What to watch for: District volleyball tournaments begin Monday for the Treasure Coast
The chase for state championships for Treasure Coast volleyball programs begins Monday as district tournaments get underway.
Many eyes will be on four-time state champion Jensen Beach, who begins the District 13-5A tournament on Tuesday against Fort Pierce Westwood.
The No. 1-ranked team in 5A, Jensen Beach would have home-court throughout the postseason if they take care of business with Sebring and Okeechobee their top challengers.
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A packed District 7-7A filled with local teams are all chasing top-seed Jupiter with Fort Pierce Central hoping they can get a third meeting with the Warriors in a district final with each team winning once in the regular season.
Both Vero Beach and Centennial have rosters with firepower to post threats to Jupiter and those two teams will meet in a quarterfinal on Tuesday.
South Fork in District 8-6A very likely could meet county rival Martin County in a district semifinal as both teams will have top-seed Viera to contend with.
TCPalm's Bryan Cooney takes a shot at his picks for who will win district titles and looks at at-large possibilities for teams should they need them.
District tournament schedules
District 7-7A
Oct. 18 (quarterfinals to be played at Fort Pierce Central)
(5) Centennial vs. (4) Vero Beach, 4 p.m.
(6) Treasure Coast vs. (3) Palm Beach Gardens, 5:30 p.m.
(7) Palm Beach Lakes vs. (2) Fort Pierce Central, 7 p.m.
Oct. 19
Treasure Coast-Palm Beach Gardens winner vs. Palm Beach Lakes-Fort Pierce Central winner, 5:30 p.m.
Centennial-Vero Beach winner vs. (1) Jupiter, 7 p.m.
Oct. 20
Championship, 7 p.m.
What to expect: Vero Beach and Centennial split the regular season meetings but if Florida commit Madison Gravlee produces a monster couple of days, Vero Beach certainly could get Jupiter on their best day.
Fort Pierce Central had a tough showing at the Swing for the Cure tournament in Orlando playing premier competition from around the state and should be prepared and eager to show they've learned from their mistakes.
Each local team outside of the Cobras needs to win to get into the state playoffs and for Fort Pierce Central, hosting the district tournament and having a cushion knowing they will be in the postseason can free up a team that knows they can beat Jupiter.
Championship pick: Fort Pierce Central over Jupiter in four sets
District 8-6A
Oct. 17 (quarterfinals at highest seed)
(5) Heritage at (4) Melbourne, 6 p.m.
(7) Port St. Lucie at (2) South Fork, 6 p.m.
(6) Sebastian River at (3) Martin County, 6 p.m.
Oct. 19
Heritage-Melbourne winner vs. (1) Viera, 5 p.m.
Port St. Lucie-South Fork winner vs. Sebastian River-Martin County winner, 7 p.m.
Oct. 20
Championship, 7 p.m.
What to expect: South Fork and Martin County met just last Tuesday and it was not a good performance by the Tigers on their home court in a three-set loss.
If the two meet again with Martin County hosting the semifinals and finals, it will be an even bigger atmosphere knowing the loser's season ends with a loss.
The Bulldogs are seventh in Region 2-6A entering the district tournament which should give them hope if they were to not come away with a district title to reach the postseason.
South Fork senior setter Emmie Love has come back from injury and is crucial to getting the Bulldogs' system into the right places but would have a strong Viera team to contend with if they make a district final.
Championship pick: Viera over South Fork in four sets
District 13-5A
Oct. 18
(4) Fort Pierce Westwood at (1) Jensen Beach, 5 p.m.
(3) Okeechobee at (2) Sebring, 7 p.m.
Oct. 20
Championship, TBA
What to expect: Jensen Beach will want to enter the postseason sharp and still aren't happy how they performed in the Swing for the Cure tournament in Orlando losing their first three matches of the season.
With a team that has high expectations, the Falcons should want to impose their will and likely will get a stern challenge from Sebring in the district final as they'll get from every team they play the rest of the season.
Championship pick: Jensen Beach over Sebring in three sets
District 7-3A
Oct. 18
(4) John Carroll Catholic at (1) Benjamin, 7 p.m.
(3) Somerset College Prep at (2) Lincoln Park Academy, 7 p.m.
Oct. 20
Championship, 7 p.m.
What to expect: A red-hot Benjamin team winners of their last 10 matches will be a tall hill to climb for either Somerset College Prep or Lincoln Park Academy in the district final.
The Spartans have quietly had a nice season with an 8-4 record and have a split in the regular season against the Greyhounds but both programs need district titles with their state rankings too low to make it as an at-large.
Lincoln Park Academy senior setter Brooke Clanton leads an otherwise very young Greyhound roster, who did play bigger area schools and almost knocked off a few of them during the season.
Championship pick: Benjamin over Lincoln Park Academy in four sets
District 8-2A
Oct. 17 (quarterfinals at highest seed)
(5) Pineapple Cove Classical at (4) Master's Academy, 7 p.m.
(6) Morningside Academy at (3) St. Edward's, 7 p.m.
Oct. 18
Pineapple Cove Classical-Master's Academy winner vs. (1) Brevard HEAT, 5:30 p.m.
Morningside Academy-St. Edward's winner vs. (2) Merritt Island Christian, 7 p.m.
Oct. 21
Championship, 7 p.m.
What to expect: St. Edward's after losing three of their first four matches this season has turned things around with a 10-5 record and knocked off previously unbeaten Brevard HEAT on Oct. 4.
Led by junior setter Elliotte Kahler, if the Pirates handle their quarterfinal match, they will need to find a way past second-seeded Merritt Island Christian to earn another shot at Brevard HEAT.
St. Edward's took the first set against the Cougars back on Aug. 25 and hung tough in a four-set loss and ranked ninth in Region 2-2A, the Pirates might need to win the district title likely being on the outside looking in if they don't.
Championship pick: St. Edward's over Brevard HEAT in five sets
Bryan Cooney is a high school sports reporter at TCPalm, part of the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at bcooney@gannett.com and also on Twitter at @Bryan_Cooney.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: TCPalm breaks down volleyball district tournaments starting Monday
