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Cats rule state
Published October 31, 2009
PELHAM — Last October, the Guntersville volleyball team watched Jacksonville celebrate a state championship at its expense.
Thursday night witnessed a rematch in the Class 4A state finals, and head coach Jimmy Latta’s squad proved 2009 is the year of the Wildcats.
No. 1 Guntersville beat No. 2 Jacksonville 18-25, 25-15, 25-22, 26-24 in the Elite Eight at the Pelham Civic Complex.
Jacksonville (45-8) was the two-time defending 4A champion.
The Lady Wildcats, who finished 62-7, won their third state crown this decade. They brought home back-to-back blue trophies in 2004-05.
Overall, it was the seventh state title this decade for the GHS athletics program.
“I don’t know if I have the words in my vocabulary to describe what we’re feeling, and it probably won’t sink in for several days,” Latta said.
Guntersville sophomore Cati Leak was selected the tournament’s most valuable player.
Leak collected 28 kills and 20 digs in the finals, including three kills during a decisive 4-0 run in the fourth set.
“There’s so many words to describe this moment, but the one is just awesome I guess,” Leak said.
Senior Adele Woodall and sophomore Taylor Gibson joined Leak on the all-tournament squad.
Woodall made 15 kills, three solo blocks and one block assist against Jacksonville. Gibson delivered 49 assists.
The fourth set was a classic.
Guntersville fell behind 3-0. The Lady Cats used a 4-0 run to grab their first lead, 11-10.
Jacksonville moved back in front 12-11, but a 3-0 flurry sent GHS to a 14-12 advantage.
The Golden Eagles scored six unanswered points to soar ahead 18-14. They led 20-16 before Guntersville mounted its rally.
“I can’t say enough about the last 10 points of that match,” Latta said. “They’ve always had a lot of fight and a lot of desire, but the last 10 points of that set defines the desire that they had.”
A block by Mallory Moore and two blocks by Woodall helped the Lady Cats pull within 22-20.
Guntersville tied it 22-22, but Jacksonville responded by going up 24-22, just one point away from forcing a fifth game.
“We realized we were just about to lose it if we didn’t pull it together, so then we all just focused and won,” Leak said.
Kills by Leak and Woodall tied it 24-24. Leak then scored the final two kills of the set and season, elevating the Lady Cats to the summit of 4A volleyball.
“Down 24-22 and then just to roll off four in a row,” Latta said. “Dig after dig, block after block, kill after kill, and Taylor made some great sets. Just a total team effort. I mean it was just fantastic.”
Guntersville overcame a shaky performance in the first set to win three consecutive sets.
A 7-0 run propelled Jacksonville to an 11-8 advantage in the first set. GHS cut it to 15-14, but the Golden Eagles regained control down the stretch to win 25-18.
Woodall said the Lady Wildcats recovered from being nervous in the first set.
“We realized that it was a state championship on the line, and we all came together as a team and we just really stepped it up,” Woodall said.
Katelin Gray collected 15 digs in the finals for Guntersville.
Chloe Whitaker had six digs.
Meredith Moore posted five kills and seven block assists. Mallory Moore had four kills and four assists.
“We were watching them yesterday and they had close games in the semifinals, and I was getting so mad because I wanted to play them in the finals again,” said Whitaker, a senior.
“They finally pulled it out and I was like thank goodness, because I wanted to beat them in the finals.”
Wednesday’s matches: Guntersville opened play in the Elite Eight with a 25-21, 25-9, 25-10 triumph over Andalusia in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.
Woodall made 14 kills, six aces and four blocks. Leak finished with 11 kills, four digs and three assists.
Gibson accumulated 32 assists, four digs and three blocks. Meredith Moore had six kills and two blocks.
Guntersville downed No. 6 UMS-Wright 25-11, 25-22, 25-11 in Wednesday’s semifinals.
Woodall made 15 kills and six blocks. Leak compiled 10 kills, nine digs and three blocks.
Gibson had 28 assists and two blocks while Gray had 13 digs.
Mallory Moore chipped in five kills and two blocks.
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