MOUNTAIN BROOK STREAKS TO 3RD STRAIGHT TITLE

Class 7A volleyball championship: Mountain Brook streaks to 3rd straight title Mountain Brook, the only team to win AHSAA volleyball titles in the state’s biggest classification earned title No. 3 — the only championships in school history — on Thursday with a 3-1 victory over rival Hoover at Birmingham’s Bill Harris Arena. No way Mountain Brook’s three seniors, Ellie Ritter, Caroline Davies and Emmy Kilgore, would let this one slip away. “This is the best feeling in the world because we worked so hard for this,” said Kilgore, who was named tournament MVP. “Being our senior year, we had to play a bigger role in leadership. This one means more, to win our last volleyball match we’ll ever play.” The Class 7A second-ranked Spartans (44-8) benefitted from a tough regular season schedule, the toughest in coach Haven O’Quinn’s career. It paid off. Mountain Brook beat top-ranked McGill-Toolen in Wednesday play and stopped fifth-ranked Hoover (39-15) 25-11, 23-25, 25-12, 25-19 for the title. “They played practically every single night against a top 10 team,” O’Quinn said. “It was the hardest schedule in the state.” O’Quinn also called it a statement win for the program. Some speculated the Spartans would suffer this year after losing two-time player of the year Sara Carr and one of the best setters in the state in Sarah Chandler Mitchell. “This is a big win for our program because we’re not about a superstar,” O’Quinn said. “You can’t win in volleyball with just one or two players. This team was truly a unit this year.” Stat sheet: Emmy Kilgore led the Spartans with 15 kills, adding 13 digs and three blocks while Caroline Davies was a beast in the middle with had 10 kills and eight blocks. Lacey Jeffcoat led the defense with 25 digs. Ritter chipped in nine kills and four blocks. Key moment: After Hoover stormed back to win the second set, Mountain Brook sprinted to a 9-5 lead that grew to 18-8 in the third set. Hoover battled throughout, but the Spartans wouldn’t let the Bucs gain momentum. Coachspeak: Mountain Brook coach Haven O’Quinn didn’t mince words about this her team or the title. “Of the two before, this is hands down the best one. These girls are great and I couldn’t be prouder of a group. They had the heart of a fighter and never gave up.” “It was really just kind of us today,” said Hoover coach Chris Camper. “It has been a rollercoaster all year. When we’re up, we can be the best in Alabama, but when we’re down we’re very beatable. Today was just that day.” Kyra Hunter led Hoover with 13 kills while Nora Webster added eight kills and Olivia Portera had 14 digs.

MOUNTAIN BROOK STREAKS TO 3RD STRAIGHT TITLE

Photo Credit: Mark Almond