CHAPEL HILL – The field is set for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Softball Championships, beginning Wednesday, May 11, 2016 and concluding with the four State Championship series on Friday & Saturday, June 3-4.
The field features 64 teams in each of the Association’s four classifications. The first four rounds of the tournament are single elimination at the higher seed, followed by a best-of-three regional series and best-of-three state championship series. You can follow the Softball State Championship on social media using the official NCHSAA hashtag #NCHSAASB.
LAST YEAR’S CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
The 1A Championship saw North Duplin bounce back from a game one loss to Hiwassee Dam to take a tight game two 2-1, forcing game three thanks to a two-hitter spun by Haley Brogden. Sophomore Rylee Pate stepped up in game three, pitching effectively in relief and chipping in a couple hits to lift the Lady Rebels to a 7-3 victory in game three. Pate was named the series M.V.P. as she helped North Duplin win the first fast-pitch softball state championship in school history.
South Granville swept the 2A state title from Forbush with a 2-1 victory in 11 innings in game one followed by a 4-3 game two win to clinch. The Lady Vikings and the school’s baseball team each were successful in their bids for championships on the weekend. Vikings junior shortstop Hunter Mundy hit two home runs in the decisive game and was named the series’ Most Valuable Player. The championship was the school’s first softball title since 1998.
The Enka Sugar Jets swept past Northern Guilford in the 3A series to claim the school’s second fast-pitch state championship and the first since 1996. Jordan Harris had three hits, including a home run and drove in a pair in game one as the Sugar Jets improved to 27-0 with a 5-1 win. Harris added another two hits in game two, including three RBI’s as she set an Enka single season record for RBI’s in a season while the Sugar Jets shut out the Nighthawks 10-0 in game two.
D.H. Conley stormed back with back-to-back shut outs of North Davidson after losing game one to the Black Knights 3-2 in the 4A state title series. Conley took game two by a 5-0 count before nipping North Davidson 1-0 to clinch the crown. It was the third state title for D.H. Conley in school history in the sport. Emily Kirby threw a two-hit shut out in game three to secure the title for the Vikings.
FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
4A
EAST
#1 – Cape Fear (22-0) vs. #32 – Leesville Road (7-9)
#16 – South Central (15-6) vs. #17 – Harnett Central (15-7)
#8 – East Chapel Hill (11-7) vs. #25 – Lumberton (13-9)
#9 – Apex (15-3) vs. #24 – Middle Creek (13-8)
#5 – Fuquay-Varina (16-3) vs. #28 – Green Hope (10-9)
#12 – Jack Britt (13-6) vs. #21 – Person (9-10)
#13 – Northern Durham (10-10) vs. #20 Wakefield (13-7)
#4 – Heritage (18-3) vs. #29 Millbrook (10-10)
#3 – Garner (19-3) vs. #30 – Cardinal Gibbons (10-10)
#14 – Hoggard (18-4) vs. #19 – Holly Springs (13-7)
#6 – Southern Alamance (17-5) vs. #27 – Purnell Swett (12-9)
#11 – Wake Forest (17-5) vs. #22 – Panther Creek (15-6)
