6-CESS! Lady Wildcats restore the roar with first state volleyball title since ’11

By TAYLOR BECK, Sports Editor

BIRMINGHAM — Guntersville Volleyball is back on top of Alabama, and once again wearing the crown.

The Lady Wildcats completed one of the most impressive seasons in recent AHSAA history Wednesday, sweeping Montgomery Catholic to bring home the Class 5A State Championship — the program’s first state crown since 2011 and sixth overall.

The Lady Wildcats posted a decisive 25-21, 25-23, 25-17 victory inside Bill Harris Arena, capping a 64-5 campaign that ties the program record for wins (2008) and marks the most by any AHSAA team since 2018.

Guntersville surged into Wednesday’s title match with a pair of strong postseason victories — handling Faith Academy in straight sets (25-19, 26-24, 25-18) in the Elite Eight before outlasting Briarwood Christian in a five-set battle (25-18, 16-25, 18-25, 25-15, 15-9) in the Final Four.

Guntersville head coach Melissa-Paul Gardner said her team attacked the postseason with a belief in one another that never wavered — even when the Lady Wildcats trailed 2-1 during that semifinal thriller.

“They performed with confidence,” Gardner said. “To be able to overcome being down two sets to one in the semifinals shows their commitment to their goals and doing whatever it takes to achieve them. Proud is an understatement.”

Sydney Jarmon had 11 kills in Guntersville’s three-set sweep of Montgomery Catholic on Oct. 29 to win the Class 5A state volleyball championship. The Wildcats won their sixth state championship.
AMANDA CHASTAIN PHOTOGRAPHY | SPECIAL TO THE LEADER

That determination had been rooted months earlier. Gardner revealed she saw championship potential from the very beginning.

“I actually said at the parent meeting, ‘Don’t make plans on October 29th because we already have plans to win a State Championship on that date!’” she recalled. “I knew the talent was already in the gym — they just had to believe in it.”

Sophomore standout Italey May was named Class 5A State Tournament MVP, while teammates Mary George Vandergriff, Sydney Jarmon and Caroline Canaday earned spots on the All-State Tournament team.

While star power certainly fueled the run, Gardner credited the group’s chemistry for putting Guntersville over the top.

“What makes them so special is their love for each other,” she said. “A team of 16 teenage girls had zero drama in six months. Not one argument. Just love, volleyball and a common goal. They were selfless in every aspect — that’s what set them apart from the rest of the state.”

For Gardner — who had already won state titles as a player at Hartselle and as a coach in Indiana — this championship adds another chapter to her personal legacy. But she said it belongs entirely to the young women who made her belief come to life.

“They set the goal for a state championship in May, and every single athlete did everything to achieve it,” Gardner said. “This team was special — one I don’t think I’ll ever be able to duplicate.”

Guntersville players and coaches were all-smiles on Oct. 29 after the Wildcats beat Montgomery Catholic in three sets to win the Class 5A state volleyball championship in Birmingham.
AMANDA CHASTAIN PHOTOGRAPHY | SPECIAL TO  THE LEADER