The American Legion Baseball playoffs begin Thursday across Eastern North Carolina with eight Triangle-area teams in action. The first-round best-of-three series continue through Saturday. All games start at 7 p.m. unless noted.

The Area I West Division first-round match-ups are:

(1) Raleigh Post 1 (12-5) vs. (4) Pittsboro (3-9)
(2) Apex Post 124 (9-5) vs. (3) Durham Post 7 (8-10)
(1) Johnston County Post 71 (16-4) vs. (4) Creedmoor (3-10) - Thursday at Smithfield-Selma High (7:30); Friday at South Granville; Saturday at Smithfield-Selma High
(3) Garner Post 232 (19-8) vs. (2) Cary Post 67 (8-9) - Friday at Cary High; Saturday at Garner; Sunday (if necessary) at Garner

Several area players were named to the 2012 N.C. Softball Coaches Association all-state teams. Each classification has their own all-state team, with a player and pitcher of the year for the West and East.

We've attached the full list, and included Triangle-area players plus individual awards below.

Middle Creek's Allie Geiner was co-4A East player of the year, North Johnston's Ashleigh Mason (pictured right) was 2A East player of the year and Holly Springs' Erica Nunn was 4A East pitcher of the year.

Jeremy Thompson of Middle Creek High lands regional coaching honor

N&O baseball player of the year Jimmy Boyd of state 4A champion Middle Creek is joined by Matthew Parrish of West Johnston, Wood Myers and Alex Raburn of Durham Jordan, Will Gilbert of Green Hope, Vance Vizciano of Wakefield, Garrett Suggs of Fuquay-Varina and Matt Tenuta of Apex on the N.C. Baseball Coaches Association all-state team.

Veteran Garner High football coach Nelson Smith is the new athletic director at the school and will step down from his football coaching duties after the 2012 season.

Wells Fargo, along with the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, today announced the final standings in the Wells Fargo Cup competitions for the 2011-12 academic year.

It was nearly a Triangle sweep. Green Hope won 4A, Cardinal Gibbons won 3A, Carrboro won 2A and N.C. Science & Math tied for first in 1A.

Adrienne Millican, a girls golfer that beat U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson in match play in 2001, was an exceptional golfer who later won the N.C. Women' Amateur championship.

Below is a list of area athletes who have committed to play a sport in college.

We will update this blog with more names as we get them. Click on the "recruiting" tag above to see more N&O blogs on recruiting.

Last update: June 18

Texas Rangers centerfielder Josh Hamilton will be on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week. The Raleigh Athens Drive High graduate is the subject of a story entitled “The Fragile Brilliance of Josh Hamilton.”

N.C. State recruit Matt Tenuta, a lefthanded pitcher from Apex High who led the Triangle in strikeouts this season, has already signed with the Kansas City Royals, who selected him in the 25th round (763rd overall) of this week's 2012 Major League Baseball Draft.

Tenuta's father Jon is the linebackers coach at N.C. State, and when the latter turned down Illinois this offseason, he said in a statement that watching his son play college baseball was a reason why. By signing with Kansas City, Matt forgoes his college eligibility and should report to the minor leagues within the coming weeks.

In total, four former area players and four current ones were selected in the draft.