The N.C. High School Athletic Association stated at its most recent meetings that it would hold off on implementing the "pod system" or any other seeded format for other 64-team playoff brackets.

And for sure, there were certainly a few kinks to be worked out after an opening day of fiasco when the brackets were announced, most notably when the NCHSAA did not clearly state how it was going to select its wild-card teams. Click on that link for all that info.

But feedback on the pod system was, at least from those who have spoken to this writer, positive once the games began. First-round rematches were minimal - just 24 of 128 first-round games statewide, as my study showed.

And besides, many coaches have been chomping at the bit to have some sort of seeded playoffs.

In the fall, I took at look at what the 4A volleyball and boys soccer brackets would have looked like in the East and Mideast.

Now, let's do the same for softball, baseball and girls soccer, and see what we find.

Holly Springs has a chance to wrap up its second straight 4A East softball title today, but be careful about using the word "repeat." Very little will be replicated from last year's experience at this stage.

As you read in Nate Taylor's story from Friday night, Cardinal Gibbons was inches away from sending the boys lacrosse championship game into overtime against Lake Norman.

But instead, the final shot of the game hit the crossbar as time expired and Gibbons lost by one. Below is the video of that moment, as posted on YouTube by username GibbonsLacrosse. It starts with a draw with 15 seconds left - right after Gibbons had just scored to cut the deficit to one.

It's worth watching. Well, maybe not if you're a Gibbons fan.

And if you are a Gibbons fan, I posted a different video below that one of pretty sweet highlight from this year - a one-handed goal by Danny Dorsett - that was also under the GibbonsLacrosse YouTube account and deserves to be linked somewhere as well.

NCHSAA and NCISAA playoff pairings

NCHSAA
Baseball
Third round
4A East
Richmond at New Bern; Wilmington Ashley at Scotland; WF-Rolesville/ Middle Creek winner vs. Holly Springs/ Fuquay-Varina winner; Apex at Millbrook

NCHSAA boys and girls lacrosse, dual-team tennis, girls soccer, baseball and softball playoff pairings.

The N.C. High School Athletic Association baseball brackets have been posted. Green Hope, East Chapel Hill, West Johnston and Wakefield earned No. 1 seeds in 4A brackets. Defending 4A champ Holly Springs is at Wakefield on Friday, but some games may be pushed to Thursday.

Wake Forest-Rolesville is the top-ranked softball team in the N&O area and starts postseason play this Friday against Lee County in the 4A N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs. Undefeated South Granville hosts Providence Grove in 2A softball.

The format has changed in this year's playoffs. Now, instead of the four state semifinalists advancing to a double-elimination, four-team tournament to decide a state title, the semifinals and finals will each be a best-of-three and held on separate weeks. It's currently how the NCHSAA baseball playoffs operate.

Holly Springs, last year's 4A East champ, opens at home with Northern Durham. The 4A East runner-up, Clayton, is at Wilmington Ashley.

Undefeated Green Hope High, which is ranked No. 1 in the state in the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association, begins play in the state girls soccer playoffs against Northern Durham.

Leesville Road, which won the 2011 state title, is at home against Panther Creek. Green Hope and Leesville Road can play one another if each wins its first three playoff games.

The N.C. High School Athletic Association indoor track and field championships will be moving to the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem next spring. The meet is scheduled for February 9, 2013.