By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
Five area teams are still alive in the N.C. High School Athletic Association state softball playoffs.
Four of those teams will collide in a pair of Class 1-A playoff games on Friday, guaranteeing third-round spots for at least two area squads.
The Washington Lady Pam Pack advanced to the second round of the Class 3-A state playoffs after a 16-0 win over White Oak in Tuesday’s first-round action. Charity Watson tossed the fifth perfect game of her career in notching the victory.
The Pack (15-6), the No. 2 seed from the Coastal Conference, travels to Rocky Mount to face the Northern Nash Knights (17-4), the NEW 6 champions, at 7 p.m. Friday. Northern Nash, which beat Southern Wayne 4-1 in the first round, knocked off Washington 3-1 and 1-0 during the regular season.
The Washington-Northern Nash winner will face the survivor between fifth-ranked Charles B. Aycock (22-2) and fellow Coastal Conference member South Central (12-9), ranked ninth, in the third round.
Four area teams are still alive in the 1-A playoffs.
The Southside Lady Seahawks (16-7) play host to the Bear Grass Bears (6-2) at 6 p.m. Friday. Southside, the Atlantic Conference champions, got a perfect game from senior Emily Smith in Tuesday’s 9-0 first-round win over Jones Senior. Bear Grass, the second seed out of the Tideland Conference, advanced with a 10-0 blanking of Louisburg.
The winner of the Southside-Bear Grass game faces the survivor between Manteo (13-6), the Albemarle Conference champions, and Northampton-West (14-5), the Tar Roanoke No. 2 seed, in the third round.
The Jamesville Bullets (9-0), the Tideland Conference champions, welcome the Williamston Tigers (15-9) into town for a 7 p.m. game Friday. Jamesville posted a 2-1 win over Perquimans in the first round, while Williamston cruised to a 10-0 victory over South Robeson.
The Jamesville-Williamston survivor plays the winner between Gates County (18-4), the Tar Roanoke champions, and Camden (9-10), the No. 2 seed from the Albemarle, in third-round play.
Area players on State Games rosters
A handful of area players will represent North Carolina in the upcoming State Games.
On the Region 1 team are Washington’s Lily Ann Arnold, Northside’s Amanda Daw and Williamston’s Heather Jackson.
NCHSAA STATE SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
Second Round
Friday’s Games
Class 3-A
7 p.m. – Washington at Northern Nash
Class 1-A
6 p.m. – Bear Grass at Southside
7 p.m. – Williamston at Jamesville