NCHSAA Softball Playoff Roundup: Three area teams remain after second round
4 min read
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association softball playoffs are in full swing as the WJG Sports area got nine teams in. Here’s how they have fared so far.
South Johnston (21-1)
South Johnston earned the two seed in the 3-A East and will be at home until a potential state title bout. The Trojans continued their dominant march with a first round romp of 31-seed Terry Sanford, 16-0 Tuesday. South then followed it up with a 3-1 win over their biggest rivals, Triton, behind junior Meagan Worley’s three run homer in the third inning. It was just Worely’s second homer of the season. Senior pitcher Kennedy Byrd has been in playoff mode for the last three weeks it seems, as she’s allowed just four runs in their last six games. The Trojans will host Harnett Central (21-5) on Tuesday with a time to be determined. Of note, South Johnston is 12-0 at home and Harnett Central’s lone conference loss this season was to Triton.
Clayton (17-5)
Clayton earned the five seed in the 4-A East, and have seemed to start peaking at the right time as their current six-game winning streak is their longest streak this season. The Comets won their first round playoff matchup versus Broughton, 4-0, behind a masterclass from Kaylyn Kyle on the mound who pitched a complete game, two hitter with 16 strikeouts. The senior Gardner Webb signee also went 2-2 at the plate with a walk and a RBI. Clayton also got a 2-for-3 night from junior Kendall London who had a double, an RBI and scored two runs. The Comets then needed a walk off in the eighth inning versus Apex, as they won 3-2. Clayton will now be looking for revenge in round three versus Gray’s Creek who upended them back in March, 5-3. The 13-seeded Bears (20-6) beat the four-seed, which allows Clayton to host the rematch. Game time for Tuesday’s contest is to be determined.
Cleveland (14-6)
Cleveland earned the 14-seed in the 4-A East after stumbling through the back half of conference play as they went 4-3 in their last seven games before the postseason. But the Rams started the postseason off with a bang as they slammed 19-seed Apex Friendship, 14-0. Cleveland was then sent on the road to play the three-seed Topsail. The Rams won 7-5. Cleveland will face six-seeded Panther Creek on Tuesday with time to be determined. One of Panther Creek’s two losses is against Garner — a team Cleveland beat in conference play. Panther Creek also played Corinth Holders in round one and won, 5-1, while the Rams beat Corinth Holders twice by a combined margin of 24 runs.
Princeton (18-3)
Princeton earned the five-seed in the 2-A East after rolling through the Neuse 6 undefeated. The Bulldogs rolled past Farmville Central, 14-4 in round one. But Princeton could not keep up the pace against East Duplin in round two and fell, 8-2. The Bulldogs won their 19th conference championship in the last 20 years under first-year head coach and alumna Charley Cox and only lose two seniors heading into next season.
West Johnston (16-5)
West Johnston earned the 16 seed in the 3-A East. The Wildcats hosted Swansboro in round one and made a sixth-inning comeback to tie the game. West would walk it off in the seventh inning to win, 3-2. The Wildcats luck did not continue in round two as they faced the one seed, Eastern Alamance. West held the Eagles scoreless for 7 innings, but gave up the walkoff run in the bottom of the eighth to lose, 1-0. The Wildcats will return all but one player next season.
Other Playoff Results
Corinth Holders finished their season 9-12 with a first round playoff loss to Panther Creek, 5-1. C.B. Aycock turned in a 13-10 season record after losing to Western Alamance, 11-1, in the first round. Southern Wayne lost to Scotland, 9-1, to end its season at 9-11. North Johnston blew a 3-0 lead against former conference rival Nash Central, as they lost 5-4. The Panthers finish the season 8-8. Spring Creek’s bounce-back season finished with a 21-0 loss to Roanoke Rapids. Spring Creek finished at 10-10.




















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