#7 – Laney (15-6) vs. #26 – New Bern (12-9)
#10 – West Johnston (18-4) vs. #23 – Rolesville (14-8)
#15 – Hoke County (15-6) vs. #18 – South View (14-7)
#2 – D.H. Conley (20-2) vs. #31 – East Wake (10-11)
WEST
#1 – North Davidson (22-0) vs. #32 – Scotland (8-10)
#16 – Southeast Guilford (13-8) vs. #17 – Providence (15-5)
#8 – McDowell (14-7) vs. #25 – T.C. Roberson (11-10)
#9 – South Caldwell (14-7) vs. #24 – Mallard Creek (12-10)
#5 – A.L. Brown (19-3) vs. #28 – Myers Park (9-9)
#12 – Olympic (17-5) vs. #21 – Page (14-8)
#13 – Hough (13-7) vs. #20 – Davie (14-8)
#4 – Northwest Guilford (16-2) vs. #29 – North Mecklenburg (10-11)
#3 – Alexander Central (20-2) vs. #30 – Reagan (9-10)
#14 – Glenn (14-8) vs. #19 – Mooresville (14-6)
#6 – Richmond (17-4) vs. #27 – Ardrey Kell (11-11)
#11 – Pinecrest (15-3) vs. #22 – Independence (13-9)
#7 – Porter Ridge (17-4) vs. #26 – Parkland (9-9)
#10 – West Forsyth (20-2) vs. #23 – Southwest Guilford (12-10)
#15 – Butler (14-8) vs. #18 – Hopewell (13-5)
#2 – Charlotte Catholic (21-1) vs. #31 – Lake Norman (8-10)
3A
EAST
#1 – C.B. Aycock (22-0) vs. #32 – Southern Wayne (7-13)
#16 – Triton (10-10) vs. #17 – Richlands (11-11)
#8 – Orange (20-2) vs. #25 – Fike (11-9)
#9 – Eastern Alamance (18-3) vs. #24 – Western Alamance (9-9)
#5 – West Carteret (17-3) vs. #28 – Williams (12-10)
#12 – Cleveland (14-6) vs. #21 – Douglas Byrd (11-7)
#13 – Hunt (9-6) vs. #20 – Cedar Ridge (14-6)
#4 – Lee County (18-3) vs. #29 – Northeast Guilford (11-11)
#3 – Topsail (19-3) vs. #30 – Chapel Hill (8-10)
#14 – Morehead (15-6) vs. #19 – Union Pines (7-15)
#6 – Northern Nash (13-5) vs. #27 – Western Harnett (12-10)
#11 – Grays Creek (14-6) vs. #22 Havelock (12-8)
#7 – South Johnston (13-8) vs. #26 – Corinth Holders (11-9)
#10 – Swansboro (17-5) vs. #23 – West Brunswick (13-9)
#15 – J.F. Webb (14-8) vs. #18 – Southern Nash (8-11)
#2 – Northwood (18-2) vs. #31 – West Craven (8-11)
WEST
#1 – South Point (18-1) vs. #32 – Kings Mountain (7-13)
#16 – Southwestern Randolph (10-11) vs. #17 – West Rowan (16-5)
#8 – Crest (16-4) vs. #25 – South Iredell (14-8)
#9 – Cuthbertson (16-5) vs. #24 – Piedmont (14-7)
#5 – Enka (18-3) vs. #28 – Forestview (11-11)
#12 – A.C. Reynolds (14-6) vs. #21 – Central Cabarrus (17-5)
#13 – Cox Mill (14-6) vs. #20 – Central Davidson (10-12)
#4 – Northern Guilford (19-3) vs. #29 – North Henderson (10-12)
#3 – Ledford (19-3) vs. #30 – North Lincoln (8-10)
#14 – Sun Valley (15-7) vs. #19 – North Gaston (13-7)
#6 – Pisgah (18-4) vs. #27 – Freedom (12-10)
#11 – Foard (18-4) vs. #22 – St. Stephens (15-7)
#7 – Hickory Ridge (18-4) vs. #26 – Western Guilford (12-10)
#10 – West Iredell (14-5) vs. #23 – East Rowan (15-7)
#15 – Tuscola (13-7) vs. #18 – Marvin Ridge (16-6)
#2 – Hibriten (20-2) vs. #31 – West Henderson (9-13)
2A
EAST
#1 – Jordan-Matthews (20-1) vs. #32 – Southwest Onslow (9-13)
#16 – North Brunswick (11-9) vs. #17 – Beddingfield (17-3)
#8 – North Johnston (15-7) vs. #25 – Midway (13-8)
#9 – West Bladen (14-8) vs. #24 – Franklinton (11-6)
#5 – Currituck County (15-4) vs. #28 – Northside-Jacksonville (9-10)
#12 – Washington (15-6) vs. #21 – First Flight (9-8)
#13 – Randleman (15-7) vs. #20 – North Lenoir (12-6)
