Wachovia Bank, N.A., along with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, today announced the standings for fall sports in the Wachovia Cup competitions for the 2008-2009 sports season.

It's not a shock that Apex Mayor Keith Weatherly took shots at Wake's diversity policy at Monday's reassignment hearing.

But what about Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht? As noted in today's article, Weinbrecht criticized the diversity policy while speaking on behalf of the parents trying to avoid being reassigned from Apex High to Athens Drive High.

Weinbrecht, normally a strong supporter of the school system, prefaced his remarks to the school board. He said that he has tried to work as a lobbyist rather than speak out publicly.

We certainly found out a lot about our area teams as they competed against some top-notch competition at various tournaments.

Winter break is coming to a close for our area schools, so it's time to blow the dust off the ol' TCN rankings and see how each team did over break.

We don't have any games listed for Apex, so we're assuming the undefeated record is still intact. If that's the case, then who said idleness is a bad thing? Cary Christian lost two games at the Johnson-Lambe Tournament by a combined five points, meaning Apex will leapfrog them this week.

Also losing two games over break is Athens Drive, who faced stiff tests from Wake-Forest Rolesville and SE Raleigh.

It wasn't fair to move anybody else up or down, but we should note that Cary Academy is poised to vault up the standings if they can continue their outstanding play. After finally defeating Cary Christian (first time out of three games this year), the Chargers came within seconds of defeating Southern Durham (losing in OT) and easily won a match-up with Fuquay-Varina.

If nothing else, the Cary families fighting reassignment from Apex High to Athens Drive High win recognition for being vocal and organized.

As noted in today's article by Bonnie Rochman, they've got a web site and done their own analysis of the plan to counter the rationale used by school administrators. Whether it will resonate with the school board is the big question.

School administrators say moving the students reduces crowding at Apex High and will "better utilize available space at Athens Drive High." Those Cary students are also assigned to Dillard Drive Middle, which feeds into Athens Drive.

Is it possible to win both your games and still move down in the rankings? Absolutely - just ask Middle Creek, which is now No. 3 on our TCN rankings.

There were some movers and shakers from last week's TCN rankings, but the top stays the same for now.

It's all here in the TCN girls' basketball rankings.

The Cary News men's basketball rankings - 12/14/08

Just one week remains until basketball is put into hibernation for Christmas and Holiday Tournaments, and here's what we know so far:

Panther Creek and Middle Creek (and for that matter, Earnest Ross and Garrius Adams) are good. Scary good.

Athens Drive and Cary Academy are much better than anticipated.

Apex is just as steady than ever.

Everybody else isn't bad, but they all are certainly struggling to put it all together.

Panther Creek or Middle Creek? Both teams are good enough to play for a state title like Apex did last year, so which to take at the top of our area rankings?

The Cary News girls' basketball rankings - 12/14/08

For all the talk that the boys' are getting for how good their teams are, keep in mind girls' basketball in this area isn't lacking either.

2008 Tri-Eight All- Conference Volleyball Awards & All-Conference Team

Coach of the Year: Nikki O'Connell, Apex

Player of the Year: Jennifer Hindman, Green Hope

Kris Harris, Apex

Alston Kearns, Apex

Cameron Shirley, Apex

Cori Spade , Athens Drive

Katie Bray, Athens Drive 

Kelsey Campbell, Cary

Carolina Salevan, Cary 

Christina Vucich, Green Hope

Ashley Meade, Green Hope 

Jennifer Hindman, Green Hope

Sarah Forgacs, Green Hope

Rachel Ruch, Middle Creek

Jill Edwards, Panther Creek 

Deanna Bost, Lee County

Adria Fecteau, Fuquay-Varina

Nicole Geesey, Fuquay-Varina