SAND ROCK – Sand Rock volleyball coach Lisa Bates recalls when senior libero Caley Garrett first came back on the court after suffering a knee injury during basketball season last year. It was at a Munciana team camp in Guntersville in July. Hundreds of volleyball players were there, and as Bates remembers, “they picked her out pretty fast.”

“They called her ‘Knee Brace,’” Bates said. “You could tell right away, her first week back, she was already standing out amongst hundreds of girls there at that camp because of her effort and reaction time.”

But Garrett’s return to the court during that summer camp was just the beginning. During the early part of the regular season at the Champions Academy Tournament in Alexandria against Hokes Bluff back in September, Garrett eclipsed 2,000 digs for her career.

From there, she helped guide Sand Rock (49-10) to a Cherokee County volleyball championship, a Class 2A, Area 12 championship, and a spot in the Final Four. She finished the season with 1,175 digs, 61 assists, 42 aces and five kills last season.

When it came time for the Cherokee County volleyball coaches to choose a Most Valuable Player for their all-county team, Garrett was a no-brainer.

“The coaches, whenever we got together, were like ‘Caley’s the MVP. She gets the ball to the setter’s hands. That’s so important. She’s irreplaceable,’” Bates said.

Garrett said she was scared at first coming back to the court, but the more she played, the more comfortable she became.

“My mom (Heather) told me the last game we played it looked like I never had surgery before. That was a big thing to me,” Garrett said. “After every game, I’d be like ‘did it look like I was leaning toward my left? I don’t want it to happen to the other one.’ After going through that and knowing how hard I worked through therapy and everything, I kind of felt good about myself. I was proud of myself for pushing through and having the season I did have.”

Garrett said she felt like she was back full strength during a tournament at Glencoe late in the season, just in time for the Lady Wildcats’ stretch run of the season.

“I remember telling mom ‘That felt like me,’” she said. “I know we didn’t do good as a team there, but I told my mom I felt like that was me.  I felt like I wasn’t leaning left or anything.”

Garrett might have felt like her again during that tournament, but the inspiration she gave her teammates came way before that.

“I had to fight with her to keep her contained (after surgery),” Bates said. “She was feeling good enough to go, but I was like, ‘You’ve got to do what that physical therapist says.’ She cried a few times and we butted heads a little bit, but I was like ‘No, we need you full speed back.’ She just wanted to get out there.

“When she got fully released and was ready to go, she just strapped it on and was going. When she’s going so hard and playing so hard and diving all over the place with that knee brace, it makes you want to give it your all. She made everybody better on the team just from her effort. I feel like she’s very deserving (of the MVP) because of how much effort and sacrifice she’s put into our team and our program to get back to the state tournament and the Final Four this year. She was really key in that. She makes her teammates better.”

Although she would’ve loved to have won a state championship, Garrett wouldn’t trade last volleyball season for anything.

“Every team wants to make it to the state championship game, but the season we had was crazy,” she said. “We were 49-10 and county and area champions. That’s crazy. Not many teams can do that. All that together, not many teams get to do that. As many trophies as we’ve had my three years on varsity, not many people get to do that. I’m proud to be on a team like that.”

Joining Garrett from Sand Rock on the all-county team is Lanie Henderson, McKenna Ballenger and Katelyn StClair.

Henderson had 561 kills, 159 digs, 106 blocks, 10 assists and three aces. Ballenger contributed 1,532 assists, 384 digs, 56 aces and 18 kills. StClair finished the season with 528 kills, 399 digs, 81 aces, 24 blocks and seven assists.

Spring Garden had four selections in Neely Welsh, Abbey Steward, Suzie Carter and Alle Jennings. Welsh compiled 439 kills, 69 aces and 54 blocks. Steward collected 1,164 assists and 58 aces. Carter came away with 312 kills and 79 blocks. Jennings finished the season with 317 kills and 37 aces.

Chosen from Cherokee County is Vivian Connell, Macy Lea and Nevaeh Gaidurgis. Connell compiled 101 kills, 47 blocks, 21 digs, 19 aces and six assists. Lea had 213 assists, 49 digs, 25 kills, 20 aces and 11 blocks. Gaidurgis finished the season with 111 kills, 26 blocks, 25 aces, 14 digs and five assists.

Jordyn Walker and Maggie Clowdis were selected Cedar Bluff. Walker posted 477 digs, 176 kills and 154 aces last season. Clowdis collected 293 kills, 258 digs and 165 aces.

Peyton Bright represents Gaylesville. She posted 55 assists, 30 kills, 17 aces and 15 digs last season.