By By GREG KATSKI, Staff Writer
The Northside/PCS Phosphate Easter Tournament makes its return this weekend.
Northside High School, which is going on a decade of hosting the tournament, will welcome the Washington and Southside baseball teams, as well as the Jamesville, Southside, John A. Holmes, Farmville Central, Currituck County, Bear Grass and Pamlico County softball squads.
The softball tournament kicks off early Friday morning with a matchup between Jamesville and Southside at 10 a.m. The first game of the tournament will be followed by John A. Holmes taking on Pamlico County at 11:30 a.m., Farmville Central versus Currituck County at 1 p.m. and Northside playing Bear Grass at 2:30 p.m.
The losers of each game will play again on Friday, with the losers of the first two games squaring off at 4 p.m. and the losers of the second two games meeting at 5:30 p.m.
The winners of Friday’s games will face off in the championship bracket on Saturday, with the winners of each game meeting in the championship at 5:30 p.m.
Northside and Southside kick off the baseball tournament at 5 p.m. Friday. The loser will meet Washington for Friday’s nightcap at 8 p.m. The winner of the nightcap will square off against the winner of the first game in the tournament championship at 8 p.m. on Saturday. Washington earned a bye in the tournament by virtue of its overall record, according to Northside baseball head coach and tournament organizer Keith Boyd.
Boyd gave a shout out to PCS Phosphate for partially funding the event, which serves as the Northside Athletic Department’s main fundraiser for the academic calender year.
Admission to the tournament is $5 at the gate, and Northside High School booster passes will not be accepted, Boyd said.
For the teams in the tournament, it will pay to play good, as trophies will be awarded to both the baseball and softball tournament champions.