Springs sports set to head up with district tournaments

Starting Monday, April 4, it will be a true “win or go home” situation for area boys and girls lacrosse and water polo teams that qualified for their respective district tournaments.

District tournaments for the two sports are on tap for next week, and this week’s tennis tournaments officially have gotten the ball rolling on tournament time for spring  varsity sports.

Both lacrosse and water polo are single-classification sports in which only the top four teams from each district during the regular season qualify for the district tournament. In another deviation from other team sport postseason formats, only district champions in water polo and lacrosse advance to the regional tournament.

The four teams left in girls lacrosse District 13 are top-seeded Olympia (14-2, 5-0 district), Dr. Phillips (11-2, 4-1), host Celebration (7-4, 3-2) and The First Academy (5-9, 2-3). 

The semifinals, which are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. April 5, will pit the Titans against the Royals and the Panthers against the Storm (although the order of the two games has yet to be announced). Winners will meet in the district championship at 7 p.m. two nights later.

Olympia, which is ranked No. 9 in the South region by Lacrosse Magazine, won all five district matches by double digits, a combined 85 points.

District 9 includes West Orange, Ocoee, Lake Minneola, Wekiva, East Ridge and Apopka. West Orange (12-3, 5-0) is the top seed. Semifinals for the tournament, which will be played at West Orange, are set for 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. April 5. The Warriors will host Wekiva in the 7:30 p.m. game and Ocoee will take on East Ridge at 6 p.m.

The district championship will take place at 7 p.m. April 7.

On the boys’ side, Dr. Phillips has been nearly as dominant as Olympia’s girls, winning all five of its  district matches by double digits. The Panthers hold the top seed and will face fourth-seeded Windermere Prep (4-7, 2-3) in the semifinals April 5 at The First Academy. The other semifinal pits second-seeded The First Academy against Olympia. Game times have yet to be announced.

The winners will meet at 6 p.m. April 7 at The First Academy.

West Orange and Ocoee are assigned to District 11 alongside Apopka, East Ridge, Lake Minneola, Montverde and Wekiva. West Orange (11-3, 6-0 in District 11) secured the top seed, followed by Apopka (11-3, 5-1), Montverde (9-2, 4-2) and East Ridge (4-5, 3-3). Ocoee placed sixth at 1-5 in the district and did not qualify for the tournament along with Wekiva and Lake Minneola.

Both semifinals for the District 11 Tournament will take place April 5 at Lake Minneola; the championship is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 7.

Water polo’s District 3 includes West Orange, Ocoee, Olympia, Dr. Phillips and Apopka, although Ocoee’s boys and girls teams already have completed their seasons. Dr. Phillips' boys and Olympia's girls earned top seeds. 

Dr. Phillips will host the tournament, which will be played at the YMCA Aquatic Center on International Drive. Semifinals for the girls will take place at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. April 4, followed by boys semifinals at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Finals for each tournament will take place the next day at 6 p.m. (girls) and 7:15 p.m. (boys).

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].