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District 118 for both boys and girls presents some very interesting local matchups.

On the boys side, Alba and Bellaire get things rolling on Feb. 25, with the winner moving on to face Ellsworth on Feb. 27. In the early game on Wednesday, T.C. Christian meets up with Central Lake, with the winner moving on to the district finals.

For Bellaire to repeat as district champs, they'll have to get past Alba on Monday, beat Ellsworth on Wednesday, and then their prize could potentially be Central Lake in the district final.

Only four teams compete on the girls side, but they're all quality ball clubs. Central Lake squares off against Alba on Feb. 18, and Bellaire meets Ellsworth on Feb. 20. The district finals are on Friday, Feb. 22.

If history is any indication, then in the girls bracket Central Lake and Bellaire will meet for the third time this season, this time with a district title on the line.

However, it would be folly to count out Ellsworth or Alba. Both teams are capable of an upset. Bellaire has been riding a winning streak that likely can't last forever, and Central Lake has appeared more vulnerable of late.

Still, I'm banking on a Central Lake-Bellaire district final.

Central Lake has learned the hard way this season that they can't just show up to games and expect to win. In the end, I think those lessons will renew their sense of urgency and give them a slight edge over Bellaire.

Now, that doesn't mean I think they will win. I just think they'll have an edge. On the other hand, the Bellaire seniors are playing their last game at home...

I think I'm going to chicken out and not pick a winner in this still hypothetical matchup. After all, there might be a Voodoo doll in someone's basement with my column picture on it.

The boys side is anyone's guess.

My gut says that despite their recent troubles, Bellaire will move on to regionals, but that could just be left over indigestion from the last time I picked them and had to eat my own words. Or it could be that Voodoo doll.

Ellsworth and Central Lake have both proven this year that they can play with the Eagles, with Ellsworth beating them in Bellaire earlier this season.

The Eagles have the advantage because they are at home, but they almost dropped a game on their own court to an average Joburg team earlier this month, and they were shut out in the fourth quarter at Pellston on Friday.

The bottom line is that this is high school sports, which doesn't just mean that anything can happen, but rather that something is likely to.

We'll just have to wait for them to play the games to find out what that is.