By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

BIRMINGHAM – Nine volleyball teams from Shelby County made it out of area play and to the Super Regional Championships in their respective classes. Of those nine, four advanced far enough in Super Regional play to earn a spot in the state tournament. Those four are Indian Springs, Helena, Calera and Pelham.

The state tournament for each class is comprised of just eight teams. The top four teams from the North and South Super Regionals from each class earn a bid to the state tournament in Birmingham, which means in the 1A-6A Super Regionals, teams have to win two matches to secure a berth in the state tournament. In the 7A Super Regionals, because there are less 7A schools in total, teams have to just win one match to earn a state tournament bid.

Indian Springs has only lost three matches all season. After laying waste to Area 7 of 3A, Springs waltzed through its crucial first two matches, beating Opp and Dale County in straight sets each, with a 25-5, 25-10, 25-5 victory over Opp and a 25-13, 25-10, 25-10 win over Dale County to secure its spot in the 3A state tournament. Springs then took on Cottage Hill Christian Academy in the semifinals of the South Super Regional and won that match in four sets, 26-28, 25-22, 25-17, 25-11 before falling in the finals to Bayside Academy in straight sets. Springs, the No. 2 seed out of the South, will take on Lexington High School, the No. 3 seed out of the North, in the first round of the 3A state tournament on Oct. 28 at 9:30 a.m. at the BJCC in downtown Birmingham.

Helena and Calera finished No. 1 and 2 respectively in the 5A Area 7 and both finished in the top four of the 5A South Super Regional. Calera beat Escambia County and Tallassee before falling to St. Paul’s in the semifinals. The Lady Eagles also lost the consolation game to Faith Academy, giving them the No. 4 seed out of the that bracket. Helena beat Jackson, Alabama Christian Academy and Faith Academy before falling to St. Paul’s in the finals. The Lady Huskies will take on Guntersville at 2 p.m. on Oct. 28 while Calera will face the No. 1 seed out of the North, Lawrence County, at the same time.

Pelham, the fourth and final team to make it to the state tournament from Shelby County, finished third in the 6A South Super Regional. Runners-up in Area 8 to John Carroll Catholic, the Lady Panthers beat Area 1 winner Saraland in straight sets before taking down Northview in straight sets as well to secure a state tournament berth. Pelham fell to eventual champ Spanish Fort in the semifinal round, but beat Daphne in four sets in the consolation match to claim the No. 3 seed out of the region. The Lady Panthers will take on Arab at 8 a.m. on Oct. 28 in the first round of the 6A state tournament.