By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
Several area teams will continue their quest for a state championship when the state basketball playoffs tip off Monday.
The boys tournament gets started Monday while the girls will begin tourney action Tuesday.
The Washington Lady Pam Pack earned a wild-card entry in the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3A bracket. Coach Allison Jones and her Pam Pack squad, 9-13 during the regular season, will travel to Wilson to face the Beddingfield Bruins in Tuesday’s opening-round game.
Jones said getting to the postseason is a nice reward for her short-handed squad.
The eighth-ranked Bruins, 23-3 overall, are the top seed out of the Eastern Carolina Conference.
The winner will face the survivor between Hertford (7-13, Northeastern Coastal Conference second seed) and West Carteret (15-10, No. 3 seed in Coastal Conference) in Thursday’s second round.
1A BOYS
The top-seeded Mattamuskeet Lakers and Roanoke Redskins, along with the second-seeded Williamston Tigers and Creswell Tigers earned home playoff games on Monday. Meanwhile, Northside, Plymouth, Jamesville and Columbia will be on the road.
The Lakers (16-4), the Tideland Conference regular-season and tournament champions, play host to the Plymouth Vikings (12-7), the third seed out of the Albemarle Conference.
Williamston (9-15), the No. 2 seed out of the Atlantic Conference and the conference tournament champions, plays host to the West Columbus Vikings (13-10), the No. 2 seed from the Southeastern Conference. The Mattamuskeet-Plymouth winner squares off with the Williamston-West Columbus winner in Wednesday’s second round.
Roanoke (14-12) won the Atlantic Conference regular-season title. The Redskins will be home Monday against the East Carteret Mariners (8-14), a wild-card entry.
Creswell (20-5), the second-place finisher from the Tideland Conference, welcomes Louisburg into town. The Warriors (15-10) are the third seed from the Tar Roanoke Conference.
The Roanoke-East Carteret survivor faces the Creswell-Louisburg victor in the second round.
The Northside Panthers (10-15), the third seed in the Atlantic Conference, begin the playoffs at Perquimans. The Pirates (16-9) are the second seed out of the Albemarle Conference.
Jamesville travels to Weldon for its first-round game. The Bullets (8-12) are the Tideland Conference’s fourth seed while the Chargers (23-1) are the Tar Roanoke’s top seed.
The Northside-Perquimans winner battles the Jamesville-Weldon survivor on Wednesday.
The Columbia Wildcats (15-8), the third seed in the Tideland Conference, face the Southeast Halifax Trojans (12-13), the Tar Roanoke’s second seed, in the first round. The winner takes on the survivor between Camden (22-3, Albemarle Conference top seed) and Northampton-West (11-13, Tar Roanoke fourth seed).
1A GIRLS
Williamston, led by future East Carolina Lady Pirate Katie Paschal, is the only area team to earn a top seed on the girls side. The Lady Tigers (21-1), ranked fifth in the latest state poll, open tournament action Tuesday at home against the Northampton-West Hurricanes (7-14), a wild-card entry.
A Williamston victory lands them a date with either the Creswell Tigers or Northampton-East Rams in Thursday’s second round. Creswell (12-6), the No. 2 seed in the Tideland Conference, plays host to the Rams (10-14, No. 3 seed Tar Roanoke Conference) on Tuesday.
Coach Bill Lake’s Southside Lady Seahawks will also be home for the first round. Southside (15-8), the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Conference, faces the South Robeson Mustangs (10-9), the No. 2 seed out of the Southeastern Conference.
The winner takes on the survivor between the Paxton Gwin-led Cape Hatteras Hurricanes (21-2), the top seed in the Tideland Conference, and the Camden Bruins (5-18), the third seed in the Albemarle Conference.
Roanoke (14-11), the third seed in the Atlantic Conference, travels to Perquimans (13-13), the Albemarle Conference’s second seed, on Tuesday. The survivor faces the winner between Weldon (22-2, Tar Roanoke top seed) and Columbia (7-16, Tideland Conference fourth seed) on Thursday.
Jamesville (14-10), the third seed from the Tideland Conference, travels to Gates County. The Red Barons (14-13) are the second seed in the Tar Roanoke Conference. The winner takes on the survivor between Manteo (21-5, Albemarle Conference top seed) and North Edgecombe (11-14, Tar Roanoke fourth seed) in the second round.
NCHSAA State Playoffs
Class 1A
Monday’s Games
6 p.m. – West Columbus at Williamston
7 p.m. – East Carteret at Roanoke
7 p.m. – Northside at Perquimans
7 p.m. – Plymouth at Mattamuskeet
7 p.m. – Louisburg at Creswell
7 p.m. – Jamesville at Weldon
7 p.m. – Columbia at Southeast Halifax
GIRLS
Tuesday’s Games
Class 3A
7 p.m. – Washington at Wilson Beddingfield
Class 1A
7 p.m. – South Robeson at Southside
7 p.m. – Northampton-West at Williamston
7 p.m. – Roanoke at Perquimans
7 p.m. – Jamesville at Gates County
7 p.m. – Northampton-East at Creswell
7 p.m. – Columbia at Weldon