Jeff Hart

The quest for state softball titles begins in earnest Wednesday with several area teams considered serious contenders. All series in all classifications are scheduled to begin Wednesday with the first two games of best-of-three series. Game 3s, if necessary, will be Thursday.

No matter how many injuries they face, no matter how hopeless the situation seems, the Atlanta Braves are determined to put off Bobby Cox's retirement as long as possible.

Cleveland's Peyton Hillis, whose power running pushed the Browns to their first win last week, will seek his third straight 100-yard-plus game Sunday when Cleveland hosts Atlanta, whose opportunistic defense has carried the Falcons through four games this season.

Charlie Manuel and the Philadelphia Phillies need just one more win to return to the NL championship series. Cole Hamels is ready to go in Game 3, and if he can't get it done, Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt are right behind him.

Stephen Garcia threw three touchdown passes, two to Alshon Jeffrey, and Marcus Lattimore scored three times as 19th-ranked South Carolina stunned No. 1 Alabama 35-21 on Saturday.

Steven Stamkos didn't lose his scoring touch during the offseason. Stamkos had two goals and an assist to help new Tampa Bay coach Guy Boucher win his NHL debut in the Lightning's 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday night.

White County was hoping to play the role of spoiler Saturday in the final round of the Region 8-AAA girls softball tournament at the Lanier Point Softball Complex.

Phil Hughes pitched seven shutout innings, Marcus Thames and Nick Swisher homered and the New York Yankees beat the Twins 6-1 Saturday night to complete yet another three-game sweep of Minnesota and return to the AL championship series.

The more things change the more they stay the same, especially in Area 8-AAA volleyball. Despite new teams after reclassification, Class AAA No. 6 Oconee County rolled to its sixth straight Area 8-AAA volleyball title Saturday, winning three matches without dropping a set at the North Hall gym.

A total of nine points had determined the last three wins between Wofford and Georgia Southern, but 14 Terrier points in the first quarter Saturday forced the Eagles to battle back the rest of the night. In the end, Georgia Southern came within two points of Wofford but the Terriers pulled out the 33-31 win.