Newton-Conover is headed into the state playoffs for the 10th time in 12 years under Sylvia White, now in her third tenure as head coach there. The postseason bid is the 20th in a row for the Red Devils.
Newton-Conover, Freedom each seeded
third, will open state playoffs at home
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By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
The state high school girls’ basketball playoffs will begin on Tuesday night with 16 teams in them from the three Greater Hickory area conferences.
Pairings for the opening round were released Saturday by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), which settled 32 teams from each half of the state into brackets.
The conference champions were seeded first and then league’s second-place teams. After that, the rest of the fields were wild-card spots, where a team’s RPI factored in whether or not it got one of those bids.
The highest-seeded area girls team is Northwestern 3A-4A co-champion Watauga (22-3), No. 1 in the West 4A (Alexander Central shared the league title with Watauga and is seeded No. 10).
Newton-Conover (22-2), after winning a Catawba Valley 2A Athletic title, is No. 3 in the West 2A bracket, while Freedom (17-7), the top 3A finisher in the Northwestern 3A-4A, earned No. 3 in the West 3A bracket.
Area teams with home games on Tuesday night, most of the start times yet to be announced, include Draughn in 1A, Newton-Conover in 2A, East Lincoln, Freedom, Hickory and Ashe County in 3A and Watauga, Alexander Central and South Caldwell in 4A.
Second round games are Tuesday, the third round is Saturday with the regionals beginning on March 5 and the state title games on March 12.
Tidbits on the area teams that qualified:
1A
No. 19 Swain County (10-16) at No. 14 Draughn (18-6), 6 p.m.: Draughn is making its eighth appearance in the state playoffs… The Wildcats did not get to the state playoffs last year when COVID hit, going 6-4 …Draughn reached the third round in its first postseason bid back in 2008-2009, falling in that round to East Davidson, and the Wildcats have not won a state playoff game since that appearance. Next: No.30 Bradford Prep or No. 3 Uwharrie Charter.
2A
No. 18 East Burke (15-8) at No. 15 Community School of Davidson (15-7), 6 p.m.: The Cavs open their 17th postseason appearance in 18 years (they missed in last year’s COVID-shortened season)… They’ve qualified 12 times in 13 years… This is the sixth postseason team for head coach Crystal Bartlett, in her seventh season … East Burke, a West Regional team twice (2011-12, 2019-20), has failed to win at least 15 games only once in 13 years (yes, in the COVID year). Next: No. 31 Surry Central or No. 2 Salisbury.
No. 22 Bandys (14-10) at No. 11 Southwestern Randolph (19-5), 6 p.m.: The Trojans open their 47th postseason bid
BRITTIAN
with a road game that will be their 147th state playoff game (106-40)… They’ll play Southwestern Randolph for the first time since winning 62-49 at Lenoir-Rhyne University in a 1987-88 first-round West 2A Regional game (Bandys went 32-1 that year and won a state title)… Bandys has failed to make the state playoffs only four times in 52 years… Since losing a West Regional final in 2014-15, the Trojans are 2-4 in the postseason (beat Mountain Heritage and Canton Pisgah in first round games)… This is head coach Nicki Brittain’s third playoff team, which puts her behind these coaches for most for Bandys girls – Beth Laney Queen (12 in two tenures), the late Mike Matheson (10), the late Bill Bost (9) and Karen Wimberly (6)…The Trojans have advanced to the state 2A title game seven times, winning six crowns. Next: No. 6 North Surry or No. 27 Bunker Hill.
No. 27 Bunker Hill (10-16) at No. 6 North Surry (16-5): The Bears are in the postseason for the fifth consecutive season and 35th time overall… This is the third straight bid under Lee Swanson, the fifthg Bears head coach to get them into the state playoffs since the late 1970s (the others are Terry Sipe, Tommy Edwards, Shane Compton and Randy Joines)… Bunker Hill has reached at least the second round in three consecutive postseason appearances. Next: No. 11 Southwestern Randolph or No. 22 Bandys.
No. 30 Black Mountain Owen (11-12) at No. 3 Newton-Conover (22-2), 6 p.m.: The Red Devils start their 20th straight appearance in the postseason with a home game … It’s the 10th state playoff bid in 12 years over three tenures by Sylvia White as head coach… Newton-Conover is on a 13-game win streak that includes closing out the Catawba Valley 2A Athletic and regular-season crowns … This is the Red Devils’ 36th trip to the state playoffs… Newton-Conover has posted a winning record in 18 of the last 20 years – doing that for seven straight years, going .500 in back-to-back years, and now having a winning record for 11 straight seasons. Next: No. 14 Wheatmore or No. 19 Monroe.
3A
HELMS
No. 19 Enka (11-14) at No. 13 Hickory (17-8), 6 p.m.: The Red Tornadoes are in the postseason for the 31st straight year and 20th time in 20 seasons under head coach Barbara Helms … Hickory has 18 West Regionals on its resume ad has posted 31 straight winning records since going 12-12 in 1990-1991… After a tough start to the postseason – the Red Tornadoes were knocked out in the first round in seven of their first eight appearances – they’ve failed to get out of the first round only three times – 1989-1990 (Asheville Erwin), 1999-2000 (Asheville Erwin) and 2017-18 (Rockingham County).,. Hickory is in the state playoffs for the 41st time in 44 years. Next: No. 30 Smoky Mountain or No. 3 Freedom.
