Everything you need to know about Northern Kentucky's district volleyball tournaments

Kentucky high school volleyball is about to enter the postseason.

The regular season officially concludes on Oct. 14, but most teams played their final games on Oct. 12.

Here is how each of the six districts in Northern Kentucky shape up heading into next week's tournament. Similar to baseball, basketball, soccer and softball, the two teams that make the district championship game qualify for the regional tournament.

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32nd District

Top seed Simon Kenton opens against Williamstown. The Pioneers not only went 4-0 in the district, but have won seven of their last nine games including a rivalry win over Scott to end the regular season. As of Oct. 13, Williamstown has a 10-16 record with a match against Trinity Christian to close the regular season.

Grant County is the second seed and will play tournament host and third seed Walton-Verona. The Braves swept the Bearcats in three sets on Sept. 12, but Walton-Verona has momentum, entering the postseason with sweeps against Newport and Lloyd.

The semifinals are on Oct. 17 starting at 6 p.m.. The final is two days later at 6 p.m.. Simon Kenton is the five-time defending champion.

District final prediction: Simon Kenton vs. Grant County

33rd District

Top-seeded Ryle only lost one set in district play all season. The Raiders are 19-12 thanks to a 10-game winning streak in the middle of the season. They have two more matches on Oct. 14, against McCracken County and Indian Hill, before facing the winner of Boone County and Heritage Academy on Oct. 17 at 6 p.m..

Conner and Cooper will meet in the district tournament for the third consecutive season, having split the previous two postseason meetings. The Cougars won the lone regular season meeting in three sets. Senior Lily Hamburg is top-50 in the state in kills (336) and blocks (91) while also leading Conner with 54 aces.

Ryle has won three straight district titles.

District final prediction: Ryle vs. Conner

34th District

St. Henry brings a 27-8 record into the district tournament, but what may be more impressive is that the Crusaders have won 15 of their last 16 matches. They did not lose a set in district play and their only two region losses are to Notre Dame. St. Henry will face the winner of Ludlow and Lloyd, who have a combined district record of 1-8.

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Tournament host Dixie Heights will face second seed Villa Madonna. The Colonels opened the seaspn with a 6-2 record but have fallen off, entering the postseason with at 10-14 record, including a five-set loss to the Vikings on Oct. 11. Villa Madonna has feasted against small schools in the back half of its schedule, winning 14 of their last 18 matches. Their regular season finale was against Dixie Heights. What will each team bring to the table in their second match in seven days?

St. Henry has won 12 of the last 13 district titles.

District final prediction: St. Henry vs. Dixie Heights

35th District

Notre Dame stumbled at the end of the regular season, losing three of four matches. Two of those losses were to top-15 nationally ranked teams in Mother McAuley and Assumption. But just like softball, the volleyball team has the longest district tournament winning streak in Northern Kentucky at 13 straight. The Pandas will face the winner of Covington Latin and Holmes, who open the tournament on Oct. 16.

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Beechwood and Holy Cross will face off in the other semifinal. The Tigers, led by a young core of Macy Armstrong, Isabel Baaker, Skylr Estep and Isabel O'Brien, have greatly improved from a 19-16 campaign in 2022. Beechwood earned the No. 2 seen by beating Holy Cross on Oct. 5. The Indians are led by University of Washington commit Julia Hunt, who is leading the state in kills for a second straight year. She averages 19 kills per match, but Holy Cross will need to receive attacking contributions from players other than Hunt if they want to avenge their earlier loss to Beechwood.

Holy Cross is hosting this year's tournament. The Indians and Notre Dame have faced off in each of the last five district championship games.

District final prediction: Notre Dame vs. Holy Cross

36th District

Highlands is the top seed and the six-time defending champion. The Bluebirds opened the season with a 2-5 record but have rebounded to enter the postseason at 18-15. They have not lost a set in district play. Dayton and Newport open tournament play on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m., with the winner facing Highlands one day later.

Bellevue earned the third seed by virtue of beating Dayton and Newport in the regular season. It'll face Newport Central Catholic, who got the better of the Tigers on Sept. 12 with a 3-0 win. The Thoroughbreds won the district championship each year from 2013 to 2016 and have appeared in every district championship game since 2012, when the current 36th District was configured.

The semifinals are Oct. 17 at NCC with the final on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m..

District final prediction: Highlands vs. Newport Central Catholic

37th District

Campbell County has had an up-and-down season. They picked up momentum by going 4-1 in the September Slam at Scott, but went 2-3 at the Cake Classic at Highlands. The Camels wouldn't let that deter them as they have won 10 of their last 15 games. The top seed hosts Calvary Christian on Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m.. The Lady Cougars are 16-10 overall but stumbled to an 0-5 district record.

Scott and Bishop Brossart is one of the more intriguing district semifinal matchups in Northern Kentucky. The Mustangs are the second seed with a 3-2 district record; all three wins came against Calvary Christian. The Eagles beat Brossart in three sets on Sept. 20. The Mustangs may have been fatigued from playing on each of the two previous days as well as the All "A" state tournament the previous weekend. Brossart will have home-court advantage as they are hosting the tournament.

District final prediction: Campbell County vs. Scott

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: KHSAA volleyball: district tournaments in Northern Kentucky