Saturday start for Cav title

FROM STAFF REPORTS
SALISBURY POST

Believe it or not, some things are more important than winning a state championship.

Graduation conflicts pushed North Rowan’s baseball title dreams to Saturday and Sunday, when the Cavaliers travel to Zebulon’s Five County Stadium to face Greene Central in a best-of-three showdown.

The N.C. High School Athletic Association struggled setting the championship series, which usually begins on Friday. North Rowan’s graduation ceremony is Thursday night at 8, but Greene Central’s comes Friday night.

That means the first game of the three-game 2A title bout will be Saturday at 11 a.m. The winner of that game goes for the sweep Saturday afternoon at 5.

If Greene Central and North Rowan split those first two games, a winner-take-all meeting takes place Sunday at 2 p.m.

In addition to the 2A title games, 4A contenders Apex and Richmond will play at Five County, home of the Carolina Mudcats, double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. The 1A and 3A series will be played at N.C. State.

Greene Central (24-5) last played in the state finals in 1993, when the Rams lost to Cherryville. Central won titles in 1987, 1980 and 1972.

The Rams beat East Carteret 10-0, Plymouth 9-2 and Richlands 12-2 before being tested in the playoffs. The Rams had to survive a 3-2 battle against Whiteville to win their sixth Eastern crown.

This will be North Rowan’s first trip to the finals. North (22-5) romped to an 11-1 win over North Henderson before slipping past West Wilkes 5-2 and Ledford 7-6. The Cavs topped Southwestern Randolph 4-1 in the Western finals.