Milestones aplenty for Bucs, Jags volleyball teams

The 2019 high school volleyball season will be remembered as one of accomplishment for several individuals at Hoover and Spain Park.

At press time, Hoover and Spain Park were beginning their postseason travails, with hopes of capturing a Class 7A state championship, but the regular season offered several memorable moments for both squads.

For Hoover, outside hitter Rya McKinnon notched her 1,000th career kill in a match against Baker on Sept. 28. McKinnon, just a sophomore, has played on the varsity team since she was in eighth grade and starred for the past few years.

The win over Baker was part of a strong weekend for the Bucs, as they hosted and won the Over the Mountain Tournament. In that tournament, Hoover beat Athens, Baker, Providence Christian and Bayside Academy, and then Mountain Brook in the finals. The win over Mountain Brook avenged a pool play loss to the Spartans.

Spain Park senior hitter Paris Morris has also reached the 1,000 kill mark for her high school career as well. On the same night Morris achieved that milestone, an Oct. 1 victory over Area 6 foe Hewitt-Trussville, setter Jessica Veal notched her 1,500th career assist.

In college news, Morris committed to play at the University of Alabama in Huntsville in May, while teammate Olivia Stark in late September pledged to join her at UAH. Jags’ sophomore Audrey Rothman has committed to Florida State.

Hoover won its area for the eighth straight season, finishing a perfect 3-0 in Area 5 play. Spain Park finished second in Area 6, going 6-2. The Jags swept two matches against John Carroll and Hewitt-Trussville, and split with Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills.