Beechwood and Notre Dame swept their 35th District volleyball semifinal opponents 3-0 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, setting up a district championship rematch between two of Kentucky's top-ranked programs.

The two teams meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at Holmes High School. Both will advance to next week's 9th Region tournament regardless of the outcome, placed on opposite sides of the eight-team bracket, the Northern Kentucky Tribune reported.

The matchup carries history.

Beechwood (30-2) posted its first-ever victory over Notre Dame (21-11) on Oct. 10, winning a fifth-set tiebreaker 15-9 after Notre Dame rallied from two sets down to force the decider. Notre Dame has won the last four 9th Region championships.

No public school has won the 9th Region volleyball title since the current playoff format began in 2003. That was also the last year Beechwood reached the region final.

Beechwood head coach Matt Long has six seniors on a roster chasing the program's first region title. After the Tigers won their second straight All "A" state championship in September, Long told the Cincinnati Enquirer: "We want to get to regionals and win two rounds versus one. And if we get through regionals, we look at the downstate teams in Assumption and Mercy and Sacred Heart … We've got a lot of work to do because it's not a cakewalk, either."

The Tigers are one win from the district title and will need two regional tournament victories to reach the region final.

St. Henry and Dixie Heights play for the 34th District volleyball championship at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at Ludlow. Both are also headed to the 9th Region tournament.

St. Henry soccer stuns CovCath in overtime

St. Henry earned its first 9th Region boys soccer tournament win since 2017 on Tuesday, edging two-time defending champion Covington Catholic 2-1 in overtime. It was only the third time in 15 years that CovCath exited the eight-team region tournament in the first round, according to the Tribune.

The Crusaders advance to face Newport Central Catholic at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at Tower Park in Ft. Thomas.

Beechwood also moved on in boys soccer, beating Dixie Heights 1-0 on Tuesday. The Tigers draw Ryle (20-3-1) at 8 p.m. Thursday at Tower Park. The 9th Region soccer championship is set for Saturday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m.