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JACKSONVILLE – Oakleaf High coach Jennifer Meyer has been working on convincing her upstart Lady Knights volleyball team, with a sizzling 5-0 start and now 11-4, that competing on the same courts with the likes of Fleming Island, Gainesville Buchholz and Bartram Trail is well within their capabilities.

“I think because of where the program has been, they get a little nervous about playing the top teams in our district which are all pretty tough teams,” said Meyer. “Tonight’s win over Creekside is a boost, but we have to be able convince ourselves that we deserve to be on the court with the rest of the district.”

Oakleaf opened the season in a flash with five wins; one a five-game win over two-time district 4-6A champion Ridgeview High, a first-ever win over the Panthers, and one a win over 9A- Mandarin High.

Recently, though, the Lady Knights have taken lumps from Fleming Island, Buchholz and Bartram Trail.

“We just were not in our game in all three of those games,” said Meyer.

Last week, Oakleaf took out a strong Creekside team 3-0 led by 20 aces by Bryanna Parrett and six kills apiece from Challaya Campbell and Alexa Ward, both seniors.

“Our nine seniors have to decide to step up and lead the team against those stronger teams,” said Meyer. “They are all playing extremely hard and just have to believe it.”

Oakleaf gets their shot on September 26 at home against Buchholz (9-1, 3-0), September 28 at home against Fleming Island (10-6, 3-3) and October 5 at home against Creekside (3-13, 0-4). Bartram Trail, a recent loser to Fleming Island, sits at 4-1 in district play. Bartram Trail is the defending district champion with Creekside the runnerup, but Creekside made it to the region final last year before losing to Tallahassee Leon.

For Fleming Island, the combination of seniors Emily Charbonneau (167 kills) and Kaci Hollenbacher (89 kills) to the front of the court has brought some renewed aggression and pushed a big district win over Bartram Trail. Buchholz double downed on the Golden Eagles with a second 3-0 match win on September 21 to put the target clearly on the Lady Bobcats for the upcoming district tournament although a dangerous Oakleaf team is scheduled to host Fleming Island September 28.

In district 3-7A play, Middleburg (2-1) took out defending district champion St. Augustine (1-2) on Tuesday, but fell to Nease on Thursday to put the Nease Panthers (10-4, 4-0 in district) as the target come district week.

Middleburg coach Carrie Prewitt’s normally rugged schedule is just that for the final weeks of the season with matches set with Santa Fe, Gainesville, Bartram Trail and Fleming Island leading into district week.

Middleburg attack roster is led by junior Mallory Roney, with a three-game count of 18, 16 and 12 kills for games with Creekside, St. Augustine and Nease has surged to the team leader with 78 kills with sophomore Brittany Range getting more action at the net against St. Augustine. Junior Jillian Bemis has 52 scoring shots.

In 5-6A, Clay, Ponte Vedra and Menendez are in a power trio at the top with defending state champion Ponte Vedra holding court with their win over the Lady Blue Devils.

Clay gets both Menendez and Ponte Vedra for a second shot in the first week of October.

In district 4-6A, Ridgeview controls the top of the district at 4-0 with no clear threat to that top seed, but coach Destiny Brightman has had some ups and downs with losses to St. Augustine and Oakleaf.

Same scenario in district 5-4A with Newberry on top at 4-0, Taylor at 6-1 and Keystone Heights at 4-2 the three top teams of the district. The Lady Indians finish with three district games then Fleming Island and Union County.

St. Johns Country Day School and defending Class 3A champion St. Francis Academy sit near the middle of district 2-3A with a much-improved Christ’s Church and Lake Mary Prep both unbeaten at the top.