By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Five area volleyball teams knew they were getting into the playoffs, and one was left crossing their fingers. Southside became the sixth entry after receiving a wild-card berth.
The first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 1-A state volleyball playoffs serves up Saturday. Two teams — the Jamesville Bullets and Williamston Tigers — earned home playoff games. Southside, Northside, Bear Grass and Columbia will be on the road.
Northside (9-10), the fifth seed from the Four Rivers Conference, earned its way into the playoffs thanks to a dramatic five-game win over Southside in the final game of the regular season. The Tami Wagaman-led Panthers will travel to Dixon, where they will face the Bulldogs (11-4), the Coastal Plains Conference champions. The match is slated for a 7 p.m. start.
The Northside-Dixon winner faces the Bear Grass-Southeast Halifax survivor in Tuesday’s second round. The Bears (10-9), coached by David Eubanks, are the third seed out of the Tideland Conference, while the Trojans (15-2) are the Tar-Roanoke Conference’s No. 2 seed.
The Seahawks (13-9) thought they were done for the year, but a wild-card entry kept coach Elizabeth Pruden’s streak alive of never missing the postseason.
Southside will travel to Princeton, where they will take on the Bulldogs (16-5), the Carolina Conference champions. The match is set for a 3 p.m. start.
The Southside-Princeton winner battles the Lakewood-West Columbus survivor in Tuesday’s second round. The Lakewood Leopards (18-3) are the Tri-County Conference No. 2 seed, while the West Columbus Vikings (3-15) are the No. 3 seed from the Three Rivers Conference.
Jamesville (17-1), led by Carrie Jones, earned a home playoff game thanks to winning the Tideland Conference regular-season and conference championship. The Bullets, winners of 13 straight, will take on the Northampton-West Hurricanes (5-10), the fourth seed out of the Tar-Roanoke Conference.
Coach Herbie Rogers directed his Williamston Tigers (17-3) to a second seed in the Four Rivers Conference. The Tigers will face the Pamlico Hurricanes (8-12), the No. 3 seed in the Coastal Plains Conference. The match will begin at 3 p.m.
The Jamesville-Northampton-West winner faces the Williamston-Pamlico winner in the second round on Tuesday.
The Columbia Wildcats (6-16), the fourth seed from the Tideland Conference, travels to Gates County, where they will battle the Red Barons (19-4), the Tar-Roanoke Conference champions.