By By Kevin Travis, Sports Editor
The Washington Pam Pack was one of three area teams to secure a berth in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association soccer playoffs, as the NCHSAA brackets were released on Monday morning.
Despite having a better record, Washington (12-6-1), the No. 2 seed in the Coastal Conference, plays at White Oak (10-10-2), the No. 2 seed in the Mideastern Conference, in the opening round of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs. The contest is set to kick off today at 6:30 p.m.
White Oak earned the home playoff game based on seeding priority.
The winner faces the survivor between Northern Nash (18-3-2), the top seed in the New 6 Conference, and Wilson Beddingfield (7-12-2), the fourth seed in the Eastern Carolina Conference, in the second round.
The Washington and White Oak contest will be a preview of things to come, as the two enter the same conference next year once re-alignment takes place.
Washington hasn’t won a playoff game since 2004, when it picked up a 6-1 win over Wilson Beddingfield in the first round. The Pack was knocked out of the playoffs in the second round with a 2-1 loss to West Carteret.
The Pam Pack faltered in the first round a year ago, losing 6-1 to Jacksonville, and also couldn’t get out of the opening round in 2006, suffering a 4-0 defeat to Wilson Hunt.
In NCHSAA 1-A playoff action, the Northside Panthers and Williamston Tigers, both out of the Atlantic Conference, qualified for the playoffs as wild-card entries. Both will be on the road for first-round games on Wednesday beginning at 7 p.m.
Coach Billy Bunn’s Northside Panthers (8-5) will play in Holly Ridge at Dixon (10-7-4), the No. 2 seed in the Coastal Plains Conference.
The Tigers (11-8) will play at James Kenan (9-5-2), the top seed in the Super Six Conference.
The Northside-Dixon and Williamston-James Kenan winners will square off in the second round.
Northside fell 9-1 to Hobbton in 2007 in its only other playoff appearance, while Williamston has suffered first-round exits the last four years, including a 3-1 loss to North Johnston last season.