Lions clinch another area title
Published 9:46 pm Tuesday, October 11, 2011
By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor
NORTH SHELBY — Briarwood Christian School senior Logan Nasworthy has learned one important lesson during her high school volleyball career.
Nasworthy plans to share her wisdom with her youthful teammates, including many who are about to get their first taste of postseason volleyball after helping the Lions clinch the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 5A, Area 7 tournament title Oct. 11 with a 25-13, 25-21, 26-24 win over rival Chelsea.
“We’re capable of anything,” is Nasworthy’s message to the younger players on Briarwood Christian’s roster. “The younger players have really stepped up to the plate.”
The first step to a return trip to the Elite Eight begins Saturday when the Lions host a Class 5A region tournament.
Nasworthy led the Lions (22-21) with 13 kills in the Class 5A, Area 7 title match. Nasworthy also posted six digs and one block.
Junior Mariah Light contributed 11 kills. Junior Adeline Reiser registered a team-high 28 assists. Carly Cline finished with a team-high eight digs.
Junior Holly Marbut led Chelsea with six kills in the match.
Senior Samantha Colyer added five kills. Emma Cotney finished with a team-high 15 digs. Senior Kacie Craft recorded seven digs.
The Lions reached the area tournament title match following a 25-9, 25-6, 23-25, 25-15 win over Talladega in a semifinal match.
Light led Briarwood Christian with eight kills in the victory. Lauren Palmer added seven kills. Nasworthy contributed three kills. Kelly Bemis finished with two kills. Georgia Muir-Taylor posted one kill.
Lizzie Baumbach and Hope Donohue contributed a team-high five digs each. Reiser posted a team-high 15 assists and three digs. Christie Robertson contributed six assists.
Chelsea advanced to the area tournament title match after a hard-fought 25-12, 25-27, 25-16, 24-26, 15-10 win over rival Shelby County in a semifinal match.
Marbut led the Hornets with eight kills in the victory.
Madison Turner finished with a team-high 10 service aces. Craft recorded a team-high 23 digs. Jesse Vohler chipped in a team-high 13 assists.
Kayle Cardwell led the Wildcats with 11 kills in the match. Keyanna Gayden added seven kills.