Mountain Brook started slowly in Huntsville High School’s 32nd annual Sherry Ammons Ironman Tournament.
The Class 7A third-ranked Spartans fell to eighth-ranked Bob Jones and Georgia’s Blessed Trinity in pool play before storming through the volleyball elimination tournament on Saturday for the title.
Mountain Brook (16-4) beat Class 4A second-ranked Madison Academy, Thompson, Buckhorn, Cookeville, Tenn., and Pelham then beat Class 7A second-ranked Huntsville in quarterfinal action followed by fourth-ranked Hoover in semifinal play and Blessed Trinity in the championship.
Libby Grace Gann contributed 19 aces, 19 kills, 49 digs and 238 assists while Lacey Jeffcoat added 103 digs and 16 aces.
Emmy Kilgore led the attack with 76 kills, adding 39 digs while Ellie Ritter had 54 kills and 19 aces, and Caroline Davies had 56 kills.
Class 7A second-ranked Huntsville (14-3) beat Pelham, Thompson, Germantown (Tenn.), Class 6A third-ranked Hazel Green, Blessed Trinity and Germantown. The Panthers lost to Grissom and Mountain Brook.
Hannah Barrett provided 72 assists and 15 aces while Savannah Combs had 43 digs and nine aces, Rachel Junen had 27 kills and 37 blocks, Jaden Flint had 34 kills, 33 digs and 13 blocks, and Sabrina Duncan had 64 assists, 31 kills and eight blocks.
Class 7A ninth-ranked Grissom (11-7) compiled a 5-3 record in the Ironman. The Tigers beat Cookeville (Tenn.), South Warren (Ken.), Tuscaloosa County, Class 7A second-ranked Huntsville and Class 5A third-ranked Guntersville. Class 5A third-ranked Hazel Green, Blessed Trinity and Hoover beat the Tigers.
Shelby Holderfield led the offense with 55 kills, 60 assists and 47 digs while Grace Spotswood added 89 assists and 34 digs. Ariana Powe contributed 33 kills and 11 blocks, and Montinique Yates added 48 digs, 32 kills and 12 aces.
Class 7A eighth-ranked Bob Jones (8-8) was 4-4 in the Ironman, beating Class 4A second-ranked Madison Academy, Mountain Brook, Pelham and Cookeville. Blessed Trinity, Hoover, South Warren and Hazel Green beat the Patriots.
Alana Cox contributed 61 kills and 14 blocks while Aija Abele added 145 assists, 28 digs and 13 aces. Emma Jarrett had 35 kills and 31 digs, Juanita Monerio-Pai had 25 kills and 33 digs, 5 aces, 8 blocks, Lakyn Sheppard had 14 blocks and Karmahn Hall had 66 digs.