Four local teams are looking to take the next step toward a possible state championship as the North Regional softball tournament begins this week in Florence.

All games in Class 1A-7A will take place at the Florence Sportsplex, which has eight softball fields. The double-elimination tournament begins Thursday morning and continues through Saturday.

Athens Bible is still alive in Class 1A, while Elkmont will compete in Class 4A, Ardmore in Class 5A and Athens High in Class 6A.

Elkmont, Ardmore and Athens High advanced to the regional tournament as area tournament champions, while Athens Bible advanced as area runner-up.

The tournament begins at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, with Athens taking on Cullman in the first round of the Class 6A tournament. Win or lose, the Golden Eagles will be playing again at 6 p.m. Thursday, in either the winner’s bracket game or a loser’s bracket elimination game. Athens would face the winner of the Buckhorn-Albertville game in the winner’s bracket game or face the loser of that game in a potential elimination game.

The 6A tournament continues Friday, with a potential championship game set for 4:30 p.m.

Elkmont also begins play in the Class 4A tournament at 10:30 a.m. Thursday against Kate Duncan Smith DAR School. If Elkmont wins, it would play in a winner’s bracket game against the winner of the Wilson-Danville game at 4:30 p.m. A loss would put the Red Devils in a loser’s bracket game against the loser of the Wilson-Danville game at 3. The 4A tournament concludes Friday.

Athens Bible begins play in the Class 1A tournament by taking on Skyline at noon Thursday. Should ABS win, it would play again at 6 p.m. against the winner of the Spring Garden-Waterloo game. A loss would see the Trojans playing in an elimination game against the loser of the Spring Garden-Waterloo game at 4:30. The Class 1A tournament concludes Friday.

Ardmore, the only local team to advance to the state tournament last year, won’t begin play until Friday. The Tigers will face Boaz in its first game at noon, and would then face the winner of the Russellville-Brewer game at 6 p.m.

If Ardmore loses its first game, the Tigers would face the loser of the Russellville-Brewer game at 4:30 in an elimination game. The Class 5A tournament concludes Saturday.

For updates of the North Regional softball tournament, visit www.enewscourier.com.