E.A. Sports Today

Young players lift Donoho

Lady Falcons get second win in four days over Oxford; Spring Garden gets payback on former player

By East Alabama Sports Today

OXFORD – Top-ranked and defending Class 1A state champion Donoho took down 6A Oxford in high school volleyball for the second time in four days Tuesday night, but it wasn’t easy.

The Lady Falcons dropped a tight first set, but rallied to with 21-25, 25-16, 15-4. They beat the Lady Jackets in straight sets Saturday at Pleasant Valley. Oxford bounced back to beat Clay-Chalkville 25-14, 25-12.

With her dad Jack waiting out election results for a second term as Anniston’s mayor (he’ll be in a runoff), freshman Lily Grace Draper led the Lady Falcons with 13 kills. Eighth-grader Estella Connell had eight kills and Mary Marshall Perry seven.

Junior Maggie Mller, the team’s oldest player, distributed 25 assists and recorded three digs. Eighth-grader Sam Wakefield had 11 digs, one kill and one ace. Sarah Waggoner and Ayesha Siddiqua had seven digs apiece, and Naira Rehman had three digs.

“We also didn’t have Maggie Wakefield today, so I’m extremely proud of some of the younger girls for stepping it up,” Donoho coach Jamie Clendenin said.

Wakefield, a sophomore, was scratched to rest a sore shoulder so she would be available for the weekend at the Supreme Courts in Guntersville where the Lady Falcons (3-1) play in a pool with three top-seven 5A, 6A and 7A teams.

Lakijah Brown had another big night for Oxford (4-3) with 16 kills and eight digs. Channing Gallahar had eight kills, Ariana Curry had 14 digs and four aces, Adrionna Foster had nine digs and seven assists, and Cadie Burn had six digs and 14 assists. Abbie Mitchell and Javanti Moore recorded seven and five kills, respectively.

Garden gets its revenge

SPRING GARDEN – The Lady Panthers got even. 

After losing to Cleburne County in two tight sets in Jordan Sides’ head coaching debut in Heflin last Thursday, Spring Garden got its revenge on its former player Tuesday with a 25-23, 25-22 victory on its floor.

“We played hard, it just didn’t fall our way this time,” Sides said.

Karley Boyd and Kynsi Hazzard both recorded three kills for Cleburne County. Kaylee Shierling had 11 digs, Haven Freeman had eight blocks and Libby Altman had six assists.

The Lady Tigers (5-1) did earn a split on the night with a 25-12, 25-7 win over Gaylesville. Boyd had four kills. Jayda Hyatt scored five aces, while Hazzard and Micah Pentecost had four each.

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