State softball playoffs start this week

The first state playoff action in Georgia High School Association high school sports for the 2018-2019 school year gets cranked up this week.

Brackets are set in the area of fast-pitch softball, with first-round action scheduled to start Oct. 9 with best-of-three series in each classification.

East Coweta, the top seed from Region 2-AAAAAAA, will host the first round against XXXX, the fourth seed from Region 3-AAAAAAA.

Northgate, the second seed from Region 5-AAAAAA, will host the first round against Winder-Barrow, the third seed from Region 8-AAAAAA.

Whitewater, the top seed from Region 3-AAAAA, will host the first round against Ware County, the fourth seed from Region 2-AAAAA.

Starr’s Mill, the second seed from Region 3-AAAAA, will host the first round against Wayne County, the third seed from Region 2-AAAAA.

McIntosh, the third seed from Region 3-AAAAA, will play on the road in the first round against Statesboro, the second seed from Region 2-AAAAA.

According to the brackets posted on the GHSA website, the first round is to be completed by Oct. 12 and the second round, also best-of-five, is scheduled for Oct. 16-19. The higher seed will host that round as well.

After the first two rounds are completed, the final eight teams in each classification will be reseeded for the state tournament, Oct. 25-27 at the Columbus Softball Complex.