Northeastern volleyball earns top seed in D-III

SPRINGFIELD — After early tournament exits in back-to-back seasons, the Northeastern High School volleyball team is ready to make a statement this year.

The Jets (17-3) earned the No. 1 seed in the Division III Brookville sectional for the second straight season. They’ll play No. 19 seed Carlisle (1-15) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19 at Brookville High School. The winner will play 14th-seeded Meadowdale (6-8) at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 23.

The winner of those matches will play either No. 6 Versailles, No. 9 Dixie or No. 13 Bethel in a district semifinal match at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26.

“We’ve had a good season and we’re hoping to finish out a good season,” said Jets coach McKenzie Shore. “Of all of the years we’ve had success, I 100 percent believe this is a team that could go far. If they play their best like I know they can, I believe we can truly beat anybody.”

The Jets have lost in the district semifinals each of the past two seasons. In 2019, they fell to Arcanum, and lost to Miami East last fall — both in five sets.

“As it was proven last year, you can’t let off the gas because someone else is hitting the gas hard,” Shore said. “We’re going to take it one match at a time.”

Before the postseason begins, the Jets face West Liberty-Salem today in a match that will decide the OHC North title. Both teams are 14-1 in the division. Northeastern is seeking its third straight division championship.

“They know the target is on their backs,” Shore said. “It’s been there for three years. We’ve just got to go one set at a time.”

In Division IV, Southeastern (18-3) earned the No. 5 seed in the Covington sectional. They’ll play No. 17 Bradford (7-14) at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at Covington High School. The Trojans face a possible district semifinal match against third-seeded Tri-Village (19-3).

Kenton Ridge earned the No. 5 seed in the D-II sectional at Tecumseh. The Cougars (13-7) will face the winner of No. 3 Graham (17-4) and No. 6 Brookville in a second-round match at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 21.

Springfield (5-14) is the No. 15 seed in the D-I sectional at Centerville and will face 10th-seeded Xenia (12-7) at 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 18.

Girls soccer

Shawnee (12-2) earned the third seed in the D-II and will play eighth-seeded Brookville on Oct. 18. The winner will play seventh-seeded Benjamin Logan (10-4) on Oct. 21. The other side of the D-II, North 2 bracket includes No. 1 seed Carroll (6-5-3).

In the North 1 bracket, fourth-seeded Northwestern (11-0-3) will host sixth-seeded Graham (11-3) in a first-round match on Oct. 18. The winner will play fifth-seeded Urbana (10-3) on Oct. 21.

Greenon (12-0) earned the No. 4 seed in the D-III, North 2 sectional and will host No. 23 National Trail (2-13-1) on Oct. 18. The winner will play No. 25 seed Yellow Springs (1-11-1) on Oct. 23.

Springfield (2-9-1) is the No. 17 seed in D-I and travels to third-seeded Beavercreek (12-3) on Oct. 18.

Boys soccer

Northwestern (8-3-3) is the No. 4 seed in the D-II, North 2 bracket and will play the winner of second-seeded Milton-Union (8-6-1) and sixth-seeded Bellefontaine (5-7-3) on Oct. 23.

In D-III, Greenon (8-3-1) earned the No. 9 seed and will host OHC rival 10th-seeded West Liberty-Salem (9-3-2) on Oct. 19.

Springfield (4-7-3) is the No. 12 seed in the D-I, North 1 bracket. They’ll travel to Wayne (6-8-1) for a first-round game on Tuesday, Oct. 19. The winner will travel to top-seeded Centerville (13-1) on Oct. 23.

For complete tournament brackets, log on to ohsaa.org/SWDAB.

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