JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The second round of the high school volleyball state playoffs are spaced out across two nights this week. A look at the matchups for the 10 area teams who are still alive in the postseason. All matches at 7 p.m. unless indicated. Winners advance to Saturday’s regional finals.
Regional semifinals
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Tuesday, Nov. 2, all matches 7 p.m.
Region 1-4A
5. Yulee (18-10) at 1. Santa Fe (25-3)
6. South Walton (21-6) at 2. Bishop Kenny (19-9)
Region glance: Tough matchup for the Hornets here with a road trip to face the nationally ranked Raiders. Santa Fe is the No. 3 team in Florida and ranked as the 11th team in the country by MaxPreps. Christina Jackson and Caroline Brackens are the Hornets’ big two. They accounted for 46 kills in the playoff opener against Fernandina Beach. Bishop Kenny is annually an excellent example of a team that elevates in the postseason. Of its 25 previous playoff trips, only twice have the Crusaders failed to advance past the second round. The last time it happened came in 2004, coach Suzanne Winkler’s second season at the school. The Crusaders just don’t lose games this early in the playoffs. Allison Cavanaugh had 15 kills in the opener against Baker County. They’ll likely to face Santa Fe in the regional final on Saturday, a showdown that has been widely expected all season.
Region 1-3A
4. Trinity Christian (20-9) at 1. Pensacola Catholic (26-1)
Region glance: It’s been an excellent season for the Conquerors, who won just the second playoff match in program history with a sweep of Florida High in the opener. Amaria King added to her stellar freshman season with 17 kills in that match. She’s up to 451 on the season. The Conquerors will have to do something that they’ve never done — win a second-round match — and do it against one of the hottest teams in the state. Catholic hasn’t lost to a team from Florida this season and enters on a 19-game winning streak. The road won’t get easier after this. A Trinity win likely pits it against reigning state champion Ocala Trinity Catholic in Saturday’s regional final.
Region 1-2A
5. Christ’s Church (14-6) at 1. Gainesville Oak Hall (19-8), 6 p.m.
6. St. Johns Country Day (18-5) at 2. Harvest (18-4)
Region glance: Not the most daunting district for area teams. All three have a very good chance to advance. The all-local showdown should be a classic. The Spartans nipped Harvest 3-2 (15-10) in the regular season, but that was a long time ago. Lauryn Mateo had 11 kills for St. Johns in the playoff opener against St. Johns Paul II. Ashlyn Anderson had 13 kills against Harvest earlier this season. Abigail Maynor is coming off a 12-kill match against Aucilla Christian in the playoff opener. The Warriors have been sizzling. They’ve won 13 straight matches. For Christ’s Church, it’s a very winnable game, even on the road. Nadia Mortensen is coming off a 19-kill outing against Aucilla Christian. A win would set up an all-local regional final on Saturday.
Region 4-1A
3. Newberry (17-10) at 2. Union County (14-8)
Region glance: The playoff opener is a rematch of the last game the Tigers played. They clipped Newberry 3-2 (15-11) on Oct. 21. Jaycee Davis had 21 kills in that match, her 10th this season of 20 or more kills. A win sends them on to Saturday’s regional final against either Taylor Pierson or Williston.
Wednesday, Nov. 3
Region 1-6A
4. Niceville (10-9) at 1. Ponte Vedra (26-1), 6 p.m.
Region glance: The Sharks dusted Pensacola Washington in their playoff opener, winning their 11th straight match and 10th straight by sweep. Ponte Vedra is the state’s top-ranked team and ranked No. 3 in the nation by MaxPreps. Zeta Washington has been dominant (and healthy) all season long. She has career highs in both hitting percentage (50.2) and kill percentage (61.7%). When Washington is on, she’s unstoppable. Rachel Johnson’s 227 kills follow Washington. Jessica Shattles is creeping up on the 800-assist mark, too. She’s at 759. Niceville upset Tallahassee Chiles in the opener, but the opponent here doesn’t really matter. The big test comes in a very likely Saturday regional final showdown against Tallahassee Leon. That match has been expected all season long. The Lions, ranked fourth in the state, have a tough match of their own in the regional semifinals against No. 13 Gulf Breeze.
Region 1-5A
5. Middleburg (18-10) at 1. Lynn Haven Mosley (19-8)
6. Choctawhatchee (21-7) at 2. Ridgeview (16-7)
Region glance: There’s the potential for an all-Clay County regional final, provided the Broncos and Panthers take care of business here. Middleburg is solid and its attack spaced out. Connor Rahn has 258 kills, but four other players have 110 or more kills. That’s typical of a Carrie Prewitt-coached Broncos squad — balance across a lineup. Elizabeth Nolan and Josie Bemis have split 690 assists almost equally. Ridgeview is very similar in its attack. Elaina Reynolds (254 kills) tops the hitters, but four other Panthers attackers have 106 kills or more. Reynolds is also tops in digs (290), followed by Teeya Desgoutte (235). Ridgeview is battle-tested. The Panthers’ seven losses all came against playoff teams. A win here would send them past the second round for the first time in program history.