6 teams from Greater Hickory area have a shot at a state title
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
Six high school baseball teams from Greater Hickory area conferences earned spots in the state playoffs that begin on Tuesday.
After giving schools an extra day through Saturday to complete the regular season, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) bracketed for the postseason on Sunday and these teams from the South Fork 2A, Northwestern Foothills 2A and Northwestern 3A-4A got in:
2A
— Northwestern Foothills 2A champion Bunker Hill (13-1) gained the No. 4 seed and a first game at home against No. 13 Forbush (9-5). If the Bears win, they next play No. 12 Fred T. Foard or No. 5 West Wilkes in Claremont.
Bunker Hill’s only loss was June 8 at home, 6-1 to Fred T. Foard.
— Northwestern Foothills 2A runner-up Fred T. Foard (12-2) is seeded No. 12 and goes to No. 5 West Wilkes (14-0). If the Tigers win, they next play at No. 4 Bunker Hill or at home against No. 13 Forbush.
Foard’s losses are 8-4 at Patton on June 2 and 6-0 to Bunker Hill last Thursday at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
— South Fork 2A champion East Lincoln (13-1) is a No. 9 seed, going to No. 8 West Stokes (10-2) in the first round. If the Mustangs win, they will next play at No. 1 North Davidson or at home against No. 16 Ledford.
East Lincoln’s only loss came on May 25, 5-2 at Maiden.
— South Fork 2A runner-up North Lincoln (11-3), the defending 2A champion, is seeded No. 11 and plays first at No. 6 R-S Central (12-2). If the Knights win, they’ll next face No. 3 Canton Pisgah on the road or No. 14 South Point at North Lincoln.
North Lincoln’s losses are May 11 at home to East Lincoln (7-4), May 14 at East Lincoln (8-1) and June 4 at Lincolnton (3-0).
3A
— After a second-place finish in the Northwestern 3A-4A, St. Stephens (9-3) is seeded No. 2 and will open at home against No. 15 Carson (9-4).
If the Indians win, there second-round opponent will be No 10 Asheville or No. 7 Cuthbertson in Hickory.
St. Stephens fell May 18 at home against McDowell (5-3), June 4 at home against Hickory (9-5) and June 7 at home against Freedom (8-3).
4A
— McDowell won the Northwestern 3A-4A title and had the league’s best 4A record, earning that spot. The Titans (12-1) are seeded No. 2 and open at home against No. 15 Olympic (9-5).
McDowell has won 10 straight games since its only loss of the season, 2-1 at home to South Caldwell on May 5.
If McDowell wins, it will battle No. 10 Ardrey Kell or No. 7 Porter Ridge in Marion.
STATE BASEBAL PLAYOFF PAIRINGS
(First round games on Tuesday)
1A
EAST
No. 1 Perquimans (12-2) vs. No. 16 Ocracoke (7-4)
No. 8 E. Columbus (6-3) vs. No. 9 Hobbton (9-2)
No. 5 Roxboro Community (6-4) vs. No. 12 Edenton Holmes (11-3)
No. 4 Bear Grass Charter (11-1) vs. No. 13 N. Duplin (6-5)
No. 3 E. Carteret (11-3) vs. No. 14 W. Columbus (7-6)
No. 6 Tarboro (7-4) vs. No. 11 Princeton (8-5)
No. 7 Rosewood (11-2) vs. No. 10 E. Wake Academy (7-2)
No. 2 Granville Central (7-7) vs. No. 15 Voyager Academy (5-2)
WEST
No. 1 Hayesville (13-1) vs. No. 16 Christ the King (9-5)
