LAKE COUNTY — Winter sports will have to wait a bit longer as far as the players on the Kelseyville, Clear Lake and Middletown volleyball teams are concerned. All three teams are participating in the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs this week.
Kelseyville (19-3), the North Central League I North champion, drew the No. 8 seed on Sunday during the seeding and at-large meeting Walnut Creek and will host No. 9 St. Helena (18-12) Wednesday at 7 p.m. in a first-round match.
Earning at-large berths at Sunday”s meeting were Clear Lake and Middletown. Clear Lake (23-10), the NCL I South co-champion, is the No. 12 seed and will face No. 5 Salesian (24-10) Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Richmond. Mid-dletown (22-5), the NCL I North runner-up, also hits the road Wednesday to play Healdsburg (18-17) at 7 p.m.
The top four seeds have first-round byes and will open play Saturday in the quarterfinal round. They are No. 1 Marin Catholic (23-12), No. 2 Berean Christian (25-6), No. 3 Piedmont (20-3) and No. 4 Justin-Siena (23-8).
St. Helena is the only league champion not to receive a home match. The Saints, who tied Clear Lake atop the NCL I South standings, beat the Cardinals in a special playoff match Saturday in Lakeport to determine who would get the league”s automatic berth.
Marin Catholic awaits the winner of the Kelseyville-St. Helena match; Justin-Siena will draw the winner of the Salesian-Clear Lake match; and Berean Christian awaits the winner of the Middletown-Healdsburg match.
Semifinals are Wednesday, Nov. 19 and the Division IV championship match is set for Nov. 22.
