Mount Airy and Surry Central are hosting tennis matches today as the state dual-team playoffs begin.

The Lady Bears (17-2) host North Stokes (10-4) in the 1A brackets, while in 2A the Lady Eagles (8-8) host West Davidson (13-6). Both matches start at 4 p.m.

Each year, the N.C. High School Athletic Association rotates around the priority by which it seeds conferences.

A couple of years ago, the Northwest was ranked very low and had to play opening round games on the road in all sports.

This year, the Northwest is seeded on top, so as long as the Lady Bears and Eagles continue to win, the teams stay home all the way until the state finals in Cary.

Mount Airy is the top seed from the Northwest for 1A. Bishop McGuinness (12-3) was the second seed, and North Stokes the third. East Surry had a solid season, but didn’t get a wild card.

Neither did West Stokes nor North Surry on the 2A side, so Central is the only Northwest team in the brackets. The other area team in the playoffs is Wilkes Central (14-3), which is hosting Forest Hills (7-6).

Bishop hosts East Montgomery (12-4), with the winner advancing to face East Wilkes (16-3), which received a bye.

Elkin (6-11) hosts Chatham Central (13-2).

Mount Airy was undefeated in 1A play this season, but didn’t get a bye since the Bears had received one the past two years. Coach Scott Kniskern said he would rather have home-court advantage than a bye. He just wishes he didn’t have to play a local team and knock them out of the playoff picture.