North Buncombe High School's head football coach David Hines joined HighSchoolOT to preview the 2023 season for the Black Hawks. Last year, North Buncombe finished with an 0-10 overall record and an 0-6 mark in the Mountain Athletic 3A/4A Conference.
In a battle between two former NC Gatorade Players of the Year, Eastern Alamance and senior pitcher Kenna Raye Dark came out on top 1-0 over North Buncombe in Game 1 of the NCHSAA 3A State Championship Series via an unlikely walk-off base hit by senior Kenzie Taylor.
In a game where hits were hard to come by, Eastern Alamance made fewer errors and capitalized on its opportunities to beat North Buncombe 3-2 in Game 2 of the NCHSAA 3A Softball State Championship Series and win the state title.
In a classic pitchers' duel between two of the top arms in the state, North Buncombe senior ace Karlyn Pickens came out on top as the Black Hawks rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth inning to beat Central Davidson 3-0 in Game 2 of the 3A softball West Regional Series and advance to the state championship.