The AL.com breakdown of the state’s top high school volleyball teams and players continues with AHSAA Class 4A.

Teams from the Montgomery area and south have dominated recent Class 4A volleyball championships.

Prattville Christian won last year’s title after Montgomery Catholic won 2022 and 2023 championships with Montgomery Academy, Saint James and Bayside all winning titles since 2017. Only Madison Academy’s 2016 crown and Westminster Christian’s 2021 title came from the northern part of the state.

Volleyball practice starts on Aug. 4 and the first matches will be played on Aug. 21.

See who the AL.com sports staff picks as the top contenders and highlighted players in Class 4A.

Championship contenders

Prattville Christian claimed its second championship in three years — the Panthers won Class 3A in 2022 — and have advanced to the Elite 8 five of the past six years with three of those at least a semifinal appearance. A good nucleus for another run includes class Setter MVP Baylee Rogers along with all-state middles Maren Diefenderfer and Leah Cate Wilson.

Madison County won its only volleyball title in 2012, but is always a championship threat with five straight Elite 8 appearances. The Tigers lost 3-2 to 2024 champion Prattville Chrisitan in semifinal action and have advanced to at least the semifinal four of the past five years. All-staters Addy Gustafson at setter and Carleigh Lanford at outside hitter lead the Tigers.

Orange Beach continues to excel in girls sports since starting athletics in 2020 — the softball team has won five straight titles — with the volleyball team reaching the Elite 8 four of its five seasons. The Makos won to the Class 2A final in 2021 and advanced to at least the semifinal round twice more. Setter Ella Bilbo and Libero Ava Hodo — she’s an Arkansas softball commit — are both returning all-state selections.

Alexandria won its last of four championships in 2017, but appeared in four of the past six Elite 8 championships, including losing in last year’s title match to Prattville Christian. The Valley Cubs also have two other semifinal appearances. Alexandria lost class Attacker MVP Eryn Spradley to graduation, but all-state setter and Snead State commit Sophie Martin returns to direct the attack.

Teams to watch (A-Z)

Brooks

Central-Florence

Cherokee County

Danville

Deshler

Madison Academy

Plainview

St. Michael

Straughn

West Morgan

Wilson

Players to watch (A-Z)

Adily Alberti, Danville, Sr., OH

Jolie Alexander, Cherokee County, So., Middle

Josie Bailey, Danville, Sr., DS

Ella Bilbo, Orange Beach, Sr., Setter

Kinsley Blackwell, Orange Beach, Sr., DS

Maci Brannon, Danville, So., DS

Amaya Brooks, LAMP, Jr., DS

Jaxson Bruce, Plainview, Jr., Setter

Ta’maya Coman, Central-Florence, Jr., OH

Belle Cormier, American Christian, Sr., Setter/OH

Jacey Crawford, Madison Academy, Sr., Middle

Maren Diefenderfer, Prattville Christian, Jr., Middle

Lola Dodson, Madison County, Sr., Libero

Izzy Fearnside, Madison County, Jr., OH/Middle

Alexis Fielder, Central-Florence, Sr., OH

Nevaeh Gaidurgis, Cherokee County, Sr., OH/Middle

Ellison Givens, Cherokee County, Sr., Libero

Calleigh Granger, Good Hope, So., DS

Isabella Grant, St. John Paul II, Jr., Libero

Jada Gray, Plainview, So., Setter

Emma Guffey, DAR, So., OH

Addy Gustafson, Madison County, Sr., Setter

Ava Haygood, Cherokee County, Jr., OH

Gillian Head, DAR, Jr., Setter

Carly Hensley, Danville, Sr., Setter

Ava Hodo, Orange Beach, Sr., Libero

Rhyan Holloway, St. John Paul II, Sr., OH

Maggie Holt, American Christian, Jr., OH/Middle

Jill Huffaker, Central-Florence, Jr., Middle

McKenna Jackson, Danville, Sr., Libero

Kylie Jeffers, Alexandria, Sr., Middle

Preslee Kelly, Fayette County, Jr., Libero

Addison Knowlton, West Morgan, Jr., OH

Campbell Koch, Good Hope, Sr., Setter

Carleigh Lanford, Madison County, Sr., OH

Macy Lea, Cherokee County, Sr., Setter

Janelle Lowery, Madison Academy, Jr., RS

Sophie Martin, Alexandria, Sr., Setter

Charlee McInnis, Orange Beach, So., Middle

Raegan Morrison, American Christian, Sr., Setter/OH

Bekah Mouser, Madison Academy, Jr., OH

Rayen Muse, West Morgan, Jr., Middle

Faith Odom, Plainview, Sr., OH

Mikayla Osaji, St. John Paul II, Fr., OH

Charlee Parris, Alexandria, Sr., DS

Landry Patterson, Alexandria, Jr., DS

Charlie Richey, Plainview, Sr., DS

Mia Ridgeway, American Christian, Jr., Libero

Baylee Rogers, Prattville Christian, Sr., Setter

Elizabeth Rohling, St. John Paul II, Jr., Setter

Olivia Rossi, Prattville Christian, So., OH

Bella Rumley, Orange Beach, So., OH

Shayna Russell, DAR, Sr., OH

Haniyah Standridge, West Morgan, So., OH

Aliya Stevenson, Fayette County, Jr., OH

Isabelle Sutton, Madison Academy, Sr., OH

Addie Thomas, Fayette County, Sr., RS/Setter

Emeri Thompson, Central-Florence, Sr., RS

Caselyn Whatley, Good Hope, Sr., L

Bella White, Good Hope, Fr., OH/DS

Caylen Williams, Fayette County, Sr., RS/Setter

Leah Cate Wilson, Prattville Christian, Sr., Middle

Jane Wooden, LAMP, Sr., RS/DS

Eloise Wooden, LAMP, Sr., Setter/OH