Graphic by J. Mike Blake

The first round playoff matches are set for baseball, softball and girls’ soccer.

In baseball, Washington received the No. 4 seed in the NCHSAA 2A Eastern bracket and will host No. 29 South Columbus. The winner of that matchup is guaranteed a familiar conference opponent with No. 13 North Lenoir taking on No. 20 Ayden-Grifton at home. The teams split the regular-season matchup with the Chargers winning the first matchup 4-2 on March 26 at home and the Hawks returning the favor 5-4 on April 18.

Greene Central and West Craven also made the playoffs and will both start on the road. The No. 22 Eagles take on No. 11 Randleman while the No. 23 Rams head to No. 10 Dixon. Jones Senior qualified for the NCHSAA 1A playoffs for the first time in three years and received a No. 24 seed, taking on No. 9 Granville Central on the road.

In softball, the Eastern bracket goes through Washington as the Pam Pack took the No. 1 seed and face No. 32 West Bladen. South Lenoir also received a home game as a No. 11 seed and will take on No. 22 Greene Central in an ECC matchup. The Blue Devils won both regular season matchups, defeating the Rams 6-5 at home March 27 and 7-1 April 17 in Snow Hill. Ayden-Grifton is the fourth ECC softball team to advance to the playoffs and the No. 20 Chargers face No. 13 Farmville Central. The teams played each other twice with the Jaguars winning the first matchup 5-4 on March 12 on the road before the Chargers returned the favor 13-0 on March 30.

In soccer, only two ECC teams made it to the postseason. Washington received a No. 7 seed in the Eastern bracket and host No. 26 Trinity while No. 17 South Lenoir goes on the road to take on No. 16 East Montgomery.

All games will be played Tuesday.

Arendell Parrott Academy has playoff teams in all three sports for the NCISAA 3A division. In baseball, APA travels to Gaston Christian Tuesday, while in softball, Parrott received a bye in the first round and travels to face Forsyth Country Day May 14. In girls’ soccer, the Patriots received their first ever top seed and have a double bye in the postseason, playing their first game Saturday at home.

Bethel Christian’s baseball season ended May 3 at the hands of Wilson Christian 7-0 on the road in the first round of the NCCSA state playoffs. The Trojans’ softball team is slated to play Wilson Christian Friday in the first round.