The annual District 18 Little League tournament will begin play this Friday with two games in the 10-12 age bracket.

Jim Thorpe will host Anthracite/Towamensing in one contest, while Tamaqua will travel to Hazle Township in the other.

Six other teams have gained first-round byes and will open play on Monday. Included among them are Franklin Township and Weatherly/Tri-County.

The tournament will run through Saturday, July 9 or Sunday, July 10 (if necessary) when a champion will be crowned. The title team will represent the district in the sectional tournament.

District 18 will also be holding a 9-11 tournament and an 8-10 tourney.

The 9-11 bracket features four teams, including Tamaqua, Jim Thorpe and Franklin Township. Action begins on Saturday, July 2. The title game will take place Friday, July 8 (or Saturday, July 9 if necessary).

Four area squads will also be in action in the 8-10 South Division, which begins Saturday.

Weatherly/Tri-County will be hosting the tournament and plays Tamaqua in its opener. The other game that day will pit Anthracite against Franklin Township.

The South Division champ will take on the North Division titlist in a best-of-three series, which starts on Wednesday, July 6. Weatherly/Tri-County will also be hosting the South-North series.

DISTRICT 18 LITTLE LEAGUE

10-12 Tournament

(all games start at 6 p.m.)

Friday, June 24

Game 1 - Tamaqua at Hazle Township

Game 2 - Anthracite-Towamensing at Jim Thorpe

Monday, June 27

Game 3 - Hazleton at Freeland-White Haven

Game 4 - Valley East at Franklin Township

Game 5 - Tamaqua/Hazle Township winner vs. Valley West

Game 6 - Anthracite-Towamensing/Jim Thorpe winner vs. Weatherly-Tri County

Wednesday, June 29

Game 7 - Anthracite-Towamensing/Jim Thorpe loser vs. Hazleton/Freeland-White Haven loser

Game 8 - Tamaqua/Hazle Township loser vs. Valley East/Franklin Township loser

Friday, July 1

Game 9 - Game 7 winner vs. Game 5 loser

Game 10 - Game 8 winner vs. Game 6 loser

Game 11 - Hazleton/Freeland-White Haven winner vs. Game 5 winner

Game 12 - Valley East/Franklin Township winner vs. Game 6 winner

Sunday, July 3

Game 13 - Game 11 loser vs. Game 6 winner

Game 14 - Game 12 loser vs. Game 9 winner

Tuesday, July 5

Game 15 - Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner

Game 16 - Game 14 winner vs. Game 13 winner

Thursday, July 7

Game 17 - Game 16 winner vs. Game 15 loser

Saturday, July 9

Game 18 - Game 15 winner vs. Game 17 winner

Sunday, July 10

Game 19 - Game 18 winner vs. Game 18 loser (if necessary)

9-11 Tournament

Saturday, July 2

Game 1 - Valley West at Tamaqua, 6 p.m.

Game 2 - Jim Thorpe at Franklin Township, 6 p.m.

Sunday, July 3

Game 3 - Valley West/Tamaqua winner vs. Jim Thorpe/Franklin Township winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4 - Valley West/Tamaqua loser vs. Jim Thorpe/Franklin Township loser, 1 p.m.

Wednesday, July 6

Game 5 - Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Friday, July 8

Game 6 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Saturday, July 9

Game 7 - Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser (if necessary), 1 p.m.

8-10 Tournament

South Division (at Tri-County)

Saturday, June 25

Game 1 - Weatherly-Tri County vs. Tamaqua, 1 p.m.

Game 2 - Anthracite vs. Franklin Township

Sunday, June 26

Game 3 - Weatherly-Tri County/Tamaqua winner vs. Anthracite/Franklin Township winner, 3 p.m.

Game 4 - Weatherly-Tri County/Tamaqua loser vs. Anthracite/Franklin Township loser, 1 p.m.

Tuesday, June 28

Game 5 - Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 30

Game 6 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 6 p.m.

Saturday, July 2

Game 7 - Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 1 p.m. (if necessary)

North Division (at Hazleton)

Saturday, June 25

Game 1 - Hazleton vs. Valley West, 1 p.m.

Game 2 - Freeland vs. Hazle Township, 3 p.m.

Sunday, June 26

Game 3 - Freeland/Hazle Township winner vs. Valley East, 3 p.m.

Game 4 - Hazleton/Valley West loser vs. Freeland/Hazle Township loser, 1 p.m.

Tuesday, June 28

Game 5 - Hazleton/Valley West winner vs. Game 3 winner, 7:30 p.m.

Game 6 - Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 30

Game 7 - Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 6 p.m.

Saturday, July 2

Game 8 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 1 p.m.

Sunday, July 3

Game 9 - Game 8 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 1 p.m. (if necessary)

South-North Finals

(Best 2-of-3 series at Tri-County)

Wednesday, July 6

South champ vs. North champ, 6 p.m.

Friday, July 8

South champ vs. North champ, 6 p.m.

Sunday, July 10

South champ vs. North champ, 1 p.m. (if necessary)