By By STEVE FRANKLIN, Sports Writer
The Lady Pam Pack rolled through the 3-A portion of its Coastal Conference schedule with an unblemished 8-0 mark.
However, when Washington (10-4) opens the playoffs later today in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 3-A Dual Team Tennis Tournament, the Pam Pack will be playing as the No. 2 seed from the Coastal Conference.
Washington finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Coastal Conference with both New Bern, a Class 4-A school, and Class 3-A member West Carteret. Although the Pam Pack beat the Patriots in both head-to-head matches this season, the rules stated that a coin flip must be held to determine who gets the No. 1 seed.
The Pam Pack called heads. The coin turned up tails.
So, instead of hosting a playoff game this afternoon, Washington will hit the road to take on White Oak, the top seed from the Mideastern Conference, at the Jacksonville Country Club.
The Pam Pack will have to try to pick up a victory without one of its top players as well.
No. 2 singles player Haley Stowe has been suffering from an extended illness and will not be available when the Pack take on the Vikings later today.
That means that the No. 3 through 6 players will move up in the order, and Mary Margaret Fowle, who has stepped in for Stowe the last two weeks, will move into the No. 6 singles position.
Last weekend, Fowle was entered into the singles portion of the Coastal Conference Class 3-A Individual Tournament and scored an impressive first round win before exiting in the second round.
Tierra Locklear will take Stowe’s place in doubles competition and will join the Pack’s top player, Beth Batchelor at No. 1 doubles.
The Pack’s lineup will look like this when they hit the court this afternoon. Batchelor will be at No. 1 singles, followed by Mary Potocki at No. 2 and Davey Ann Burbage at No. 3. The No. 4 player will be Janie Page, followed by No. 5 Shannon Niederhauser and Fowle at No. 6. Batchelor and Locklear will be followed in the doubles order by Potocki and Page, with Burbage and Niederhauser holding down the third slot.
Today’s winner will face the survivor between Bertie (7-6), the top seed out of the Northeastern Coastal Conference, and Charles B. Aycock (9-6), the second seed from the Eastern Carolina Conference, in the second round.