- Branford, the defending Rural state champions, start their FHSAA postseason as the No. 1 seed against Dixie County on Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m.
- Four area teams, including Branford and Williston, earned No. 1 seeds in various districts with Branford finishing 23-2 this season.
- Several area teams like Oak Hall School and Newberry are poised to defend their district titles in the upcoming FHSAA volleyball tournaments.
Last week marked the end of the regular season for area volleyball teams.
Heading into the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) postseason, Branford is one of seven district champions who will look to repeat.
The Bucs (23-2), who won a program-record 23 regular-season games under first-year head coach Hank Rone, are the defending Rural state champions. They will begin the defense of their Rural-District 6 championship tonight at 6:30 p.m. as the No. 1 seed against No. 8 seed Dixie County (Cross City).
Branford is one of four No. 1 seeds in the area along with Williston (Rural-District 7), Saint Francis Catholic Academy (1A-District 4), and Santa Fe (Alachua) (3A-District 4).
In addition to Williston (12-11), which lost to Branford in last year’s state semifinals, and Santa Fe (21-3), which is on the bubble to make the Open Division championship, other area teams that have a chance to repeat as district champions include Oak Hall School (20-2), Newberry (20-3), Gainesville High (13-12), which advanced to their first state semifinal appearance in 14 years, and Buchholz (12-8).
2026 FHSAA Volleyball District Tournaments
Times are subject to change
Area teams in bold
Rural-District 6 – at Higher Seed
Monday, Oct. 12 (Quarterfinals)
8 Dixie County (Cross City) at 1 Branford, 6:30 p.m.
5 Fort White at 4 Bronson, 6:30 p.m.
6 Bell at 3 Union County (Lake Butler), 6:30 p.m.
7 Chiefland at 2 Trenton, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 13 (Semifinals)
Branford/Dixie County winner vs. Bronson/Fort White winner, 6:30 p.m.
Union County/Bell winner vs. Trenton/Chiefland winner, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 (Championship)
TBD
Rural-District 7 – at Higher seed
Monday, Oct. 12 (Quarterfinals)
5 Hawthorne at 4 Cedar Key, 7 p.m.
6 Wildwood at 3 Taylor (Pierson), 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 14 (Semifinals)
Cedar Key/Hawthorne winner at 1 Williston, 7 p.m.
Taylor/Wildwood winner at 2 Crescent City, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 16 (Championship)
TBD
Class 1A-District 4 – Semifinals & Championship at Saint Francis Catholic Academy
Tuesday, Oct. 13 (Quarterfinals)
5 Florida School for the Deaf & Blind (St. Augustine) at 4 Peniel Baptist Academy (Palatka), 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 14 (Semifinals)
2 Countryside Christian vs. 3 First Baptist (Hialeah)
Florida Deaf/Peniel Baptist winner at 1 Saint Francis Catholic Academy
Friday, Oct. 16 (Championship)
TBD
Class 2A-District 3 – at Higher Seed
Tuesday, Oct. 13 (Quarterfinals)
5 Mount Dora Christian Academy at 4 St. Joseph Academy (St. Augustine), 7 p.m.
6 Interlachen at 3 P.K. Yonge, 7 p.m.
7 Father Lopez (Daytona Beach) at 2 Oak Hall School, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 14 (Semifinals)
MDCA/St. Joseph winner at 1 Trinity Catholic (Ocala), 7 p.m.
Interlachen/P.K. Yonge winner vs. Father Lopez/Oak Hall winner, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 (Championship)
TBD
Class 3A-District 4 – at Higher seed
Monday, Oct. 12 (Quarterfinals)
5 Bradford (Starke) at 4 Keystone Heights, 7 p.m.
6 Palatka at 3 Suwannee (Live Oak), 7 p.m.
7 Eastside at 2 Newberry, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 13 (Semifinals)
Keystone Heights/Bradford winner at 1 Santa Fe (Alachua), 7 p.m.
Palatka/Suwannee winner vs. Eastside/Newberry winner, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 (Championship)
TBD
Class 4A-District 3 – Semifinals/Championship at Stanton (Jacksonville)
Monday, Oct. 12 (Quarterfinals)
5 Paxon (Jacksonville) at 4 Ed White (Jacksonville), 6 p.m.
6 Riverside (Jacksonville) at 3 Stanton (Jacksonville), 6 p.m.
7 Ribault (Jacksonville) at 2 Columbia (Lake City), 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 13 (Semifinals)
1 Yulee vs. Paxon/Ed White winner, 7 p.m.
Riverside/Stanton winner vs. Ribault/Columbia winner, 5 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 (Championship)
TBD
Class 5A-District 3 – Semifinals/Championship at Oakleaf (Orange Park)
Monday, Oct. 12 (Quarterfinals)
5 Ridgeview (Orange Park) at 4 Oakleaf (Orange Park), 6 p.m.
6 Orange Park at 3 Clay (Green Cove Springs), 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 13 (Semifinals)
2 Gainesville vs. Orange Park/Clay winner, 6 p.m.
1 Middleburg vs. Ridgeview/Oakleaf winner, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 15 (Championship)
TBD
Class 6A-District 3 – Semifinals & Championship at Spruce Creek (Port Orange)
Monday, Oct. 12 (Quarterfinals)
7 Mainland (Daytona Beach) at 2 Buchholz, 6 p.m.
5 Spruce Creek (Port Orange) at 4 Flagler Palm Coast, 6 p.m.
6 West Port (Ocala) at 3 Forest (Ocala), 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 13 (Semifinals)
1 DeLand vs. Flagler Palm Coast/Spruce Creek winner
Forest/West Port winner vs. Buchholz/Mainland winner
Thursday, Oct. 15 (Championship)
TBD