Month: September 2018

Lili Henry: The sophomore setter for the Methodist volleyball team had two kills, 33 assists and ten digs as the Division III Monarchs lost to Guilford 3-1 at Ragan-Brown Field House in Greensboro. It was Methodist’s first loss of the season. They’re now 2-1. Henry, who was a member of Cedar Ridge’s 2015 Big 8 Conference Championship team, currently is 2nd on the team with 27 digs, and leads the Monarchs with 83 assists.

Bryse Wilson: In a series that the Atlanta Braves bullpen would love to forget, Wilson made his second Major League pitching appearance for the Braves on Monday in an Interleague matchup against the Boston Red Sox. In one inning of work, Wilson gave up three runs on two hits with three walks. The Red Sox won the game 8-2 and went on to sweep the Braves in the three-game series at SunTrust Park. On Wednesday (in a game that Wilson didn’t appear in), the Braves became the first team in 487 Major League games to blow a six-run lead after the 7th inning. Boston trailed 7-1 going into the eighth, but Atlanta’s bullpen gave up eight runs, including a two-run blast to Brandon Phillips in the top of the ninth as the Red Sox completed the sweep with a 9-8 victory. Despite getting swept, Atlanta maintained a three game lead over Philadelphia in the National League East. The Miami Marlins defeated the Phillies 2-1 on Wednesday. On Thursday, Atlanta travels to Arizona to start a west coast road trip. Atlanta, searching for its first division championship since 2013, leads by three games with 23 games remaining in the regular season.

Rachel Shinnick: Now a centerback for the Wofford women’s soccer team, Shinnick entered Sunday’s game against Clemson as a reserve. The Tigers defeated the Terriers 3-0 at Snyder Field in Spartanburg, SC. Shinnick has played in each of Wofford’s six games so far this season. The Terriers are 1-4-2 with their next match set for Friday night against South Carolina Upstate.

Jordan Rogers: On Wednesday night, Rogers made her third straight start for Division III William Peace. In a 9-0 victory over Sweet Briar College at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, Rogers assisted on the Pacers’ third goal of the night, scored by Haley Hinton, who fired into the right corner from the edge of the box. For the game, Rogers finished with three shots, one on net as the Pacers rolled to its first win of the season. On Sunday, Peace played to a scoreless tie against Agnes Scott College at WakeMed Soccer Park. Rogers, a freshman who graduated from Orange in June, has started all three of the Pacers’ games. William Peace hosts Johnson & Wales on Friday night at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Brittany Daley: The former Cedar Ridge centerback came off the bench for Division III Greensboro College on Wednesday night in a 4-0 victory over Emory & Henry at Pride Field. Greensboro outshot the Wasps 25-1 in improving to 3-0. Through the opening three games, Daley started in Saturday’s 10-3 win over Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. She also came off the bench in the season-opener, a 1-0 win over Guilford College on Friday.

What makes Chapel Hill volleyball so good?

The Tigers have won back-to-back 3A Eastern Regional Championships under third-year head coach Ross Fields. This year, they’ve won their first five Big 8 Conference matches while dropping only one set.

For starters, there’s the front line. Junior middle hitter Courtney Zwikker (the daughter of former UNC center Serge Zwikker, who played one season with the Houston Rockets and overseas in Spain and Italy) is 6-foor-3. Her younger sister, Ellen, is 6-foor-1. Junior Kaya Merkler, who leads the team with 110 kills, is also 6-3.

There’s no other lineup like that in the Big 8. It’s why the Tigers have won 22 consecutive conference matches. Its last Big 8 loss came against Cedar Ridge on October 6, 2016.

On Tuesday night, the Tigers rolled past Orange 3-0 in Hillsborough on scores of 25-15, 25-18 and 25-22. The Lady Panthers led the last set 22-20 until the Tigers captured the five of the final six points off the serve of junior Caroline Wright.

Orange fell to 6-4, 2-3 in the Big 8 Conference. Junior Emma Clements led Orange with nine kills, 19 digs and one ace. Seniors Liz LaNier had four kills. Kaitlyn Werden led the team with 14 assists, along with 12 digs and two aces.

Lady Panthers coach Kelly Young, who said she was aiming to eventually beat Chapel Hill last month, believes her team has a different mindset in conference games.

“Our girls want it,” said Young. “But I think we’re playing harder in against nonconference (teams) because you have nothing to lose. When we play conference (games), there’s a little bit more on the line. I think that gets in our heads a little bit and we play a little bit more robotic. A little bit more tense versus their typical play, when they just have fun and relax.”

Merkler led the Tigers (11-3) with 17 kills, eleven digs and one block. Junior setter Sam Breschi, the daughter of UNC men’s lacrosse coach Joe Breschi, finished with 37 assists, eight digs and one kill. Ellen Zwikker and Courtney Zwikker each had nine kills.

“The girls were pumped up,” said Young. “They were excited. We had a great practice yesterday (Monday). It’s great to have good teams in the conference. It only makes us better.”

Chapel Hill remains tied for first in the Big 8 with crosstown rival East Chapel Hill at 5-0. The two teams have a long-awaited showdown next Tuesday at East.

Young believes the race for first in the Big 8 may have another competitor.

“Honestly, I think Northwood has a really strong team,” said Young. “I don’t think anyone really counted out yet. This conference is almost been notorious for an underdog coming up at the last minute. I think there’s a lot of teams fighting for that top position. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a tie at the top.”

