2016 Daily News All-Area baseball, softball selections

Published 1:34 pm Monday, June 6, 2016

The spring was an entertaining one for baseball and softball fans. Beaufort County was well represented in the postseason. Washington, Northside and Southside each sent teams to the NCHSAA state championship playoffs. Terra Ceia and Pungo also had teams contending for the NCISAA title.

The softball teams in the area fared particularly well. Washington made program history when the Lady Pack made its first 2-A regional championship. The Lady Panthers of Northside nearly made the 1-A regional championship, but a comeback bid against North Duplin fell just short.

Washington, Northside and Terra Ceia’s baseball teams were led by some talented youth. Southside and Pungo, on the other hand, had plenty of seniors rise to the occasion on the diamond.

The Pam Pack, Seahawks and Panthers all clashed in Northside’s Easter baseball tournament. The weekend affair produced plenty of memorable moments. Southside nearly scooted by Washington, but Tripp Barfield was able to battle back from a 3-0 count to help the Pam Pack hold on for the win.

The championship game between Northside and Washington lasted late into the night. The hosting Panthers led Washington 4-3 and were one out from winning the title. Tyler Harrell lined to right centerfield to spark a five-run, two-out rally by the Pam Pack.

Terra Ceia and Pungo had an excellent clash late in the season, as has come to be expected of their heated rivalry. The Knights traveled to Pungo and topped the Raiders, 4-2. They prided themselves on their improvements throughout the season. The hard work paid off in the form of a win over Pungo and a win in the first round of the playoffs.

In softball, seniors Kendall Alligood and Mackensi Swain spearheaded much of Northside’s dominance. Chrissy and Style McKissick led Washington in a similar way. Both had younger players step up, too. The Lady Panthers and Lady Pack both had all-star junior pitchers in Rachel Lang and Hailey Harris. Neither team had an overwhelming senior contingent and both showed plenty of promise from up-and-comers.

Northside and Washington met in Pinetown in what was the even match expected. The early-season game was tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Emori Smith reached on a single and Savannah Slade took over baserunning duties. Senior Quortasia Clark then followed with the walk-off hit that plated Slade.

Beaufort County proved over the past few months that there’s no shortage of talent. The Washington Daily News would like to honor the following 2016 baseball and softball standouts.

MICHAEL PRUNKA | DAILY NEWS
MIDGAME CONVERSATION: Northside third baseman Zach Woolard and Pam Pack runner Frederick Holscher, both sophomores, chat for a moment during Monday’s title game.

 

FIRST TEAM (BASEBALL)

TRIPP BARFIELD, JR., WASHINGTON

ETHAN COSENTINO, JR., NORTHSIDE

AUSTIN ROSCOE, JR., TERRA CEIA

CHASE NOBLES, SR., SOUTHSIDE

KELLUM CAHOON, SR., PUNGO

MATT BLACK, JR., WASHINGTON

ZACH “LEFTY” WOOLARD, SR., NORTHSIDE

WILL RESPESS, SR., PUNGO

DEMITRIUS EBRON, SO., SOUTHSIDE

CODY GODLEY, JR., WASHINGTON

TYLER HENDRIX, JR., TERRA CEIA

PAUL RADFORD, JR., SOUTHSIDE

LANDON WOOLARD, SR., PUNGO

MATTHEW MARSLENDER, SO., NORTHSIDE

JOHANNES VAN ESSENDELFT, SO., TERRA CEIA

MICHAEL PRUNKA | DAILY NEWS
SLIDING INTO HISTORY: Hailey Harris slides into home in a game against Northern Nash early in the season. Her skills at the plate and pitching helped Washington reach historic heights this season.

 

FIRST TEAM (SOFTBALL)

HAILEY HARRIS, JR., WASHINGTON

MCKENZIE SWAIN, SR., NORTHSIDE

CHRISSY MCKISSICK, SR., WASHINGTON

KENDALL ALLIGOOD, SR., NORTHSIDE

SYMONE RUFFIN, SO., SOUTHSIDE

STYLE MCKISSICK, SR., WASHINGTON

RACHEL LANG, JR., NORTHSIDE

ALYSSA MCLAWHORN, FR., SOUTHSIDE

WHITNEY CROMWELL, SO., NORTHSIDE

MEGHAN MOORE, JR., WASHINGTON

MAGGIE CRAIG, FR., SOUTHSIDE

JORDAN PIERCE, JR., WASHINGTON

TAYLOR LANGLEY, JR., SOUTHSIDE

TIFFANY OLIVER, JR., NORTHSIDE

DANIELLE RUFFIN, SO., SOUTHSIDE

 

SECOND TEAM (BASEBALL)

FREDRICK HOLSCHER, SO., WASHINGTON

PARKER BOYD, SO., NORTHSIDE

LAWRENCE BROAN, SR., SOUTHSIDE

NEILL JENNINGS, SR., WASHINGTON

JONATHAN LANGLEY, JR., PUNGO

HUNTER SPARKS, JR., SOUTHSIDE

DANLEL THOMAS, SR., PUNGO

LOGAN LITTLE, JR., WASHINGTON

ALEX VAN STAALDUINEN, 8TH GRADE, TERRA CEIA

BROCK MARSH, JR., NORTHSIDE

JOSH CRANCE, SR., SOUTHSIDE

CHASE FURLOUGH, SR., TERRA CEIA

TANNER ALLIGOOD, SO., NORTHSIDE

QUENTIN VAN ESSENDELFT, JR., TERRA CEIA

ARCHER JOHNSON, JR., PUNGO

MICHAEL PRUNKA | DAILY NEWS
PATIENTLY WAITING: Mackensi Swain sits back at the plate during Northside’s second-round playoff game at South Creek. She hit a grand slam in the fourth inning of what ended up being a lopsided victory.

 

SECOND TEAM (SOFTBALL)

SARAH LYNCH, JR., WASHINGTON

SAVANNAH SLADE, SO., NORTHSIDE

MARY B. DIXON, SO., WASHINGTON

EMORI SMITH, SO., NORTHSIDE

ALEXIS PREECE, SR., SOUTHSIDE

JADA LODGE, JR., WASHINGTON

GRACIE WARREN, JR., SOUTHSIDE

MARIAH STANLEY, SR., NORTHSIDE

BRILEY WATERS, JR., WASHINGTON

HANNAH PARAMORE, SO., SOUTHSIDE

QUORTASIA CLARK, SR., NORTHSIDE

GLORIA VALDEZ, FR., SOUTHSIDE

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS (BASEBALL)

NICK CRISP, JR., NORTHSIDE

CHRIS SULC, SO., WASHINGTON

DYLAN LEWIS, SR., SOUTHSIDE

LOGAN WINSTEAD, SR., WASHINGTON

CHASE SAULS, SR., NORTHSIDE

DAKOTA MODLIN, SO., SOUTHSIDE

ZACH WOOLARD, SO., NORTHSIDE