There were no tears following the Pam Pack’s 3-0 shutout out of North Johnston in what was a fitting end to one of the best regular seasons in recent history. There was hardly any celebrating and some of the players even seemed reluctant to pose for postgame pictures.

It wasn’t a typical Senior Night, but then again, this isn’t an average volleyball team.

The 2014 senior class not only makes up four, sometimes five of the six players in the starting rotation, but also is the first group Kelly Slade has coached through all four of high school years. They’re the end product of a new system, one that has paid dividends thus far, as the Pam Pack prepares to take the first step toward its ultimate goal of a state championship. Ending the regular season with a win, locking up its first Eastern Plains Conference championship in the process, was just the start.

“It wasn’t quite as sad as it could have been because we know we have at least four or five more games left,” Slade said. “We’re all focused. We’ve achieved one goal — two goals actually — winning the conference championship and making the playoffs. Now, it’s just one playoff game at a time.”

Coming off a five-game loss to North Pitt, the team’s first slipup of the conference slate, Washington opened the door for the Panthers to force a first place tie on Thursday. But Washington was still in the driver’s seat and a victory over last-place North Johnston eventually locked up the title.

“It feels great. At first we were a little shaky with how our season was going to go, especially after losing Megan Corey and Ann Hunt. Sarah Lynch and Briley (Waters) have definitely stepped up this season, but the seniors also have really stepped up this season and showed that we play to win,” said senior hitter Adriana Tyson.

The Pam Pack was clearly bothered by what transpired on Tuesday and came out energized in the first game. Uncompromised defense from senior Allison Brantley on the back line, in accordance with the soft setting of sophomores Waters and Lynch, kept Washington ahead of the pace early. The team finished on a 15-4 run to take the first game 25-11.

Game 2 was even more lopsided, as senior Abby Walker took advantage of the sophomore’s consistent setting with six kills. Tyson, who leads the team in kills, only played the first half of the game, but came out with four kills nonetheless. After jumping out to a 20-5 lead, Slade gave some of the auxiliary players ample playing time, including sophomore Meghan Moore, who notched seven assists and an ace en route to a 25-12 win.

As Washington began the game with some of the underclassmen on the floor, North Johnston finally started to get into a rhythm, Emma Turner and Skylar Tyndall picking up a handful of kills. But the Pam Pack would fight back and force six lead changes down the stretch. Slade called upon her seniors for the final couple points and they did not disappoint, ending the game on a four-point run.

Lynch finished with 16 assists, while Waters notched 13 of her own. But the real story was the seniors — Alexis Brooks, Walker, Haley Hutchins, Tyson and Brantley — who all had polished nights on the stat sheet.

Walker finished with a game-high 17 kills and Tyson ended with 16 kills.

“It’s really a group effort and they’re going to be hard to replace next year,” Slade said. “It’s a whole entire starting lineup I’ll have to replace. It’s really bittersweet for me because it’s the first group I’ve had at Washington High School for all four years, so it’s really been exciting that after four years with these girls they’ve been able to get a conference championship.”

The Eastern Plains Conference Tournament kicks off on Monday and with a first-place finish, Washington locks up home field advantage.