The 2022-2023 space highschool sports activities yr definitely had some nice groups, athletes, video games and general moments that followers will bear in mind. But who have been one of the best of one of the best from this previous college yr? Here is a glance the groups, athletes and video games that ranked as one of the best within the space:

Best Male Team

East Duplin soccer: The Panthers went 15-1 general, went 6-0 to win the East Central 2-A Conference and concluded the season with a 14-game profitable streak to seize their first state championship in program historical past.

Their solely loss was a 58-57 defeat at Princeton in Week 2.

East Duplin defeated state energy Reidsville 24-21 within the NCHSAA 2-A state last in Chapel Hill on Dec. 10. On the way in which, the Panthers defeated rivals James Kenan 21-14 and Wallace-Rose Hill 13-12 in ECC play. After a 71-16 first-round playoff win over North Pitt, Duplin topped James Kenan 31-17, nipped Clinton 28-27, topped Whiteville 49-6 and defeated Wallace-Rose Hill 28-26 within the East Regional last.

Senior Avery Gaby then rushed for 191 yards and a landing within the state last to earn Most Valuable Player honors. The Panthers completed averaging 43.6 factors per sport and permitting 15.8. East Duplin had 9 wins by not less than 32.

Best Female crew

Croatan lacrosse: The Cougars went 19-2 general, 6-0 within the Coastal/Northeastern Coastal Conference and ended the season on a 17-game profitable streak to win the NCHSAA 1-A/2-A/3-A state championship to win the realm’s first lacrosse state title.

Croatan’s solely two defeats have been to 4-A groups Laney and Hoggard. Croatan defeated Bishop McGuinness 10-7 within the state last in Durham on May 20.

The Cougars dominated within the playoffs, defeating North Brunswick 18-1 within the first spherical, Swansboro 17-3 within the second, Union Pines 18-7 within the third and Northwood 15-8 within the East Regional last.

Junior Lauren Hayden had 4 objectives and 4 assists within the state last to earn MVP honors. Croatan had 15 wins by not less than seven objectives.

Male Athlete of Year

Avery Gaby, East Duplin: The senior rushed for two,195 yards and 41 touchdowns to guide the soccer crew to the state title and was additionally chosen to play within the East-West All-Star sport.

Gaby additionally completed third within the 55 hurdles in 7.93 within the NCHSAA 1-A/2-A winter observe and area state championships. One yr after profitable the 110-meter hurdles state title, he gained the state 300 hurdles title in 39.48 within the state 2-A out of doors observe and area championships whereas ending fourth within the 110 hurdles in 15.3.

Runner-up: Southwest’s Tanner Whitehead (soccer, wrestling, baseball).

Female Athlete of Year

Angelica Steffy, Croatan: The senior captured her second consecutive NCHSAA Women’s Wrestling Invitational state title when she gained the 138-pound championship. She is barely the second two-time state wrestling champion general at Croatan.

She was additionally the Coastal 3-A Conference champion within the discus at 100 ft, was sixth within the lengthy bounce at 14-6.5 and seventh within the triple bounce at 30-9 within the out of doors observe and area championships. Steffy was fifth within the discus within the East Regionals. She additionally performed for the varsity soccer crew.

Runner-up: Croatan’s Ginger Hayden (basketball, winter observe and area, out of doors observe and area, lacrosse).

Game of the Year (Between two native groups)

Richlands 90, Swansboro 81, 2 OT in first spherical: Senior Zarion Walters had 44 factors and 21 rebounds and senior Dashaun Hooker added 28 factors and 6 assists as No. 22 Richlands defeated No. 11 Swansboro 90-81 in double time beyond regulation within the first spherical of the NCHSAA 3-A boys’ basketball playoffs on Feb. 21.

The Wildcats misplaced three earlier occasions to the Pirates in the course of the common season, together with twice in Swansboro, however prevailed in a back-and-forth playoff conflict that noticed every crew take turns taking the lead.

Walters had 4 factors within the first time beyond regulation and eight within the second OT because the Wildcats outscored the Pirates 15-6 within the last additional interval.

Runners-up: White Oak boys’ basketball wins 54-52 in time beyond regulation over Swansboro on Feb. 9 to clinch outright Coastal 3-A Conference regular-season title; Living Water Christian School boys’ basketball defeats Liberty Christian Academy 84-77 in time beyond regulation on Feb. 13.

Upset of the Year (Between two native groups)

Dixon softball downs Richlands in playoffs: Dixon proved that its earlier season win at Richlands was no fluke because the Bulldogs upset top-seeded Richlands 2-0 within the second spherical of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs.

Dixon fell to 6-5 after a 12-2 house loss to Richlands on April 11, however turned again round and defeated the host Wildcats 11-5 on April 13. The Wildcats then gained seven straight video games to win the Coastal Conference title, together with a 13-0 first-round victory over Northwood.

The Bulldogs, in the meantime, trailed 4-0 within the third inning to Union Pines earlier than profitable 7-5 within the first spherical. In the second spherical at Richlands, Dixon junior Nadine Barren scattered three hits, struck out three and walked 4 in six innings whereas Leila Atienza had an RBI-double and Emily Beckett had an RBI-single.

Runner-up: White Oak, which began 0-15 and completed fifth within the six-team Coastal 3-A Conference, defeated visiting Swansboro 34-25 on Feb. 9 to disclaim the Pirates from clinching the outright convention title.

Play of Year

Elam Moore, East Duplin: Junior Elam Moore’s play within the state soccer championship sport in opposition to Reidsville will dwell on in East Duplin’s athletic historical past for a very long time.

The state last was tied 7-7 early within the third quarter when the Panthers’ Rodrigo Sanchez blocked a 25-yard area aim. The ball then bounced again to the Reidsville holder, who thought the play was accomplished. Moore, nonetheless, knew that it wasn’t’ over.

Moore grabbed the ball from the holder and ran 70 yards for a landing to provide East Duplin a 14-7 lead. The play not solely gave the Panthers the lead for good, however it shifted momentum after Reidsville tied the sport late within the second quarter and opened the third with a possession to doubtlessly take the lead.

Runners-up: East Duplin’s Zack Brown threw a 5-yard landing cross to Kade Kennedy on fourth-and-goal with 2:16 left to provide the Panthers a 24-14 lead over Reidsville; Richlands’ Zarion Walters’ first of two blocked punts to arrange Caleb Simco’s 9-yard first-quarter landing run in a 7-6 win over Southwest on Aug. 26.

Biggest common season victory

Richlands soccer defeats Southwest: Richlands ended 34 years of soccer frustrations by defeating 7-6 to snap a 32-game skid in opposition to the Stallions.

It marked the Wildcats’ first win over Southwest since a 3-0 victory on Sept. 30, 1988. The was already particular because it marked the primary soccer assembly between the 2 groups since Nov. 8, 2019 because the final two conferences have been canceled due to COVID-19 — the one occasions the 2 groups had not performed one another since Southwest opened in 1976.