The District 11 baseball and softball playoff brackets were released over the weekend, and 12 Times News area teams will be competing for a championship as well as a chance to advance to the state tournament.

In addition to those sports, the district lacrosse postseason has already started. Three area squads have qualified in those playoffs.

Northwestern’s softball team is the area’s only No. 1 seed. The Tigers gained the top spot in the Class 4A field by winning the Colonial League championship last Thursday. League champions get the top spots, and with Northwestern the only title winner of the teams that qualified in 4A, they were moved to No. 1.

Locals joining them in the 4A softball bracket are Palmerton — at No. 3 — and Tamaqua — at No. 7. Also in what is one of the toughest fields in District 11 is Blue Mountain, state champions in 2023 and 2024, and North Schuylkill, the team that faced the Tigers in last year’s district championship game.

Northwestern, coached by Kate Farber, won that title contest against the Spartans and will be defending its title.

Other highlights of the district brackets include area teams competing against each other.

In 4A baseball, fifth-seeded Lehighton — which played in the Colonial League championship game but fell to Southern Lehigh — will travel to rival Jim Thorpe (the No. 4 seed) in a quarterfinal matchup. The winners gets to face top-seeded Saucon Valley in the semifinals. The Indians upset Saucon during the league playoffs. Northwestern will also be competing in the 4A bracket.

The Tigers, who are the defending champions, are the No. 3 seed this year.

Also, second-seeded Marian will take on No. 3 Weatherly in a 1A softball semifinal battle. The two Schuylkill League Division 2 squads will be fighting for the chance to play in the finals.

Other area clubs that gained No. 2 seeds include Marian baseball and Northern Lehigh softball.

The Colts host Minersville in the quarterfinals, while the Bulldogs won’t be in action until the semifinals when they take on Salisbury.

In 3A baseball, Palmerton and Northern Lehigh will both be in action during the quarterfinals. The No. 3 seed Blue Bombers host Pine Grove, while the Bulldogs — seeded fifth — travel to take on Salisbury.

While the baseball and softball tournament kick off today with first-round games (that do not involve any area teams), the lacrosse playoff began last week.

The Pleasant Valley girls, who won the 3A crown a year ago, opened the postseason with a victory over Liberty in the quarterfinals. The No. 2-seeded Bears meet Parkland today in a semifinal contest at Northampton.

Meanwhile, both Northwestern teams also earned second seeds in the 2A classification.

The Tiger girls play Saucon Valley today in the semifinals, while the boys take on Moravian Academy with a berth to the finals up for grabs.

D-11 Baseball Playoffs

Class 1A

Semifinals

Tuesday, May 19

No. 4 Moravian Academy vs. No. 1 Bethlehem Christian at Easton, 1:30 p.m.

No. 3 Lincoln Leadership vs. No. 2 Nativity at North Schuylkill, 6:30 p.m.

Final

Saturday, May 23

Moravian Academy/Bethlehem Christian winner vs. Lincoln Leadership/Nativity winner, TBA

Class 2A

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, May 20

No. 5 Schuylkill Haven vs. No. 4 Executive Education at ECTB Stadium, 4:30 p.m.

No. 6 Shenandoah Valley at No. 3 Williams Valley, 4:30 p.m.

No. 7 Minersville at No. 2 Marian, 4:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Sunday, May 24

Schuylkill Haven/Executive Education winner vs. No. 1 Tri-Valley at North Schuylkill, TBA

Shenandoah Valley/Williams Valley winner vs. Minersville/Marian winner at North Schuylkill, TBA

Final

Wednesday, May 27

Semifinal winners at North Schuylkill, TBA

Class 3A

Quarterfinals

Tuesday, May 19

No. 5 Northern Lehigh at No. 4 Salisbury, 4:30 p.m.

No. 6 Pine Grove at No. 3 Palmerton, 4:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Saturday, May 23

Northern Lehigh/Salisbury winner vs. No. 1 Allentown Central Catholic winner at DeSales University, TBA

Pine Grove/Palmerton winner vs. No. 2 Notre Dame-GP at DeSales University, TBA

Finals

Tuesday, May 26

Semifinal winners at DeSales University, TBA

Class 4A

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, May 20

No. 5 Lehighton at No. 4 Jim Thorpe, 4:05 p.m.

