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YEATESVILLE, N.C. — Northside senior Megan Hopkins is already in college mode with her academics. On Thursday, she secured her athletic future in college by signing with Louisburg College.

Hopkins, 17, is the Panthers’ catcher and also plays in the outfield. She was part of the Northside squad that advanced to the Class 1A state championship last season. Although the Panthers fell short in their title quest, Hopkins and others got lots of looks from college coaches. That, and their travel ball play, are two big reasons why several will continue their career in college.

Hopkins, who also plays for the Carolina Cyclones travel team, has now done her part to secure her future as her senior season at Northside draws near. Spring sports practices begin on Wednesday.

“It helps me just be happy about myself, and I’m proud that I made that,” Hopkins said. “It’s a big accomplishment. And then seeing everybody come that have supported me and was there for me, it just made me more proud.”

Hopkins is taking classes at Beaufort County Community College as part of her busy day that will soon include practices, games, the prom and graduation. She said getting this part of her senior year nailed down was important to her.

“That just helps me get my foot in the door and get a feel of how the college classes will be and how they’ll be online, and I’m already in the classes,” Hopkins said. “It just gives me a feel for it.”

Hopkins said she began playing with the Cyclones during her junior summer season. That team and playing in those games helped get her in front of college coaches.

“Then I started going to more camps, more camps with the colleges,” Hopkins said. “And I went to Louisburg, and I just was like, ‘This is comfortable for me. I can be myself here.’

“And then I kept going to different camps, and they invited me to a hitting camp. And I went, and they told me they would like to have me on my team. I was like, ‘Yeah, this is my school.’”

Now, the athletic focus turns to repeating last season’s success and getting back to the state finals. She batted .403 (27 for 67) with 15 RBIs and three homers last season and will be one of several players expected to step up their game this season.

“We have a bond,” Hopkins said. “We go out after practice sometimes and go get dinner. We all hang out, and I just feel like everybody’s at home. Everybody’s so comfortable with everybody. (8:35) We can say anything we want to say, and we know that what we say is our girls have our back. My expectations are high.

“I hope we play good, we practice good, we have a good outcome. I just have high expectations that I hope that we just meet the next level and we go to where we went last year. Because we didn’t end where we wanted to end, and this is my last year to give it that one shot.”