Wayne County volleyball teams ready for postseason battles after OHSAA tournament draw

Dalton’s volleyball team knows a thing or two about postseason runs, and the Lady Bulldogs are looking to embark on another one. They have a 17-1 record and the No. 1 seed in a 35-team Division VI super-district, suggesting such a run might be in the cards.

No. 8 Smithville (12-6) and No. 12 Waynedale (11-5) also drew high seeds and are hoping to make some noise.

In Div. VII, Central Christian nabbed the No. 2 seed among 25 teams and also has sights set on a trip to regionals, if not more.

The following is a look at Wayne County-area teams’ respective tournament paths:

Div. V

Orrville’s 10-8 record added up to the No. 15 seed in a 30-team field. The Lady Red Riders will begin postseason play against No. 9 South Range (14-6) on Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. at Burton. The winner will move on to a 7 p.m. district semifinal against either No. 28 Champion or No. 6 Berkshire (13-2) at a site to be determined. The district final will be Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. at Magnificat High School in Rocky River. The top seeds are Columbiana Crestview (16-1), Elyria Catholic (12-2), Norwayne (15-3) and Columbiana (17-1).

Div. VI

Dalton has a predictably easy path early on, thanks to its lofty seed. The Lady Bulldogs will play at home in the first round against Richmond Heights on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m., with the winner moving on to face either No. 17 Loudonville (12-6) or No. 29 East Canton (4-13), who also play Oct. 16. The second match, a district semifinal, would be at Dalton on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. if the Lady Bulldogs are involved. The district final will be Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at Midview High School in Grafton. No. 9 Grand Valley (15-4) is the most likely team to come out of the other half of the bracket.

Smithville will kick things off Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. in the friendly confines of the Wilbur Berkey Fieldhouse against No. 19 Wellington (11-6). The winner will go right to a 5 p.m. district semifinal, also at Smithville, if the Lady Smithies are involved, with nobody higher than 11th-seeded Andrews Osborne School (14-3) as a possible opponent.

Playing on the same bracket as the Lady Smithies, Waynedale will presumably host its opening match against Oberlin on Oct. 16 at 5 p.m., after which the Lady Golden Bears likely would head on the road to face No. 6 Mineral Ridge (14-3) in a 7 p.m. district semifinal on Oct. 20. The district final, which could conceivably match Smithville and Waynedale, will be Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. at Midview High School in Grafton.

Other top seeds in the Div. VI District along with Dalton are No. 2 Cardinal (19-1), No. 3 Campbell Memorial (17-1) and No. 4 McDonald (14-3).

Div. VII

Central Christian took a 14-3 record into the district voting and came out with the No. 2 seed in the 25-team super-district. The Lady Comets will open the postseason at home Oct. 16 in a 7 p.m. district semifinal against No. 21 Valley Christian (3-13). The winner will move into the 5 p.m. district final on Oct. 21 at a site to be determined. The other top seeds along with the Lady Comets are No. 1 Ashtabula St. John (16-3), No. 3 Open Door Christian (13-4) and Maplewood (11-5).