While most regions for the upcoming state softball playoffs know who will be representing, the all-important task of determing the order of seeding gets under way Tuesday.
Only Region 8-AAAAAA, which begins its region tournament Tuesday, does not have its final four teams. Region 8-A will have to wait for the final power rankings to set the top 24 in both the Public and Private state brackets.
Here is a breakdown, by region, of who is in and how each region wll determine its seeding order:
Region 8-AAAAAA
Apalachee and Dacula finished first and second, respectively, and wil play a one-game playoff for the No, 1 seed with the loser taking the No. 2 seed. Apalachee won the regular season and swept the Lady Falcons during the regular season. The other four teams -- Habersham Central, Lanier, Winder-Barrow, Gainesville -- will battle for the other two spots. Winder-Barrow finished third and will take on No. 6 seed Gainesville in a best 2-of-3 series while No. 4 seed Lanier will play Habersham Central, the fifth seed, in a best 2-of-3 series, both beginning on Tuesday. The winners of those two series will then play a one-game playoff to determine the No. 3 seed with the loser taking the No. 4 seed.
Region 8-AAAAA
Walnut Grove swept Cedar Shoals while Flowery Branch swept Clarke Central last week in a pair of best 2-of-3 series in the first round to advance to the state tournament.
The region now moves to a double-elimination championship bracket beginning on Tuesday at Buford. The Class AAAAA defending state champion Lady Wolves won the top seed with a perfect 5-0 region mark while Loganville earned the No. 2 seed and both teams got automatic berths into the state playoffs.
Buford will open against Flowery Branch and Loganville will take on Walnut Grove, the state runner-up in 2016.
The tournament will run through Thursday at Buford High School.
Region 7-AAAA
White County defeated West Hall 9-5 last week in the play-in game to advance to the state tournament.
On Monday in a one-game matchup, Marist, the regular season champion, held off White County 2-1 while No. 2 seed Chestatee survived a 5-4, 8-inning win over Blessed Trinity Monday night to move into the championship round. White County and Blessed Trinity will play in the consolation round for third place.
The championship and consolation rounds will be best 2-of-3 series beginning on Thursday at the site of the higher-seeded team.
Region 8-AAAA
Madison County swept North Oconee and Oconee County swept St. Pius last week in a pair of best 2-of-3 series in the first round to advance to the state tournament. They joined Jefferson and Stephens County, who finished first and second, respectively, during the regular season and got automatic berths into the state tournament.
A double-elimination bracket will begin Tuesday and end on Thursday at Jefferson and it is expected to be a slugfest. The four teams were a combined 54-26 during the regular season.
Region 7-AAA
No. 3-seed Greater Atlanta Christian swept six-seed Union County and No. 5 seed Lumpkin County knocked off No. 4 seed Dawson County in a sweep in the first round on Saturday to advance to the state tournament.
The tournament now moves to East Hall with one-game showdowns in the semifinals. East Hall, the regular season champion, takes on Lumpkin County and North Hall, the No. 2 seed, plays GAC with the winners moving into the finals and the losers moving into the consolation round.
The finals and consolation games each will be one-game showdowns at East Hall on Tuesday.
Region 8-AAA
The play-in round began on Saturday with Franklin County sweeping Hart County to advance. But, Monroe Area and Morgan County split their best 2-of-3 series and the Lady Bulldogs won a deciding game three on Monday, 9-1, to advance.
Franklin County and Morgan County joined Jackson County, who won the regular season, and East Jackson, the defending Class AAA state champion. The tournament now moves to Jackson County for a double-elimination bracket beginning on Tuesday. Jackson County will take on Franklin County and East Jackson takes on Morgan County to open the tournament.
Region 8-AA
Elbert County and Banks County finished as the top two teams during the regular season but no other information was made available as of Tuesday.
Region 8-A
Class A determines the state bracket by virtue of the power rankings, except in cases where regions hold tournaments.
Region 8-A decided to go with a region tournament this year and the winner of the double-elimination tournament, which runs from Tuesday through Saturday, will get an automatic berth in the state tournament.
Because of a split with Prince Avenue Christian, Commerce will be the No. 2 seed. The Lady Tigers sit 15th in the Public power rankings. Towns County was 26th in the Public rankings but some teams had not finished their regular season so the Lady Indians can still climb in the rankings with a good showing in the region tournament, or by winning it outright.