No. 8 Mountain Island Charter (10-2) vs. No. 9 N. Stanly (8-4)
No. 5 Cornerstone Charter (10-1) vs. No. 12 Lincoln Charter (12-1)
No. 4 Polk County (8-6) vs. No. 13 N. Moore (8-4)
No. 3 Uwharrie Charter (10-1) vs. No. 14 Chatham Charter (10-2)
No. 6 Starmount (12-2) vs. No. 11 Murphy (12-2)
No. 7 Cherryville (13-1) vs. No. 10 Pine Lake Prep (11-3)
No. 2 E. Surry (13-1) vs. No. 15 Community School of Davidson (10-3)
2A
EAST
No. 1 McMichael (8-6) vs. No. 16 N. Pitt (8-2)
No. 8 Croatan (14-0) vs. No. 9 E. Bladen (9-4)
No. 5 Roanoke Rapids (11-0) vs. No. 12 W. Craven (9-4)
No. 4 N. Lenoir (11-3) vs. No. 13 Providence Grove (10-4)
No. 3 Midway (13-1) vs. No. 14 Whiteville (9-4)
No. 6 First Flight (13-0) vs. No. 11 E. Duplin (10-2)
No. 7 Reidsville (9-4) vs. No. 10 Randleman (13-1)
No. 2 N. Johnston (10-2) vs. No. 15 SW Onslow (11-3)
WEST
No. 1 N. Davidson (11-4) vs. No. 16 Ledford (10-3)
No. 8 W. Stokes (10-2) vs. No. 9 E. Lincoln (13-1)
No. 5 W. Wilkes (14-0) vs. No. 12 Fred T. Foard (12-2)
No. 4 Bunker Hill (13-1) vs. No. 13 Forbush (9-5)
No. 3 Canton Pisgah (11-2) vs. No. 14 South Point (10-4)
No. 6 R-S Central (12-2) vs. No. 11 N. Lincoln (11-3)
No. 7 Madison (9-3) vs. No. 10 Oak Grove (10-3)
No. 2 W. Stanly (13-1) vs. No. 15 S. Rowan (12-2)
3A
EAST
No. 1 Northern Guilford (14-0) vs. No. 16 Cape Fear (11-3)
No. 8 Wilson Hunt (8-6) vs. No. 9 Northern Durham (10-1)
No. 5 S. Brunswick (8-5) vs. No. 12 SE Guilford (11-3)
No. 4 W. Johnston (11-3) vs. No. 13 Greenville Rose (10-4)
No. 3 Greenville Conley (12-1) vs. No. 14 Jacksonville (8-3)
No. 6 Asheboro (12-2) vs. No. 11 Hillsborough Orange (10-4)
No. 7 Fayetteville Sanford (13-0) vs. No. 10 Union Pines (12-1)
No. 2 W. Carteret (11-0) vs. No. 15 Clayton (10-4)
WEST
No. 1 Crest (12-0) vs. No. 16 N. Henderson (10-4)
No. 8 Kings Mountain (11-3) vs. No. 9 Cox Mill (11-3)
No. 5 NW Cabarrus (10-4) vs. No. 12 Marvin Ridge (10-4)
No. 4 Asheville Roberson (13-1) vs. No. 13 Mount Tabor (9-5)
No. 3 E. Rowan (12-2) vs. No. 14 Western Guilford (8-7)
No. 6 SW Guilford (14-0) vs. No. 11 Sun Valley (11-3)
No. 7 Cuthbertson (12-2) vs. No. 10 Asheville (11-3)
No. 2 St. Stephens (9-3) vs. No. 15 Carson (9-4)
4A
EAST
No. 1 Heritage (11-3) vs. No. 16 Wilmington Hoggard (9-4)
No. 8 Cardinal Gibbons (11-3) vs. No. 9 Scotland County (11-3)
No. 5 Pinecrest (13-1) vs. No. 12 Wake Forest (12-2)
No. 4 Fuquay-Varina (10-3) vs. No. 13 Raleigh Leesville Road (9-4)
No. 3 Wilmington Ashley (11-3) vs. No. 14 Raleigh Broughton (9-5)
No. 6 South Central (8-4) vs. No. 11 Laney (9-5)
No. 7 Raleigh Millbrook (10-4) vs. No. 10 Middle Creek (10-4)
No. 2 Fayetteville South View (4-9) vs. No. 15 Purnell Swett (9-5)
WEST
No. 1 Providence (12-2) vs. No. 16 Jamestown Ragsdale (9-5)
No. 8 Lake Norman (11-3) vs. No. 9 Cary (11-2)
No. 5 NW Guilford (11-3) vs. No. 12 Hopewell (9-5)
No. 4 Hough (14-0) vs. No. 13 E. Forsyth (10-4)
No. 3 Winston-Salem Reagan (12-2) vs. No. 14 Greensboro Grimsley (10-4)
No. 6 Durham Jordan (11-2) vs. No. 11 Myers Park (12-2)
No. 7 Porter Ridge (12-2) vs. No. 10 Ardrey Kell (11-3)
No. 2 McDowell (12-1) vs. No. 15 Olympic (9-5)
