By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Harmony has positioned itself to repeat as the district volleyball champion by earning the top seed at next week’s 4A District 7 tournament.

The Longhorns, 20-2 entering a match Thursday at Gateway, will play the winner of Monday’s St. Cloud-Celebration match at St. Cloud on Wednesday at Oak Ridge at 6 p.m.

Coach Eric Trowbridge’s team, which is battling some injuries, would play for another championship on Thursday at 6 p.m. if they win Wednesday.

“Our motto is ‘We make no excuses,’” Trowbridge said. “The girls have and believe that no matter who we put out on the court, we are going to win.”

Osceola, 15-9 after beating Celebration on Wednesday, hosts the 6A-6 tournament which begins Monday. The Kowgirls play Liberty on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Lake Wales and Winter Haven play prior to them, with those winners playing on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

The winner Wednesday will play in Thursday’s championship at 7 p.m. Haines City is the tournament’s top seed.

The Kowgirls are looking for their fourth playoff trip in a row. OHS Coach Carrie Palmi said being the No. 3 seed creates a favorable draw.

“I’m thrilled at how we’re set up,” she said. “We can beat Winter Haven (the No. 2 seed), we lost to them last time in five games by two points. We feel like we’re going to get them this time. Haines City is tough, but playing our game, I think we can beat them too.”

Gateway is the No. 2 seed in the 6A-6 tournament at Vero Beach High. The Panthers will play Treasure Coast in a semifinal match Tuesday at 5 p.m. The winner will likely see the host Indians in Thursday’s championship game at 6 p.m.

New Dimensions (2A-9 tournament at Lakeland Christian) and Southland Christian and Life Academy (A-7 at Lakeland Victory Christian) also compete next week.

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In golf, the Celebration and Osceola girls, and three other individuals, qualified for Monday’s regional tournaments.

The Storm shot a 379 at Bartow Golf Club, led by Natalie Benetti’s 81, good for second place in the Class 2A District 9 event.

At the 2A-16 girls’ tournament at Harmony Golf Preserve, Osceola took third with a 410 led by Kiera Koroitamudu (92) and Charlie Muzeka (97). St. Cloud was fourth, but Erica Dukes shot a 90 to earn an individual tee time Monday.

At the 2A-16 boys tournament Monday at Royal St. Cloud Golf Links, Osceola and Harmony tied for fourth at 341, eight shots behind third-place Melbourne.

Steven Fowler and St. Cloud’s Caleb Sibley shot 75 and 78 respectively at the 2A-16 tournament at  scores good enough for individual regional bids.

The top three teams and top three individuals not on those teams at districts qualified for the regional round. Next week, the top two teams, and the top two individuals not on those teams, if within five shots of the individual leader, qualify for the state tournament Nov. 1-2 in Ocala.

Celebration Coach Robert Mouchet said his team’s odds of making state are a bit long.

“We need all of the girls to play well, if so we could get around 360,” he said. “Beating Olympia and Edgewater will be tough.”

On Monday, Celebration’s girls play the 2A Region 3 tournament at Orange Tree Country Club in Orlando. Osceola and Dukes play the 2A-6 event at Vero Beach Golf Club.

Fowler and Sibley will play the 2A-6 boys regional on Tuesday at Duran Golf Club in Melbourne.