#4 – East Duplin (19-3) vs. #29 – Northeastern (7-8)
#3 – Eastern Randolph (20-2) vs. #30 – Trinity (10-12)
#14 – John A. Holmes (15-7) vs. #19 – Roanoke Rapids (14-6)
#6 – South Lenoir (16-6) vs. #27 – SouthWest Edgecombe (11-11)
#11 – Greene Central (18-3) vs. #22 – Graham (10-10)
#7 – South Columbus (15-6) vs. #26 – Red Springs (12-9)
#10 – Bunn (17-2) vs. #23 – Dixon (10-12)
#15 – Bartlett Yancey (13-7) vs. #18 – Providence Grove (16-6)
#2 – South Granville (18-1) vs. #31 – Farmville Central (9-12)
WEST
#1 – West Stanly (21-1) vs. #32 – Thomasville (9-12)
#16 – South Stokes (10-12) vs. #17 – West Stokes (13-8)
#8 – Lake Norman Charter (14-5) vs. #25 – East Burke (13-9)
#9 – Brevard (13-9) vs. #24 – Newton-Conover (11-7)
#5 – R-S Central (19-2) vs. #28 – Wheatmore (10-10)
#12 – Owen (13-5) vs. #21 – Salisbury (6-14)
#13 – West Davidson (13-5) vs. #20 – Mount Pleasant (11-11)
#4 – West Lincoln (17-1) vs. #29 – Franklin (9-9)
#3 – Madison (20-1) vs. #30 – Surry Central (11-11)
#14 – East Rutherford (15-7) vs. #19 – Polk County (13-8)
#6 – West Wilkes (18-3) vs. #27 – Forest Hills (10-9)
#11 – Bunker Hill (15-3) vs. #22 – Stuart Cramer (17-5)
#7 – East Davidson (18-4) vs. #26 – Smoky Mountain (12-9)
#10 – Parkwood (16-3) vs. #23 – Draughn (14-8)
#15 – Wilkes Central (11-6) vs. #18 – Maiden (13-8)
#2 – Forbush (21-1) vs. #31 – East Lincoln (10-10)
1A
EAST
#1 – Princeton (16-1) vs. #32 – Northampton County (4-9)
#16 – East Columbus (15-7) vs. #17 – Pender (14-8)
#8 – East Carteret (16-3) vs. #25 – Southside (8-9)
#9 – Camden County (15-3) vs. #24 – Bear Grass Charter School (9-9)
#5 – East Wake Academy (16-2) vs. #28 – Spring Creek (6-11)
#12 – Pamlico County (12-7) vs. #21 – Jones Senior (11-7)
#13 – Franklin Academy (8-5) vs. #20 – Rosewood (7-11)
#4 – Perquimans (17-2) vs. #29 – Lakewood (6-11)
#3 – South Creek (19-2) vs. #30 – Weldon (4-8)
#14 – Northside-Pinetown (15-5) vs. #19 – Tarboro (11-11)
#6 – Louisburg (17-3) vs. #27 – Wallace-Rose Hill (8-12)
#11 – Riverside-Martin (15-7) vs. #22 – Hobbton (10-8)
#7 – North Duplin (16-3) vs. #26 – KIPP Pride (6-7)
#10 – Granville Central (14-5) vs. #23 – Gates County (10-8)
#15 – Manteo (14-6) vs. #18 – Oxford Preparatory (10-7)
#2 – Trask (20-2) vs. #31 – Mattamuskeet (5-11)
WEST
#1 – Hiwassee Dam (22-0) vs. #32 – Union Academy (6-12)
#16 – Gray Stone Day (12-9) vs. #17 – Roxboro Community (8-8)
#8 – Avery County (11-8) vs. #25 – Andrews (8-8)
#9 – East Surry (18-4) vs. #24 – Swain County (10-9)
#5 – North Stanly (17-3) vs. #28 – South Davidson (7-10)
#12 – Robbinsville (13-9) vs. #21 – Hayesville (9-7)
#13 – West Montgomery (11-10) vs. #20 – River Mill Academy (8-6)
#4 – Lincoln Charter (17-3) vs. #29 – Thomas Jefferson Academy (5-8)
#3 – North Stokes (17-1) vs. #30 – Highland Tech (6-10)
#14 – Rosman (14-7) vs. #19 – Walkertown (9-13)
#6 – Elkin (13-6) vs. #27 – Pine Lake Prep (7-10)
#11 – Bessemer City (12-4) vs. #22 – South Robeson (11-9)
#7 – Chatham Central (13-7) vs. #26 – Uwharrie Charter Academy (7-9)
#10 – South Stanly (17-5) vs. #23 – East Wilkes (12-10)
#15 – Cherryville (13-9) vs. #18 – North Moore (8-11)
#2 – Whiteville (23-1) vs. #31 – Starmount (7-13)