SPARKMAN, BOB JONES, MADISON ACADEMY ADVANCE IN QUEST FOR STATE VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

MADISON-HARVEST- The 2020 high school volleyball season is just two steps from completion in this most unusual year of the worldwide pandemic. Area Tournaments are now in the record books with area winners and runners-up advancing to the North Super Regional Tournaments, which are the prelude to the all-important AHSAA State Tournament. In Class 7-A, both Bob Jones and Sparkman advanced to the regional schedule as area champs while Madison Academy in Class 5-A move to the next round as an area runner-up with all action of the next round taking place at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. The sixth ranked Sparkman Senators defeated Albertville in a three games to none match to set up the Area 8 Championship match against perennial power Grissom. In the area finals, held on the Senators’ home court, Sparkman had a nail-biting four-game match versus the Tigers. Sparkman (36-11) struggled to a 25-23, 25-12, 19-25, 25-23 victory over Grissom (18-19). Sparkman will now face fourth ranked and Area 5 runner-up Thompson in the first round of the 7-A North Super Regional. Meanwhile, hosting the Area 7 tournament, the Patriots of Bob Jones beat Florence and Austin defeated James Clemens in first round action and advanced to the area finals. In the championship round, eighth ranked Bob Jones (27-17) cruised to a three-game title match over Austin (17-27) 25-11, 25-17, 27-25 and now will face Area 6 runner-up and seventh ranked Vestavia Hills at the Super Regional. In the 5-A Area 15 matchup at Lawrence County High, Madison Academy rolled to a three-game sweep over Russellville before facing the top-seeded Red Devils of Lawrence County. The two volleyball powerhouses thrilled the attending crowd with a five-game heavyweight like battle as Lawrence County (39-10) defeated the Lady Mustangs 25-22, 21-25, 24-26, 27-25, 15-12 in what by many accounts was the most exciting match of the season in North Alabama. No more than four points separated the two experienced squads and both will well represent their respective schools in the next step to the State Tournament. The AHSAA State Tournament will be held at the CrossPlex in Birmingham Oct. 27-29. COVID-19 regulations will be in place for attendees, especially the fans. Eight teams in each classification will be placed in the tournament brackets. Admission will be $10 per day, per person. State finals in Class 5-A will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 28 while the finals of the 7-A classification will hit the court at 4:00 p.m. on Oct. 29.