Hannah Engstrand and Tippecanoe Valley are ready to host the Class 3-A volleyball sectional. InkFreeNews file photo by Mike Deak

By Mike Deak
InkFreeNews

INDIANAPOLIS – A pair of local clubs with huge aspirations for a tournament run are hosting sectionals. They now know what’s in front of them.

Warsaw and Tippecanoe Valley are among the hosts for the IHSAA volleyball sectional tournaments, which were drawn Sunday night.

At Warsaw

The Tigers will get one of the byes and take on either Goshen or Elkhart on Saturday in the first semi-final. The RedHawks and Lions will meet in the sectional’s first match Thursday. Warsaw, which won its 20th match of the season Thursday over NorthWood, is 1-1 this season against Elkhart and beat Goshen in Northern Lakes Conference play.

On the other half of the 4-A bracket are Concord against Northridge, which play in game two Thursday. Waiting for that winner will be defending champion Penn, which will play in game two Saturday. The Warsaw sectional final will be at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Warsaw winner will meet the Valpo winner in the LaPorte Regional.

At Tippecanoe Valley

The Vikings won’t have to wait long to make its claim for a 3-A title, drawing the first game Thursday against Jimtown. The two teams haven’t met this season. The second game of the night will be Wawasee and West Noble, those two will get a tournament preview this Tuesday in a non-conference matchup at Wawasee.

Defending champion NorthWood is thanking its lucky stars to have the bye, buying some time to get its contact traced athletes hopefully back in action. The Panthers will get the Tippy-Jimtown winner in Saturday’s first contest, and upstart Lakeland will take on either Wawasee or West Noble in the second semi-final. NorthWood hasn’t seen Valley, but has a win over Jimtown. Lakeland holds wins over both Wawasee and West Noble in head-to-head contests. The Valley sectional final will be at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Valley winner will meet the Delta winner in the Norwell Regional.

At Oregon-Davis

Triton comes into the 1-A as the favorite, serving as defending sectional champion and at one point sitting as the No. 1 team in the state in Class 1-A. The 19-win Trojans will have to go to work right away Thursday night, facing LaCrosse in game one. That winner will meet Argos Saturday in the first semi-final. Triton hasn’t seen LaCrosse yet this season but has a win over Argos.

Thursday’s other game will feature Culver and the host Dragons, with West Central waiting on the winner Saturday in game two. The O-D sectional final will be at 8 p.m. EST Saturday.

The O-D winner will meet the Washington Township winner in the Culver Regional.

At Pioneer

Lakeland Christian Academy grabbed one of the two byes, and will play Saturday against the winner of Southwood and Pioneer, that game opens the sectional on Thursday. Game two on Thursday is North Miami versus Caston, with Northfield waiting on the winner in Saturday’s game two.

Pioneer comes in the defending champion and a semi-state participant last fall. The addition of LCA makes the grid a six-teamer, which last year’s bracket was a five-teamer at Southwood.

The Pioneer winner will meet the Lakewood Park winner in the Culver Regional.