By Matthew Watkins, Sports Correspondent
The Westbrook Christian Warriors’ volleyball team’s quest for a state title has come to an end. This past Tuesday, they fell to St. Luke’s Episcopal with a set total of 3-2. Let’s take a look, though, at how they found themselves in the Elite Eight, three wins away from a state championship.
Westbrook, Class 3A, Area 12, went 31-22 in the 2025 season. They were in an area with Ohatchee, Glencoe, and Piedmont. After defeating a tough Glencoe squad in the area tournament, Westbrook fell to the tournament host, Ohatchee. Making it to the tournament finals, however, secured them a spot in the 3A North Super Regional.
At this stage in the 3A state playoffs, Westbrook went 3-1, with big victories over the likes of Whitesburg Christian Academy, Colbert Heights, and Elkmont. Their only loss came against Lauderdale County. This was good enough to propel them to Birmingham for a chance to win it all.
Their opponent, St. Luke’s Episcopal, is a member of Class 3A, Area 1. As of their match against Westbrook, they were 29-10 on the season. The match had a favorable beginning for Westbrook, who won two of the opening three sets. Although, big rallies for the Wildcats proved to be too much for the Christian Warriors to overcome. St. Luke’s won set four 25-16, and advanced past Westbrook with a 15-7 victory in the fifth and final set.
Westbrook was led by Head Coach Denise Mattison, and players like Ellison Stewart (17 kills, 3 aces), Addi Hammontree (10 kills), Raylee Neal (40 assists), and Libbi King (8 kills, 3 aces). The Warriors will graduate five seniors off of this year’s team.
St. Luke’s Episcopal, coached by Meredith Donald, saw standout performances from Amelia Smith (20 kills, 14 digs, 5 aces), Colbie Acosta (11 kills, 5 aces), Baker Garside (41 assists), and Emma Kate Frazier (14 digs, 2 assists).
While things didn’t end quite the way they wanted them to, it was still a fantastic season for Westbrook, and one that their school and community will likely remember for years to come.
