By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

It’s playoff volleyball season, which means a whole lot is about to happen in a very short amount of time. Volleyball has been good to Shelby County so far this year, and nine county teams have made it out of their respective areas and will play in the Super Regional tournaments, which start on Thursday and end on Saturday, for a shot at the state tournament in Birmingham.

Indian Springs, Montevallo, Helena and Briarwood all won their respective areas while Shelby County, Calera, Pelham, Chelsea and Thompson all finished runners-up.

Indian Springs, a 3A school in volleyball, has had an incredibly impressive season and is 28-2 through the area tournament. Springs won the 3A Area 7 tournament against Central Coosa. Springs will face off against 3A Area 2 runner-up Opp on Friday, Nov. 23 in the South Super Regional at 10:15 a.m.

Montevallo has had quite an up-and-down season in 2015, but the Lady Bulldogs came out swinging in the 4A Area 7 tournament, and took down Oak Grove in the tournament championship in a come-from-behind five-set win. After falling into an early 0-2 hole via 15-25, 24-26 set losses, Montevallo won the final three sets 25-13, 25-14, 15-10 to claim the area championship. Montevallo will play Area 2 runner-up Andalusia on Friday at 4:15 p.m. in the South Super Regional at the Montgomery Multiplex.

Helena took down Calera in three sets in the in the 5A Area 7 tournament championship, 25-13, 25-15, 25-23. The Lady Eagles will now take on Jackson, the 5A Area 2 runner-up in the South Super Regional at 10:15 a.m. on Friday while Calera will take on Area 2 winner Escambia County at 6:45 p.m. in the South Super Regional on Friday as well. The other 5A school in the county, Shelby County, finished runner-up in the Area 8 tournament to Sylacauga in a four-set, hard-fought match, 17-25, 25-19, 25-23, 26-24. The Lady Wildcats will now play Area 1 champ St. Paul’s in the first round of the South Super Regional at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Briarwood was the only 6A school to come out on top in its area tournament, winning a five-set match over Homewood, 25-15, 20-25, 25-23, 16-25, 15-13. The 6A Area 9 champs will now take on Area 16 runner-up Florence in the first round of the 6A North Super Regional in Huntsville at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Chelsea finished runner-up in the Area 10 tournament to Oxford and will play Area 15 winner Hartselle at 4:15 p.m. at the North Super Regional as well. Pelham, runner up in Area 8 to John Carroll Catholic, will play Saraland, the Area 1 champ in the South Super Regional at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Thompson, the only 7A school to make it out of area play, will play Mountain Brook in the first round of the North Super Regional in Huntsville on Thursday for a berth in the state tournament.