The high school volleyball regular season came to an end last week.

The second season, or postseason, begins this week with the start of FHSAA district tournament play.

“Unfortunately, the record is not all that great, the process hasn’t been pretty, but there’s progress, and I can say that confidently about my team,” said Williston first-year coach Daniel Gutierrez, whose team finished 5-10 overall but earned the No. 1 seed in Rural-District 7. “The record doesn’t define us at all. We have our eyes set on districts. We have a really good chance with that.”

The Red Devils lost their regular season finale last Tuesday at Class 2A Oak Hall. They’ve also lost at The Rock, at Gainesville, and at Eastside, which are all bigger schools.

“Our schedule is probably one of the toughest in town and that kind of helped us out along the way,” said Gutierrez, who has a win against Class 3A Newberry. “Putting us up against really good competition so when we face some teams kind of in that middle ground, we’ve faced the top teams in Gainesville, so if we can go out there and play the same way with the same intensity we should be alright.”

Williston, which finished 18-11 last year but lost to Newberry in last year’s 1A-Region 4 Final, is the defending 1A-District 8 champion.

The Red Devils will receive a bye today and play on Tuesday in the district semifinals against the winner of today’s quarterfinal between No. 4 seed Chiefland (8-10) and No. 5 Bronson (3-10).

Trenton (11-9) is the No. 2 seed and will face No. 7 seed Wildwood (0-15) at 6:30 p.m. in the district quarterfinals. The winner will face the winner of the other quarterfinal between No. 6 seed Hawthorne (1-9) and No. 3 Cedar Key (8-9) in Tuesday’s district semifinals.

Gainesville High is also a No. 1 seed in their district under a first-year coach.

Hurricanes’ alum Jerica Carter-Mitchell, who played in four final fours and won two state titles, led GHS to a 13-8 regular season record.

The ‘Canes are ranked 9th overall in Class 5A in the FHSAA rankings and are currently seeded No. 1 in Region 2, giving GHS a legitimate chance at making a run in the postseason.

They open 5A-District 5 play as the No. 1 seed and will host either No. 4 seed Belleview (5-13) or No. 5 seed Leesburg (5-7) in Tuesday’s district semifinals.

The district championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday at Vanguard (Ocala) against either No. 2 seed Lecanto (13-10) or the No. 3 seed Knights (9-15), who will travel for the semifinals but will serve as host of the championship game win or lose.

If GHS can maintain its top billing in the region, then they would have an opportunity to host all the way up to the Class 5A state semifinals.

Last October Chancie Vice led the Gainesville volleyball team to its first district title in 12 years.

However, Vice was named the new P.K. Yonge volleyball coach. She has a young team with only one senior but needs just two wins to win another district championship.

The Lady Blue Wave’s 3-18 record is deceiving. In addition to the youth, they’ve also played a very difficult schedule.

“We’re not a team that you can take lightly,” Vice said following PKY’s loss at home to Oak Hall last month. “That’s the message in the locker room. Forget our record right now. Look at how we’ve played with these teams that are higher classes, higher districts than us, but then those losses can’t carry on into playing our district because that’s what matters. That’s what ends or begins our season really.”

It’s a new season for all area teams who are essentially 0-0 entering district tournament play.

P.K. Yonge, which is the No. 3 seed in 2A-District 1, will face No. 2 seed Maclay (Tallahassee) (8-15) at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the district semifinals. Top seed Oak Hall (14-2), which is playing its final games under outgoing coach Perry McDonald, will face either No. 5 seed St. Francis Catholic Academy (5-10) or No. 4 seed Rocky Bayou Christian (Niceville) (6-15) in the other semifinal.

Andre Medina, who coached at Williston last year, is in his first season as head coach at Buchholz. The No. 4 seed Lady Bobcats (9-12) will host No. 5 seed Nease (Ponte Vedra) (8-13) at 6 p.m. tonight in the 6A-District 2 Quarterfinals.

All district championship games are on Thursday. Regional play begins next week.

