BIRMINGHAM, Alabama— "It" is simply an amazing achievement in any sport at any level. "It" is eleven state championships in a row for the Bayside Academy Lady Admirals who defeated Cottage Hill Christian 25-12, 25-20, 25-12 Thursday in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 3A championship. The Lady Ads improved to 65-2 overall winning the last 61 matches. For Bayside head coach Ann Schilling, it is the 18th Blue-Map trophy earned for the Daphne school on Mobile Bay in her 25 years at the Admiral helm.

Now with a state record of 21 total titles in the sport, Bayside started collecting this run of consecutive volleyball crowns in 2002 and players, coaches and fans still find adding to it as exciting as ever. Especially for seniors and co-MVPs Gabby Deshotel and Virginia Pittman, second graders when "It" started and part of varsity teams which claimed the last five state banners.

“It never gets old," said Pittman. "But during the season and until it happens we don't really talk about it that much.” (Coach Schilling) teaches you from the beginning that the harder we work the more control we have and so we always practice and play with that in mind."

Deshotel also said the consecutive run was fun but added that Schilling turns the pressure into a positive thing. "We're like a family so we all know it's there," she said. "She (Schilling) always uses it like a motivator to get better, to keep working."

Schilling was proud of this team for playing so well under the pressure of the state-title streak as well as the added burden of the consecutive-match streak of 61 which ties a national record.

"This was a special team," she said. "They are all special in their own way, but this one had so many things you want as a coach and had in abundance. Talent, maturity, work ethic and a great sense of teamwork and individual responsibility for each other. Genuine confidence, not over confident attitudes. Realistic confidence in themselves and each other. My seniors have been great role models. All the kids love and respect them and picked up good work habits. But of course they (Deshotel and Pittman) depend so much on Syd (junior setter and 2011 MVP Sydney Chandler) to set them up. And I think that combination will sure be hard if not impossible to replace. But we will just have to get to work and take one day at a time and once the season starts, it's one game at a time. And so along with our other strong hitters like (juniors) Jhalen (Caffey) and Morgan (Dulaney) and some of our other younger kids coming up we should be all right."

Chandler said the challenge of repeating next year would be harder without 6-3 Pittman and 6-0 Deshotel, but believes her class of 2014 will work hard for it.

“One game at a time. We know we have a target on our backs all the time. We're used to it now but we don't take it for granted,” she said. "We just celebrate each point throughout the game and build to win each game and celebrate that. Then we go back and start over but not completely over because we try to learn from our mistakes and successes. So, I think we'll be okay. Coach Schilling knows what she's doing. But I'm going to miss my big sisters (Deshotel and Pittman) so much next year."

Pittman led the Admirals in the title match with 16 kills, five blocks, four digs and three aces; Deshotel added 11 kills, three blocks, three digs and an ace; Caffey had eight kills, a block and six digs; Dulaney had six kills, two blocks, five digs, an ace and an assist; Lauren Chastang scored four kills, a block and a dig.

Cottage Hill which competes in the same 3A Area 1 league as Bayside finished 36-12.

The 2012 All-Tournament Team included: Chandler, Deshotel and Pittman from Bayside; Rachael Howell and Hannah Wentland of Cottage Hill; Montana Clark of Plainview and Taylor Gill of Madison Academy.