The annual District 18 Little League tournament will begin this Friday with three games in the 10-12 bracket.

Tamaqua hosts Valley West, Hazleton travels to Franklin Township, while Tri-County will be at Freeland.

Three area teams have received first-round byes and will open play on Monday. Towamensing will be home against Hazle Township, while Jim Thorpe and Anthracite won’t know its opponent until after Friday’s contest.

The tournament runs through Friday, July 7 or Sunday, July 9 (if necessary) when a champion is crowned. The district champ will then move on to sectional play.

As in past years, District 18 will also hold a 9-11 tournament and an 8-10 tourney.

The 9-11 bracket features just four teams, including Towamensing and Tamaqua. That tourney starts on July 1.

Six area teams will be participating in the 8-10 South Division tourney, which starts this Saturday. Games will be played at both Lansford and Summit Hill. The teams include Franklin Township, Tamaqua, Towamensing, Anthracite, Jim Thorpe and Weatherly.

The South Division champion will face the North Division winner in a best-of-three series starting July 6. Those games will take place at Hazle Township.

DISTRICT 18 LITTLE LEAGUE

10-12 Tournament

(all games start at 6 p.m.)

Friday, June 23

Game 1 - Tri-County at Freeland

Game 2 - Hazleton at Franklin Township

Game 3 - Valley West at Tamaqua

Monday, June 26

Game 4 - Hazle Township at Towamensing

Game 5 - Tri-County/Freeland winner vs. Jim Thorpe

Game 6 - Hazleton/Franklin Township winner vs. Valley East

Game 7 - Valley West/Tamaqua winner vs. Anthracite

Wednesday, June 28

Game 8 - Hazleton/Franklin Township loser vs. Hazle Township/Towamensing loser

Game 9 - Valley West/Tamaqua loser vs. Game 5 loser

Game 10 - Tri-County/Freeland loser vs. Game 6 loser

Friday, June 30

Game 11 - Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner

Game 12 - Game 7 loser vs. Game 10 winner

Game 13 - Hazle Township/Towamensing winner vs. Game 5 winner

Game 14 - Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner

Sunday, July 2

Game 15 - Game 13 loser vs. Game 12 winner

Game 16 - Game 14 loser vs. Game 11 winner

Monday, July 3

Game 17 - Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner

Game 18 - Game 15 winner vs. Game 16 winner

Wednesday, July 5

Game 19 - Game 17 loser vs. Game 18 winner

Friday, July 7

Game 20 - Game 17 winner vs. Game 19 winner

Sunday, July 9

Game 21 - Game 20 winner vs. Game 20 loser (if necessary)

9-11 Tournament

Saturday, July 1

Game 1 - Towamensing at Valley West, 6 p.m.

Game 2 - Tamaqua at Valley East, 6 p.m.

Sunday, July 2

Game 3 - Towamensing/Valley West winner vs. Tamaqua/Valley East winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4 - Towamensing/Valley West loser vs. Tamaqua/Valley East loser, 1 p.m.

Thursday, July 6

Game 5 - Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Saturday, July 8

Game 6 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 1 p.m.

Sunday, July 9

Game 7 - Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser (if necessary), 1 p.m.

8-10 Tournament

South Division

(at Lansford unless noted)

Saturday, June 24

Game 1 - Franklin Township vs. Tamaqua, 1 p.m.

Game 2 - Towamensing vs. Anthracite, 3 p.m.

Sunday, June 25

Game 3 - Jim Thorpe vs. Franklin Township/Tamaqua winner, 1 p.m.

Game 4 - Weatherly vs. Towamensing/Anthracite winner, 3 p.m.

Tuesday, June 27

Game 5 - Franklin Township/Tamaqua loser vs. Game 4 loser at Summit Hill, 6 p.m.

Game 6 - Towamensing/Anthracite loser vs. Game 3 loser, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 29

Game 7 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner at Summit Hill, 6 p.m.

Game 8 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m.

Saturday, July 1

Game 9 - Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 1 p.m.

Sunday, July 2

Game 10 - Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 1 p.m.

Monday, July 3

Game 11 - Game 10 winner vs, Game 10 loser (if necessary), 6 p.m.

North Division

(at Hazle Township)

Saturday, June 24

Game 1 - Hazle Township vs. Valley West, 1 p.m.

Game 2 - Hazleton vs. Freeland, 3 p.m.

Sunday, June 25

Game 3 - Hazleton/Freeland winner vs. Valley East, 3 p.m.

Game 4 - Hazle Township/Valley West loser vs. Hazleton/Freeland loser, 1 p.m.

Tuesday, June 27

Game 5 - Hazle Township/Valley West winner vs. Game 3 winner, 7:30 p.m.

Game 6 - Game 4 winner vs. Game 3 loser, 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 29

Game 7 - Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 6 p.m.

Sunday, July 2

Game 8 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 1 p.m.

Monday, July 3

Game 9 - Game 8 winner vs. Game 8 loser (if necessary), 6 p.m.

South-North Finals

(at Hazle Township)

Thursday, July 6

South champ vs. North champ, 6 p.m.

Saturday, July 8

South champ vs. North champ, 2 p.m.

Sunday, July 9

South champ vs. North champ (if necessary), 2 p.m.