s the way he’s managed to ensure that Spring Garden successful in any sport, not just softball or football, which he hasn’t even played in. The impact he has is on every athlete.”
Spring Garden to finals
The only state championship for Spring Garden in volleyball took place in 2007 and the eight basketball players of that team went unbeaten to win an NBA state title.
The present Spring Garden volleyball team, just one win away from winning the state title, features nine players on the basketball court.
“This feels the same way,” Spring Garden coach Ricky Austin said.
The Panthers did not just survive the opening game of the national volleyball championship but also swept it with the 3-0 win over the 14-time and defending the state champ Addison in the semifinals of 1A.
This was the first Spring Garden victory against Addison during Austin’s lengthy tenure as head coach. It also it was revenge for a five-set loss in the North Super Regional semifinals to Addison during the North Super Regional semifinals.
The Panthers also made amends for their 3-0 loss to Addison in the state semifinals.
The Super Regional loss doomed Spring Garden to finish third however, Austin claimed they were in time at state.
“I did not feel that regional was the appropriate time to take on the team,” He said. “I believed that they’re strong enough to defeated them once.
“I did not do anything to stop our team from winning regionals However, in the games we noticed a few things we changed that added a bit of an impact, but not really in the game but it did give our girls more confidence.”
Ace Austin led Spring Garden with 17 kills. Avery Steward had 30 assists. Chloe Rule defended the net with 11 blocks. libero Layla Ingram had 10 digs.
“To beat a strong group like this, you need to have an Alpha type player. Ace was just the right the type to be an alpha player and make a massive difference in the game,” Austin said. “Chloe Rule was great defensively. Olivia Law was great blocking and scoring off hits in various areas of the court.
“Our setting ter Avery Steward probably played the most efficient game I’ve observed her perform from a keeper’s perspective. Kristen Lewis, a defensive specialist and Layla Ingram, our libero has made some amazing digs to keep balls in play.”
Match stats
Class 4A
UMS Wright 3 Cherokee County 0:Cherokee County’s run came to an end in the quarterfinals: 24-26 20-25 16-25. The best players in the Warriors:
– – Nevaeh Gaidurgis 17 kills one block five digs, one Ace.
– Macy Lea: one block with six digs and 25 assists.
– – Ellisan Givens 12 digs, 1 assist, and one Ace.
– Ava Haygood: six kills one block eight digs, two assists.
– Raegan Garmany, four kills one block, four kills, and one dig.
class 1A
Spring Garden-Faith Christian: Spring Garden wins 25-13, 25-12, and 25-8 and will take on Addison in the 5 p.m. Match-up of a five-setter match in the North Super Regional. The top players:
Spring Garden
-Ace Austin: Ace Austin: 21 kills and three digs.
– Avery Steward 38 assists.
– – Chloe Rule 10 kills, five blocks.
— Layla Ingram: eight digs.
— Olivia Law: six kills, five blocks, one dig.
Faith Christian
– Ally Folsom: Five kills two blocks 8 digs.
— Kayson Cronan: 19 digs.
— Anna Kate Robertson: two kills, six digs, 15 assists.
– – Serenity Pate 4 kills seven blocks, and one assist.
– – Cheyenne Rice: one kill one block, and two digs.
Spring Garden 3, Addison 0.Less than one day following the Panthers (53-6) fell in five-setter against Addison during the North Super Regional semifinals, they defeated Addison 25-20 and 25-3 at the semi-finals for state to secure the right to play in the Thursday’s 2 p.m. championship game at Bill Harris Arena.
The top performers of Spring Garden:
– – Ace Austin: four digs One assist 17 kills.
– – Avery Steward 30 assists one dig one kill.
– – Chloe Rule One assist 7 kills 11 blocks.
— Maggie Jarrett: one Ace, seven digs five kills, one assist.
– – Olivia Law: One Ace, one dig seven kills and one block.
– Layla Ingram: 10 digs, 2 assists.
State volleyball team pairings
BIRMINGHAM Crossplex
CLASS 6A
Tuesday, 1:30 p.m.
Bayside Academy def. Oxford, 3-0
CLASS 5A
Tuesday, 10:30 a.m.
Alexandria def. Rehobeth, 3-0
Arab def. Alexandria, 3-2 (Semifinals)
CLASS 4A
Wednesday, 9 a.m.
UMS Wright def. Cherokee County, 3-0
CLASS 3A
Tuesday, 9 a.m.
Mobile Christian def. Glencoe, 3-0
Plainview defeats. Wellborn, 3-0
CLASS 2A
Tuesday at noon
Pleasant Valley def. Wicksburg, 3-1
Pleasant Valley def. Washington County, 3-0 (Semifinals)
G.W. Long def. Donoho, 3-1
Wednesday
Pleasant Valley def. Sand Rock, 3-0
CLASS 1A
Wednesday, noon
Spring Garden def. Faith Christian Faith Christian, 3-0
Spring Garden def. Addison, 3-0 (Semifinals)
Thursday
Spring Garden vs. University Charter, 2 p.m.
