Osceola and Gateway are the top two seeds in the FHSAA Region 5A-2 playoff tournament, and will host quarterfinal playoff matches Wednesday, and potentially semifinals on Saturday.
Osceola (21-6), looking to return to the state Final 4 at Polk State College Nov. 5-7 for the fourth time in five years, is No. 1 and hosts Melbourne (18-7) Wednesday. A win gets the Kowboys the winner of Viera and Lake Howell at home Saturday.
Gateway (20-3) earned the No. 2 and gets Winter Springs (13-14), winners of 7 of its last 10 matches. A win puts the back in Bob Baker Gym Saturday against the Bartow-Lake Minneola winner.
It puts the two local teams on a crash course to potentially meet in the Oct. 21 regional final, and meet for the third time this year. OHS won the Orange Belt Conference championship in four sets Sept. 24 and in five in Thursday's District 5A-6 championship when Leah Nieves posted three aces and two kills and freshman Maddy Sippio delivered three kills in the fifth and deciding set to win it.
Led by nine kills by senior captain Brooklyn Sippio, Osceola cruised to a relatively easy 25-21 win in the first set. The Lady Kowboys led by as many as seven in the set before a late Panther rally closed the gap to 21-19. Still, Osceola managed to close on a 4-2 run.
Momentum would swing to Gateway over the next two games. Freshman Anaya Reyes had six kills and an ace in the two games to lead Gateway offensively. But the Kowboys jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the final set to put it away.
Brooklyn Sippio had 24 kills, 2 blocks at the net for points and an ace. Maddy Sippio added 18 kills and five aces; and Nieves had 17 kills and six aces. Reyes led Gateway with 15 kills and an ace. Sofia Brillon Collazo had seven kills and an ace; while Gabriella Alvarez Herrera added six kills and four aces.
"We’re excited to earn the No. 1 seed, and we’ve been preparing all season for this part of the season," OHS Carrie Palmi said. "In a single-elimination tournament, you can't take anyone lightly. Some teams played different schedules which shuffles the rankings, but I’m glad our tough schedule rewarded us.
"We aren't sleeping on anyone. A lower seed like (No. 6) Lake Minneola has been battling injuries and can be highly dangerous if they get healthy. Every match will be a battle, but our goal is to get back to Polk State and compete for a state title."
