YORK COUNTY - - It looks like the May heat wave is moving into early June, and the local athletes are heating up the playing fields and courts of the playoffs as well. Furthermore, it looks like the Tabb boys baseball team will be heading to the state tournament for the first time since 2005. They slugged their way to a 10-2 home playoff victory over New Kent in the first round of the regional tournament on Wednesday, May 22. Two days later, they slugged their way to an 11-4 home playoff victory over Southampton.

The Tabb girls team hosted Suffolk’s Lakeland High in their first-round game on Wednesday (May 22); pitching a 9-0 shutout. On Friday (May 24), they traveled to Park View High School in South Hill and lost a tough 4-0 shutout. The Lady Tigers will not repeat as state champions, but had a fine 16-5 season.

The York girls visited Southampton on Wednesday and pulled off a close 4-3 victory. However, on Friday they visited New Kent and lost their second-round regional playoff game 14- 1. The Lady Falcons finished the year 11-9. They say it's the playoffs that count, and this season has certainly proven that rule. The Bruton boys were only 4-16 on the regular season. However, on Tuesday, 5/21 they drove all the way to Emporia, and the trip was worth it as they secured the 11-7 win. Two days later they drove to Randolph-Henry High School, which is all the way in the center of the state, but succumbed by a 5-1 count.

Another team with a losing regular season record pulled off a playoff win. The Tabb boys soccer squad was 6- 9-1, but in their first round playoff game at New Kent on Friday they notched a 3-1 victory. The Tabb girls hosted York that same day and won 6-2, and are 10-4-3 on the year. The York girls had already defeated Hopewell at home 8-0 in the first round two days prior. The York boys had two playoff wins in three days. On Wednesday, Hopewell drove a long way only to lose to the hosts 5-0, and on Friday York drove a long way to South Hill and defeated Park View 5- 1. Could a third team with a losing regular season record pull off a playoff win? Bruton was 4-10, but on Tuesday in their first round they visited distant Prince Edward County and won 4-1. However, on Thursday they visited Poquoson and lost 4-0. On Tuesday, the Bruton girls ventured up to Randolph- Henry, but lost their first round game 3-2.

Onto the tennis courts we go, and the Bruton boys hosted Rappahannock on Monday, 5/20 and won 5- 0. Unfortunately, the next day they traveled way up to Goochland and lost in the second round 5-0. On Monday, the Bruton girls visited Randolph-Henry and lost by a 5-0 tally.

We move to the world of outdoor track and field, and both the Tabb girls and boys teams repeated as regional champions.

The regional tournaments are coming to an end, and just a few superstar local teams and individuals will survive to move on to the state tournaments.