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Clarke Prep wins state championship
"It has been a long road this season," Coach Jami Barlow said of her team's title. "We set a goal at the beginning of the season for these seniors to go out on top. "They came together and pulled together as one to win their fourth championship." It was a rematch of last year's Class A finals, which the Lady Gators claimed as well. Barlow has been head coach for four years, her first and only job as a volleyball coach. "I felt like we had a chance to win it again this year," tourney MVP Tess Ackerman said. "This one probably means the most to me since it is my senior year." Ackerman, as well as fellow senior Corrie Allen, also named to the all-tournament team, have been members of all four title teams. "They way all of us played on this team, the MVP award could have went to anyone," Ackerman said of winning the award. "Everyone stepped up when they needed to." In the Sumter match Ackerman had two digs, three aces, 10 hits, four kills, a dink, a block and three assists. Allen had two digs, an ace, two hits, three dinks, a block and three assists. Julie Banks, the third senior on the team, was named all-tournament. She had four digs, three aces, a hit and a block. Jessica McKinley had three digs, three aces and a block. Harley Horton had four aces, a hit, a kill and a dink. Rachel Mayton had a dig, two aces, six hits, two kills and four blocks. Courtney Dunagan had a dig. Allie Dunagan had a hit. "I am so proud of all of these girls," Barlow said. "But a large part of success really has to go to the parents and fans who supported us all through the season. They are just as responsible as the players." Clarke Prep opened the tournament by beating Prattville Christian 25-13 and 25-15. Ackerman had a dig, five aces, nine hits, four kills, a block and four assists. Allen had five aces, three hits, two kills, two dinks, a block and seven assists. McKinley had two digs, two aces, five hits, a kill, a dink and a block. Whitney Larrimore had a hit and a kill. Horton had two hits and an assist. Mayton had a dig, an ace, three hits, three kills and a dink. Andrea Bagley had a hit and a kill. They then beat their countyrival Jackson Academy 25-15, 12-25 and 15-8 before meeting Sumter in the finals. Ackerman had an ace, 16 hits, four kills, a dink, three blocks and seven assists. Allen had five digs, nine hits, four kills, two dinks, five blocks and five assists. Banks had five digs, seven hits, two kills, a dink, two blocks and two assists. Horton had three digs, three aces, nine hits and two kills. Mayton had five digs, eight hits, two kills and four blocks.
The Lady Gators finished the season with a 19-7 record. Of the seven loses, six came against Class AA champ Faith and runner-up Cottage Hill.
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