The first 2026 Tarheel League District 1 tournament is in the books, with Burke County and Hildebran all-star teams also set to compete in four more double-elimination tournaments still to come this month.
Kiwanis Park in Hickory hosted the five-team 8U softball tournament from June 26-28, with Alexander winning and Shelby placing second and also qualifying for the state tournament, which will be held July 16-19 in Laurinburg for all age divisions of softball.
The Burke 8U softball squad consisted of players Ansley Mason, Isabella Fortenberry, Lillie Howard, Karrigan McKee, Harper Siong, Jordan Siong, Rylie Epley, Rylee Byrd, Bexlee Mace, Monica Juarez, Harper Reddick, and Serenity Campbell as well as coaches Amanda Epley, Amber Reddick, Martha Snipes, and Linzi Justice.
The Hildebran 8U softball team was made up players Charlee Bulanyi, Amaya Dillon, Alivia Bailey, Kinsley Towery, Haven Thomas, Cecilia Britain, Zoey Wakefield, Blakelynn Leonard, Sullivan White, Saylor Canipe, Makenzee Houston, and Serenity Hollifield. The team was coached by Stephen Leonard, Travis Young, Jacob Holden, and Jimmy White.
Burke and Hildebran all-star squads will also compete in the Tarheel League District 1 10U softball tournament as well as in the 8U, 10U, and 12U baseball tourneys, though no rosters have yet been released. (No county teams are competing in the 15U baseball or 12U or 16U softball district tourneys this summer.)
Both the 8U baseball and 10U softball tourneys start on July 6, with 8U baseball being hosted by Hickory at Kiwanis Park and 10U softball being hosted by Shelby at Shelby City Park.
In 10U softball, Burke and Hildebran square off with each other at 6 p.m. on day one to open the four-team tourney, in which only the top team advances to state. Shelby and Alexander are the other two teams in the bracket. Play will end either July 8 or 9.
The six-team 8U baseball bracket will send the top two finishers to the state tournament, which runs from July 23-26 in Williamston for all divisions in baseball. Burke opens on day one at 6 p.m. against Alexander, with the winner to face Hickory immediately afterward. Hildebran, like Hickory, receives a first-round bye and opens versus the Shelby-Caldwell winner on July 6 at 7:15 p.m. The tournament will end July 8.
The 12U baseball district tourney will be held July 9-14, hosted by Alexander County at Jolly Field and Shuford Field at East Alexander Park in Hiddenite. The top two finishers in the six-team field will advance to state. Hildebran faces Shelby on day one at 6 p.m., with the winner facing Alexander immediately afterward. After an opening bye, Burke faces the Hickory-Caldwell winner, also one day one at 7:30 p.m.
And the seven-team 10U baseball tournament runs from July 13-17 at Shelby City Park and also sends the top two teams on to compete for state titles. On day one at 6 p.m., Burke faces the Hickory Storm Chasers on Field 1, while Hildebran opens against Alexander on Field 2. The Burke-Hickory Storm Chasers winner meets Caldwell on day two, while Shelby and the Hickory Tornadoes are opposite Hildebran and Alexander on the bottom half of the bracket.
At each site, admission is $10 for adults (ages 13 and up), $5 for children ages 7 to 12, and free for children ages 6 and under.
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