With just a month left in the school year, a handful of local teams are still in the hunt for state championships.
Hartselle’s baseball team, the defending Class 5A state champions, are the only local team still alive in the playoffs.
The Tigers will travel to McAdory Friday to begin a best-of-three series with the Yellow Jackets.
Since starting the season 1-12, Hartselle has won 25 of its last 36 games.
The Tigers are just six wins from claiming the school’s eighth baseball state championship.
In softball, the Lady Tigers are hosting the area tournament this week and are considered a strong contender to get back to the state tournament at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.
Hartselle was ranked fifth in Class 5A in the final Alabama Sports Writers Association poll of the season.
Several other softball teams in the Hartselle area wrapped up their area tournaments earlier in the week.
Hartselle’s boys’ soccer team opened the state playoffs Tuesday against East Limestone in a game that was played after press time.
The Tigers finished second in their section and could make some noise in the playoffs.
Priceville and Brewer’s girls’ soccer teams also played Tuesday night in first round games.
Hartselle’s girls’ golf team continued its drive for a second-straight state championship by winning its sectional tournament by 47 strokes.
The Lady Tigers will compete in the sub-state tournament May 5 in Daphne.
Brewer’s girls finished fourth in the sectional and also qualified for the sub-state tournament.
Hartselle’s boys’ tennis team got off to a rough start Monday in the Class 5A state tournament in Mobile.
The Tigers failed to win a first-round match on the first day of the tournament and were in seventh place overall heading into the second round of play Tuesday.
Tennis is the first spring sport to holds its state tournament. with track following.
State championship events in all spring sports will be finished by the second week of May, just in time for graduations.

Sports editor Todd Thompson can be reached at 773-6566 or at todd.thompson@hartselleenquirer.com