Grading Out: Handful of teams poised to finish strong

Published 9:51 pm Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The end of the winter sports season is rapidly approaching. Washington’s boys’ swim team will compete for its second-straight state championship on Thursday, and the wrestling team is gearing up for individual regionals on Saturday.

For basketball, this week marks the end of the regular season. Northside and Southside will cap off their campaigns with one last rivalry meeting in Pinetown on Friday. The Pam Pack will host North Johnston that evening for senior night, too. Meanwhile, Terra Ceia and Pungo are each vying for a spot in the Tarheel Independent Conference championship game on Saturday.

All but a handful of teams are in a good spot as winter turns into spring. Here are those who guided Beaufort County teams into the final stretch.

 

KEVIN ANDREWS, WASHINGTON

Kevin Andrews broke records and won individual regional titles this past weekend. The senior Pam Pack swimmer was a key cog in Washington repeating as champions of the east, and doing so in dominant fashion.

Andrews placed first in the 100-yard backstroke, which he won a state championship in last year. He also finished second in the 100-yard freestyle, and helped three relay teams to regional titles. He and the rest of the Pam Pack boys now have plenty of momentum as they defend their state championship on Thursday.

 

SYMONE RUFFIN, SOUTHSIDE

Symone Ruffin was one rebound short of a triple-double in Friday’s 52-27 win over Bear Grass. Ruffin led the Lady Seahawks with 20 points, had 10 steals and grabbed nine boards. She also had a team-best four assists and four blocks.

Ruffin’s all-around dominance helped Southside to its fifth league win of the season. The Lady Seahawks opened this week with a loss to a high-powered East Carteret team, but will have time to gather themselves before Friday’s trip to Northside.

 

TYLER HENDRIX, TERRA CEIA

Tyler Hendrix was a man possessed in Terra Ceia’s regular-season finale against Hobgood on Thursday. The senior forward had a double-double as he exploded for 41 points and had 19 rebounds, 13 of which were offensive boards.

The Knights won 102-63. They also downed rival Pungo, 86-40, on Tuesday. Hendrix scored 20 points in that win. Terra Ceia goes into its conference tournament this week owning a 22-1 record.

 

DEMETRIUS EBRON, SOUTHSIDE

Southside won’t be playoff bound, barring a miraculous showing in the 1-A Coastal Plains Conference tournament. However, Demetrius Ebron has been the consistent star for the struggling Seahawks.

Ebron led the team to its second win of the season Friday against Bear Grass. He scored a game-high 26 points and helped fuel a 22-point fourth quarter, which coach Sean White said was the team’s best performance in closing out a game.