First Step: Survive District

Dan Murphy has never hid his expectations for his team, and never lowered them either.

Only moments after his team's final match last year, a regional quarterfinal loss to Groveland-South Lake, the Nature Coast Technical head coach set the bar high for 2008.

"We want to make the state finals next year," Murphy said that night. "We need to step up our play in every aspect of our game."

Not just the district final. Not even the regional final. All along, Murphy has operated under the belief that his team has the capability to be one of the Final Four teams competing for a state title in Class 4A.

He believes it so much, Murphy admits that he has scouted just about every team his Lady Sharks might potentially encounter all the way to the state finals.

Thus far his club has lived up to its billing, posting a 22-2 record during the regular season. But before Nature Coast can even think about regionals, it must defend its Class 4A, District 8 crown.

The 4A-8 Tournament begins today at Wesley Chapel-Wiregrass Ranch High, when eighth-seeded Sunlake takes on ninth-seeded Gulf for the right to face the top-seeded Lady Sharks Tuesday at 5 p.m.

"We can lose if we're not focused," Murphy said. "Any team in this sport can lose if they're not focused.

"I sense a much stronger focus in our play right now. We're moving smoother, calling balls a little better. The communication is better than it has been in the past. The girls are hungry."

The nine-team tournament, from which the top two will advance to regionals, also features Springstead and Hernando.

Seeded fifth, Springstead (12-12) tangles with tournament host and fourth seed Wiregrass Ranch at 7 p.m. tomorrow tonight in what figures to be one of the most competitive matches of the tournament.

Hernando (6-16) is seeded seventh and must try to get by second seed Hudson at 3 p.m. tomorrow. Third-seeded Zephyrhills plays sixth-seeded Pasco at 1 p.m.

Nature Coast comes in as the clear favorite considering it only lost three games across 16 matches versus 4A-8 opponents during the regular season.

Two of those came in a five-game win over Hudson on Sept. 25, though the Lady Sharks had previously swept the Lady Cobras.

Wiregrass Ranch took the opening game way back on Sept. 9, before Nature Coast captured the next three and swept the Lady Bulls in the Oct. 6 return match.

In preparation for postseason play, last weekend the Lady Sharks finished third in the Lady Noles Invitational at Bradenton-Southeast High, going 4-1 with the loss coming to eventual tournament champ Niceville.

"It showed us where we needed to focus," Murphy said. "We played some strong teams. The girls showed me they can pick it up and play with those strong teams and that's what we're hoping to do for the remainder of the playoffs."

Win and they're in

There is a good chance that Nature Coast won't be the only county team playing a regional quarterfinal next Tuesday.

Central High (11-4) enters the five-team 5A-7 Tournament as the third seed, facing second seed and tournament host Ridgewood at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

The seeding is a mere technicality, decided by a tiebreaker after the two teams split their regular season matches, both sweeping on their home floors.

The winner would advance to the title game, thus clinching a regional berth. The Lady Bears missed out on regionals last year for only the second time this decade.

"I expect us to be very evenly matched," Central Head Coach Vicki Weaver said. "It's going to take us playing as hard as we did against Hernando, as hard as we did against Nature Coast. Everyone is going to have to play that well.

"We're really focusing on that one. If you don't win Wednesday it doesn't matter. We'll worry about (top seed) River Ridge after Wednesday and we played them really well twice."

The one county team in action today is Hernando Christian Academy, the fifth seed in the six-team 1A-3 Tournament at Ocala-St. John Lutheran.

The Lady Lions (12-14) play fourth-seeded First Academy-Leesburg at 4 p.m. for a chance to play top seed Lecanto-Seven Rivers Christian at 6 p.m. tomorrow. HCA split two previous matches with First Academy.

"I don't know what to expect," HCA Head Coach Sue Murphy said. "We beat (third seed) St. John and then we lose to First Academy. We can play really, really well and sometimes we don't."

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: 2008 Class 4A, District 8 Volleyball Tournament

WHO: No. 1 seed Nature Coast, No. 2 Hudson, No. 3 Zephyrhills, No. 4 Wiregrass Ranch, No. 5 Springstead, No. 6 Pasco, No. 7 Hernando, No. 8 Sunlake and No. 9 Gulf.

WHEN: Oct. 27-30

WHERE: Wesley Chapel-Wiregrass Ranch High.

FORMAT: Single-elimination, champion and runner-up up advance to Nov. 4 Class 4A, Region II quarterfinals.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: 2008 Class 5A, District 7 Volleyball Tournament

WHO: No. 1 seed River Ridge, No. 2 Ridgewood, No. 3 Central, No. 4 Land O' Lakes and No. 5 Wesley Chapel.

WHEN: Oct. 28-30

WHERE: New Port Richey-Ridgewood High.

FORMAT: Single-elimination, champion and runner-up up advance to Nov. 4 Class 5A, Region II quarterfinals.

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: 2008 Class 1A, District 3 Volleyball Tournament

WHO: No. 1 seed Seven Rivers, No. 2 Meadowbrook, No. 3 St. John, No. 4 First Academy-Leesburg, No. 5 Hernando Christian and No. 6 Cedar Key.