DEMOPOLIS &8212; The area Cal Ripken seasons and post-season tournaments have come and gone, leaving four area teams in state tournament play, which began yesterday.

The Demopolis under 12 and under eight teams have headed to Hokes Bluff, Demopolis under 11 have headed to Childersburg, Linden under 10 to Atmore and Demopolis under eight to Alexander City to begin their all-star state tournaments. Area Cal Ripken tournament organizer Rob Pearson said the groups are heading into a tournament style, to which they should be accustomed.

Pearson said the area groups have begun the first part of the tournament, which began yesterday, in which they began pool play among teams from other regions across the state. He said the performance during the first part of the tournament will determine who moves on and who goes home.

Pearson said the groups usually have a less strenuous schedule during the first round, breaking up the four games over four days, but the schedule of the tournament this year and the Fourth of July caused teams to push back opening the tournament.

After the opening pool play the top two teams from each pool in the various age groups will advance to a final, single elimination portion of the tourney. Pearson said the four groups in each age level will be seeded by their pool-play performance and the final portion of the tournament will take place this Sunday when the teams face off in three games that will determine who wins state.

Pearson said once the tournament is over, if an area team wins the state title, the next step will be a regional tournament involving groups from a number of states. The winners of the regional tournaments then get the opportunity to play in the World Series for their age groups.