KINGSLEY -- For some area volleyball teams, there's a familiarity to regionals.
Traverse City Central is not one of those teams.
The Trojans make their first appearance since 1998 at regionals when TC Central (37-10-3) faces Grand Haven at 5 p.m. today in the first game of the Class A regional at Cedar Springs.
Rockford, ranked fifth in the final coaches poll, and No. 2 Jenison play in the second semifinal tonight. The winners return on Thursday for the regional final.
TC Central coach Tim Homa said the Trojans have not seen any of the other teams this season. That's just fine with him.
"I'm hoping we're the surprise team," he said. "I'm hoping the fact that nobody has seen us that they'll think, 'They're from the north, they won't be that competitive.' If we play like we've been playing all year, like a team, with no mental breakdowns, I think we can do pretty well.
"Plus, we're not just satisfied winning districts. They think they can do more."
While TC Central will be experiencing something new in Cedar Springs, Cadillac and Petoskey will have a familiar feel in an unusual place.
Instead of traveling to Standish-Sterling, the two Big North foes will meet in the middle and play at TC Central in a Class B regional semifinal. Ogemaw Heights and Sault Ste. Marie face off in the other regional semifinal, which will be played at Gaylord, with the winners playing Thursday in Standish-Sterling.
Cadillac (41-13-1) opened Big North play with a loss to Petoskey (35-7-4), then won nine straight to win the league title outright.
"We're both better teams now," Cadillac coach Michelle Brines said. "Obviously it's a different dimension. The last time we played them with the conference on the line and now it's, 'Who wants to be in that regional final?'
"It's also the grudge match. They beat us and we beat them, now it's the third time."
In addition, tonight's game between Cadillac and Petoskey is the second straight time the teams have met at regionals. The Vikings, who have won three straight district titles, won in 2007 en route to reaching the state semifinals.
Kingsley heads into the Class C regional at McBain having won six straight district titles. The Lady Stags (53-7-4) meet Whittemore-Prescott in the second semifinal tonight with McBain and Boyne City getting things going in the first game at 5:30 p.m.
Whittemore is the only team that wasn't in the 2007 regional.
"Any of three teams could win it," Kingsley coach Dave Hall said.
The other Class C regional involving area teams is in Ishpeming, where Inland Lakes faces Iron Mountain at 7 p.m. today.
The Class D regional in Frankfort has the same four teams with the same matchups as last season. McBain Northern Christian, who plays Central Lake in the first match at 6 p.m., won the regional and went on to the state semifinals.
Traverse City Christian (38-13-6) would love to atone last season's loss to Mason County Eastern. The Sabres won the first two games, but lost the next three.
Christian coach Russ Hansen said there is probably no favorite in the field.
"I think it's wide-open," Hansen said. "It's anybody's game there."
Ski Valley Conference foes Onaway and Pellston will play in the Class D regional at Johannesburg-Lewiston, just against different opponents. The Cardinals face Cedarville in the first regional semifinal at 5:30 p.m. while Pellston takes on Posen in the 7:15 contest.
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