The journey to Muncie begins this week for volleyball teams across the state.
In the Class 4A sectional at Franklin, Columbus North will have an opening-round matchup with Shelbyville at around 7:45 p.m. Thursday, following the 6 p.m. opener between East Central and Franklin.
Defending sectional champion Columbus East drew a first-round bye and will play the East Central-Franklin winner at 11 a.m. Saturday. The North-Shelbyville winner will face Whiteland in the second semifinal at around 12:45 p.m. Saturday.
In the Class 2A sectional at Southwestern (Hanover), defending champion Hauser and North Decatur will meet in a Mid-Hoosier Conference rematch in the opening round at 6 p.m. Thursday. The Jets beat the Chargers in five sets in the first round last year and in the earlier regular season matchup that decided the MHC title this year.
The Hauser-North Decatur winner will face Switzerland County at 11 a.m. Saturday. In the second semifinal, host Southwestern will meet the winner of the Milan-South Ripley first-round match.
Action for local teams gets underway on Tuesday when Edinburgh and South Decatur meet in a 6 p.m. first-round matchup at Waldron.
All sectional finals are at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The regional round will take place on Oct. 21. The semistate round will be Oct. 28. The state finals are Nov. 4 at Ball State’s Worthen Arena.
Locals make All-MHC volleyball
Five Hauser, four South Decatur and two Edinburgh volleyball players are on this year’s All-Mid-Hoosier Conference and honorable mention teams.
Hauser’s Kenze Bostic, Aniston Bostic, Kayden Miller and Mattie Foster; South Decatur’s Zsophia Sharp and Makayla Somers and Edinburgh’s MacKenzie Bieker and Kyah Streeval were named All-MHC.
Hauser’s Gracie Blair and South Decatur’s Molly Eden and Taylor Somers were are honorable mention selections.
North soccer gets Exemplary Report
Columbus North’s girls soccer team received an IHSAA Exemplary Behavior Report after its loss at host Whiteland in Wednesday’s first-round sectional game.
Whiteland athletics director David Edens commended the entire team, writing “After a very competitive sectional soccer match in which their team came up just short, I could not have been more impressed with the sportsmanship and attitude of the entire Columbus North girls soccer program. They wished us the best of luck, offered compliments on our play, etc… and then left their bench area cleaner than when they arrived! This is an indicator of strong leadership and character throughout the Columbus North athletic department. Well done Bull Dogs!”
