Prep volleyball | Preview capsules of district volleyball tournaments
Here's a look at this week's district volleyball tournaments
District 8A-6
Where: Higher seed hosts
When: Monday-Thursday
Local teams: Manatee
Outlook: The defending Class 8A state champion Hurricanes are the overwhelming favorite to repeat as district champions. After playing without Gabby Coulter for nearly a month, the top-seeded Canes will have their starting setter back when they play either Riverview in their first game Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Bradenton.
District 7A-11
Where: Higher seed hosts
When: Monday-Thursday
Local teams: Lakewood Ranch, Braden River, Palmetto
Outlook: The Mustangs begin their tournament against Sarasota at 7 p.m. on Tuesday with the winner clinching a spot in the region tournament. Ranch split a pair of matches with the Sailors this season, losing in five sets in Sarasota on Sept. 10, but sweeping the Sailors at home Sept. 22. Lakewood Ranch won this district last year before going on to reach the Class 7A state semifinals.
District 5A-11
Where: Bayshore High School and Dunedin High School
When: Tuesday-Thursday
Local teams: Bayshore and Southeast
Outlook: Southeast is the No. 4 seed in the six-team district and will play St. Petersburg Lakewood on Tuesday in Dunedin for the chance to face the top-seeded Falcons. The No. 2-seed Bruins host either Tarpon Springs or St. Petersburg Gibbs on Wednesday. A win would clinch a spot in the region tournament for BHS and send them to the district championship at Dunedin High School.
District 3A-8
Where: Indian Rocks Christian School, Largo
When: Monday-Thursday
Local teams: Saint Stephen's
Outlook: The Falcons open up the tournament in one of the district's several play-in games against St. Petersburg Catholic in Largo. With a win, No. 7-seed SSES would face either Clearwater Calvary Christian or St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut with a spot in the region tournament and district title game on the line.
District 3A-9
Where: Higher seeds host quarterfinals then Southwest Florida Christian Academy, Fort Myers
When: Monday-Thursday
Local teams: Out-of-Door
Outlook: The Thunder stumbled to a fourth-place finish in the district, but get to host a quarterfinal play-in game against No. 5-seed Moore Haven. A win would send ODA to the district semifinals in Fort Myers where it would play top-seed Fort Myers Evangelical Christian. Evangelical Christian went 10-0 in district play this season and 20-5 overall.
District 2A-9
Where: Sarasota Christian School and Keswick Christian School, St. Petersburg
When: Thursday-Friday
Local teams: Bradenton Christian
Outlook: Sarasota Christian is the top seed and host St. Petersburg Canterbury in one game Thursday.
The Panthers will be in St. Petersburg for a region play-in game and district semifinal against Keswick Christian. BCS lost both its matches to the Crusaders this season, falling in four sets on the road and five in Bradenton.
This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 12:26 AM with the headline "Prep volleyball | Preview capsules of district volleyball tournaments ."