The brackets for the upcoming District 18 Little League tournaments were released Monday night at the annual meeting, held at the Orioles Community Center in Lehighton.

The 11-12 year-old tournament begins this Thursday with three games taking place. A total of 11 teams will be participating in what is the opening step to get to Williamsport.

Six of those teams are from the Times News area, including Jim Thorpe, Weatherly, Franklin Township, Tamaqua, Towamensing and Anthracite.

Franklin captured the title a year ago and advanced to sectional play.

Other teams in the bracket are Freeland, Valley West, Valley East, Hazle Township and Hazleton.

In addition to the 11-12s, baseball will also hold tournaments for the 10-11s and the 9-10s.

Five teams, including Jim Thorpe and Tamaqua, will compete in the 10-11s.

The 9-10s are divided into North and South, with locals competing in the South Division. A champion from the South will come from Jim Thorpe, Anthracite, Tamaqua, Franklin Township and Towamensing. The survivor will take on the North champ in a best-of-three title round, which will be held at Valley West. Tamaqua earned the crown a year ago.

Two softball tournaments will also be held in District 18, with Carbon and Jim Thorpe battling in the 11-12s and Carbon and Weatherly meeting in the 8-10s.

All area teams are reminded to submit results to the Times News sports department at tnsports@tnonline.com or have their results updated on gamechanger.

In addition to the brackets being released, Bob Quinn — the new District 18 administrator, taking over for Jim Burns — announced the likelihood that this will be the final year the 11 teams in the 11-12 year-old age group will be together in the district. In a realignment initiated by Little League Baseball, some teams from District 18 will move to District 16 while District 29 will combine with the remaining teams in District 18.

A state meeting will be held in October to make things official, but if passed District 18 teams next year will include Anthracite, East Stroudsburg, Franklin Township, Jim Thorpe, Pocono Mountain East, Pocono Mountain West, Stroudsburg, Tamaqua, Tobyhanna, Towamensing Township, Weatherly and West End.

Teams leaving District 18 would be Freeland, Hazle Township, Hazleton, Valley East, Valley West and White Haven.

DISTRICT 18 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

11-12 Schedule

(all games at 6 p.m.)

Thursday, June 19

Game 1 - Franklin Township at Hazle Township

Game 2 - Hazleton at Tamaqua

Game 3 - Towamensing at Anthracite

Saturday, June 21

Game 4 - Freeland at Valley West

Game 5 - Franklin Township/Hazle Township winner vs. Valley East

Game 6 - Hazleton/Tamaqua winner vs. Jim Thorpe

Game 7 - Towamensing/Anthracite winner vs. Weatherly

Monday, June 23

Game 8 - Hazleton/Tamaqua loser vs. Freeland/Valley West loser

Game 9 - Towamensing/Anthracite loser vs. Game 5 loser

Game 10 - Franklin Township/Hazle Township loser vs. Game 7 loser

Wednesday, June 25

Game 11 - Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner

Game 12 - Game 6 loser vs. Game 10 winner

Thursday, June 26

Game 13 - Freeland/Valley West winner vs. Game 5 winner

Game 14 - Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner

Saturday, June 28

Game 15 - Game 12 winner vs. Game 13 loser

Game 16 - Game 14 loser vs. Game 11 winner

Sunday, June 29

Game 17 - Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner

Game 18 - Game 15 winner vs. Game 16 winner

Tuesday, July 1

Game 19 - Game 17 loser vs. Game 18 winner

Thursday, July 3

Game 20 - Game 17 winner vs. Game 19 winner

Saturday, July 5

Game 21 - Game 20 loser vs. Game 20 winner (if necessary)

10-11 Schedule

(all games at 6 p.m. unless noted)

Wednesday, June 18

Game 1 - Hazle Township at Valley West

Game 2 - Freeland at Tamaqua

Friday, June 20

Game 3 - Hazle Township/Valley West winner at Jim Thorpe

Sunday, June 22

Game 4 - Hazle Township/Valley West loser vs. Freeland/Tamaqua loser

Tuesday, June 24

Game 6 - Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser

Wednesday, June 25

Game 5 - Freeland/Tamaqua winner vs. Game 3 winner

Friday, June 27

Game 7 - Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 winner

Sunday, June 29

Game 8 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 2 p.m.

Monday, June 30

Game 9 - Game 8 winner vs. Game 8 loser (if necessary)

9-10 South Division Schedule

(all games at Towamensing)

Saturday, June 21

Game 1 - Tamaqua vs. Franklin Township, 12 p.m.

Game 2 - Jim Thorpe vs. Anthracite, 2 p.m.

Sunday, June 22

Game 3 - Tamaqua/Franklin Township winner vs. Towamensing, 2 p.m.

Game 4 - Tamaqua/Franklin Township loser vs. Jim Thorpe/Anthracite loser, 12 p.m.

Tuesday, June 24

Game 5 - Jim Thorpe/Anthracite winner vs. Game 3 winner, 7:30 p.m.

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

Thursday, June 26

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

Saturday, June 28

Game 8 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 2 p.m.

Monday, June 30

Game 9 - Game 8 loser vs. Game 8 winner, 6 p.m. (if necessary)

North-South Championship

(at Valley West)

Game 1 - Wednesday, July 2, 6 p.m.

Game 2 - Saturday, July 5, 2 p.m.

Game 3 - Sunday, July 6, 2 p.m. (if necessary)

DISTRICT 18 LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL

11-12 Schedule

(games at Jim Thorpe)

Saturday, June 21

Game 1 - Carbon vs. Jim Thorpe, 1 p.m.

Sunday, June 22

Game 2 - Carbon vs. Jim Thorpe, 1 p.m.

Tuesday, June 24

Game 3 - Carbon vs. Jim Thorpe, 6 p.m. (if necessary)

8-10 Schedule

(games at Anthracite)

Sunday, June 22

Game 1 - Weatherly vs. Carbon, 1 p.m.

Monday, June 23

Game 2 - Weatherly vs. Carbon, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 25

Game 3 - Weatherly vs. Carbon, 6 p.m. (if necessary)