No. 6 Wilson at No. 3 Northwestern, 4:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Sunday, May 24

Lehighton/Jim Thorpe winner vs. No. 1 Saucon Valley at DeSales University, TBA

Wilson/Northwestern vs. No. 2 North Schuylkill, TBA

Finals

Wednesday, May 27

Semifinal winners, TBA

Class 5A

Quarterfinals

Tuesday, May 19

No. 5 Pottsville at No. 4 Pocono Mountain East, 4:30 p.m.

No. 6 Bangor at No. 3 Whitehall, 4:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Saturday, May 23

Pottsville/PM East winner vs. No. 1 Blue Mountain, TBA

Bangor/Whitehall winner vs. No. 2 Southern Lehigh, TBA

Finals

Tuesday, May 26

Semifinal winners, TBA

Class 6A

First Round

Monday, May 18

No. 9 East Stroudsburg South at No. 8 Easton, 4:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, May 20

ES South/Easton winner at No. 1 William Allen, 4 p.m.

No. 5 Northampton at No. 4 Parkland, 4:30 p.m.

No. 6 Freedom at No. 3 Nazareth, 4 p.m.

No. 7 Stroudsburg at No. 2 Liberty, 3:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Sunday, May 24

ES South/Easton/William Allen winner vs. Northampton/Parkland winner, TBA

Freedom/Nazareth winner vs. Stroudsburg/Liberty winner, TBA

Finals

Wednesday, May 27

Semifinal winners, TBA

D-11 Softball Playoffs

Class 1A

Semifinals

Friday, May 22

No. 4 Nativity vs. No. 1 Tri-Valley at Pine Grove, 6 p.m.

No. 3 Weatherly vs. No. 2 Marian at Pine Grove, 4:30 p.m.

Finals

Tuesday, May 26

Nativity/Tri-Valley winner vs. Weatherly/Marian winner, TBA

Class 2A

Semifinals

Thursday, May 21

No. 4 Mahanoy Area vs. No. 1 Williams Valley at Blue Mountain, 6 p.m.

No. 3 Minersville vs. No. 2 Schuylkill Haven at Blue Mountain, 7:30 p.m.

Finals

Tuesday, May 26

Mahanoy Area/Williams Valley winner vs. Minersville/Schuylkill Haven winner, TBA

Class 3A

Semifinals

Thursday, May 21

No. 4 Palisades vs. No. 1 Pine Grove at Blue Mountain, 4 p.m.

No. 3 Salisbury vs. No. 2 Northern Lehigh at Parkland, 4 p.m.

Finals

Wednesday, May 27

Palisades/Pine Grove winner vs. Salisbury/Northern Lehigh winner, TBA

Class 4A

Quarterfinals

Wednesday, May 20

No. 8 Central Catholic at No. 1 Northwestern, 4:15 p.m.

No. 5 Notre Dame-GP at No. 4 North Schuylkill, 4:30 p.m.

No. 6 Saucon Valley at No. 3 Palmerton, 4:30 p.m.

No. 7 Tamaqua at No. 2 Blue Mountain, 4:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Friday, May 22

Central Catholic/Northwestern winner vs. Notre Dame-GP/North Schuylkill winner, TBA

Saucon Valley/Palmerton winner vs. Tamaqua/Blue Mountain winner, TBA

Finals

Wednesday, May 27

Semifinal winners, TBA

Class 5A

Semifinals

Friday, May 22

No. 4 Pottsville vs. No. 1 Southern Lehigh at Pates Park, 6 p.m.

No. 3 PM East vs. No. 2 Bangor at Pates Park, 4 p.m.

Finals

Thursday, May 28

Pottsville/Southern Lehigh winner vs. PM East/Bangor winner, TBA

Class 6A

First Round

Monday, May 18

No. 9 Parkland at No. 8 East Stroudsburg South, 4 p.m.

No. 10 Pocono Mountain West at No. 7 Liberty, 4 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Thursday, May 21

Parkland/ES South winner at No. 1 Freedom, 4:30 p.m.

No. 5 Northampton at No. 4 Nazareth, 4:30 p.m.

No. 6 Whitehall at No. 3 Stroudsburg, 4:30 p.m.

PM West/Liberty winner at No. 2 Emmaus, 4:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Tuesday, May 26

Parkland/ES South/Freedom winner vs. Northampton/Nazareth winner at Pates Park, TBA

Whitehall/Stroudsburg winner vs. PM West/Liberty/Emmaus winner at Pates Park, TBA

Finals

Thursday, May 28

Semifinal winners at Pates Park, TBA