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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Hoover at Chelsea Volleyball
Chelsea’s Amaya Rudolph (7) spikes the ball as Hoover’s Mel Jones (13) guards the net in a match between the Chelsea Hornets and Hoover Buccaneers held at Chelsea High School on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
State Volleyball -
Spain Park’s Audrey Rothman (8) spikes the ball in a class 7A state semifinal match against McGill-Toolen during the AHSAA Volleyball State Championship held at the Birmingham Crossplex on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
OM at HV volleyball
Oak Mountain’s Landry Frisch (6) spikes the ball during a match between Oak Mountain and Hoover at Hoover High School on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Photo by Erin Nelson.
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Photo by Erin Nelson. Starnes Media
Chelsea vs Homewood volleyball
Chelsea's Hope Wright (1) spikes the ball in a match between Chelsea and Homewood during the AHSAA Class 6A Area 9 tournament held at Mountain Brook High School’s Spartan Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020. Photo by Erin Nelson.
The third annual Starnes Media All-South Metro volleyball team comes on the heels of a 2020 season that saw Mountain Brook and Hoover high schools capture state titles. Mountain Brook won the Class 6A championship, while Hoover claimed the 7A crown, its first in program history.
The players of the year came from those teams, with Hoover’s Rya McKinnon earning Offensive and overall Player of the Year honors. Mountain Brook libero Evelyn King was named Defensive Player of the Year. John Carroll’s Michael Heard earned Coach of the Year recognition for leading the Cavaliers to the state tournament in his first season.
Player of the Year: Rya McKinnon, Hoover
Offensive Player of the Year: Rya McKinnon, Hoover
Defensive Player of the Year: Evelyn King, Mountain Brook
Coach of the Year: Michael Heard, John Carroll
1ST TEAM
Outside hitter – Rya McKinnon, Hoover, junior: won Player of the Year honors with 543 kills and 234 digs for the 7A champion.
Outside hitter – Audrey Rothman, Spain Park, junior: had 512 kills, 244 assists and 172 digs for the runner-up Jags.
Outside hitter – Olivia Brown, Homewood, junior: had a strong balance of 362 kills and 318 digs for the Patriots.
Outside hitter – Celie Field, Mountain Brook, senior: led the Spartans to the state championship, tallying 317 kills and 327 digs in a stellar season.
Setter – Aly Durban, Hoover, senior: piled up 1,262 assists in an outstanding senior season for the champs.
Setter – Hannah Parant, Mountain Brook, freshman: racked up 897 assists and 237 digs as a first-year player.
Libero – Evelyn King, Mountain Brook, senior: the Defensive Player of the Year had 676 digs on the year.
Libero – Amelia Ragusa, John Carroll, senior: had 497 digs and wrapped up a five-year varsity career by leading the Cavs to the state tournament.
Middle hitter – Gabrielle Essix, Hoover, senior: the Florida signee had 378 kills and 83 blocks as a powerful force for the Bucs.
Middle hitter – Greer Golden, Mountain Brook, junior: finished with 306 kills and 84 blocks in a championship-winning season.
Right side – Amaya Rudolph, Chelsea, senior: played four years for the Hornets, capping her career with 233 kills, 137 digs and 31 blocks.
Right side – Mackenzie Yoakum, Homewood, junior: despite missing time, the lefty finished with 199 kills, 75 digs and 42 blocks.
2ND TEAM
Outside hitter – Sydney Melton, Hoover, senior: wrapped up her career with 237 kills.
Outside hitter – Landry Frisch, Oak Mountain, senior: finished her Oak Mountain career with 285 kills and 153 digs this season.
Outside hitter – Hope Wright, Chelsea, senior: finished out her career with a strong season, contributing 273 kills, 252 digs and 81 aces.
Outside hitter – Emily Breazeale, Spain Park, sophomore: finished with 263 kills as a strong complement to Rothman.
Setter – Madison Moore, Chelsea, sophomore: was one of Chelsea’s two main setters, registering 477 assists, 138 digs and 53 aces.
Setter – Olivia Outman, Homewood, junior: ran the Homewood offense with 682 assists and 210 digs.
Libero – Ava McMillan, Vestavia Hills, senior: finished a stellar career with over 1,000 career digs.
Libero – Sarah Smith, Homewood, senior: the Memphis signee had 595 digs in her final season.
Middle hitter – Kayla Jemison, Hoover, senior: had 141 kills and 70 blocks for the Bucs.
Middle hitter – Hannah Hitson, Mountain Brook, junior: put forth 201 kills, 75 blocks and 61 digs for the Spartans.
Right side – Angelica Vines, Vestavia Hills, junior: had 288 kills and 91 digs for the Rebels.
Right side – Riley Kelner, John Carroll, senior: had 390 kills, 75 aces and 156 digs.
HONORABLE MENTION
Outside hitter: Emma Pohlmann, Chelsea; Lacee Sheaffer, Oak Mountain; Lilly Gilbert, Mountain Brook; Emma Crawford, Briarwood; Stella Yester, John Carroll; Megan Walker, Vestavia Hills
Setter: Morgan Martin, Chelsea; Kathryn Smith, Oak Mountain; Lilly Johnson, Spain Park; Sara Archer, John Carroll; Alice Armstrong, Vestavia Hills
Middle hitter: Morgan Scott, John Carroll; Erin Jenkins, John Carroll; Lily Janas, Homewood; Stella Helms, Briarwood
Right side: Bella Halyard, Spain Park; Mel Jones, Hoover; Sims Kilgore, Mountain Brook; Jayni Thompson, Oak Mountain
Defensive specialist: Anna Sartin, Chelsea; Eva Guenster, Hoover; Paige Ingersoll, Spain Park; Brooklyn Allison, Spain Park; Halley Callaham, Homewood; Peyton David, Hoover
Libero: Sydney Jaffe, Oak Mountain; Katelyn Walsh, Spain Park; Kendal Youngblood, Hoover
Starnes Media produces seven monthly newspapers, and members of the All-South Metro team include players from Briarwood, Chelsea, Oak Mountain, Hoover, Spain Park, Homewood, John Carroll, Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook. The team was compiled by the staff of Starnes Media in consultation with local coaches.
