A matchup between two top-five teams highlights the slate as the IHSAA sectional volleyball tournament begins in earnest for East Central Indiana teams on Thursday.
Delta and Central will meet at 6 p.m. in the Class 3A Delta Sectional. The Eagles are ranked No. 3 in the class and the Bearcats check in at No. 5. The match is the only one to be played in that sectional’s opening round.
Class A No. 1 Wes-Del will begin its quest for a state title on Thursday as well. It will face Daleville at 6 p.m. in the opening round of the Class A Cowan Sectional, as coach Biff Wilson and his team seek the Warriors’ second state title in school history and first since 2011. It will be one of two Thursday matches at Cowan, with Cowan and Monroe Central facing off after the Warriors and Broncos. Cowan is receiving votes in the Class A poll.
Blue River will also play a Class A sectional match Thursday, taking on Seton Catholic at 7:15 p.m. at the Randolph Southern Sectional.
Class 4A No. 8 Yorktown will face Pendleton Heights at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Greenfield-Central Sectional, while Jay County will take on Homestead in the Class 4A Fort Wayne South Side Sectional at the same time.
Winchester will face Frankton in the opening round of the Class 2A Winchester Sectional at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Thursday’s ECI Sectional Volleyball Matchups
Class 4A Fort Wayne South Side Sectional
• Homestead vs. Jay County, 6 p.m.
Class 4A Greenfield-Central Sectional
• Pendleton Heights vs. Yorktown, 6 p.m.
Class 3A Delta Sectional
• Central vs. Delta, 6 p.m.
Class 2A Winchester Sectional
• Winchester vs. Frankton, 7 p.m.
Class A Cowan Sectional
• Wes-Del vs. Daleville, 6 p.m.
• Cowan vs. Monroe Central, 7:30 p.m.
Class A Randolph Southern Sectional
• Blue River vs. Seton Catholic, 7:15 p.m.