Volleyball: Area teams ready to show growth as postseason begins

Coach Emi Hughes sets a simple target for North Hall volleyball each season.<br /> <br /> "Our goal is to be a contender each season and so far we are doing that. The rest is yet to be seen," Hughes said.<br /> <br /> That could very well be said of every program northeast Georgia, where volleyball has gone from an also-ran sport to a highly-competitive pursuit that sees area squads pushing through to the top levels. In fact teams from northeast Georgia now routinely reach the quarterfinals -- which becomes the championship bracket at that point of the postseason.<br /> <br /> And as the first round of the volleyball state tourney gets underway today, a number of area squads hope to show that they -- and their fellow northeast Georgia teams -- are ready to go even further amongst the state's elite.<br /> <br /> "I think that Area 8-AAAA should do well in the playoffs," Hughes said of the region that includes playoff teams North Hall, Buford and Chestatee. "It is a strong area and we play good competition. I feel like we got some good match ups, and I look for us to make a run in the tournament."<br /> <br /> Buford reached the 2013 Class AAA semifinals, and the 8-AAAA champ will look to improve on that showing, despite moving up in classification, starting with an opening round match-up with West Laurens at home. <br /> <br /> The 8-AAAA runner-up, North Hall, which has become a playoff fixture in its own right, will play host to Mary Persons, while Chestatee travels to Veterans.<br /> <br /> In Class AAA, East Hall is also aiming high after setting a school record for wins and hauling in the Area 7-AAA crown. The Lady Vikings will play host to Ringgold in the opening round. Fannin County, which finished runner-up in 7-AAA, will also be at home, taking on Adairsville in Blue Ridge.<br /> <br /> The rest of northeast Georgia's teams will be on the road, as West Hall heads to Sonoraville, Jackson County travels to Westminster, Jefferson heads to Blessed Trinity and Lumpkin County heads to Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe. And, in Class A, Lakeview Academy -- making its third straight playoff appearance -- takes on Fellowship Christian.<br /> <br /> Just being on the road doesn't make northeast Georgia's teams true underdogs, however.<br /> <br /> "The sport has improved so much over the course of the past few years. I am excited to be a part of this area and think we have made huge steps to being consistently involved in the state conversation," Hughes said. "That is a big deal. It will only get better as the programs get stronger."<br /> <br /> The area's teams hope to show that strengthening is taking part this postseason.<br /> <br /> <b>AREA TEAMS IN STATE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT</b><br /> <i>First Round Match-Ups</i><br /> CLASS A<br /> Lakeview Academy at Fellowship Christian<br /> <br /> CLASS AAA<br /> Adairsville at Fannin County<br /> Jackson County at Westminster<br /> Jefferson at Blessed Trinity<br /> Lumpkin County at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe<br /> Ringgold at East Hall<br /> West Hall at Sonoraville<br /> <br /> CLASS AAAA<br /> Chestatee at Veterans <br /> Mary Persons at North Hall<br /> West Laurens at Buford