ELIZABETH CITY – Five local players were named to the All-Northeastern Coastal Conference softball team recently.

Four student-athletes from Bertie High School’s second place team were chosen along with one from Hertford County High School.

Lady Falcon senior Holly Cowan, who played first and third base for BHS, was named All-Conference along with juniors Courtney Dunlow and Christie Brown and sophomore Jody Mizelle. Dunlow is a left-handed pitcher for the Falcons while Brown caught and Mizelle played shortstop.

“As a group, these four young ladies led this team,” veteran BHS skipper Jackie Copeland said. “It takes nine to play the game and all of our players to make the team, but we had leadership from these four.

“Some of them led offensively, some defensively,” she added. “I’m proud of Holly, Courtney, Christie and Jody.”

Also named to the All-Conference team was Hertford County High School pitcher Amber Matthews.

“She was the bread and butter of our team,” said HCHS coach Sylvia Anthony. “When her pitching was on, she couldn’t be stopped. She’s a great all-around kid.”

Leading the Northeastern Coastal Conference all-league team were five players from conference champion John A. Holmes High School.

Those five players included Kelli Patrick, Ashley Byrum, Amy Bridgeman, Morgan Cooke and Brittani Rountree.

Northeastern High School placed three on the All-Conference team. They were Anna Pierce, Hannah Chappell and Kristin Singletary. Currituck saw Erin Buchan, Ashley Craft and Rachel Bonds chosen.

The final four spots went to Holley Watts and Jennifer Cook of Pasquotank County High School and L.J. Beardsley and Jen Grey of First Flight High School.

Patrick was named Northeastern Coastal Conference Player of the Year while Edenton’s Joseph Johnson was chosen as Coach of the Year.

NCC honorable mention went to:

* Edenton n Erin Gabel, Lauren Jones, Samantha Brickhouse and Allison May;

* Bertie n Chelsea Dunlow and Kaitlyn Dunlow;

* Northeastern n Miranda Owney, Carolina Umphlett and Danielle Carew;

* Currituck n Amber Harrison and Logan Howlett;

* Pasquotank n Amanda Alcock;

* First Flight n Cam Conner; and

* Hertford County n Brooke Stroud.