No. 22 Hibriten (12-13) at No. 11 Oak Grove (20-5), 6 p.m.: The Panthers will chase their first postseason victory since winning at West Stanly for head coach Bobby Jones in a 2000-2001 first-round game… This is the first postseason bid for Hibriten since 2012-2013… The Panthers could post a losing record for the 19th straight season since they were .500 (14-14) in 2002-2003 … Overall, Hibriten has been to the state playoffs 25 times since 1978-1979 with Wilford Beane as head coach for 17 of those teams… The Panthers’ last winning record was 20-7 in 1997-1998 (23 losing records, one .500 in last 24 years). Next: No. 27 North Iredell or No. 6 Greensboro Smith.
No. 23 St. Stephens (16-10) at No. 10 Ashe County (16-9): The Indians are enjoying their first postseason bid since 2016-2017… They have not won a state playoff game since head coach Todd Davis (now athletic director at Newton-Conover) guided them past Ashbrook in 2009-2010 in Gastonia … St. Stephens has its most wins — under head coach Andy Bennett – since going 17-11 in 2015-2016… This is the Indians’ 25th postseason bid … St. Stephens has not advanced past the first round in its last three postseason appearances. Next: No. 26 Winston-Salem Atkins or No. 7 Parkwood.
No. 24 Fred T. Foard (15-11) at No. 9 Ashbrook (18-8): The Tigers earned only their second postseason bid in nine years.. At one point, Foard (34th berth) had made the state playoffs for 22 straight years … This is head coach Brandy Dawkins’ second playoff team in her five seasons… Foard has not won a state playoff game since it beat Hickory 63-56 in Winston-Salem in the 2005-2006 West 3A Regional title game … The Tigers had a five-year run in which they went 14-105, the last season of that (2017-18) being Dawkins’ first season; since then, they have gone 44-45. Next: No. 25 Central Davidson or No. 8 Franklin.
No. 27 North Iredell (13-11) at No. 6 Greensboro Smith (25-2): The Raiders’ 33rd state playoff bid is their first since 2018-2019… North Iredell has advanced to at least the second round in its last nine postseason appearances … At one point, the Raiders put together a nine-year streak of getting into the state playoffs… North Iredell has played for a state title four times, winning twice. Next: No. 22 Hibriten or No. 11 Oak Grove.
No. 28 West Henderson (15-11) at No. 5 East Lincoln (26-1), 6 p.m.: The Mustangs are assured of their seventh winning season in eight years as they enjoy a fifth postseason bid for head coach Jason Otey … This is East Lincoln’s first 20-win season since going 20-7 in 2016-17 and its fourth with at least 20 victories since 1978-79, when they were 25-3 … East Lincoln has not won a postseason game since beating High Point Andrews in the first round n 2009-2010. Next: No. 21 Ledford or No. 12 West Rowan.
No. 30 Smoky Mountain (13-11) at No, 3 Freedom (17-7), 6 p.m.: The Patriots earned their 18th consecutive postseason bid and their 24th in 25 years… This bid is their 42nd since 1978-79 … Freedom once had 35 straight winning season, then went 14-14 with eight forfeits; add two winning records after that for 37 winning records in 38 years … Head coach Amber Reddick, in her 18th season is up to 18 playoff teams — one fewer than Marsha Crump, Reddick’s head coach, did from 1978-79 through 1996-97 … The Patriots, who have won five state titles, need three wins if they want to hit 20 for the 13th straight season (with the COVID-shortened year not counted into that). Next: No. 19 Enka or No. 14 Hickory.
4A
PARHAM
No 19 Winston-Salem Reynolds (18-6) at No. 14 South Caldwell (12-8), 6 p.m.: The Spartans are in for the third straight season and for the 26th time since 1977-78… This is Jeff Parham’s 19th state playoff team in 24 years as head coach, and he has 396 career wins … The Spartans reached the West Regionals in last year’s COVID-hampered season (they also went in 1987) … South Caldwell is likely to post a winning record for the 18th time under Parham, who has not yet indicated his role for next year (he has resigned as athletic director and will coach the baseball team again). Next: No. 30 Ardrey Kell or No. 3 A.C. Reynolds.
No. 23 Jamestown Ragsdale (14-9) at No. 10 Alexander Central (21-4), 6 p.m.: The Cougars open at home as they make their third straight postseason appearance and 12th in school history… Nine of those playoff bids have come in the last 11 years … Alexander Central is 44-21 since Jon Presnell became head coach three years ago … The Cougars have not won a state playoff game since Brad Mangum (now head coach at North Lincoln) guided them to a second-round victory over Greensboro Page in 2015-2016. Next: No. 26 NW Guilford or No. 7 E. Forsyth.
No. 32 Garinger (12-12) at No. 1 Watauga (22-3), 6 p.m.: The Pioneers are in the state playoffs for the fifth time in six years under head coach Laura Berry (missed in last year’s COVID-shortened schedule) …It’s the 13rd bid in 15 seasons for Watauga, which last won as many games as this year in 2017-2018 by going 22-5. Next: No. 17 Winston-Salem Reagan or No. 16 Cuthbertson.
