Chargers, Eagles ready to chase after NCISAA 1A state title

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on May 5, 2014 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

Anything can happen in the postseason.

Wayne Country Day head coach Michael Taylor and Wayne Christian head coach Curt Hinton will undoubtedly deliver that same message during their respective baseball practices this afternoon.

The county archrivals begin their quest for the 2014 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A state title Tuesday. The sixth-seeded Eagles (12-5 overall) entertain Hickory Christian, while the 10th-seeded Chargers are the guest of seventh-seeded Pungo Christian.

"I like the matchup, like our chances a lot," said Taylor, whose team dropped a 10-2, error-filled decision to Pungo earlier in the season.

"It's a whole new season. We're 0-0 and they're 0-0, so we just have to go at it. We have to play together as a unit, play one out at a time, one inning at a time and take care of ourselves.

"We don't need to try to do anything special, just do the little things right and we'll win the ballgame."

WCDS fell in the opening round last season and finished state runner-up to Lawrence in 2012. The Chargers are 15-12 in postseason play since 2003.

Wayne Christian emerged as the automatic qualifier when it claimed the Carolina Christian Conference regular-season championship -- its first since 2012 and eighth overall in program history since 2004.

With no seniors on the roster, Hinton has seen some maturity this season -- but has yet to get a "complete" seven-inning effort from his underclassmen-ladened squad.

"We show flashes that we can play with anybody, but we do see those occasional chinks in our armor," Hinton said. "I think we have matured some this year. A big part of the game is between the ears and it's a matter of them being confident in themselves that they can beat anyone they play."

Taylor and Hinton consider the 12-team chase to the state title a wide-open affair. Although six-time defending champ Lawrence, the overall fourth seed, is the favorite, both coaches think any team has a chance to triumphantly hoist the trophy May 17 at historic Fleming Stadium in Wilson.

Three Coastal Plains Independent Conference schools received the top three seeds -- Greenfield (1), Oakwood (2) and Freedom (3). Since 2000, CPIC schools have reached the best-of-three title series on nine occasions and walked away as the state champion just once -- WCDS in 2007.

Lawrence has played in every state final since 2005.

"They've got the experience and I think they're the favorite to win," Taylor said. "But everybody I've talked, they all say the tournament is wide open -- anybody can beat anybody on any given day. It all depends on who has their 'A' game on that particular day.

"It's the first time I've seen it (balanced) like this in a long time."