Jim Kozuch, Washington

Washington enjoyed plenty of success this past season in boys’ soccer and golf. Jim Kozuch led both teams to becoming state-championship contenders. Under his watch, the soccer team rolled through the regular season. The Pam Pack’s lone loss came against a top-ranked First Flight team.

The boys came up short in their state-championship showdown with Salisbury, marking only their second loss of the season.

In the spring, Kozuch helped lead a talented Washington golf team to another appearance in the state championship. The Pam Pack finished eighth.

Kozuch was named Eastern Plains Conference coach of the year for soccer and golf.

 

Jeff Carrow, Southside

Football season at Southside started with a bang. Jeff Carrow led the Seahawks to a 50-0 win over North Duplin to start the season. They never looked back as Southside rolled through almost all its competition en route to the 1-A Eastern Regional Championship.

After playing at home for the first three rounds, Southside traveled to top-seeded Plymouth to fight for a trip to the state championship. The Seahawks came up short, 17-12, but hung with a team that had spent most the season steamrolling its opponents. Plymouth advanced to the title game and won it.

The season was Southside’s best in about a decade.

 

Ralph Biggs, Washington

Ralph Biggs had a strong season in his first year as Washington’s girls’ basketball coach. The Lady Pack had finished under .500, but showed plenty of improvement throughout the season — a true mark of what Biggs brings to the program.

The Lady Pack nearly knocked off eventual state champion North Pitt in the Eastern Plains Conference tournament. The Lady Panthers just barely claimed the win thanks to a last-second shot.

Biggs was named the league’s coach of the year, beating out North Pitt coach Neal Carr, who led the Lady Panthers to a 30-1 state-championship season.

 

Riley Youmans, Northside

In his second year at the helm, Riley Youmans once again took a talented group of Lady Panthers and made a run at the state championship. They made it to the title series last season, but ran into a strong North Duplin team.

With that memory still stinging, Northside had every intention of earning a rematch with the reigning champions. The Lady Panthers had their wish granted when they met North Duplin again this year. However, North Duplin came out on the winning end again, handing Northside a fourth-round exit.

While a championship again eluded Northside’s grasp, Youmans was instrumental in a successful year and helped continue the legacy of greatness for the softball program.

 

Roger Klaassen, Terra Ceia

Terra Ceia enjoyed plenty of success throughout the winter and spring. The school’s basketball team became one of the most exciting in the entire county as coach Roger Klaassen led a dream team of sorts to a 25-6 season. The Knights had classic showdowns with Northside, Pungo and many others.

Come spring time, Klaassen transitioned from the bench to the dugout. The Knights posted a modest 12-9 record that included a trip to the second round of the playoffs.