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closeDistrict tournaments around the state will get off to a digging, corner kicking, setting, goal scoring start this week.
Seven district tournaments with city teams will begin in the next two days for soccer and volleyball.
In boys' soccer, three ranked teams and probably a couple more that could be ranked will try to win the 27th District tournament at Lexington Christian.
Of No. 4 East Jessamine, No. 18 Paul Dunbar and No. 23 Lexington Catholic, any of them easily could be called the favorites to win the tournament, which starts Monday night.
The Jaguars topped Catholic in the regular season before falling to Paul Dunbar 1-0. The Knights played to a scoreless tie with the Bulldogs.
If seeds do hold, Catholic and East could meet in the semifinals Tuesday night, and top-seeded Dunbar could have a rematch with West Jessamine, the defending district champions. Dunbar was upset by the Colts last year in the district semifinals when the Bulldogs scored an own goal in overtime.
The team that wins the 27th District will earn the chance to play host to the 14th Region next week. The runner-up also advances to the region tournament.
Henry Clay, the highest-ranked city team in boys' soccer, is favored to repeat as 26th District champion at Georgetown Middle School this week.
The Devils, who have won three of their last four, will face the winner of Bryan Station and Tates Creek.
Scott County and Sayre, who tied in the regular season, play one another in the other semifinal.
They both played the Devils close in the regular season with Sayre earning a tie and the Cardinals falling 4-3.
Girls' soccer
Defense is the word of the week in the 26th District.
No. 15 Tates Creek has lost only one game this season and has allowed just nine goals.
No. 23 Henry Clay has given up a region-low seven goals this season, with three coming on penalty kicks in two losses to Creek. The Devils have 11 shutouts.
No. 22 Scott County also has lost just one game this season to Tates Creek. The Cardinals boast 13 shutouts so far. They will face Henry Clay, which they played to a scoreless tie, in one of the semifinals.
Bryan Station, which didn't win a game last season, is riding a seven-game win streak into the post-season. The Defenders will face Sayre, which beat them 4-1 in the regular season, in the first round Tuesday.
The winner of the 26th District earns the right to be the host team for the 13th Region Tournament. The loser also advances to next week.
In the 27th District, it almost seems pre-determined that No. 5 Lexington Catholic will face No. 6 West Jessamine at least two more times this season.
It's happened for the past two seasons.
West has gotten the best of the post-season series recently, but Catholic won this year's regular-season bout 3-1.
The Knights have won six straight and have allowed a region-low 14 goals with eight shutouts.
The Colts have won 10 of their last 11 games, with the only loss coming to Catholic. They have scored a region-high 67 goals.
To set up a rematch with the Knights, West Jessamine will have to get through No. 18 Lexington Christian, which faces Lafayette in the first round Monday.
Volleyball
No district in the state is as tough to get out of as the 41st District, which starts Tuesday at defending 11th Region champion Paul Dunbar.
All four teams in the district are ranked in the state's top 25, including No. 6 Henry Clay, No. 9 Paul Dunbar, No. 17 Lafayette and No. 24 Tates Creek.
The Devils have an unblemished record in the state except for a loss to Dunbar.
But they also own a win over Dunbar, which fell to Lafayette in late October. The Generals have a loss to Tates Creek as well.
The Bulldogs will meet Lafayette in the first round. Henry Clay will face Tates Creek.
No. 15 Catholic, which has wins over several fellow top 25 teams this season, is favored and unbeaten in the 40th District at Lexington Christian.
Defending district champion Bryan Station will host the 42nd District this week. The Defenders have not dropped a match in the district this season.
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