Hartselle sweeps Cullman in volleyball and recognizes 2012 State Champs
HARTSELLE – It was a special night at Hartselle High School for the volleyball program. It started with a Lady Tigers sweep of the Cullman program. Hartselle defeated the Lady Bearcats’ varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams. It finished with the recognition of the 2012 Lady Tigers state championship team.
The varsity Lady Tigers defeated Cullman 3-0 in an area match that will determine the host of the area tournament in a couple of weeks. The Lady Bearcats is coached by first-year head coach Katelyn (Hill) Quigg, a Hartselle graduate and former assistant coach.
Jadyn Chesser led Hartselle with 12 kills, five digs and two aces, while Katie Gillott finished with six kills and four digs. Kennedy Sheats had five kills, two digs, a block and an ace. Lydia Simmons added four blocks and three kills.
2012 State Champions
The night ended with the recognition of the 2012 5A State Champions. That team finished 48-19 after defeating the defending state champion, St. Paul’s, 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-21 to win the school’s first volleyball state championship.
The team was coached by Tanya Lybarger, who retired after last season. She led the Lady Tigers for more than 20 years and she won 1,101 games during her time.
Team members in attendance were Sarah Ellen Battles Anders (current HHS freshman team coach), Melissa-Paul Hill Gardner (current New Hope head coach; her sister, Katelyn Hill Quigg, is Cullman’s head coach), Hannah Warren, Tori Miller Ware, Tori Denslow, Haley Jared Blackwood, Taylor Lybarger and Katy Beth Bole Mathis.
Players and managers not in attendance were Taylor Dellinger, Jordan Barbrey, Claire Forsythe, Alley Orr, John David Rittman, Marietta Wilhelm, Tourie Davis and Mary Claire Swann Camp.
Assistant coaches were Kathy Cheatham Slayton and Robin Halbrooks Riley, who passed away in 2015.
After the team was introduced, they watched a highlight video of the 2012 season and then had a meal with family members and the current Lady Tigers volleyball players.
Earlier in the week
The Hartselle Lady Tigers swept a tri-match at Guntersville on Tuesday by defeating 5A No. 6 Arab 2-1 and 5A No. 7 Guntersville 2-0.
Jadyn Chesser led Hartselle (13-13) with 18 kills, 16 digs and three aces. Lydia Simmons finished with 15 kills and two blocks. Katie Gillott had 12 kills, while Amber Holshouser added 30 assists and eight digs.
