CODY LEIST

PDT Sports Writer

The first of the high school tournament brackets for the 2012-2013 athletic year were unveiled as all volleyball and soccer teams found out what roads will be needed to reach the state championships.

In volleyball, Waverly (Division II) and South Webster (Division IV) each received top seeds. In the sectional finals, the Tigers (17-1) will host the South Point-Jackson winner Oct. 17 and the Jeeps (15-5) will host the East-New Boston winner Oct. 18. The No. 9 Tartans (2-18) and No. 8 Tigers (6-12) will face off for a 6 p.m. match Oct. 15 in New Boston.

Northwest is the area’s top-seeded school in Division III. The No. 3 Mohawks (12-7) will play No. 14 West (2-13) Oct. 16 in McDermott.

Also in Division IV, No. 2 and SOC I champion Eastern (20-0), awaits the winner of the Miller-Symmes Valley contest Oct. 18. The seventh-seeded Vikings (8-9) will host the Oct. 15 semifinal match.

Second-seeded Clay (16-3) opens its tournament Oct. 18 against the winner of the Green-Manchester game, the same night No. 3 Notre Dame (16-3) entertains No. 6 Whiteoak. The No. 10 Bobcats (1-11) will travel Oct. 15 to face the Greyhounds.

Along with the West-Northwest contest, some area teams in Division III will battle each other Oct. 16 in the sectional semis. Number 12 Portsmouth (5-15) travels to No. 5 Piketon (6-14) and No. 7 Ironton (8-10) hosts No. 10 Oak Hill (6-12). Also, No. 5 Wheelersburg (9-8) welcomes Fairland, No. 10 Minford (5-14) goes to Peebles and No. 11 Valley (4-14) goes to West Union.

All sectional weeknight matches will start at 6 p.m. with weekend matches starting at 4 with the higher seeds hosting. Teams that advance to the Oct. 23-27 district tournament will go to either Chillicothe Southeastern (Division II), Athens (Division III) or Jackson (Division IV).

Three-time SOC II champion Waverly (12-2) drew the four seed in the Division II boys soccer tournament. In the sectional semifinals, the Tigers will host Chillicothe for a 5 p.m. start Oct. 16. Winner plays in a 4 p.m. contest Oct. 20 against the Gallia Academy-Unioto winner.

South Webster (10-2-2) is the area’s highest-seeded soccer team as the Jeeps are a No. 1 seed in boys Division III soccer. They will host the winner of the New Boston-Ironton St. Joseph match Oct. 17. The No. 9 Tigers (6-6-2) and the Flyers will play Oct. 15 in Ironton.

No. 2 Valley (11-1-1) hosts the winner of Clay and West Oct. 17 in Lucasville. The No. 10 Panthers (1-13) and No. 7 Senators (5-7-2) will play Oct. 15 in West Portsmouth.

No. 3 Minford (6-4-2) starts Oct. 17 when the Falcons take on who advances from the Chesapeake-Zane Trace encounter. Wheelersburg (6-6-2) drew a No. 5 seed and will travel Oct. 17 to South Point.

Northwest (5-7-2) is a No. 6 seed and will host West Union Oct. 15. The winner will play Oct. 17 at Leesburg Fairfield.

Rounding out the area high school boys soccer teams are No. 10 Beaver Eastern (3-9-2) and No. 12 Piketon (0-10). The Eagles travel Oct. 15 to Belpre and the Redstreaks go to Sardinia Eastern the same night.

All area soccer teams except for the Pirates and Beaver Eastern, both start at 6 p.m., will play their first contests at 5 p.m.

The Division II district tournament will be Oct. 24-27 at Valley. The Division III district tournament will be Oct. 22-27. The semis will be played at the site of the higher-seeded team and the finals will take place at Jackson.

This season, the area has two girls teams participating in the Division III soccer tournament. Fourth-seeded Minford (7-8) plays a 1 p.m. match Oct. 20 against the winner of West Union and Chesapeake.

West, which drew a No. 10 seed, will travel for a 5 p.m. match Oct. 16 to Peebles. If the Senators (1-8-2) win, they will travel Oct. 20 to Lynchburg-Clay.

Cody Leist can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 242, or cleist@heartlandpublications.com.