Four local programs hold No. 1 seeds for WIAA girls volleyball postseason

WAUSAU - Four local programs received a No. 1 seed for the WIAA volleyball playoffs which begin this week. 

Mosinee and Merrill, the Great Northern and Wisconsin Valley Conference champions, respectively, are top seeds in the same sectional in Division 2. Stratford and Newman Catholic, both Marawood Conference South Division programs, are seeded first in Divisions 3 and 4, respectively.

The postseason begins with regional quarterfinal games Tuesday in Divisions 2, 3 and 4. The Division 1 programs start postseason play with regional semifinal matchups Thursday. 

The state tournament is set for Nov. 2-4 at the Resch Center in Green Bay. Athens, Merrill and Newman Catholic all reached the state tournament last year and Newman Catholic won its fourth straight state title. 

Here is a closer look at the postseason seeds for local programs. 

Division 1

Stevens Point Area Senior High got the highest seed among local teams in Sectional 1. The Panthers host No. 13 Wausau East in a regional semifinal Thursday. 

Wausau West and D.C. Everest  were seeded fifth and sixth, respectively, and will also open the playoffs at home as does No. 8 Marshfield.

The Warriors host No. 12 Wisconsin Rapids, while No. 11 New Richmond travels to Everest. Mrshfield hosts No. 9 Chippewa Falls.

River Falls got the top seed in the sectional and Eau Claire North is seeded second. 

Division 2

Merrill and Mosinee are top seeds in the bottom half of the Sectional 1 bracket The Bluejays face the winner of the matchup between fifth-seeded Rhinelander and No. 4 Northland Pines in a regional semifinal Thursday. 

Mosinee faces the winner of the matchup between No. 4 Sparta and fifth-seeded La Crosse Logan. 

St. Croix Central earned a top seed in the top half of the bracket. 

Antigo is seeded second in the bottom half of the sectional and hosts No. 7 Lakeland Union in a regional quarterfinal. Third-seeded Medford hosts No. 6 Tomahawk in a regional quarterfinal. 

Sixth-seeded Nekoosa travels to No. 3 Black River Falls. 

Adams-Friendship is seeded sixth in Sectional 3 and travels to No. 3 Wisconsin Dells in a regional quarterfinal. 

Reedsburg, Mount Horeb and Lakeside Lutheran all earned top seeds in the sectional. 

Division 3

Stratford received a top seed in the bottom half of Sectional 2 and earned a first-round bye. The Tigers face the winner of the matchup between No. 8 Colby and ninth-seeded Thorp in a regional semifinal. 

Pacelli earned a No. 2 seed in Stratford's half of the sectional and faces No. 15 Cadott in a regional quarterfinal. 

Athens is seeded third and opens against No. 14 Augusta. Marathon and Auburndale are seeded sixth and seventh respectively and both have home games to open the postseason as well. 

Marathon hosts No. 11 Fall Creek while Auburndale faces No. 10 Spencer. 

Fourth-seeded Abbotsford hosts No. 13 Edgar in a regional quarterfinal while No 12 Neillsville/Granton travels to No. 5 Stanley-Boyd. 

Wittenberg-Birnamwood is seeded third in the top half of the bracket and opens against No. 14 Crandon. Fourth-seeded Amherst hosts No. 13 Coleman. 

Seventh-seeded Iola-Scandinavia hosts No. 10 Rosholt in a regional quarterfinal. 

Oconto is the No 1 seed in the top half of the sectional. 

Division 4

Newman Catholic is a No. 1 seed in the top half of Sectional 2. The Cardinals face the winner of a regional quarterfinal matchup between No. 8 Port Edwards and ninth-seeded Greenwood. 

Columbus Catholic earned a No. 2 seed and faces No. 15 Florence in a regional quarterfinal, and No. 4 Assumption hosts No. 13 Loyal in a playoff opener

Tri-County is seeded fifth and faces No. 12 Wisconsin Valley Lutheran, and Pittsville is seeded seventh and opens against No.10 Owen-Withee

Eleventh-seeded Northland Lutheran begins the postseason at No. 6 Prentice 

Florence received a top seed in the bottom half of the bracket.