The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Volleyball capsules
Division I Grafton District
Top seeds: 1. St. Joseph Academy, 2. Magnificat, 3. Avon, 4. Olmsted Falls District final: Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m., Midview High School, 38199 Capel Road, Grafton McNees’ projected district final: Avon vs. St. Joseph Breakdown: All signs point to a fourth edition of an Avon vs. St. Joseph district final in Grafton. In the top half of the bracket, the only teams that could maybe steal a set from the 10th-ranked Jaguars are No. 4 Olmsted Falls and No. 8 Elyria. St. Joseph is simply a bigger, stronger, faster team than most in the district and would likely consider the postseason a failure if it’s not playing for a fourthstraight district championship. In the bottom half of the bracket, third-seeded Avon has a bit tougher of a path to the finals, particularly with No. 2 Magnificat. The Blue Streaks play a tough regular-season schedule and are ranked ninth in the latest OHSVCA poll, but Avon is no slouch. The 14th-ranked Eagles rolled through the SWC and have an offense that can run toe-to-toe with any team. If Avon can get by Magnificat, it stands a chance at finally beating St. Joseph in a district final after losing the past three seasons.
Division II Attica District
Top seeds: 1. Bellevue, 2. Willard, 3. Sandusky Per- kins, 4. Norwalk District final: Oct. 25, 6 p.m., Seneca East High School, 13343 US Highway 224, Attica McNees’ projected district final: Norwalk vs. Bellevue
Breakdown: Vermilion earned the fifth seed and has a first-round bye in a district filled with familiar Sandusky Bay Conference opponents. The Sailors have regular-season wins over top seeds Willard and Perkins. Fourth-seeded Norwalk is a dark horse in the district with wins over Bellevue and Perkins and played a tough schedule this season including games against Jonathan Alder, NDCL and St. Ursula. If Vermilion can sneak past Norwalk, it has a chance to contend for the district, but the Truckers’ strength of schedule give them an edge.
Parma Heights District
Top seeds: 1. Holy Name, 2. Fairview, 3. Rocky River, 4. Bay District final: Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m., Holy Name High School, 6000 Queens Highway, Parma Heights
McNees’ projected district final: Rocky River vs. Holy Name Breakdown: This is Holy Name’s bracket to win and likely every team in the district knows it. The Green Wave were ranked third in D-II in the latest OHSVCA poll and their only losses on the season are at the hands of top-ranked D-I teams Magnificat and Padua. In the top half of the bracket, No. 4 Bay is the only team familiar with Holy Name as the teams are Great Lakes Conference rivals, and the Rockets are the only team that could truly steal a set from the Green Wave. The bottom half of the bracket is a bit murkier. Lutheran West, Fairview and Rocky River all have a realistic shot at facing Holy Name in the final, but the edge has to go to Rocky River based purely on strength of schedule. The Pirates have faced Holy Name twice in the regular season and took the Green Wave to four sets in the most recent meeting. Despite losing to Fairview in a tournament earlier this season, Rocky River has been playing at full strength for weeks after injuries early in the year and has finetuned an uptempo offense that can hang with the best of teams.
Division III Elyria District
Top seeds: 1. Independence, 2. Oberlin, 3. Columbia, 4. Beachwood District final: Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m., Elyria High School, 601 Middle Avenue, Elyria
McNees’ projected district final: Columbia vs. Independence
Breakdown: Independence (19-3) looks to be the clear favorite in the top half of the bracket with No. 4 Beachwood or No. 5 Wickliffe being likely the only teams that have a shot against the Blue Devils. On the bottom half of the bracket, however, there are at least three teams with a chance at contending in the later rounds. Secondseeded Oberlin has a strong offense, which keeps it competitive in most games. The Phoenix will likely face No. 7 Elyria Catholic, and it would be unwise to discount the Panthers who play in a tough conference with the likes of Holy Name, Rocky River and Bay. But the dark horse in this bracket is Columbia. The Raiders have a stout back court and a big net presence and split the regular season schedule, 1-1, with Oberlin. All signs point to a district semifinal rubber match between the two conference rivals.
Division IV Medina District
Top seeds: 1. Dalton, 2. Rittman, 3. Lake Ridge, 4. Mogadore District final: Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m., Medina High School, 777 E. Union Street, Medina
McNees’ projected district final: Rittman vs. Dalton Breakdown:
In the Medina District, all eyes are on a Dalton team that has won the championship the past three seasons and has advanced to a regional final each of those seasons — winning the region in 2016. Both Lake Ridge and No. 6 Open Door are playing in the bottom half of the bracket with Rittman, a team that’s advanced to the district final the past two seasons. Lake Ridge will likely face Open Door in a sectional final and the Royals have already beat the Patriots this season. Whichever team makes it out of the sectional rounds, however, will have an uphill battle with Rittman and Dalton standing in the way.