A-J volleyball squad defeats Sparta to win division championship
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School volleyball team won the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Mississippi Division championship with a victory over host Sparta Thursday, Oct. 15.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Lady Wildcats improved to 17-11 overall and captured the conference crown with a 9-1 league mark.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>A-J 25-25, Sparta 15-19:</strong> Elle Basler led the way for the Lady Wildcats with 12 digs, 3 kills, 2 aces, 2 blocks and a block assist.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Hannah Reach had 7 kills, 4 digs, 2 aces, 2 block assists and a block. Madeline Mayo had 6 digs.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Mackenzie Boget had 4 digs, 4 blocks, 3 block assists, an ace and a kill. Madi Bigler had 4 digs, 2 aces, 2 block assists and a block.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Jamie Hammond had 4 kills, 4 blocks, 4 block assists and a dig. Madison Calhoun had 2 digs, a kill and a block assist. Jasmine Foster had an ace.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>A-J 25-25, Du Quoin 22-16:</strong> Basler led with 12 digs, a kill, an ace, a block assist and a block at Du Quoin Tuesday, Oct. 13.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Hammond had 8 kills, 4 block assists and 3 blocks. Boget had 3 blocks, 3 block assists and a dig.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Calhoun had 2 kills, a block and a block assist.Reach had 3 kills, a block and a block assist. Foster had 3 digs.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>A-J 22-25-26, Pinckneyville 25-12-24:</strong> Basler had 10 kills, 11 digs, 4 block assists and 2 blocks in the win at home Thursday, Oct. 8.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Mayo had 9 digs. Hammond had 15 kills, 8 blocks and 10 block assists.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Bigler had 4 kills, 4 digs, 2 blocks and a block assist.Reach had 4 kills, 3 block assists and 2 blocks.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Brooke Miller had 3 block assists, 2 kills, 2 aces and 2 digs. Calhoun had 3 digs and a kill.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>A-J 26-25, Carterville 24-16:</strong> Hammond had 5 kills, 4 blocks and 3 block assists for visiting A-J Tuesday, Oct. 6.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Basler had 6 digs, 4 kills and an ace. Bigler had 6 digs and a kill.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Boget had 3 digs, 2 block assists and a kill. Miller had 3 blocks, 3 block assists and an ace. Reach had a kill.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"><strong>Carbondale 25-25, A-J 20-22:</strong> Basler had 10 digs, 2 kills and a block assist in the loss at Carbondale Monday, Oct. 5.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Bigler had 9 digs and 2 kills. Mayo had 10 digs.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Hammond had 5 kills, 2 digs, 2 block assists and a block. Miller had 4 digs, a kill and a block assist.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Boget had 4 digs, 2 kills, a block and a block assist. Reach had 2 kills and a block assist.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Lady Wildcats were scheduled to close out their regular season earlier this week at Massac County.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">A-J is the No. 3 seed at the Johnston City Class 2A regional next week.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Waterloo Gibault is the No. 1 seeded team and Carmi-White County is No. 3.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Vienna opens play against host Johnston City at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Lady Wildcats are scheduled to play the Vienna-Johnston City winner at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. </span></p>