Lady Patriots exhibit “true grit” in State Tournament

BIRMINGHAM – The 2025 volleyball season for the Bob Jones Patriots came crashing down in round one of the AHSAA State Tournament in Birmingham, but the Lady Patriots exhibited true grit and a never give up attitude which nearly gave the squad an upset for the ages.

Facing three-time defending Class 7A State Champion Mc-Gill-Toolen Catholic out of Mobile and the team the Patriots had lost to in the Class 7A State Finals the past two seasons, Bob Jones watched their state tournament foe make quick work of the first two sets and appeared ready to cruise into the Class 7A semi-finals.

But the Lady Patriots had other ideas.

Falling to the Yellow Jackets in the first two sets by scores of 25-12 and 25-19, all looked gloom and doom for No. 2 state ranked Bob Jones, but, like many times throughout the 2025 season, dug deep in their mindset of never giving up and stormed back to tie the match forcing a fifth game winner-take-all battle. The Lady Patriots took games three and four by scores of 25-23 and 25-20 only to fall in the match-deciding game 15-12.

Kendall Buckley led Bob Jones with 13 kills, 22 digs and three blocks, and Mya Lacey added 11 kills, 16 assists, eight digs and two aces in the final match. Both are senior All-Star players and played in their last match as a member of the Lady Patriots. Sophomore Ella Watts added eight kills and four blocks to assist Bob Jones to a final season record of 39-18.

Nicknamed the “Dirty Dozen,” top-ranked McGill-Toolen (47-2) went on to defeat Austin 3-1 in the semi-finals and won its 41st consecutive match in the 7A finals by defeating Thompson 3-1 by scores of 25-20, 29-31, 25-21, 25-17 to earn its fourth consecutive State Championship and 25th overall in school history.