By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
GREENVILLE — After a long, strenuous season the prep East Region Final Four is finally here. Coaches representing the top teams in the state gathered at East Carolina’s Murphy Center Monday morning ready to check in their teams and hopefully check out with an NCHSAA East Region championship.
Two coaches represented the area on Monday: one a seasoned coach with over two decades of experience, the other a rookie on the right track.
Though their backgrounds differ, Williamston’s longtime skipper Jimmy Elks, and Plymouth’s first-year coach Darius LaGroon both recognized that they have each had a special season.
Elks, the Tigers’ girls basketball coach for 20 seasons, has been here once before when his team lost to Murphy in the NCHSAA 1-A state finals. On Monday, Elks said he was happy to be back.
Technically, Elks was ‘here’ last year, as he watched the girls’ 1-A competition from the stands, but said he will be much happier on Wednesday when he will be on the sideline leading his 27-0 Tigers against Pender (28-1) at J.H. Rose High School at 7 p.m.
The winner of the Williamston-Pender game will take on the winner of the Cape Hatterars (23-3)-East Bladden (26-3) in east region championship game Saturday ? At J.H. Rose.
While Elks reminisced about past playoff experiences, LaGroon was emjoying his first flirtation with state glory.
LaGroon’s Vikings (18-3) are coming off of a x-x win over North Edgecombe, and said his team is looking forward to battling Jones Senior (21-4) Thursday, when the two teams will clash at Minges Coliseum at 8:3 p.m.
LaGroon said the expereince of competing with the best in the state will be a good one.
In recent years, the Vikings have been no strangers to prolonged playoff runs. Plymouth’s football is coming off of an undefeated season that resulted in a state title, while the Vikings’ girls basketball team was in this very spot last year when they were lead by Whitney Stokes and former coach Ulyess Hooker. (Hooker’s Vikings would eventually fall to Pender)
While there is a wealth of battle-tested coaches at Plymouth, LaGroon said his collegaus have let him find his own path.
The winner of the Vikings-Jones Senior matchup will take on the winner of the Pamlico (18-6)-Perquimans (21-5) Saturday at ? At Minges Coliseum.
Boys Eastern Regionals
Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum, East Carolina University
Class 1-A
Thursday, March 6, 7 p.m.: Perquimans (21-5) vs. Pamlico (18-6)
Thursday, March 6, 8:30 p.m.: Jones (21-4) vs. Plymouth (18-2)
Saturday, March 8, 5 p.m.: championship
Class 2-A
Friday, March 7, 7 p.m.: West Bladen (27-2) vs. South Lenoir (16-12)
Friday, March 7, 8:30 p.m.: Southern Vance (16-8) vs. Farmville Central
(22-3)
Saturday, March 8, 7 p.m.: championship
Class 3-A
Tuesday, March 4, 7 p.m.: Kinston (25-4) vs. Northern Vance (24-1)
Tuesday, March 4, 8:30 p.m.: Greensboro Dudley (27-2) vs. Greenville D.H.
Conley (24-3)
Saturday, March 8, 1 p.m.: championship
Class 4-A
Wednesday, March 5, 7 p.m.: Fayetteville Terry Sanford (26-3) vs. Apex
(17-12)
Wednesday, March 5, 8:30 p.m.: Apex Middle Creek (27-2) vs. Fayetteville
Jack Britt (26-4)
Saturday, March 8, 3 p.m.: championship
Girls Eastern Regionals
J.H. Rose High School, Greenville
Class 1-A
Wednesday, March 5, 7 p.m.: Williamston (27-0) vs. Pender (28-3)
Wednesday, March 5, 8:30 p.m.: East Bladen (26-3) vs. Cape Hatteras (23-3)
Saturday, March 8, 3 p.m.: championship
Class 2-A
Thursday, March 6, 7 p.m.: Graham (29-1) vs. Kill Devil Hills First Flight
(27-1)
Thursday, March 6, 8:30 p.m.: Red Springs (24-4) vs. Raleigh Cardinal
Gibbons (20-7)
Saturday, March 8, 5 p.m.: championship
Class 3-A
Friday, March 7, 7 p.m.: Winterville South Central (28-0) vs. Greensboro
Dudley (22-7)
Friday, March 7, 8:30 p.m.: Wilson Beddingfield (25-1) vs. Eastern Alamance
(20-7)
Saturday, March 8, 7 p.m.: championship
Class 4-A
Tuesday, March 4, 7 p.m.: Fayetteville Westover (27-2) vs. Raleigh
Millbrook (26-4)
Tuesday, March 4, 8:30 p.m.: Wilmington Laney (22-6) vs. Raleigh Wakefield
(29-0)
Saturday, March 8, 1 p.m.: championship