Bladen County Teams Set Sights on Playoffs as Regular Seasons Wind Down

West Bladen baseball team photo.

Bladen County, NC - As spring sports head into their final stretch, playoff dreams are alive and well across Bladen County.

From comeback seasons on the baseball and softball fields to a dominant run on the soccer pitch, local teams are battling not just for playoff spots, but for the chance to make lasting memories.

With conference standings tight and RPI rankings in play, every game this week carries heavy playoff implications.

Here's where each team stands heading into the home stretch.

East Bladen Baseball: A Critical Week Ahead

After a rough start to the season, East Bladen baseball has found its rhythm at the right time under Head Coach James Ben Daly.

Sitting at 10-9 overall and 7-5 in conference play, the Eagles have shaken off an early 1-5 skid to climb back into playoff positioning.

Although they’ve wrapped up their conference schedule, this week’s slate will go a long way in deciding their playoff fate.

East Bladen will hit the road to face Clinton — currently ranked #10 in the 2A East RPI — before hosting East Duplin (#23 2A East RPI) and closing out with a challenging trip to West Bladen, the top-ranked 2A team in the East.

The Eagles are locked in a razor-thin race with East Columbus for the top 1A spot from the Waccamaw Conference. East Bladen sits at #7 in the 1A East RPI, while East Columbus holds a slight edge at #6.

If East Columbus drops even one of its final games against West Columbus, it could open the door for East Bladen to move up. Two wins this week could make all the difference.

The math is simple: if East Columbus loses both of its games, East Bladen claims the top 1A spot. If East Columbus wins out, they hold onto it.

It’s a huge week for the Eagles, but with the chemistry they’ve built over the season, they look ready for the challenge.

As it stands, East Bladen is projected to earn the #11 seed in the 1A East bracket.

West Bladen Baseball: Eyeing the Top Spot

West Bladen baseball is enjoying a season for the history books. At 14-4 overall and 6-2 in the SAC 6, the Knights have been rolling, winners of five straight and positioned to make a deep playoff run.

It’s hard not to draw comparisons to the 2007-2008 team (20-6) coached by Wade Pait that reached the third round before a heartbreaker against Whiteville.

Like that squad, this year’s group has responded to adversity with maturity.

Each of their three losses — all by six runs combined — fueled stronger performances the next time around.

South Columbus, Clinton, and Midway all beat West Bladen early in the season.

In the rematches? West Bladen answered by outscoring those same opponents 21-4.

This week, they’ll face Red Springs twice with a chance to lock up at least a share of the SAC 6 title. West Bladen, Midway, and Clinton are all tied atop the conference standings, but the Knights have an edge where it counts most — the RPI rankings.

Heading into the final week, West Bladen holds the #1 RPI in the 2A East, with Midway at #3 and Clinton at #10.

Winning out would not only likely secure the conference’s top playoff seed but could also keep them as the overall #1 seed in the East, setting the stage for a deep playoff push.

I call back to a quote from Head Coach Clint Allen before the season began, "If we win the conference, the rest will take care of itself."

They have that opportunity right in front of them.

East Bladen Softball: Fighting for a Playoff Spot

Much like their baseball counterparts, East Bladen softball has shown impressive resilience this season under Head Coach Nathan Dowless.

After opening 1-5, the Lady Eagles have clawed back to a 7-7 overall record, going 3-2 in their last five contests to put themselves in the playoff conversation.

While they’re not in the race for a conference title, the Lady Eagles are battling to secure one of the final playoff spots in the 1A East.

Currently projected as the #21 seed, East Bladen still has work to do.

Their upcoming games against Clinton, East Duplin, and West Bladen offer a real opportunity to boost their RPI standing.

This group has shown they know how to bounce back, and they’ll need every bit of that determination to close out the season strong and lock in their playoff ticket.

West Bladen Softball: Gaining Momentum

West Bladen softball’s turnaround has been just as impressive.

After an 0-4 start, the Lady Knights under Head Coach Josh Allen have gone 8-3 since, with two of those losses coming to top-ranked Midway.

Now sitting at 8-7 overall and 5-3 in conference play, West Bladen has firmly planted itself in the 2A East playoff picture.

Their final week includes two games against Red Springs and a rivalry matchup against East Bladen — all chances to boost their RPI and improve seeding.

Projected around the #19 seed, West Bladen is in a good spot to make the postseason.

A strong finish could position them even better and set up a more favorable first-round matchup.

East Bladen Girls Soccer: Chasing a Deep Run

The East Bladen Lady Eagles soccer team has been a model of consistency once again under Coach Jay Raynor.

Sporting a 12-1-1 overall record and 10-1 mark in conference play, they’ve dominated much of their competition and are hitting their stride at just the right time.

Currently ranked #5 in the 1A East RPI standings, East Bladen is projected to be the #4 seed once adjustments are made for conference champions.

A top-four finish would be huge, offering the possibility of three home playoff games.

Their next stretch of games will be critical, as they face off against Hoke County, Midway, South Columbus, and James Kenan — all higher-division or solid RPI teams.

A strong showing could solidify their top-four standing and set them up for a potential deep postseason run.

With so much still on the line, this week promises to be an exciting finish for Bladen County sports.

Whether it's chasing conference titles, improving playoff seeding, or simply playing for pride, our local teams have shown all season that they won't back down from a challenge.

No matter where the brackets place them, they've already made our community proud.

Now it’s time to finish strong and carry that momentum into the postseason.

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Bladen County Teams Set Sights on Playoffs as Regular Seasons Wind Down