ALBEMARLE — While eight teams from Stanly County were part of the NCHSAA baseball and softball state playoffs, just five of them made it to the second round and only a pair advanced to the third round.
The South Stanly and West Stanly softball teams are still alive with their eyes on the state championship game on June 3.
Reigning state softball champion and No. 1 seed South Stanly (24-3, 10-0 Yadkin Valley) hosted and defeated No. 32 Andrews (3-17, 1-11 Smoky Mountain) 15-0 in the first round of the 1A bracket. The Bulls were then able to advance to the third round with a 6-1 win over No. 17 Draughn (16-9, 9-3 Western Highlands). South Stanly was set to challenge No. 8 Cherryville (16-8 10-2 Southern Piedmont) on Tuesday.
The victor of that game will face the winner of No. 12 Union Academy (18-5, 7-3 Yadkin Valley) and No. 13 Starmount (20-3, 12-2 Northwest) on Friday.
In the 2A bracket, No. 2 West Stanly (23-4, 8-0 Rocky River) hosted and defeated No. 31 Wheatmore (8-13, 2-10 Piedmont Athletic) with a 13-0 shutout before edging past No. 15 R-S Central (14-10, 9-3 Mountain Foothills) in a 9-8 finish.
The Colts were scheduled to face. No. 23 Morehead (16-8, 7-3 Mid-State) in the third round Tuesday after press time. The victor of that game will meet the winner of No. 14 Anson (16-7, 6-2 Rocky River) and No. 6 Bandys (23-4, 13-1 Catawba Valley) on Friday.
The two other Stanly softball teams weren’t able to advance to the second week of the playoffs. No. 21 North Stanly (12-9, 4-6 YVC) defeated No. 11 West Davidson (13-12, 12-1 Central Carolina) 11-3 in the first round of the 2A bracket but fell 6-2 to No. 6 Bandys (23-4, 13-1 Catawba Valley) two days later. In the 1A bracket, No. 15 Gray Stone (11-11, 2-8 Yadkin Valley) hosted No. 18 Elkin (15-10, 7-5 Northwest) in the first round but lost in an 18-0 shutout.
On the baseball diamond, two Stanly teams were eliminated in the first round and two others were unable to advance past the second round.
In the 1A bracket, No. 20 South Stanly (7-14, 4-6 Yadkin Valley) defeated No. 13 Hayesville (10-5, 8-4 Smoky Mountain) 3-1 but then suffered a 7-3 loss to No. 4 Swain County (16-3, 11-1 Smoky Mountain).
In the 2A bracket, No. 2 North Stanly (22-3, 10-0 Yadkin Valley) hosted and defeated No. 31 Bunker Hill (12-12, 9-5 Catawba Valley) 10-7 before losing 3-1 to No. 15 Community School of Davidson (15-6, 6-4 Catawba Shores) in the second round.
Meanwhile, No. 21 Gray Stone (6-12, 0-10 Yadkin Valley) fell to No. 12 Christ the King (8-10, 3-7 Catawba Shores) in the first round of the 1A bracket, and Rocky River Conference runner-up No. 8 West Stanly (20-7, 13-2) had a 3-2 loss to No. 25 Mount Pleasant (12-10, 5-5 Yadkin Valley) in the first round of the 2A bracket.