With the district volleyball tournament just ahead, let's take a Halloweenish look at two scenarios that will impact Metro-area teams.

The trick is on Class A Bellevue East, while the treat is for Class B Omaha Mercy.

First, let's talk about the Chieftains. Despite being the top seed in District A-4, Bellevue East must travel to Grand Island for the tourney.

This is unfortunate for Coach Robyn Jensen's squad, which deserves a better fate. The 25-6 Chieftains are ranked fourth in Class A, but must make that trip west because North Platte also is in the district.

“Initially, I was shocked,” Jensen said. “It was our understanding that the top seeds would get to host districts.”

The disappointing part for Bellevue East is that the turnout for those district matches Wednesday probably will be small, compared to the support the Chieftains would have drawn on their home floor. Jensen's team is scheduled to play Omaha South at 4 p.m. at Grand Island Northwest, just ahead of the North Platte-Millard South semifinal at 5:15. The final will be played at 7 p.m.

“I imagine it's going to be a late night,” Jensen said. “It's tough to ask students and fans to drive out to Grand Island in the middle of the week, and we've got school the next day.”

The coach added that the semifinal match between South and Bellevue East is even more perplexing.

“We've got two local teams traveling to Grand Island to play each other,” she said. “I'd have to think there's a better way than doing that.”

But Jensen, in her 10th season as head coach, said her Chieftains are not going to dwell on the negatives.

“I've told our girls that North Platte has to drive farther than we do,” she said. “We're not going to let this spoil our focus on the matches.”

Let's move on to Mercy, which finds itself as the top seed in the B-3 District at Omaha Westside. The Monarchs — and the other four teams in the district — will benefit from the Nebraska School Activities Association decision to move Omaha Skutt out of that district.

The 23-11 SkyHawks, ranked fifth in Class B, have been shifted to the B-2 District at Millard North. That district also includes top-ranked Omaha Gross, eighth-ranked Gretna and ninth-ranked Plattsmouth.

“I'm not sure I understand why it was done, but it sure opens up our district,” Mercy coach Dean Gran said. “Our goal all season has been to get to state, so we're hopeful that we can get that done.”

The Monarchs, who slip into the Class B ratings this week at No. 10, have come close the past few seasons. They lost to Skutt in the district final last year and to Omaha Gross in the district final the two years before that.

The team has remained competitive despite the presence of a new head coach in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

“We've got a group of seven seniors who have really stuck with the program,” Gran said.

The Monarchs have not been to state since 1995. Their main competition in the district appears to be Omaha Duchesne, which is 14-12 and seeking its first state tournament trip.

Mercy has beaten Duchesne twice this season, but the most recent match went the five-set limit.

Other teams in the B-3 District are Omaha Roncalli, Blair and South Sioux City. Not one of those three teams has a winning record.

Gran, a former assistant at Skutt, said he is working to keep his team prepared for each district match — no matter who the Monarchs play.

“We're not getting caught up in who is in our district and who isn't,” he said. “We know that we've got to keep playing at a very high level to reach our goals.”

Ratings update: Omaha Marian (37-1) continues to keep rolling and remains atop the Nebraska Top 10. The Crusaders defeated second-ranked Papillion-La Vista South in the compelling five-set final of the Metro Conference tournament, capturing the title for the first time in 10 years.

Gross, the top-ranked team in Class B, captured the River Cities Conference tournament Saturday. The 26-8 Cougars defeated Skutt in the final.

There were few changes in the other classes, and no changes in the top spots. Grand Island Central Catholic (C-1), Sutton (C-2), Hay Springs (D-1) and Chambers (D-2) will carry their No. 1 ratings into subdistricts and districts this week.

Contact the writer:

444-1350, mike.patterson@owh.com

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