Area teams kick off district tournaments

This week is slated to be a busy one for area softball and baseball teams, as 12 squads have made it to their respective district tournaments. 

For the first time since 2009, all five District 3 softball teams located in Franklin County will play in the district tournament, while Fannett-Metal and McConnellsburg will play for a District 5 championship. 

Five baseball teams also made it to their respective tournaments, with Greencastle-Antrim and James Buchanan representing Franklin County in District 3. Southern Fulton, Forbes Road and McConnellsburg will move on to the District 5 tournament. 

SOFTBALL

After competing one of its most successful seasons in recent history, the Fannett-Metal softball team claimed the No. 2 seed in the District 5 1A bracket and will host No. 7 Rockwood on Wednesday. 

After sneaking into the final qualifying spot of the district tournament, McConnellsburg will travel to No. 1 Meyersdale for Wednesday's first-round matchup. 

In District 3, Waynesboro will take on Central Dauphin in the first round of the 6A bracket, while No. 5 Chambersburg will wait until Thursday to begin district play against No. 4 Hempfield on the road. 

In Class 5A, Greencastle-Antrim claimed a No. 6 seed and will host No. 11 Daniel Boone, while Shippensburg, the No. 8 seed, will host No. 9 Mechanicsburg on Tuesday.

No. 9 James Buchanan will play No. 8 Hamburg in the first round of the 4A bracket on Tuesday. 

BASEBALL

Greencastle kicks things off Monday after sneaking into the 5A bracket as the No. 13 seed, and will travel to No. 4 Lampeter-Stradsburg for a 7 o'clock game. 

James Buchanan, the No. 4 seed in Class 4A, will host No. 5 East Pennsboro on Thrusday after receiving a bye. 

Although District 5 baseball brackets were not yet released at press time Sunday, Southern Fulton sits comfortably in the No. 1 slot in Class 1A, and will likely host No. 8 Turkeyfoot on Wednesday. Forbes Road, which was ranked seventh in District 5 1A at the conclusion of their season, will likely play No. 2 Berlin in the first round. 

McConnellsburg will play in the 2A tournament after last year's reclassification and will likely meet North Star on Wednesday in the semifinals.