A look at upcoming high school girls volleyball sectional/district tournaments involving News-Herald coverage area teams: Division I Northeast 3 – Hudson 1 Top seed: 2 Mentor Other area teams: 15 Euclid Up next: District champion advances to the Barberton Regional Outlook: Against two of the other three teams in its bracket, Mentor has recorded a combined four victories and only dropped one set in that stretch. The Cardinals had a rough stretch in the middle portion of the season but have grown from that period. The junior duo of Kayden McKinney and Melody Garrett both average 2.8 kills and also play major roles in the back row. But the play of Anna Cassidy in the middle has been a major jump for the team. The Cardinals’ defense has also been strong with Riley Hoynes (3.3 digs per set) holding down the back row. Division II Northeast 2 – Elyria Catholic 1 Top seed: 6 North Royalton Other area teams: 16 Mayfield Up next: District champion advances to the Hudson Regional Northeast 5 – Maple Heights 1 Top seed: 1 Avon Other area teams: 22 North Up next: District champion advances to the Streetsboro Regional Northeast 6 – Maple Heights 2 Top seed: 7 Brecksville Other area teams: 15 Riverside Up next: District champion advances to the Streetsboro Regional Division III Northeast 1 – Medina 1 Top seed: 2 Gilmour Up next: District champion advances to the Mentor Regional Outlook: As teams scattered around in Division III, the top two seeds found themselves as the lone single-digit seed in their brackets. If seeds play out, Gilmour would match up with 16th-seeded Canfield. The Lancers have been a stalwart all season, with the only losses being to state ranked opponents. The Lancers feature a strong five-pronged attack, headlined by Aubrey Anders (4.7 kills). That attack is orchestrated and ran by four-year setter Ella Jackson, who averages 10.3 assists per set. Another strong feature for the Lancers is their block with players such as Kyla Williams, Kayla Channell, Anders and D’Aria Whitner. With the duo of Brie Habeeb (6.1 digs) and Mi-Na Diggs (3.6 digs) patrolling the back row, finding the way to put the pieces together to out the Lancers is a complex jigsaw. Northeast 2 – Holy Name 1 Top seed: 1 Hoban Other area teams: 18 Hawken Up next: District champion advances to the Mentor Regional Northeast 3 – Holy Name 2 Top seeds: 8 Highland, 9 Copley, 10 South Other area teams: 41 Brush Up next: District champion advances to the Mentor Regional Outlook: This bracket is where the block party is at with the top three seeds. The bottom half features Copley, South and 13th-seeded Rocky River are in that half. South matches up against Brush in the first round. The Rebels have a very strong 1-2 combo in the front row with Maddie Luciano (4.4 kills per set) and Maisie Nawrocki (4 kills) to pair with an equally strong block all across the front row. The Rebels also have a very stout defense with Luciano (3.6 digs), Ava Skowronski (4.3) and Leya Majstorovic (3.2 digs) to guide the way. If the seeds play out, South would face Copley in a district semifinal, who feature an equally as stout block to the Rebels. Highland also has a strong block and junior Kamryn Heldreth averages three kills per set with Emily Stanik and Lily Vojtko averaging 2.6 kills each. Northeast 5 – Girard 1 Top seeds: 4 Kenston, 6 NDCL Other area teams: 30 Madison, 34 Geneva Up next: District champion advances to the Norwalk Regional Outlook: One of the best matches from the regular season has the chance to be a rematch of the district final. Kenston has had an up-and-down stretch, but when the Bombers are on, they are a very tough out. Whether it’s the attack with Avari Amstutz (3.5 kills per set), Raygynn Pampush (2.1 kills) and Sadie Poudevigne (2.2 kills), the block with Raegan Timmons (0.9 blocks) and Emma Hart (0.8 blocks) or Ashlyn Myers in the receive game (4.6 digs), Kenston is a solid all-around group. NDCL also went through some growing pains as well but have found its stride as the season has gone. With a front row that features players such as Ava Hills, McKenna Morrison and Frankie Brkic and Abby Tolin, the Lions enter the postseason with revenge on their minds. Northeast 6 – Girard 2 Top seeds: 5 Revere, 7 Avon Lake Other area teams: 17 Chardon, 43 Harvey Up next: District champion advances to the Norwalk Regional Division IV Northeast 1 – Akron North 1 Top seeds: 6 Firelands, 8 Edgewood Other area teams: 24 West Geauga Up next: District champion advances to the Alliance Regional Northeast 4 – Mentor 1 Top seeds: 4 Woodridge, 5 Perry Up next: District champion advances to the Alliance Regional Outlook: The Pirates have come on strong as the season hit just before the halfway point and a lot has come off of the swing of Madison Miner. The senior currently averages a coverage area high of 5.4 kills per set, but it’s not just her who has pushed Perry to a top-five seed. Tatum Christian (2.7 kills) and Emily Mechenbier (2.1 kills) have been strong up front as well, and Mechenbier has averaged 1.1 blocks. Both Miner and Christian have been crucial in the back row as well, leading the team in digs per set as well. With the pair of Kendra Konrad (6.5 assists) and Aubrey Santore (4.1 assists) running the offense, the Pirates will be a tough out. Woodridge has had an attack that has been rather balanced but senior libero Catie Patterson has been lights out, averaging six digs a set to lead the receiving game. Northeast 5 – Mentor 2 Top seed: 2 Lakeview Other area teams: 16 