By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Washington will visit a future Coastal Conference opponent when the N.C. High School Athletic Association state softball playoffs begin today.
The Pam Pack (14-6), the second seed from the Coastal Conference, plays at White Oak in today’s 6 p.m. first-round game. The Vikings (6-16), the second seed from the Mideastern Conference, earned the home playoff game based on seeding priority established by the NCHSAA.
White Oak joins the Coastal Conference (along with Jacksonville) next year.
The winner plays the survivor between Northern Nash (16-4), the NEW 6 champions, and Southern Wayne (12-13), the fourth seed out of the Eastern Carolina Conference, in Friday’s second-round game.
1-A Playoffs
The Atlantic Conference champion Southside Seahawks and the Northside Panthers are among six area 1-A teams to qualify for the playoffs. The Beaufort County teams are joined by Williamston, Jamesville, Bear Grass and Columbia.
The Seahawks (15-7) play host to Jones Senior (7-12), a wild-card entry, in today’s first-round game.
The winner will face either Bear Grass (5-2), the Tideland Conference’s No. 2 seed, or Louisburg (9-10), the Tar Roanoke Conference’s No. 3 seed, in second-round action.
The Panthers (12-9) are the third seed from the Atlantic Conference. They will pay a visit to Camden. The Bruins (8-10) are the No. 2 seed out of the Albemarle Conference.
The Northside-Camden winner faces either the Columbia Wildcats (2-6), the fourth seed from the Tideland Conference, or the Tar Roanoke Conference-champion Gates County Red Barons (17-4) in the second round.
The Jamesville Bullets (8-0), the undefeated Tideland Conference champions, play host to the Perquimans Pirates (8-13), the Albemarle Conference’s No. 3 seed, in today’s first-round action.
Williamston (14-9), the second seed out of the Atlantic Conference, welcomes S. Robeson (8-10), the Southeastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, into town.
The Jamesville-Perquimans winner squares off against the Williamston-S. Robeson survivor in Friday’s second-round game.