Athens won three consecutive games Friday and Saturday at the North Regional Tournament to advance to the state softball tournament played at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park beginning Thursday, May 15.

Athens returns to the state tournament for the first time since 2010 when the Golden Eagles won the school’s first fast-pitch softball championship.

None of the past three state champions — Hayden, Mortimer Jordan or Chelsea — made the eight-team field.

Athens’ first game is against Briarwood at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Win or lose, Athens will play again at 6 p.m. The 5A tournament will conclude with a championship game at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Athens Bible nearly made it back to Montgomery but was eliminated in the final game played at the 1A North Regional. ABS beat Collinsville 5-1 and Addison 14-2 but fell into the loser’s bracket with a 3-2 loss to Falkville.

Addison fought through the loser’s bracket and upset ABS in the final elimination 5-2 to advance to the state tournament.