Fultondale head coach Melanie Gearhart talks with her team during an Area 8 win over Holy Family in September. 

Area volleyball tournaments are scheduled to begin next week, as local teams attempt to advance into regional play. Area champions and runner-ups will qualify for the regional tournament.

Here’s a look at what faces Fultondale, Mortimer Jordan, Gardendale, Corner and Pinson Valley moving forward:

Class 3A, Area 8 Tournament

Host: Fultondale

Fultondale will wait for the winner of Midfield-Holy Family on Monday afternoon. The winner of that semifinal match will battle the Wildcats at 2 p.m. for the Class 3A, Area 8 championship.

As Fultondale finished the regular season on top of the three-team area, head coach Melanie Gearhart and her girls have already guaranteed themselves a spot in the South Super Regional, which begins on Thursday, Oct. 20 in Montgomery.

Class 5A, Area 11 Tournament

Host: Springville

Mortimer Jordan, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, opens up against No. 3 seed Corner next Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. The winner of that match will take on the winner of Springville-St. Clair County on Wednesday night at 6:30 for the Area 11 championship.

Each game will be played at Springville High School.

With a win, Mortimer Jordan or Corner would advance to the North Super Regional, which begins on Thursday, Oct. 20 in Huntsville.

Class 6A, Area 12 Tournament

Host: Clay-Chalkville

The Class 6A, Area 12 Tournament begins next Tuesday at Clay-Chalkville.

Head coach Natasha Brown and the Cougars open play at 4 p.m. against Pinson Valley. That match is immediately followed by Gardendale-Center Point, which is scheduled for 5 p.m.

The winners of those two semifinal matches will meet for an area title later in the evening. For Gardendale and Pinson Valley, one win gets them into the Class 6A North Super Regional Tournament in Huntsville.

Erik Harris is the Sports Editor of The North Jefferson News. Email him at njnsports@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jeharris2.