By GRAHAM CARR / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA-Calera High School defeated  Shelby County High School 2-0 (25-16, 25-16), but both schools were swept by Brookwood High School on Sept. 27 at Shelby County.

Calera and Shelby County faced off in the first game with Calera controlling both games.  After Calera won the first set 25-16, the Eagles were in position to win the second set easily after jumping to an early 10-3 lead, but Shelby County battled back to close the gap to 11-9.  Unfortunately for the Wildcats, Calera recovered and ended the game on a 14-7 run, winning 25-16

In the second game, Brookwood defeated Calera 2-0.  In the first set, Brookwood used a 11-6 run to stretch a close 10-9 game into a comfortable 21-15 lead.  Brookwood was actually outscored the rest of the set, but the deficit was too much for Calera to overcome falling 25-21.

The second set had 13 lead changes and needed more than the usual 25 points to decide a winner.  After score was tied at 24, the teams battled back and forth with neither team being able to get the two-point lead to win the set. The Eagles actually led 28-27 and looked poised to send the game to a third set, but Brookwood rallied scoring the last three points winning 30-27.

Calera was led by A’Kia Harris with nine kills.  Keyanna Gayden and Caitlin Ryan added six kills each. Elizabeth Rhineheart chipped in 16 digs

In the final game of the night, Brookwood swept Shelby County winning 2-0(27-24, 25-14).

In the first set, the Wildcats actually looked poised to end Brookwood’s winning streak when they jumped to a 8-4 lead and even had a 17-15 lead later in the set.  But Brookwood rallied using a 9-4 run to take a comfortable 24-21 lead.  The Wildcats did not go away though, rallying to tie the score at 24 apiece, but Brookwood pulled away winning 27-25

In the second set, Brookwood used a 7-0 run to stretch a 7-7  tie to a commanding 14-7 lead.  Shelby County got as close as 17-12, but Brookwood finished the set on a a 8-2 run.

The Wildcats were led by Alisha White with six service aces. Jasmyn Buie had nine kills while Haleigh Green added six blocks.

Shelby County coach Jamie Creekmore was proud of the way his team competed in both games.

“I thought the girls played hard,” Creekmore said. “We just missed to many serves that was the bottom line.”