A matchup between Montgomery area volleyball powers Trinity and Prattville Christian always stirs interest.

Prattville Christian won last year’s Class 4A title and the Class 3A crown in 2022 while Trinity captured the Class 3A championships in 2020 and 2021. Trinity holds a 9-4 advantage in matches since 2020, but the Panthers earned a split with Trinity last season.

Trinity parent Dave Reichert approached coach Sarah Dubberley with an idea to create even more excitement for the Oct. 4 match against Prattville Christian.

Reichert proposed playing the match outdoors, calling it Showdown at Sunset.

“I think it’s super exciting,” Dubberley said. “Bringing some attention to volleyball in general and Alabama will be awesome overall.

“We’re trying to make it a big thing not just for the school, but for girls volleyball. Volleyball is growing rapidly, but I don’t necessarily see that reflection in Montgomery, and I mean, girls are playing, but I don’t see the girls getting a lot of attention for it.”

The original idea was to play on the football field like Nebraska did against Omaha in 2023 when more than 92,000 fans came to see the match, but Trinity’s football field has a crown so the court will be brought in and set up on the softball field. Trinity is adding lights and more bleachers.

It’s the first AHSAA sanctioned outdoor match in the state while high schools in Texas and Ohio have also played outdoors.

“This just adds to the fun of it,” said Prattville Christian coach Kaylon Cantrell. “Obviously both of us want to win, but I think it’s more than winning for this event. Hopefully it gets our area really excited about the sport, just getting our girls exposure, just letting people know that volleyball has some really amazing athletes.

“We’re excited. It’s going to be a really neat thing.”

Volleyball is the top high school and college girls participatory sport, but this experience should be special. Outdoors, the lights, the elements and fans all add to the event.

“A lot of the girls play beach just for fun in the summer, but it will be different,” Dubberley said. “They’ll be used to the outdoor elements minus the stands so I’ll be intrigued. Who knows how it’ll go, but they’ll get out there and they’ll have fun.”