AHSAA Volleyball Playoffs Begin: Area Tournament Schedule for Mobile and Baldwin Teams as McGill-Toolen, Spanish Fort and Bayside Chase Titles in New Classifications

The Alabama High School Athletic Association volleyball postseason gets underway this week with area tournaments, the first step on the road to a state championship. For Mobile County and Baldwin County teams, it is also the start of the first playoff run under the AHSAA’s new classification system, which separates public and private schools in the state playoffs.

Nine area tournaments involving local teams are on the schedule. The first begins Monday, Oct. 12, most are set for Tuesday, Oct. 13, and the Class 6A area tournaments will be played Thursday, Oct. 15.

The road to Birmingham

The top two teams from each area tournament advance. Regional tournaments are scheduled for Oct. 21-23, and the state tournament returns to Birmingham Oct. 27-29.

A banner year in 2025

The Mobile-Baldwin area has been well represented at the state tournament in recent seasons, and last year was especially strong.

Three area teams brought home state championships in 2025:

• McGill-Toolen in Class 7A
• Spanish Fort in Class 6A
• Mobile Christian in Class 3A

St. Luke’s finished as the Class 3A state runner-up, falling to Mobile Christian in the title match.

Several other local teams also reached the state tournament. St. Paul’s and Bayside Academy joined McGill-Toolen in Class 7A. Saraland qualified along with Spanish Fort in Class 6A. UMS-Wright and Faith Academy competed in Class 5A, and Orange Beach and St. Michael earned berths in Class 4A. Saraland, UMS-Wright and Orange Beach all advanced to the semifinals in their classifications, along with the three state champions.

New classifications, no repeat titles

Because of the AHSAA’s new classifications separating public and private schools for the playoffs, no local team will be trying to repeat as champion in the same classification it won last season.

McGill-Toolen has won four straight state titles, all in Class 7A. This year, the Yellow Jackets are favored to win the new Private Class AA championship. They enter the playoffs with a 37-2 record.

Spanish Fort, which won the previous two Class 6A crowns, now competes in Class 5A, where the Toros are again considered a strong favorite. They head into the postseason at 49-3.

Mobile Christian won the previous two Class 3A titles but will compete for the Private Class A championship this season. The Leopards are 16-10.

Bayside Academy, which holds the national and state records for most consecutive state championships with 21 and most overall state championships with 31, is a favorite in the Private Class A chase. The Admirals are 26-8 entering the postseason.

Other teams to watch

• Saraland (Class 5A), 24-5
• Orange Beach (Class 4A), 34-12
• Gulf Shores (Class 5A), 17-13
• Faith Academy (Private Class AA), 37-6
• UMS-Wright (Private Class AA), 22-16
• St. Paul’s (Private Class AA), 21-17
• St. Luke’s (Private Class A), 11-23

Crossover matches and the public-private debate

During the regular season, many of the area’s top programs scheduled several “crossover” matches, with public schools playing private schools, to face stronger competition and prepare for the postseason. At Mobile Area Volleyball Media Days before the season began, several coaches said they disagreed with the public-private split and planned to keep scheduling opponents from the “other side” during the regular season.

Given the area’s regular-season success and the added classification of competition, some observers expect another season with multiple state champions from the Mobile-Baldwin area.

Area tournament schedule

Here is the schedule for the upcoming area tournaments involving local teams. There are no Class 3A or Class 1A teams from the area.

Private Class AA, Area 1 at McGill-Toolen

Monday, Oct. 12

• 2 p.m.: St. Paul’s vs. St. Michael
• 4 p.m.: UMS-Wright vs. Faith Academy
• 6 p.m.: McGill-Toolen vs. St. Paul’s-St. Michael winner

Thursday, Oct. 15

• 3 p.m.: Third-place match
• 5 p.m.: Title match

Class 2A, Area 1 at J.U. Blacksher

Tuesday, Oct. 13

• 1:30 p.m.: Blacksher vs. Thomasville
• 3:30 p.m.: Chickasaw vs. Clarke County
• 5:30 p.m.: Title match between first-round winners

Class 4A, Area 1 at Satsuma

Tuesday, Oct. 13

• 4 p.m.: LeFlore vs. Citronelle
• 5:30 p.m.: Title match, Satsuma vs. LeFlore-Citronelle winner

Class 4A, Area 2 at Orange Beach

Tuesday, Oct. 13

• 4:30 p.m.: Williamson vs. B.C. Rain
• 5:30 p.m.: Title match, Orange Beach vs. Williamson-B.C. Rain winner

Class 5A, Area 1 at Saraland

Tuesday, Oct. 13

• 1:30 p.m.: Saraland vs. Blount
• 3 p.m.: Murphy vs. Baldwin County
• 4:30 p.m.: Title match between first-round winners

Class 5A, Area 2 at Spanish Fort

Tuesday, Oct. 13

• 3:30 p.m.: Spanish Fort vs. Theodore
• 4:15 p.m.: Elberta vs. Gulf Shores
• 6 p.m.: Title match between first-round winners

Private Class A, Area 1 at Bayside Academy

Tuesday, Oct. 13

• 4 p.m.: Cottage Hill Christian vs. Bayshore Christian
• 5:30 p.m.: St. Luke’s vs. Snook Christian

Thursday, Oct. 15

• 4:30 p.m.: Bayside Academy vs. Cottage Hill Christian-Bayshore Christian winner
• 6 p.m.: Mobile Christian vs. St. Luke’s-Snook Christian winner
• 7:30 p.m.: Title match between the winners of the earlier Oct. 15 matches

Class 6A, Area 1 at Davidson

Thursday, Oct. 15

• 4 p.m.: Davidson vs. Mary G. Montgomery
• 5:30 p.m.: Alma Bryant vs. Baker
• 7 p.m.: Title match between first-round winners

Class 6A, Area 2 at Fairhope

• 3 p.m.: Fairhope vs. Foley
• 4:30 p.m.: Robertsdale vs. Daphne
• 6 p.m.: Title match between first-round winners

The Class 6A area tournaments are scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 15.

Key dates

• Oct. 12-15: Area tournaments (top two teams advance)
• Oct. 21-23: Regional tournaments
• Oct. 27-29: AHSAA state volleyball tournament in Birmingham

Fans planning to attend should check with host schools for ticket information and any schedule changes, particularly as some communities continue to recover from Hurricane Isaias.

For more on the season so far, see our Week 7 volleyball roundup and our look at Bayside Academy’s championship tradition.