Any victory for Cedar Ridge over Orange is precious, especially when its in the Panthers gym.
That’s why the smiles on Cedar Ridge’s seniors were a little wider after the Red Wolves defeated the Panthers 46-39 on Tuesday night. Yolanda Simpson, who earned her first win over Orange as a varsity member of the Red Wolves, led Cedar Ridge with 15 points. Madison Wardlow added ten, including two huge baskets in the fourth quarter.
“I guess this was a redemption game for Yolanda,” said Cedar Ridge Coach Felton Page. “She’s been coming off the bench and she played well tonight. We’re starting to come together. We haven’t had a full team all season long, but we’re starting to come together.”
Orange senior Janea Myers paced Orange with 13 points, but the Panthers were held to only two 3-pointers. Sophomore Lauren Cates added 12.
Cedar Ridge (7-5, 2-2) had lost seven of its last eight against the Panthers, with its last victory coming on January 5, 2016, a 46-45 win at OHS.
So how big it is for Cedar Ridge to beat its crosstown rival. It depends on who you ask.
”It’s big for the kids, but it’s just another game for us,” said Page. “It’s a conference game, so it’s important for us to get the win.”
However, Simpson and Wardlow have another opinion.
“Definitely not,” said Simpson. “This is the first time we’ve beaten Orange in two years so it’s really exciting, especially since I’m a senior.”
Both teams played without starters. Cedar Ridge forward Grace Davies was sidelined with the flu. Orange’s leading scorer, Icez Barnett, suffered a right foot injury against Hillside on Friday.
Orange (3-4, 1-3) ended the third quarter with a 31-29 lead, but the fourth quarter was dominated by the Red Wolves. On the opening possession, Simpson scored in the paint off a pretty feed from Taylin Jean to tie the game 31-31, then Catharine Coyle lay-in a pass from Simpson to give Cedar Ridge the lead. it was Coyle’s only points of the game.
Orange didn’t score in the opening 5:57 of the fourth quarter, turning the ball over on six consecutive possessions without attempting a shot. In the meantime, Wardlow returned to the game after suffering an injury to her stomach late in the third quarter. The rest proved vital as she immediately hit a three-pointer, then stole the ball from Myers and scored a lay-up on a breakaway to extend Cedar Ridge’s lead to 39-31, capping a 10-0 run.
”That was huge,” said Page. “She told me on the bench ‘Coach, I’m ready to go.’ And I said ‘No, you’re not because you’re still holding you’re stomach. Thenafter a while, she stopped holding her stomach. I guess she read my mind because once she got in the game, she made things happen. We need to get that from her and Logan Woody because they bring that spark for us.”
The Red Wolves made the run despite Jean and guard Logan Woody playing with four fouls most of the way.
Cedar Ridge travels to Southern Vance on Thursday. Orange will face Lee County in Sanford on Wednesday before traveling to South Granville on Friday.
CEDAR RIDGE 46, ORANGE 39
CR: 8 9 12 17-46
OHS: 13 2 16 8-39
CEDAR RIDGE: Yolanda Simpson 15, Natalia Garay 4, Logan Woody 5, Madison Wardlow 10, Tori Dalehite 4, Catharine Coyle 2, Taylin Jean 6.
ORANGE: Grace Dively 3, Nyshyra Wilkins 2, Kate Burgess 4, Janea Myers 13, Lauren Cates 12, Xandria Moore 2, Grace Andrews 2.