State-ranked Elkhart County teams NorthWood and host Fairfield are slated to square off in the opening round when high school volleyball sectionals are staged next week around Indiana.

Pairings were drawn by the IHSAA for the 41st annual state tournament on Monday.

The Class 3A No. 10-ranked Panthers and No. 6-rated Falcons meet in a 7:30 p.m. match a week from Thursday as part of the six-team field at Fairfield.

The Falcons have won eight straight sectionals.

In Class 4A, Memorial has won five straight, but is not the decisive favorite that it’s been in recent years. The Crimson Chargers take on Goshen in the opening round of the Northridge Sectional on Oct. 18, following the Concord vs. Warsaw match that night.

Central and the host Raiders got the byes in the loaded field into one of the semifinals on Oct. 20.

The championship at Northridge, and at all area sites, is later that same evening.

In 4A at South Bend Washington, two-time defending state champion and No. 7-rated Penn is part of a six-team gathering. The Kingsmen open against Mishawaka on Oct. 18.

Other sectional assignments include Jimtown and No. 5 Marian in the 3A seven-teamer at Plymouth; Westview in the 2A six-teamer at Central Noble, and Elkhart Christian and Bethany Christian in the 1A eight-teamer at Fort Wayne Blackhawk.

One-round regionals will be Oct. 23 at the homes of the even-numbered sectional winners, including the Northridge winner hosting the Washington winner. Blackhawk is an even-numbered sectional, while Plymouth, Fairfield and Central Noble are each odd-numbered.

Two-round semistates are Oct. 27. Northern sites are Huntington North in 4A, Plymouth in 3A, Bremen in 2A and Caston in 1A.

The single-round State Finals in each of the four classes are Nov. 3 at Ball State University’s Worthen Arena in Muncie.

Volleyball Sectionals

Class 4A at Northridge

Thursday, Oct. 18

Warsaw vs. Concord, 6 p.m.

Goshen vs. Memorial, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20

Thursday’s winners, 11 a.m.

Northridge vs. Central, 12:30 p.m.

Championship, 7 p.m.

Class 4A at South Bend Washington

Thursday, Oct. 18

Mishawaka vs. Penn, 6 p.m.

SB Washington vs. SB Clay, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20

Thursday’s winners, 11 a.m.

SB Riley vs. SB Adams, 12:30 p.m.

Championship, 7 p.m.

Class 3A at Plymouth

Tuesday, Oct. 16

Marian vs. Plymouth

Thursday, Oct. 18

SB St. Joseph vs. Glenn, 6 p.m.

Culver Academy vs. Jimtown, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20

New Prairie vs. Tuesday’s winner, 11 a.m.

Thursday’s winner, 12:30 p.m.

Championship, 7 p.m.

Class 3A at Fairfield

Thursday, Oct. 18

West Noble vs. Lakeland, 6 p.m.

NorthWood vs. Fairfield, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20

Thursday’s winners, 11 a.m.

Tippecanoe Valley vs. Wawasee, 12:30 p.m.

Championship, 5 p.m.

Class 2A at Central Noble

Thursday, Oct. 18

Prairie Heights vs. Fremont, 6 p.m.

Central Noble vs. Westview, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20

Thursday’s winners, 11 a.m.

Bremen vs. LaVille, 12:30 p.m.

Championship, 5 p.m.

Class 1A at Fort Wayne Blackhawk

Tuesday, Oct. 16

Lakeland Christian vs. FW Blackhawk, 6 p.m.

FW Canterbury vs. Howe, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 18

Elkhart Christian vs. Lakewood Park, 6 p.m.

Bethany Christian vs. Hamilton, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 20

Tuesday’s winners, 11 a.m.

Thursday’s winners, 12:30 p.m.

Championship, 7 p.m.