The Tri-Nine Conference tournament is set to start next Tuesday. First round games will be played at the higher seed, while Thursday's semifinals and Friday's finals will all be played at Green Hope High.

Click "read more" to see the tournament layout.

Apex High School's Academy of Information Technology has earned another prized program thanks to Lenovo and the National Academy Foundation.

As noted in today's article by Caitlin Baker, Apex High is one of five high schools selected to take part in a test program in which students will learn how to design and market mobile apps. The AOIT students at Apex High will work in teams to create a real-world mobile app during the 12-week, after-school course.

Lenovo donated 30 Android-based ThinkPad tablets and several ThinkCentre HD All-in-One desktop computers for the program; the company worked with NAF and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop the curriculum. Not only will it teach students technology skills such as coding and programming, but also how to create a business plan to market their apps.

Apex was chosen in part because of its 10-year relationship with NAF and its proximity to Lenovo's headquarters in Morrisville. In addition, the new curriculum coincides with North Carolina's Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics initiative.

This Friday marks the fifth annual Hoops for Hope game between the Athens Drive and Apex girls basketball teams.

All proceeds from the game go to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, which raises money for breast cancer research.

Joe Kilby will be leaving his post as head football coach at Cedar Ridge after accepting the job as the head coach at Apex High.

Apex High plans to honor four of its best baseball players during a halftime ceremony this Friday in its boys basketball home game against Holly Springs.

Tim Federowicz, Michael Knox, Matt Mangini and Seth Frankoff -- all of whom are currently playing at the major and minor league level -- will be honored with a banner to be placed along the baseball field's outfield wall this spring.

Apex senior Alex Herbst won't have to wear new colors when he plays college soccer next year.

Longtime Apex football coach Bob Wolfe has retired from his position, and may retire from teaching as well.

Wolfe was 103-99-3 at the school.

"I just felt like there was a time for all good things to come to and end and that this was a pretty good time to do it," Wolfe said.

It's the third round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association boys soccer playoffs, meaning each classification is down to just 16 teams total -- 8 in the East brackets.

UPDATE: Below are the final Tri-Nine volleyball standings at the end of the playoffs, plus the  all-conference team.

One of the Triangle's most successful high school volleyball coaches will not return to the hardwood next season.

Nikki O'Connell, who guided Apex to the 2010 4A state championship with a 27-0 record, stepped down on Wednesday.