Over the next week or so, area softball and volleyball teams will be beginning their pursuit of a Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) state championship with district tournament competition.

Between Warden Publishing Company’s seven schools, they will be competing in three different district softball tournaments and four different district volleyball tournaments.

Earning the sixth seed, Hermann Lady Bearcat softball will open the MSHSAA Class 2, District 2 Softball Tournament at Montgomery County High School tomorrow (Thursday) against the third-seeded Louisiana Lady Bulldogs at 7 p.m.

A Hermann victory would advance them to the district semifinals on Monday, Oct. 21 against Elsberry’s Lady Indians.

Staying in Class 2, Linn’s Lady Wildcats earned the top seed in the MSHSAA Class 2, District 3 Tournament at South Callaway High School in Mokane.

Drawing a first-round bye, Linn will await the winner of Eugene’s Lady Eagles and Russellville’s Lady Indians in the district semifinals on Monday, Oct. 21 at 4 p.m.

Warden Publishing’s other three softball teams are all in the MSHSAA Class 3, District 5 Softball Tournament field at Blair Oaks High School.

Fatima’s Lady Comets earned the top seed while Vienna’s Lady Eagles were the third seed and Owensville’s Dutchgirls ended up as the seventh seed.

First-round action at Blair Oaks will begin tonight (Wednesday) with Fatima facing the eighth-seeded Eldon Lady Mustangs at 5 p.m. The winner of Fatima-Eldon would meet the winner of California and Knob Noster in the district semifinals on Monday, Oct. 21 at 5 p.m.

Class 3, District 5 first-round action will continue tomorrow (Thursday) at 5 p.m., with Blair Oaks facing Owensville followed at 7 p.m., by Vienna taking on Osage.

The winners of those two games would meet Monday at 7 p.m., with the district championship game scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 6 p.m.

Moving indoors to area volleyball districts, Chamois’ Lady Pirates earned the sixth seed in the MSHSAA Class 1, District 5 Volleyball Tournament at Tipton High School.

Chamois will cap first-round action on Tuesday, Oct. 22 facing third-seeded Northwest (Hughesville) at 7:30 p.m., along Highway 50 in Tipton.

Warden Publishing teams will make up half of the MSHSAA Class 2, District 6 Tournament field at New Bloomfield High School led by top-seeded Hermann.

Fatima earned the second seed while Linn was voted the fourth seed.

Hermann drew a first-round bye and will play on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m., against the winner of first-round action on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 5 p.m., between Linn and North Callaway’s Lady Thunderbirds.

Also drawing a first-round bye, Fatima will play in the other semifinal on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m., against the winner of first-round action on Tuesday, Oct. 22 between Father Tolton and New Bloomfield.

Fresh off their first Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) title since 2009, Belle’s Lady Tigers earned the second seed in the MSHSAA Class 2, District 8 Volleyball Tournament at Licking High School.

They will play in the second semifinal on Friday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m., against the winner of first-round action on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 5:30 p.m., between third-seeded Bourbon and sixth-seeded Dixon.

Rounding the list of Warden Publishing schools in district volleyball action beginning next week will be Jamie Ridenhour’s Owensville Dutchgirls in the MSHSAA Class 3, District 9 Tournament at Sullivan High School.

Seeded third, Owensville will open their portion of the tournament in first-round action on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 6:30 p.m., against the sixth-seeded St. James Lady Tigers.