Division play for most volleyball teams is still a week away and it seems Region 4-7A has a third team looking to make some noise when play gets underway. The Harrison Central Red Rebels have won seven matches in a row and eight out of their first nine positioning themselves to possibly challenge Gulfport and Ocean Springs in the new 7A classification.
Last week the Red Rebels swept five matches at home winning their invitational tournament. Harrison Central swept Moss Point, Poplarville, PRC and Picayune and avenged their only loss of the season with a three-set victory over St. Patrick. The win over the Lady Irish avenged the only loss of the season for the Red Rebels. Harrison Central hosts Gautier Thursday night. St. Patrick’s three-set loss to Harrison Central was their first of the season for the Lady Irish, who stand at 7-1 heading into Thursday night’s contest at Pascagoula.
Gulfport and Ocean Springs continue to play well early in the campaign as the Lady Admirals stand at 8-1 following wins over West Harrison and OLA while the Lady Greyhounds stand at 6-2 on the season defeating Hancock and falling to defending state champion Brandon earlier this week.
Ocean Springs opens division play next Tuesday at D’Iberville while Gulfport takes on Pass Christian in the Pass Thursday before taking on St. Martin next Tuesday. Biloxi opens region play next week against Harrison Central and faces a tough final tune-up in OLA Thursday before facing the Red Rebels. Biloxi has split their last two matches with a win over Gautier and a loss to West Harrison.
In 6A, the Lady Hurricanes look to challenge Hancock and Long Beach for a top seed in Division 4. The Lady ‘Canes stands at 5-2 and open division play next Tuesday against Picayune with a tough tune-up against Resurrection on Monday night.
George County looks to make it back to the playoffs and that quest begins at Hancock next Tuesday. Thursday night the Lady Rebels look to bounce back from a 3-set loss at East Central as they travel to Leaksville to take on rival Greene County. The Lady Rebels swept visiting D’Iberville in three games last week. Long Beach is at Vancleave Thursday night also before opening division play at Pascagoula. In Region 3-6A, Pearl River Central opens region play on August 24 in Soso against the West Jones Lady Mustangs.
In 5A, perennial powers and rivals East Central and Vancleave have played a difficult pre-division schedule and set their sites on a top seed come playoff time. After their tussle with Long Beach, Vancleave opens at Gautier next week while the Lady Hornets coming off their win over George County. East Central tangles with Hancock on Thursday before opening division play with an unfamiliar opponent in the Laurel Golden Tornadoes. Stone, moving up from 4A, hosts Wayne County in each team’s division opener next week.
In Class 4A, only Greene County and Moss Point open next Tuesday as the Lady Tigers travel to Leaksville. Moss Point is also the division opening opponent for Poplarville and the Lady Hornets travel to Jackson County on August 29. Pass Christian opens division play by hosting the Lady Wildcats on that same day. Bay is the last team to open their division schedule as they travel to the Pass to take in the Lady Pirates on August 31.
In 3A, St. Patrick hosts West Marion on August 22 while OLA travels to Perry Central on August 24.
