BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Bradford, Keystone Heights and Union County high schools will compete in their respective district volleyball tournaments next week, with the Indians and the Tigers both opening with matches on Monday, Oct. 14, while the Tornadoes play Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Keystone is hosting the semifinals and championship match of the District 5-3A tournament, but quarterfinal matches are hosted by the higher seeds. The Indians (7-4) are the fifth seed and will play at fourth seed Crescent City (11-9) at 6 p.m. on Oct. 14. If the Indians win, they’ll play top seed Interlachen (13-5) at 6 p.m. on Oct. 15 at KHHS.
If Keystone advances to the championship match, which will be played Thursday, Oct. 17, at 6 p.m., it will play either second seed Newberry (14-10) or third seed Palatka (13-9).
Union (14-8) is the third seed in the District 6-Rural tournament, which will be hosted by Dixie County. The Tigers will play sixth seed Fort White (4-9) at 5 p.m. on Oct. 14. If the Tigers win, they’ll play second seed Lafayette (16-3) in a semifinal match at either 5 p.m. or 7 p.m. on Oct. 15.
If the Tigers reach the championship match, which will played on Oct. 17, at 7 p.m., they’ll play top seed Branford (22-3), fourth seed Dixie (10-12) or fifth seed Bell (7-14).
Branford and Lafayette are the top two teams in the Florida High School Athletic Association/MaxPreps Rural Class power rankings. Union is seventh.
Bradford (2-14) is the fourth seed in the District 4-3A tournament and will play at top seed Wolfson (13-1) on Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. If the Tornadoes win, they’ll play for the championship at second seed Bolles (9-14) or at third seed Episcopal (13-11) on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m.
