ALL-STAR SPORTS WEEK: South volleyball can't complete comeback in five-set loss

South volleyball all-stars Hannah Jones (PCA), Lennon McAnnally (Catholic), Addison Cherry (Trinity) and Emma Moody (Trinity) take a break during the match on Thursday at the Crampon Bowl Multiplex. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

After a sluggish start left the South volleyball all stars facing elimination in the third set of a best-of-five series with the North all stars, the team recovered and outplayed the North in the third and fourth sets to set up a winner-take-all situation.

Then, just as quickly, the South fell short in the final match, allowing the North to pull out a 3-2 victory and sweep the all-star competition in girls’ sports in all seven events.

Overall, the South boys won baseball, tennis and cross country, with the North capturing the other events as Alabama All-Stars Sports Week came to an end on Thursday.

The volleyball game was certainly an event the South could win, but a rash of unforced errors in the first two sets helped the North push the South to the brink of extinction, 25-20 and 25-18.

“It was a rough start at first,” Catholic’s Lennon McAnnally said. “I guess we were all just really nervous. But we came back, we sort of relaxed and played our game and it was a very fun experience, playing with different girls in high-level volleyball. It was just a really good experience.”

The South battled back in the third set, taking their first lead of the day at 17-16 and pulling away for a 25-21 lead. In the fourth set, the South took a 10-4 lead, then watched the North rally to tie the game at 19-19 before the South held on for a 25-23.

A rough start in the fifth set, however, allowed the North to sprint out to an 11-5 lead on the way to a 15-11 victory.

“It was unforced errors,” McAnnally said. “It was whichever team wants it more at the end and they just pushed through.”

The South all stars put together a formidable front with Trinity’s Emma Moody, Auburn’s Ellie Pate and Prattville Christian’s Hannah Jones, getting help from setter Addison Cherry of Trinity. And McAnnally, who often found herself playing in the back to help on defense, rotated to the front often enough to finish with seven kills, good for fourth place behind MVP Pate (14 kills), Jones (11) and Haley Patterson of St. Luke’s (10).  

“It was really fun,” Moody said. “It was fun getting to know everybody and getting to experience playing with new people. I’ve played with Ellie and Lennon and Addison before. I haven’t played with Hannah before but we’ve talked enough off the court. It’s good to be competitors and then come in and play together as one.”

Cherry led all players with 37 assists.

The match reunited former PCA teammates Jones and McAnnally, who often played side by side along the net during the five sets.  

“It’s really fun, playing with an old teammate, especially from travel ball,” McAnnally said. “It was a neat experience. I loved it.”

Emily Breazeale of Spain Park had game highs in kills (14) and digs (10) to earn North MVP honors and came up with several crucial plays in the deciding fifth set.

 “I think the biggest part was the nerves, being in the big spotlight,” Moody said. “Once those nerves went and we started playing together, then I think it worked a lot better. Up until the last part, then it got real stressful.”

ALABAMA ALL-STARS SPORTS WEEK

Monday

Boys golf -- North 62.5, South 27.5 (North leads series 3-0)

Girls golf -- North 47, South 25 (North leads series 2-1)

Baseball -- South 5-2, North 0-2 (North leads series 23-16-3)                 

Tuesday

Girls’ cross country – North 19, South 38 (North leads series 3-2)

Boys’ cross country –South 22, North 33 (North leads series 3-2)

Girls’ tennis – North 6, South 3 (North leads series 3-0)

Boys’ tennis – South 6, North 3 (North leads series 2-1)

Girls’ basketball – North 75, South 52 (North leads series 22-3)

Boys’ basketball – North 101, South 91 (North leads series 50-29)

Wednesday

Softball – North 6-10, South 3-5 (North leads series 29-23-3)

Girls soccer – North 5, South 0 (North leads series 17-3-1)

Boys soccer – North 6, South 3 (North leads series 14-4-1)

Thursday

Volleyball -- North 3, South 2 (North leads the series 15-9)