The banners that hang in the Elkhart Memorial and Fairfield gyms tell just how tough those volleyball programs have been in postseason play.

Warsaw and Wawasee will each get the first opportunity to sideline the pair of tradition-rich powers in sectional play this season.

Warsaw clashes with conference foe Memorial in a semifinal showdown in its own Class 4-A Sectional come Saturday. The Warriors meet up with Fairfield Thursday in a first-round match of the seven-team field at the Class 3-A West Noble Sectional.

The Tigers have plenty of time to prepare for Memorial. Warsaw wrapped up its 25-7 regular season Saturday with two wins in its own Tiger Spiker Invitational.

“I think this year that this is the right amount of time off for us to prepare for the sectional,” said Warsaw coach Mike Howard. “We will have to create a competitive environment in practice and add a different feel to our preparation this week.”

Warsaw dropped a 3-1 final to Memorial in a sectional semifinal at Northridge a year ago. The Tigers had beaten the Chargers 3-2 during the regular season to snap a 76-match winning streak in Northern Lakes Conference play by coach Jacquie Rost’s outstanding program. Memorial, a four-time state finalist, went on to win its sixth straight sectional title in 2012 before losing to Penn in the regional.

The Tigers split in two meetings with Memorial this season. The Crimson Chargers, who are 22-11 versus a very tough schedule, won 26-24, 10-25, 25-17, 25-18 at Warsaw Aug. 29. Warsaw won 26-24, 25-19 at the Michigan City Invitational Sept. 21.

Warsaw, which graduated five seniors, got off to a slow start this fall. The Tigers, who were 6-3 at one point, have been tough since going to a 6-2 offense about a month ago.

“That was a huge win against Memorial for us to take confidence away from that match,” said Howard of the victory at Michigan City a month ago. “We kind of found our identity that day. Our effort has been much better since and that’s translated into better play. We’ve been more efficient.”

The Warsaw Sectional field is loaded. Play begins Thursday with Northridge (25-7) versus Goshen and Elkhart Central (25-3) against Concord (21-12).

Central tied a school record for wins this season and is led by the sectional’s top player and one of the best in the state in Azariah Stahl. The explosive senior hitter has committed to Purdue. The Blue Blazers’ losses during the season were to Memorial, Penn and Class 3-A No. 1 Marian.

Howard, whose team lost 3-0 at Northridge early in the season and did not play Central, knows the challenge in front of his team.

“Whoever wins our sectional knows that they have to beat two good teams to do it,” Howard said. “There are four teams in it that are awfully good. It’s all about a mindset for us. We have to know we are good enough to win it. It comes down to toughness.  Memorial is tough. Their kids will do whatever it takes to win.”

Fairfield is the huge favorite to extend its sectional championship streak to 10 in a row in Ligonier. The No. 7 Falcons of coach Carla Herschberger sit at 26-7 on the season after going 4-0 Saturday to win the NECC Tournament.

The Falcons, who have been to the State Finals five times, have won 14 in a row versus Wawasee. That streak, which dates all the way back to the 2000-01 season before the advent of rally scoring and the five-game match to prep play in Indiana, includes a 25-15, 29-27, 25-19 in Syracuse on Aug. 22.

Wawasee got off to a tremendous start this fall by winning nine of its first 10 matches. Coach Jeff Phillips’ team sits at 15-16 entering sectional play and was 0-7 in the NLC. The Warriors did get good news last week as Alli Ousley returned to the court. The junior setter and talented all-around player, who had missed two weeks due to a concussion, came back to play Thursday night in a 3-0 NLC loss at Northridge.

Fairfield beat Wawasee 25-7, 25-10 25-7 in the sectional finale at home last season. The Falcons went on to advance to the semi state before losing to Yorktown in the title tilt to finish a 35-2 season.

Both Triton and Lakeland Christian Academy compete in Class 1-A sectional play.

Triton, the sectional runner-up in 2012, faces Argos Tuesday in a first-round match at Oregon-Davis.  The Trojans, who have beaten Argos three times this season, last won a sectional title in 2002.

LCA meets familiar foe Bethany Christian Thursday in a first-round match of the seven-team field at Fort Wayne Blackhawk. Bethany defeated the Cougars 25-11, 25-12, 25-11 early in the regular season.

Host Blackhawk, ranked No. 11 in Class 1-A, has won the last two sectional championships.

Sectional Pairings
Class 4-A
At Warsaw
Thursday
6 p.m.: Northridge vs. Goshen; 7:30: Concord vs. Elkhart Central
Saturday
11 a.m.: Thursday winners: 12:30 p.m.: Warsaw vs. Elkhart Memorial
7 p.m.: Championship

Class 3-A
At West Noble
Tuesday
7 p.m.:Whitko vs. West Noble
Thursday
6 p.m.: Wawasee vs. Fairfield: 7:30: NorthWood vs. Lakeland
Saturday
11 a.m.: Tippecanoe Valley vs. Tuesday winner; 12:30: Thursday winners
5 p.m.: Championship

Class 1-A
At Oregon-Davis
Tuesday
6 p.m.: Argos vs. Triton; 7:30: South Central vs. LaCrosse
Thursday
6 p.m.: Tuesday winners; 7:30: Culver vs. Oregon-Davis
Saturday
2 p.m.: Championship

At Fort Wayne Blackhawk
Tuesday
7 p.m.: FW Blackhawk vs. Elkhart Christian
Thursday
6 p.m.: Bethany Christian vs. Lakeland Christian Academy; 8: Howe vs. Hamilton
Saturday
11 a.m.: Lakewood Park vs. Tuesday winner; 1: Thursday winners
7 p.m.: Championship