Prep volleyball playday season has begun:

Hanceville plays host Tuesday with half a dozen schools involved:

GDW Analysis:
HANCEVILLE: Local volleyball playdays have started with Hanceville being the first school to host in the early part of July.
Half a dozen teams made up the playday Tuesday from Lane Horton Gymnasium.
Gameday Weekly was there to see three locals in taking to the court vs. an opponent for the first time in this setup the AHSAA allows for July.
Hanceville, Cold Springs and Cullman Christian School were the local participants with Asbury and Brindlee Mountain coming out of Marshall County and Sand Rock with the longest trip of coming into Cullman County from Cherokee County.
How the playday was set up by Hanceville coach Morgan Hammock with matchups on two courts and a match time of 25:00 with a running clock.
Each played a full first set, getting to 25 points and winning by at least two points. GDW analyzed that most of the first sets were played in approximately 16:00.
A second set took place and ended when the clock ran out and the horn sounded.
For the event, GDW followed nine assignments, focusing on the three local schools.
Hanceville:
For Hammock to be in her 3rd season with Hanceville, the Lady Bulldogs are limited with returning experience and using the playday schedule to build on becoming consistent when the season begins around August 21.
Alex Twitty, Eden Clements, Beth McAfee and Bentley Childers have reached their senior season. Twitty gives them an attacker when she is on the front row with Clements, McAfee and Childers showing their role in having experience going into 2025.
Hammock is in the process of the rest of the team displaying determination while they encountered this as the opening day of a three week period.
Cold Springs:
Kate Kent enters her 2nd year with Cold Springs.
Kent told GDW her team is looking to grow on the floor as they have one senior in 5'9" attacker Cheyenne Bishop.
Others that played last season and look to continue maturing are juniors Hollyn Bruer, Alli Light, Kayleigh Light and sophomore Myranda Dykes.
A newcomer that showed a lot of effort with GDW analyzing was junior Kelsey Wilson. Wilson is 6'0" and showed it on the front row, especially as a middle blocker and attacker.
Cold Springs swept Hanceville 25 to 17 and 17 to 4 to begin the agenda. They lost to Sand Rock 25 to 22 and beat them in the 2nd set, 8 to 6.

 The Lady Eagles earned a split with Cullman Christian in a 25 to 17 opening set victory. CCS squeezed out a 13 to 10 verdict in Game 2.
Cullman Christian School:
CCS is an experienced unit with Sydney Rowell leading the Lady Lions in her 2nd season.
Gracie Stidham, Emmagrace Thompson and Zoe Powell give the team senior leadership and determined skills.
Lila Sellers looks to excel as a middle blocker. Sellers is a junior. Sophomore Rylee Stubbs takes the role of setter.

 On the day, CCS split with Brindlee Mountain, winning the first set 25 to 23, falling in Game 2 by the score of 11 to 6.
The Lady Lions took a pair from Hanceville 25 to 14 and 14 to 9.

 Asbury won a hotly contested first set 26 to 24, CCS took the finale 12 to 4.
The Lady Lions earned a 13 to 10 win in the 2nd set with Cold Springs. CS claimed a 25 to 17 triumph during the opener.
Looking ahead:
As the first week of volleyball playdays move on, GDW is planning to follow the St. Bernard Lady Saints from Snead State Community College in Boaz on Thursday.
St. Bernard is taking two groups to the ACCC school, facing programs located in the Northeast and East Central parts of the state.
The first match for coach Fallin's Lady Saints will be against Weaver at 9:00 a.m.

 Cullman County volleyball teams will gather at the CCBOE conference room July 21 for the 2025 media day.
Each head coach from Cold Springs, Fairview, Good Hope, Hanceville, Holly Pond, Vinemont and West Point will be in attendance and bring at least two players to interact with GDW and other media outlets.

Photo of Hanceville VB coach Morgan Hammock and her team in a playday match vs. Cold Springs Tuesday from Lane Horton Gymnasium.
GDW photo by Johnny Thornton.