03/29/2024
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East Bladen’s baseball and girls soccer teams and West Bladen’s softball team received berths Monday in the NCHSAA Class 2A playoffs. All three Bladen teams will play Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Coach Jay Raynor’s Lady Eagles, 16-1 and co-champions of the Three Rivers Conference, were seeded fifth in the East in the girls’ soccer bracket. East Bladen will host No. 28 seed East Davidson, 11-10 and the fifth-place team in the Central Carolina Conference.

The Lady Eagles are led by freshman Maya McDonald (35 goals, 13 assists), junior Sydney Wober (26 goals, 16 assists) and senior Ashley Hardin (15 goals and 24 assists). Junior Summer Watkins leads the East Davidson scoring with 35 goals.

Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles, 16-6 and the second-place team in the Three Rivers baseball standings, were seeded 16th in the East and will entertain No. 17 seed First Flight, 14-7 and the Northeastern Coastal Conference runners-up.

Sophomore Zach Meares tops the Eagle hitters with a .375 average and 19 runs scored. Senior Shy Pone (.339 avg.), sophomore Lefrederick Wooten (.339) and sophomore Brady Hollingsworth (.328) are other leading hitters. Wooten and seniors Spencer Scott and Pierce Melvin key the pitching staff.

Senior Alex Johnson leads the Nighthawk hitters with a .413 average and 15 runs batted in. Freshman Noah Smeltzer (.373 avg.), junior Aidan May (.349) and junior Shane Nason (.341) are other top hitters. Senior McCoy Davenport is the ace of the First Flight pitching staff with a 6-2 record.

Coach Pam Stephens’ Lady Knights, 11-9 and the fourth-place team in the TRC softball standings, received the No. 32 seed in the East and will travel to top-seeded Washington, 19-0 and the Eastern Carolina Conference champs.

Junior Kyla Reed leads the West Bladen hitters with a .500 average and 35 runs scored. Freshman Hannah Pait (.413 avg.), senior Conner Brisson (.414), junior Alara Cashwell (.400 avg,, 4 home runs) and junior Kasee Singletary (.358) are other top Lady Knight hitters. Sophomore Shelby Pharr is the ace of the West Bladen pitching staff.

Junior Emme Davis bats .419 and has slugged five home runs. Senior Desiree Maurizzio (.431), freshman Laci Campbell (.367), junior Grace Paszt (.364), senior Sydney Keech (.351) and junior Abbi Tucker (.349) are other top Pam Pack hitters. Tucker is the Washington pitching ace with a 16-0 record and a 1.16 earned run average.

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