REGIONAL- As expected, the Ely Timberwolves will be the team to beat in the Section 7A volleyball tourney that gets underway next Tuesday.

Although Section 7A has two subsections with number one seeds for each, Ely tops the list of all entrants with the highest Quality Ranking Formula (QRF) rating at 120.2, ranked 17th in the state in Class A. Floodwood, which nabbed the No. 1 seed in its half of the bracket, has a QRF score of 106.0, slotting them in at 26th in Class A.

As a top seed the Wolves will open tournament play a 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at home against the winner of a play-in match between Deer River and Littlefork-Big Falls. Barring an upset, the Wolves would play at home again on Friday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. against either Chisholm or Northeast Range.

The North Woods Grizzlies are the No. 3 seed on their side of the bracket, statistically the fifth-strongest team in the tourney with a QRF ratings of 92.9, 39th in Class A. The Grizzlies will host Mt. Iron-Buhl at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23. If North Woods defeats the Rangers, the location for their Friday match will be determined by the winner of No. 2 seed Bigfork vs. No 7 Nashwauk-Keewatin. If Bigfork wins, the Grizzlies go on the road, but if Nashwauk-Keewating wins the Grizzlies would host the Friday match.