Sectional Brackets released for football, volleyball

REGIONAL – The area’s two best volleyball teams will start 7A sectional tourney play at home next week, while both football teams will hit the road for Tuesday night games.
As expected, the Ely Timberwolves volleyball team is the #1 seed in their half of the sectional bracket. With a Quality Ratings Formula value of 115.7, the Wolves at 22-5 are arguably the section’s No. 1 seed overall, as they have two fewer losses than Floodwood, the #1 seed in the other half of the bracket and a QRF of 108.9. Ely will host the winner of Monday’s first-round game between No. 8 Northeast Range and No. 9 Littlefork-Big Falls on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
North Woods could be on a collision course for a third matchup of the season against the Wolves, as the Grizzlies are the No. 2 seed on the same side of the bracket. The Grizzlies’ QRF score of 108.2 makes them the overall No. 3 team in the section, edging out South Ridge. North Woods will take on Deer River at home on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
If North Woods and Ely win twice, they’ll square off in the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Rock Ridge. The Wolves have won both matches the teams have played this season.
The NER/LBF match will be played at NER on Monday at 7 p.m.
For Section 7 nine-man football, No. 7 North Woods will make a return trip to No. 2 Cherry on Tuesday at 6 p.m., and the Grizzlies hope to fare better than the 76-8 loss they suffered in their first tilt against the Tigers. Cherry had a bye in their regular season finale and will be looking for a win after their loss to Mt. Iron-Buhl the prior week.
The No. 6 Ely football squad will be on the road Tuesday for its Section 7A game against No. 3 Mille Lacs. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. The Wolves will try to slow down the Mille Lacs offense and put more points on the board in hopes of turning around a 36-6 regular season loss to the Raiders.