Coach Katie Ragan and her North Adams Lady Devils will take a number three seed into the Division III sectionals and be in action on Oct. 22.
Coach Katie Ragan and her North Adams Lady Devils will take a number three seed into the Division III sectionals and be in action on Oct. 22.

Postseason trail begins this weekend for county squads –

Story and photos by Mark Carpenter –

After the regular season action concludes this week, it is time for the Adams County fall sports squads to turn their attention beyond and to the postseason, which will begin with soccer action this coming weekend.  The Southeast District released their volleyball and soccer brackets on Sunday afternoon and now the local teams know where and when their postseason aspirations will begin.
In Division III Volleyball, Coach Katie Ragan and her North Adams Lady Devils, who sported a 15-2 mark at the time of the draw, earned a number three seed and will face another member of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference when they host the  sixth seeded Eastern Brown Lady Warriors (10-8) on Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. in a sectional championship match.  If the Lady Devils get past Eastern, they will move on to Waverly High School and the district semi-finals, with a likely match up with number two seeded Southeastern, a team that North Adams defeated in five sets back on Aug. 23.
Also in Division III, Coach Debbie McClanahan and her West Union Lady Dragons (5-12), who have steadily improved as the season has progressed, grabbed a number eight seed and will host number nine seed Northwest (5-12) on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. in a sectional semi-final contest.  If the Lady Dragons top the Lady Mohawks, they will move on to a sectional championship game on Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. with the tough task of traveling to number one seeded Adena (14-5).
Rounding out Division III volleyball is Coach Katrina Obenshain and her Peebles Lady Indians (5-12), who earned a number seven seed and will host Lucasville Valley (2-11) in a sectional semi-final battle on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m.  Should the Lady Indians get past Valley, they move into the sectional finals on Oct. 22 at second seeded Huntington.
In Division IV, first-year head coach Kaci Compton will have her Manchester Lady Greyhounds (5-12) looking to defend their sectional championship when they open play on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. on their home court against fellow SHAC member Whiteoak (2-14) in  a semi-final affair.  To defend their sectional title, the Lady Hounds will have to get by Whiteoak and then a trip to number two seeded Portsmouth Clay (13-5) in the sectional championship match. Set for Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.
The Southeast District Division III soccer tournament begins this Saturday at 11 a.m. when the number two seeded North Adams Green Devils (8-3-3) and Coach Ike Wooten will host number seven seeded Adena (0-8-0) in a sectional semi-final game.  If the Green Devils get past Adena, they will move to the sectional finals on Oct. 19, where they will play host to the winner of the game between number three seeded West Union (4-6-3) and number six seeded Fairfield (0-7-2).  West Union head coach Kevin Hunter has his boys playing well and an earlier meeting between the Dragons and North Adams ended in a 1-0 win for the Devils and the two teams also met in their final regular season game.

North Adams junior goalkeeper Madee Shipley will help lead her squad into tournament play on Oct. 18.
North Adams junior goalkeeper Madee Shipley will help lead her squad into tournament play on Oct. 18.

If either West Union or North Adams advance beyond that sectional final, they will make the long trek to Athens High School on Oct. 22 for a district semi-final contest.
Also in the Division III sectional will be Coach Brian Seaman and his Peebles Indians (4-6), a number four seed who will host number five seeded Eastern Brown (2-9-1) on Saturday at 11 a.m. in yet another match of SHAC teams in the postseason.  If Peebles defeats Eastern, they will move to the sectional finals and have the unfortunate task of facing another SHAC squad in number one seeded Lynchburg (8-2-1) on Oct. 19 for a sectional championship.
The Division III girls soccer sectional features Coach Dave D’Avignon and his North Adams Lady Devils, whose 9-2-2 record at the draw earned them a number two seed.  The Lady Devils will play host to number seven seeded Piketon (1-3-3) on Oct. 18 at 5 p.m. for the sectional title and the right to advance to district semi-final play on Oct. 26 in Waverly.
Earning a number five seed in the Division III tourney were Coach Gus Denzik and his Peebles Lady Indians (7-6).  The Lady Indians will be on the road on Oct. 18, traveling to face SHAC foe Fairfield (5-5-0), the number four seed in a sectional final game.  A win there sends Peebles to the district semis on Oct. 26 in Waverly where they will likely face number one seed Wheelersburg (11-0-1).
Finally in Division III girls, Coach Kevin Hunter and his West Union Lady Dragons (2-11-0) are a number eight seed but will get a home game in the sectional semis, hosting number nine seed Northwest (1-8-4) on Oct. 17 at 5 p.m.   The winner of that game moves to the sectional finals but lurking there is number one seed and unbeaten Lynchburg-Clay (12-0-0).
All of the tournament brackets for volleyball and soccer can be found online at www.seodab.org.