Bucs win area title, punch ticket to super regionals

HOOVER — Chris Camper couldn’t contain his excitement during the final set of Tuesday night’s Class 7A, Area 5 final.

Each time his Hoover High School volleyball team scored a point, the coach responded with some variation of a fist pump and shout. But there was a reason for the kinetic display.

Camper had just watched his Bucs climb out of a two-set hole and storm back to force the deciding fifth game. Hoover won it convincingly to knock off Vestavia Hills, 3-2 (22-25, 20-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-9), and capture the area title on its home court.

“Our resiliency and our ‘never quit,’ that’s the kind of stuff you’ve got to do if you’re going to win one that matters,” Camper said. “That’s where we were. Our back was against the wall.”

Hoover’s victory secured it a favorable seed at the 7A North Super Regional tournament, which will be held Friday and Saturday at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville. The Bucs punched their ticket to the next round by dispatching Tuscaloosa County, 3-0 (25-17, 25-13, 25-12), in the area semifinal on Tuesday afternoon.

Outside hitter Paige Shaw, a Memphis commit, propelled Hoover to the first victory. She recorded 15 kills and a handful of blocks.

“She’s the best player in Alabama. Period,” Camper said.  

Shaw made those numbers look paltry in the final, when she posted 30 kills and eight blocks. But she didn’t win the match alone. Vestavia Hills didn’t let her.

The Rebels excelled on defense, particularly in the first two sets, and shut down plays that Camper said had been working all season. The result was a 2-0 deficit.

“I yelled at them before they went on the court that third time, I said, ‘They want it more than you right now. Fix that,’” Camper said.

And they did.

The Bucs clinched a tight third set, 25-22, before breezing through the fourth, 25-17. Hoover then parlayed the momentum into the final frame. In addition to elevated effort, Camper credited a few substitutions for helping trigger the run. One person he praised was second-string setter Amiyah King, who recorded 11 assists in relief of Jamie Gregg.

“Some of my girls came off the bench and gave me some minutes and really sparked the team,” Camper said. “I think that was the big key.”

Gregg led Hoover with 42 assists and also contributed 15 digs. Savannah Gibbs and Anna Marie Auchmuty set the pace defensively with 34 and 26 digs, respectively.

The Bucs will return to action on Friday when they face Area 8 runner-up James Clemens at 9 a.m. in Huntsville. A win guarantees them a spot at the state tournament, which begins Nov. 1.