Northside did well to represent Beaufort County once volleyball playoffs rolled around in late October. The 19th-seeded Lady Panthers hit the road for Princeton in the first round. They dropped the first set, but rattled off three wins in a row — including a 27-25 victory in the fourth set — to advance.

They were swept by defending regional champion and third-ranked Louisburg in the second round. Louisburg went on to make it all the way to the eastern semifinal.

Northside was the only team Beaufort County team to qualify for the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs. Both Washington and Southside finished well below .500.

The season did feature highly competitive matches between the three squads. Northside and Washington had one of the most thrilling contests in recent memory when the Lady Panthers escaped Lady Pack territory with a 3-2 win. The Lady Seahawks also took it to Northside at home, despite falling 3-1.

 

FIRST TEAM:

SAVANNAH SLADE, HITTER, NORTHSIDE

Savannah Slade was one of the driving forces for all of the success Northside earned this season. The combination of her athleticism and power hitting the ball was the fuel that made the Lady Panthers’ offense go. She also brought valuable leadership as one of six seniors.

 

SYMONE RUFFIN, HITTER, SOUTHSIDE

Like Slade, Symone Ruffin brought a combination of speed and strength. It gave her versatility to not only finish plays, but also to get to balls for digs that kept plays alive. After years of being a go-to player for the Lady Seahawks, Ruffin’s chemistry with the likes of Hannah Paramore and Danielle Ruffin was at an all-time high.

 

SUMMER CAMPBELL, HITTER, WASHINGTON

Coach Kendall Hihn said there was one game this past season in which Summer Campbell scored about 14 points in a row to lead Washington to a win. Campbell was undoubtedly a leader on a relatively young Lady Pack squad. She excelled hitting the ball and was able to contribute about anywhere on the floor.

 

GRACE ARMSTRONG, BLOCKER, NORTHSIDE

Grace Armstrong’s presence in the middle proved one of the most valuable parts of Northside’s lineup. The sophomore stood out despite the Lady Panthers boasting a plethora of experienced hitters. Besides hitting the ball, Armstrong’s best contribution to the team was her defensive blocking.

 

ELISA WILKINS, SETTER, WASHINGTON

Washington could have been in some trouble when senior setter Kelli Cooper suffered an injury. Sophomore Elisa Wilkins stepped right up and into the vacant role. She displayed chemistry with fellow sophomore Emme Davis — who also slotted into a vital role with the Lady Pack — and Campbell.

 

ABBY MOORING, LIBERO, NORTHSIDE

Abby Mooring was one of the most defensively responsible players in the entire county. Northside’s senior libero shouldered a lot of the load in that phase of the game. Even when the sheer talent and strength of Louisburg’s hitters overwhelmed the Lady Panthers, Mooring never failed to pursue each ball when she was on the court.

SECOND TEAM:

EMME DAVIS, HITTER, WASHINGTON

BROOKLYN HUDNELL, HITTER, NORTHSIDE

JORDAN PRESCOTT, HITTER, WASHINGTON

EMORI SMITH, BLOCKER, NORTHSIDE

JESSICA FOSTER, SETTER, NORTHSIDE

MACKENZIE SEILER, LIBERO, WASHINGTON

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

HANNAH ASHBY, HITTER, SOUTHSIDE

SYDNEY WALKER, HITTER, WASHINGTON

JACQUELINE WOOD, HITTER, SOUTHSIDE

DANIELLE RUFFIN, HITTER, SOUTHSIDE

HANNAH PARAMORE, HITTER, SOUTHSIDE

MICHAELA DIXON, BLOCKER, SOUTHSIDE

MORGAN HOPKINS, SETTER, NORTHSIDE

DARAH COLE, SETTER, SOUTHSIDE

HANNAH RESPASS, SETTER, WASHINGTON

SAVANNAH EDWARDS, LIBERO, SOUTHSIDE