North-South Volleyball All-Star Rosters Announced for 2022 All-Star Week Match

Story and photos by AHSAA Staff

     MONTGOMERY – North-South All-Star squads for the upcoming 26th annual AHSAA North-South All-Star Volleyball Match have been selected. The two 15-member teams comprised of 2023 rising seniors were announced by Brandon Dean, Director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA) Saturday. 
     The AHSADCA, which operates under the auspices of the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) will also host all-star games baseball, softball, boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ basketball, cross country, tennis and golf during the All-Star Week, July 17-22. Basketball and Cross-Country teams have already been released. The remaining teams to be selected will be announced in the coming weeks.
     The 63rd annual North-South All-Star Football Game was played last December at Mobile with the North winning 14-10. The South now leads that series 32-28-2. The North-South Football All-Star Game is the oldest all-star game in the AHSAA. It was first played in 1948.
Coaches for the 2022 All-Star volleyball squads are: (North) Nicole Eslick, East Limestone and James Clendenin, Donoho; and administrative coach Sue Marshall, Randolph.: (South) Crag Long, G.W. Long and Sarah Dubberley, Trinity Presbyterian; and administrative coach Virginia Franklin, Carver-Montgomery.
      Clendenin led Donoho (55-9) to the Class 1A state title last season, and Dubberley led Trinity (47-7) to the 3A state title. Eslick guided East Limestone (46-7) to the Class 5A finals for the first time in school history, and Long guided G.W. Long (38-7) to the 2021 state tourney and captured the 2019 Class 2A state title.

     Anchoring the North team are Spain Park libero Brooklyn Allison and outside hitter Emily Breazeale, both earning All-State Tourney honors in 2021 for the 7A state champs. Mountain Brook’s Virginia Kilgore, Addison’s Gracie Manley and Westminster’s Meg Paparella also helped their teams win state titles in Class 6A, 2A and 4A, respectively.
    Among the South All-Stars are setter Addison Cherry of 2021 Class 3A state champion Trinity Presbyterian; middle blocker Riley Carter and outside hitter Anna Grace Sparks, who helped the Dirty Dozen reach the 7A championship match in 2021, and outside hitter Lennon McAnnally, who helped Montgomery Catholic reach the 3A state title match.
    oovThe North-South all-star competition will be live-streamed by the NFHS Network and AHSAA TV Network. 
     The South won the 2021 all-star competition 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-22). The North holds a 14-9 edge in the series dating back to the first match in 1997.
    All-Star rosters include: