‘That’s just ironic’
- Updated: October 9, 2023
No. 4 seed Pleasant Valley does it again, rallying from an 0-2 hole to beat No. 2 Oxford in five sets and claim second Calhoun County volleyball title under retiring Bryant
By Joe Medley
East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE — As if by script, context surrounded Pleasant Valley’s second and final Calhoun County volleyball title under retiring head coach Dana Bryant.
Daughter Allie, a senior, helped her win her final county title. Daughter Anna, now an assistant coach, helped her win her first as a senior, in 2017.
Husband David brought the hug immediately after a pregame ceremony honoring her 18 years as the Raiders’ head coach.
Add that fourth-seeded Pleasant Valley just finished rallying from an 0-2 hole again Monday, beating No. 2 Oxford 3-2 in Pete Mathews Coliseum after rallying from 0-2 to upset top seed Alexandria in Saturday’s semifinals at Wellborn High School, and one gets the sense that some higher power set Bryant for the kill.
“That’s just ironic,” Bryant said. “It just makes it even more special. That makes it … I’m just thankful. I have a heart of gratitude.
“There’s a lot of good teams in our county. There’s several teams that could’ve been here tonight, so the opportunity to be here, especially this being my last year, I’m just very thankful.”
Oxford (33-12) punched its ticket to Jax State by doing to Ohatchee what Pleasant Valley did to Alexandria in Saturday’s semifinals. The Yellow Jackets rallied from an 0-2 hole to win a five-setter against the Indians, earning their first finals appearance since 2015.
Led by defensive MVP Jamea Gaston’s 27 digs, Payton Brooks’ 42 assists and Ava Thomas’ 16 kills, Oxford looked well on its way to victory through two sets.
The Class 2A Raiders (23-12) prevailed over the Class 6A Yellow Jackets 22-25, 19-25, 25-12, 25-17, 15-12, scoring the match’s final five points.
Two days after prevailing over Alexandria for the first time in three tries this season, Pleasant Valley prevailed over Oxford for the first time in three tries.
If the Raiders go on to achieve Bryant’s ultimate goal of finishing off a state title a year after their runner-up finish, mark the Calhoun County tournament as the spot where they melded with their potential.
So far, the county title marks the crowning achievement of an up-and-down season.
Pleasant Valley went a stretch without Maddie Schwabe because of an ankle injury. She went a stretch where she struggled with her serve.
Come Monday, Pleasant Valley mounted its best runs when Schwabe served. That included a run of nine unanswered points in the turnaround third set.
That doesn’t cover the setter work that Schwabe did to earn tournament most-valuable-player honors. She finished with 40 assists and eight aces to go with a team-high 16 digs.
Schwabe also earned praise from Bryant, who called her “one of the best setters” she’s coached. Bryant’s two oldest daughters out of three played setter for her at one time or another.
“That means a lot, especially coming from her,” Schwabe said, “but I give all the glory to her. She’s the one that coached me into the player I am today.”
Pleasant Valley had runs in each of the last three sets, including stretches of nine and six unanswered points in the third set. The Raiders had five unanswered points in the fourth set and again for the final five points.
That final run of five points came after a Pleasant Valley timeout, trailing 12-10. The Raiders prompted two Oxford timeouts, at 12-12 and 13-12.
The major turning point came in the third set.
“I would just say it was playing hard, knowing we could do it and believing in ourselves and just keeping on pushing,” Schwabe said.
The Raiders pushed on to another five-set victory after falling behind 0-2. Not that they wanted it that way.
“Our mindset coming in, we were like, ‘Just take’em in three,'” said hitter and tournament offensive MVP Lily Henry, who finished with 18 kills, three aces and seven blocks.
The Raiders won in three, all right … just the last three.
“We’ve got to quit doing that,” Bryant said with a laugh.
Bryant can laugh now because she’s done lots of winning. Winning Monday put her career record at 540-277. Her teams have won 16 area titles and two county titles with two county runner-up finishes.
They reached the 2022 Class 2A state final, falling to area rival Donoho on a night when flu had ravaged the Raiders.
Most of Pleasant Valley’s team returned this season. When Bryant announced in August plans to retire after this season, she set getting that elusive state title as the ultimate goal.
Area-tournament play starts next week.
For now, Bryant and her team can enjoy a night as champions in The Pete, where Calhoun County titles are won.
“It means a lot,” Henry said. “I’ve been with her since I was in seventh grade. She’s made a big impact on me as a player. It’s a privilege to play for her.”
All-tournament team
MVP: Maddie Schwabe, Pleasant Valley.
OFFENSIVE MVP: Lily Henry, Pleasant Valley.
DEFENSIVE MVP: Jamea Gaston, Oxford.
Jacksonville: Karli Barnwell.
Faith Christian: Ally Folsom.
Donoho: Samantha Wakefield.
Wellborn: Gracie Lewis.
Ohatchee: Alanah Fitch, Rebecca Henderson.
Alexandria: Kailey Dickerson, Eryn Spradley.
Oxford: Ava Thomas, Jaslyn Montgomery, Payton Brooks.
Pleasant Valley: Madison Schwabe, Allie Bryant, Madi Hay.
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