CHOCOWINITY — A cold fourth quarter cost Southside a 54-31 senior-night loss to Northside on Thursday. The Thursday-night regular-season finale had been slated for Friday evening. Potential weather forced the game to be played a day early.

It was a close contest until the final eight minutes.  Precious Gaynor dropped a 3-pointer with 12 second left in the first half to cut Southside’s lead to one, 19-18, before heading off to the locker room.

“I told them we’ve got to stay focused on how we got to where we are now,” Northside coach Michelle Leathers said. “We’ve got to play consistently. … We’ve got to stay focused and stick to the plan, which was feed the post. We know our post is strong.”

Southside had been following its game plan and pushed the tempo well. The Lady Seahawks kept it close by trying to trap the visitors as they brought the ball up the court. That pace was a comfortable one for Northside, too.

“That’s what we want,” Leathers said. “That’s my style anyways to get quick baskets and feed the post.”

The visiting Lady Panthers couldn’t create much separation in the third quarter, but never surrendered their lead. Rachel Lang made a short jumper to cap off a small, 5-0 run by Northside. It produced a two-possession lead that the Lady Seahawks were able to trim to three points, 30-27, thanks to a couple of free throws late in the third.

Northside proceeded to score eight unanswered points to open the final period. Southside figured it would catch a break when Quortasia Clark fouled out with 6:11 to go in the game, but the Lady Panthers remained just as relentless.

“Actually, when Tasia fouled out, everyone knew they had to step up to get us where we wanted to be,” Leathers said. “A time in the season comes that you’ve got to start making growth. Tonight we grew.”

Christiona Golson, with a chance to break up the run, missed a pair of free throws. Southside struggled from the field, too. The girls only got one shot to drop in the fourth. Danielle Ruffin and Symone Ruffin each made a free throw, but watched as their side fell behind 50-29.

“I told them we had to play all four quarters,” Southside coach Milton Ruffin said. “We played well in the first half and didn’t play bad in the third, but the fourth quarter we couldn’t make a basket. I thought that was the difference in the ball game. You’ve got to put the ball in the basket. Also, we turned the ball over in the fourth quarter. That made a difference.”

Symone Ruffin fouled out of the game with over a minute left, but the Lady Seahawks were already in a 20-point hole. Plenty of free throws down the stretch and a pair of transition layups at the end iced the 33-point road win for Northside.

Seeding for the 1-A Coastal Plains tournament will be finalized this weekend.