PINETOWN — Some criticize the strength of schedule, head coach Riley Youmans has mentioned the deficiency of competition in the East and visiting fans have commented on the enflamed final scores.

Through it all, from blowout to competitive conference matchup, Northside has come out on top and is currently the No. 1-ranked and final unbeaten 1-A softball team in North Carolina, according to Maxpreps.com. The Panthers’ 169 runs scored rank the offense fourth and the 16 runs they’ve allowed is the second-lowest mark in the class. Combine both and Northside’s plus-153 run differential is the highest in the state, a testament to the team’s unrivaled balance.

“It’s always great to go undefeated, no matter who you play or what you’re doing,” Youmans said. “We’ve had some tough games and in those tough games, this team just did not give up, stayed confident in what they were doing … They’re confident in their ability and I am too, as far as that’s concerned.”

The numbers certainly standout on paper, but on Wednesday, during a 15-0, three-inning shellacking of Columbia, the girls’ faces were painted with the look of sheer boredom, understandably so. Having played just four competitive games all season — two against East Carteret, once against Pamlico County and the season-opener at Ayden-Grifton — this is a lineup ready to silence the critics in the 1-A state playoffs, a team looking to take care of a weakened East bracket.

“It makes me feel good. I’m pulling for them and they know I’m pulling for them,” said Keith Boyd, the current Northside baseball coach who navigated last year’s Lady Panthers to a 21-2 record last season. “I’m a little torn up a bit, I’d love to be over there with them, but I’m where I need to be. I’m still keeping up with them that’s for sure.”

In two seasons, the Panthers have strung together a remarkable 36-2 record with a perfect Coastal Plains Conference record (22-0), though some games have required extra frames and late-inning comebacks.

While some key pieces graduated last May, most of the starting lineup returned, as the memory of last season’s 9-3, third-round loss to Princeton still lingers uncomfortably in the back of players’ minds. The underperformance in that game was widely blamed on the transition from a mediocre regular season slate to elite, postseason-worthy competition. And it’s a transition that Northside will have to make in a week, one Youmans is trying to address ahead of time in an attempt to make sure history is not repeated.

In the coming days, Youmans will use his team’s balance to its advantage at practice, pitting pitchers Kelsey and Rachel Lang against the bats of Mackensi Swain, Kendall Alligood, Alex Adams and other top offensive performers in organized scrimmages and batting practice.

“Hopefully we’re going to have some time before we go into the tournament to make those adjustments to the faster speed,” Youmans said. “That’s our plan because we really need to see some good pitching before we go into the tournament. It’s going to be a whole new ballgame for everybody.”

Come playoff time, Northside is primed to match up against other eastern powerhouses looking to dethrone the No. 1 team.

One of those squads is Perquimans, a team out of the Coastal Ten Conference that currently sits right behind the Panthers in the Maxpreps rankings. Boasting a 12-1 record, the Pirates also bring a balanced approach to the table, solid pitching with a powerful lineup that’s posted double-digit runs seven times. Like Northside, Perquimans’ strength of schedule has also been a topic of concern, making a potential late-round matchup even more intriguing.

Other squads like Roxboro Community and North Duplin could provide a challenge down the road, but all eyes are on Princeton, which current sits at 12-4 (8-1 Carolina). The Bulldogs have been competitive all season, losing to 2-A North Johnston by one run twice and knocking off a solid Spring Creek team earlier in the season.

“These girls are capable of beating any 1-A team,” Youmans said. “We have top quality athletes capable of hitting the ball and pitching well. I feel real confident going in (to the playoffs), it’s just a matter of being able to adjust to the tougher pitching.”

Northside will face South Creek (6-7, 5-1 Two Rivers) in Robersonville before closing out the season at home on Thursday against rival Southside (6-6, 4-5 Coastal Plains) on Thursday.