To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

East Bladen Lady Eagles (29-0) Vs. Salisbury Lady Hornets (28-0)

After losing in the championship game two of the last three years to Bishop McGuinness, a youth movement and a jump to 2A this season has allowed East Bladen to hit the reset button.

The Lady Eagles bring a perfect 29-0 record and a chip on their shoulders into the championship game.

“I think getting beat by 30 points is embarrassing for the girls so it helps,” said head coach Patty Evers. “They know what kind of caliber of ball they have to play.”

Evers says, in the past, the goal was to have a good season and make it to the title game, but this year the team is focused on winning it all. Standing in their way is Salisbury, another team yet to taste the sting of defeat.

The defending state champs have won 34 games in a row, including a regional final triumph over Newton-Conover.

“Anytime you can get to this point of the year and you’re undefeated, it’s a blessing, and what we know about East Bladen is they’ve been here before,” head coach Andrew Mitchell said.

The Hornets lost five seniors from last year's championship squad, but this year's veterans have picked up the slack. The Smith Center was kind to them a year ago, and now Mitchell is just as happy to try his luck in Raleigh.

“I’m a Wolfpack, so being able to go into Reynolds Coliseum and actually play there is a great thing, and I think the ladies are looking forward to it as well.”

Kinston Vikings (27-4) Vs. West Caldwell Warriors (27-2)

Tar Heel fans usually don't feel at home watching a game at Reynolds, but they'll be all smiles Saturday afternoon as incoming freshman Reggie Bullock and his Kinston mates vie for the school’s seventh state title.

“This is a very businesslike team,” said head coach Wells Gulledge. “This team has traveled to play in Hawaii and to play in the Hall of Fame Classic up in Springfield, Mass.”

The Vikings are much more than a one-man team -- Dallas Best and Dory Hines can attest to that -- but Gulledge says Bullock represents a unique caliber of talent.

“He’s a coach’s dream; he’s a teacher’s dream,” he said. “I feel like he’s just one of those kids that has an attitude of gratitude. He’s not a high-maintenance guy.”

The final hurdle for Kinston is West Caldwell, who hasn’t been on this stage since 1999. They know the task will be tall but they did compile a 27-2 record and embrace the challenge.

“We know we’ve got our hands full, no question you come in as an underdog,” head coach Danny Anderson said. “But you don’t have to be better than the other team; you have to find a way to beat them one night.”