2024 FHSAA Volleyball District Tournaments

Times are subject to change

Area teams in bold

Rural-District 6 – at Dixie County (Cross City)

Monday, Oct. 14 (Quarterfinals) 

3 Union County (Lake Butler) vs. 6 Fort White, 5 p.m.

4 Dixie County (Cross City) vs. 5 Bell, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

2 Lafayette (Mayo) vs. 3 Union County (Lake Butler)/6 Fort White winner, 5 p.m.

1 Branford vs. 5 Bell/4 Dixie County (Cross City) winner, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 7 p.m.

Rural-District 7 – at Higher seed

Monday, Oct. 14 (Quarterfinals) 

5 Bronson at 4 Chiefland, 6:30 p.m.

6 Hawthorne at 3 Cedar Key, 6:30 p.m.

7 Wildwood at 2 Trenton, 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

5 Bronson/4 Chiefland at 1 Williston, 6:30 p.m.

6 Hawthorne/3 Cedar Key vs. 7 Wildwood/2 Trenton winner, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 6:30 p.m.

Class 1A-District 4 – at Ocala St. John Lutheran (Semifinals & Championship)

Monday, Oct. 14 (Quarterfinals) 

5 Countryside Christian at 4 Redeemer Christian (Ocala), 6 p.m.

6 Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) at 3 Hernando Christian Academy, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

1 St. John Lutheran (Ocala) vs. 5 Countryside Christian/4 Redeemer Christian (Ocala) winner, TBA

2 Meadowbrook Academy (Ocala) vs. 6 Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto)/3 Hernando Christian Academy winner, TBA

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 6 p.m.  

Class 2A-District 1 – at Oak Hall School (Semifinals & Championship)

Monday, Oct. 14 (Quarterfinals) 

5 St. Francis Catholic Academy at 4 Rocky Bayou Christian (Niceville), 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

2 Maclay (Tallahassee) vs. 3 P.K. Yonge, 4:30 p.m.

5 St. Francis Catholic Academy/4 Rocky Bayou Christian (Niceville) winner at 1 Oak Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 6 p.m.

Class 3A-District 4 – at Higher Seed

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

4 Bradford (Starke) at 1 Wolfson (Jacksonville), 6 p.m.

3 Episcopal (Jacksonville) at 2 Bolles (Jacksonville), 6 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 6 p.m.

Class 3A-District 5 – at Keystone Heights (Semifinals & Championship)

Monday, Oct. 14 (Quarterfinals)

5 Keystone Heights at 4 Crescent City, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

2 Newberry vs. 3 Palatka, 5 p.m.

1 Interlachen vs. 4 Crescent City/5 Keystone Heights winner, TBA

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 6 p.m.

Class 4A-District 2 – at Higher Seed 

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

3 Rickards (Tallahassee) at 2 Wakulla (Crawfordville), 5 p.m.

4 Godby (Tallahassee) at 1 Suwannee (Live Oak), 6 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 6 p.m.     

Class 4A-District 5 – at Santa Fe High School (Alachua) 

Monday, Oct. 14 (Quarterfinals)

4 Lake Weir (Ocala) vs. 5 North Marion (Citra), 6 p.m.

3 Eastside vs. 6 Dunnellon, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

2 Crystal River vs. 3 Eastside/6 Dunnellon winner, 6 p.m.

1 Santa Fe (Alachua) vs. 4 Lake Weir (Ocala)/5 North Marion (Citra) winner, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 6 p.m.  

Class 5A-District 2 – at Higher Seed

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

3 Columbia (Lake City) at 2 Leon (Tallahassee), 6 p.m.

4 Lincoln (Tallahassee) at 1 Chiles (Tallahassee), 6 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) - at Vanguard (Ocala)

TBD, 6 p.m.  

Class 5A-District 5 – at Higher Seed

Monday, Oct. 14 (Quarterfinals)

5 Leesburg at 4 Belleview, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

5 Leesburg/4 Belleview winner at 1 Gainesville, 7 p.m.

3 Vanguard (Ocala) at 2 Lecanto, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) - at Vanguard (Ocala)

TBD, 7 p.m.

Class 6A-District 2 – at Ponte Vedra Nease (Semifinals & Championship)

Monday, Oct. 14 (Quarterfinals)

5 Nease (Ponte Vedra) at 4 Buchholz, 6 p.m.

7 First Coast (Jacksonville) at 2 Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine), 6 p.m.

6 Oakleaf (Orange Park) at 3 Bartram Trail (St. Johns), 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 (Semifinals) 

1 Fletcher (Neptune Beach) vs. 5 Nease (Ponte Vedra)/4 Buchholz winner, TBD

TBD

Thursday, Oct. 17 (Championship) 

TBD, 6:30 p.m.