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Surprising Raiders a win away from Final Four
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Published: May 30, 2009
OLIN - From Internet message boards to general conversation, members of North Iredell's softball team are receiving plenty of congratulatory remarks and encouragement from well-wishers these days.
A postseason tear like the one the Raiders are in the midst of tends to generate positive vibes.
"It's not like the paparazzi chasing them, but it's big to them," North coach Steve Harkey said.
North, the North Piedmont Conference No. 5 seed, entered the 3A playoffs flying under the radar.
The Raiders have been anything but stealth since May 19, when they sent shockwaves across the state with their 3-1 opening-round win over Enka.
Stunning the Mountain Athletic Conference champion, which reached the state semifinals last season, began a string of three consecutive upsets. North also toppled Catawba Valley Conference No. 2 seed Newton Foard 4-0 and Southwestern Conference champion R-S Central 2-1.
Not exactly what you might expect from a team that limped into the postseason. North (15-7) lost five of its last seven regular-season games.
"They've just really matured a lot here," said Harkey, whose nine starters include three freshmen and three sophomores. "They're keeping their feet grounded. That's what we're trying to do is not push them over the edge with all the pressure and what they've got to do to take it to the next level."
North had never won a playoff game before this current run. A taste of success has the Raiders hungry for more.
And they've had plenty of time to build an appetite.
On the strength of solid defense and pitching and freshman catcher Taylor Rosenbalm's two-run homer, North defeated R-S Central on Tuesday to advance to the fourth round.
The Raiders have been waiting to learn their opponent ever since.
Hickory St. Stephens (24-3), the CVC champion, and Asheville Roberson (26-2), the MAC No. 2 seed, had their third-round game postponed three times this week due to weather. They played Friday evening, the day North was scheduled to face the winner.
"Our girls are just ready to play," said Harkey, whose team will either play today at Roberson at 3 p.m. or at St. Stephens at 2 p.m., depending on Friday's outcome. "They're tired of waiting to see who they're going to play."
Regardless of who North's opponent is, a trip to Raleigh is at stake.
The winner moves on to the Final Four next week at Walnut Creek Softball Complex, where a double-elimination tournament will determine this year's 3A state champion.
That explains much of the hype surrounding the Raiders.
Harkey doesn't want them getting wrapped up in the hoopla, though. In fact, he's doing his best to shelter them from it as much as possible. His players were off limits for comment on the postseason run Friday at practice.
"We like for them to keep their mind on what they're doing," he said with a grin.
What they're doing is making a name for North softball.
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