Beaumont Up next: District champion advances to the Lexington Regional Division V Northeast 2 – Magnificat 1 Top seeds: 3 Columbiana, 5 Girard, 6 VASJ Other area teams: 19 Chagrin Falls, 24 Beachwood Up next: District champion advances to the Berkshire Regional Outlook: One of the more loaded district brackets with three single-digit seeds, the Vikings have a path to the district final on the top half of the bracket as the other two picked the bottom half of the bracket. VASJ has been led by the Dunmire sisters on the attack as Elizabeth (4.8 kills per set) and Sydney (2.5 kills) have led the team in the growth they’ve had this season. While they hold down the pins, Sa’Niyah Payton has been the voice in the middle to make the front row a challenge. Sophia Stachnik has been the one guiding the team with 7.3 assists per set and the Dunmire sisters along with Stachnik and Lauren Bell all averaging over three digs a set. Columbiana has been guided by its service line play by Ava Heinrich with 97 aces and strong group play in the front row. Girard has been guided by Bailey Walters (5.4 kills) and Nicolette Cochran (3.2 kills) up front with Kyra Bell (3.7 digs) and Walters (3.3 digs) in the back. Northeast 3 – Magnificat 2 Top seed: 4 Berkshire, 7 Elyria Catholic, 9 Garrettsville Other area teams: 26 Wickliffe Up next: District champion advances to the Berkshire Regional Outlook: The Badgers selected the top half of the bracket and are in a strong position to advance back to the district round. Two of the Badgers losses came in five set matches. They’ve been led by a stout attack with Kirsten Shaffer (3.1 kills per set), Jillian Smetana (2.5 kills) and Marissa Rish (2 kills). That attack has been fed by the duo of Rish and Ava Chuha, both averaging 4.6 assists per set. Rish has also been integral to the back row, averaging three digs per set, only behind Katelyn Miller (3.6 digs per set). Berkshire would meet Elyira Catholic if the seeds play out but the Panthers have to go through 10 seed Fairview and then Garrettsville in the other district semifinal. Northeast 4 – Streetsboro 2 Top seed: 2 Lake Catholic Up next: District champion advances to the Berkshire Regional Outlook: As teams aimed for routes away from Crestview and Lake Catholic, it created a scenario where the next highest seed in the Cougars’ bracket is Triway as the 13 seed. Lake Catholic has been guided by the attack. While Natalya Bergant leads the way with 3.3 kills per set, the trio of Ahnna Bergant (2.6 kills per set), Ava Budrys-Rini (2.6 kills) and Avery Budrys-Rini (2.4 kills) follows. The same success has transitioned to the block game as well, as the quartet are joined by Layla Kastner in the front row. Ava Starr has transitioned well into the setter role for the Cougars, averaging 10.3 assists per set and Julia Oster has anchored the back row with 5.9 digs per set. Division VI Northeast 2 – Midview 2 Top seed: 3 Smithville, 5 Mogadore Other area teams: 32 Richmond Heights Up next: District champion advances to the Uniontown Lake Regional Northeast 3 – Berkshire 1 Top seeds: 2 McDonald, 7 Lake Center Christian, 9 Mineral Ridge Other area teams: 23 Fairport Up next: District champion advances to the Uniontown Lake Regional Northeast 4 – Berkshire 2 Top seeds: 1 Dalton, 6 Kirtland Up next: District champion advances to the Uniontown Lake Regional Outlook: Kirtland has had an up-and-down season at times, as a younger group try to find the confidence in their swing. Players such as sophomores Ellie Spencer (2.8 kills per set) and Katie DiFranco (1.3 kills) have paired well with the block of seniors Carmen Kalous and Kristiana Katic, both averaging over half a block a set each. While the attack has needed time to settle in, the receiving game has been strong all season. Led by the duo of Nina Alfieri (5.2 digs per set) and Bria Golem (2.3 digs) to allow them to grow comfortable. It led the Hornets to a strong seed and the favorite in the bottom half of the bracket. Top seed Dalton comes into the tournament undefeated, led by sophomore Sara Geibel with 4.6 kills per set. Division VII Northeast 1 – Grand Valley Top seed: 1 St. John Other area seeds: 13 Andrews Osborne Up next: District champion advances to the Strongsville Regional Northeast 3 – Smithville 2 Top seeds: 4 Cornerstone, 5 Kidron Central Christian, 8 Cardinal Up next: District champion advances to the Strongsville Regional Outlook: With the second and third seeds selecting the same bracket, that opened up this bracket for the Patriots to be the top seed. Cornerstone comes in led by a very strong defense, led by the play of Ashley Hansen who averages just under five digs a set. Her running mates in the back row of Cheyenne Patton (2.5 digs per set) and Bella Camerieri (2.2 digs) also highlight a strong receive game. Both Patton and Camerieri also run the offense as the setters with the offense running through Tamarra Talbert (2.7 kills per set), Gabby Colquitt (2 kills) and Lia Camerieri (1.9 kills) make for a challenging out. But the potential district semifinal with Cardinal makes for an interesting matchup. The Huskies’ back row is equally as stacked with Adelyn Grant (4.6 digs per set), Ali Puruczky (3.7 digs) and Natalie Soltis (3.4 digs). Puruczky is also the Huskies lead attacker, averaging 4.8 kills per set but teams can’t just focus on her as that opens up Soltis and Morgan Csontos.  The winner of that district semifinal would meet Kidron Central Christian, who are led by a trio of sophomores on the attack.