That's the ticket ...

THURSDAY, JAN. 28 

The Cardinal Mooney boys soccer team will begin its postseason march when it plays host to XX at 7 p.m. in a Class 2A-Region 3 quarterfinal match. The Cougars, who captured their first district championship in 13 years Jan. 21, haven’t lost a match since Dec. 3. The winner will advance to regional semifinals Feb. 2. 

THURSDAY, JAN. 28

The Sarasota High boys basketball team seeks to close out the regular season on a winning note when it hosts rival Booker at 7:30 p.m. The Sailors enter the contest coming off a two-point victory versus Venice to snap an eight-game skid and will look to carry that momentum against a talented Tornadoes squad that beat them by 19 points Dec. 2, in the first matchup between the two teams.

SATURDAY, JAN. 30 

The Riverview boys basketball team draws one of the top teams in the area when it hosts Lakewood Ranch at 7 p.m. to take on a Mustangs team that has only lost four games this season — all against ranked opponents in Florida and Ohio — while posting an average margin of victory of 26.1 points per game. Riverview is ranked No. 1 in Class 8A in the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches/Source Hoops state rankings and has already won 20 games this season. 

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3

Crosstown rivals Riverview and Sarasota will face off on the softball diamond at 7 p.m. in the Lady Rams' home opener. Both teams reached the regional tournament last season, with Sarasota advancing all the way to the Class 7A state championship, and this non-district game will serve as an early benchmark for a pair of teams that have postseason aspirations.