From the Sports Desk

with Carey Phillips: 04/05/01

Soccer is a seeded sport, but baseball and softball still use predetermined brackets so we can get a feel for who opponents might be and when games will be played.

Baseball and softball will use the same brackets. The only difference is the dates.

Baseball playoffs will open May 8 with subsequent rounds on May 11, May 15 and May 18. The state championship series will be May 25-27 at a site to be determined.

Softball playoff dates are May 18, May 22 and May 25. The remaining four teams in each classification will gather at the Walnut Creek Softball Complex in Raleigh on June 1-2.

Here's a look at the 3-A playoff brackets.

The Western Athletic Conference champion will open at home against the third seed from the Western Foothills Conference. WFC teams are East Lincoln, Foard, Hickory, Mooresville, North Iredell, St. Stephens, South Caldwell and South Iredell.

The WAC runner-up will start on the road against the Mountain Athletic Conference champs. MAC 3-A schools are Asheville, East Henderson, North Buncombe, Roberson and West Henderson.

If the WAC winner advances, it would face either the WFC champ or the second seed from the MAC in round two.

The WAC teams could meet in the third round with the bracket including the runner-up at home. However, if two teams from a conference play, the champion will be at home.

While the softball teams will move to Walnut Creek at this point, the WAC baseball champ would play the semifinals at home if it gets that far. The opponent would be from the South Piedmont, Southwestern or Tri-County Conference.

SPC schools are Brown, Central Cabarrus, Concord, East Rowan, Harding, Northwest Cabarrus, Piedmont, Sun Valley and West Rowan. SWC members are Burns, East Rutherford, Forestview, Kings Mountain, North Gaston, R-S Central and South Point. The Tri-County is comprised of High Point Andrews, Asheboro, Central Davidson, North Davidson, Ragsdale, Trinity and West Stokes.

In the 1-A ranks, the Smoky Mountain East Conference champions will open at home against the third seed from the Smoky Mountain West Conference. The SMEC runner-up will travel to face the seeded seed from the SMWC while the SMEC's third seed will be at the SMWC champ.

SMWC schools are Hayesville, Andrews, Hiwassee Dam, Murphy, Nantahala, Robbinsville and Swain. If the SMEC winner advances, it would be home to play the Southern Piedmont Conference champion or the Northwest Conference's fourth seed.

The SPC 1-A schools are Cherryville and Maiden. The NWC includes Alleghany, Elkin, East Surry, East Wilkes, Mount Airy, North Stokes and Starmount.

The SMEC's second and third seed could meet in round two with the bracket including the third seed at home.

Any remaining SMEC teams would play in the quarterfinals. The bracket including the champion would be home.

While the four remaining softball teams go to Raleigh, the baseball semifinals would be on the road for any SMEC member going that far. The opponent could come from the Yadkin Valley, Northwest or Central Tar Heel Conference.

The YVC includes Albemarle, East Montgomery, South Davidson, South Stanly, Thomasville and West Davidson. CTH schools are Chatham Central, Cummings, Durham School of the Arts, Graham, Jordan-Matthews, North Moore and River Mill Charter.

Back to Sports: 04/05/01.