As for Young’s team right now?

“We’re at the middle of the pack,” said Young. “We should be near the top, honestly. We just have a mental block. If we get through that mental block that we have in conference games, then we’ll be fine.”

Orange running back Hunter Pettiford hopes the month of September will bring new life to the Panthers’ season. Orange is 0-2 after starting the season with losses to Northern Nash and Wilmington Hoggard. Pettiford plays running back and linebacker for the Panthers. Against Nash, Pettiford recovered a fumble. This Friday night at Auman Stadium, Orange will host Rolesville in just the 2nd-ever meeting between the two teams. Last season, Orange defeated the Rams 28-21. Pettiford made 14 tackles for the Panthers in last year’s win over Rolesville.

Orange Running Back Hunter Pettiford Discusses Friday’s Hame Against Rolesville

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This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior midfielder Drew Jagentenfl. Orange is on a three-game winning streak after defeating Eastern Alamance 4-2 on Tuesday, then whitewashing Person 4-0 on Thursday. Against the Eagles, Jagentenfl scored a goal. Against the Rockets, Jagentenfl had a goal and two assists. Six games into the season, Jagentenfl leads Orange with four goals and four assists. On August 22nd, he had a goal and two assists against Person. Orange continues its season on Wednesday night at home against Riverside. 

Orange Panther of the Week: Drew Jagentenfl

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For the 2nd week in a row, our Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week hails from Chris Walker’s men’s soccer team. Gavin Hughes scored five goals last week as the Red Wolves won both its games. Hughes scored twice in the second half of Cedar Ridge’s 6-1 win over Bartlett Yancey on Tuesday in Yanceyville. On Wednesday, Hughes scored a hat trick as Cedar Ridge defeated Southern Alamance 3-1. Hughes, a senior, takes many of his classes at Durham Technical Community College for early college credit. Cedar Ridge has won three in a row and travels to Northwood on Wednesday night for its Big 8 Conference opener.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Gavin Hughes

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by Jon Franklin

As the new public address announcer at Cedar Ridge, I was introduced to the rivalry between Cedar Ridge and Orange High in last Tuesday’s volleyball match. While it didn’t seem like much of a contested rivalry, especially, after a very lopsided 3-0 sweep by the Lady Panthers – I can assure the rivalry is as hot and contested as any I’ve seen.

I grew up in the small foothills town of Marion in McDowell County. In a populated county of approximately 45,000, our rival has and will always be Freedom High of neighboring Morganton and Burke County (population give or take – 90,000). The rivalry between the McDowell Titans and Freedom Patriots have been contested in all sports, most notably in football and basketball.

Year after year and sport after sport, the Titans and Patriots would duke it out for Northwestern Conference supremacy in both regular-season play and in the conference tournament. Many times, the rivalry continued into the state playoffs on the sectional level, and in one case, the 2002 women’s basketball 4A Western Regional championship game. On that day, Freedom defeated McDowell to advance to the 4A State Finals, en route to winning the Patriots’ fourth state championship.

No matter of the combatants, the location, the records, or the circumstances, all a rivalry needs is HEAT.

From what I saw inside Cedar Ridge Arena last Tuesday, the rivalry between the Panthers and Red Wolves have it.

From the beginning, I noticed the fuel in the players’ eagerness. For Cedar Ridge, I saw smiles and saw determined game faces. I was asked, if not closed to being ordered, by many members of the Lady Wolves to make sure I go all in on the mic for this game. On the Orange side, I saw a workmanlike attitude. I didn’t see much conversation, but could tell they came focused and ready to play. They too wanted to claim Hillsborough for their own.

Second, I observed the spark from students’ energy. As they congregated in their respective sections (Cedar Ridge on the home side, and Orange behind Cedar Ridge’s bench), they were loud and proud for their home base. Given my position at the scoring table, I couldn’t make out what the Cedar Ridge students were saying, but I saw them get amped up for their Red Wolves with each dig, kill, and point. I did hear the student section for Orange as they purposely stood behind the Cedar Ridge bench for the first and third sets. During those sets, every time the Panther student section roared to get into the heads of their adversary, the Red Wolf bench howled back at them. Even during the second set when the benches switched areas, the student sections jawed back and forth across the court with each other.

Finally, I witnessed the accelerant of the seating sections filled with fans. For a high school volleyball game in the first week of classes, you might not necessarily get a big crowd. At best, you would a marginal amount of local fans (primarily family and friends of players) with a dusting of guests. Don’t tell that to fans of this rivalry. Normally during volleyball at Cedar Ridge Arena, the visitors’ side of the stands are not extended and open for seating. But in last Tuesday night’s affair, a complimentary crowd of approximately 400, dispersed on both sides of the gym, came to watch another game between these rivals.

Before I came to Cedar Ridge, I was the voice of the Duke Blue Devils in Baseball, Soccer, and Wrestling. I also announced Volleyball and Lacrosse in a fill-in capacity. No matter the sport, when the North Carolina Tar Heels came to Durham, all three factors I previously mentioned – happened. The natural heat between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels and the eight-mile distance between the two schools allowed for the rivalry to burn white hot.

The Orange – Cedar Ridge rivalry is very similar to their ACC counterparts. The distance between the two schools is only 4.5 miles, and the students are well acquainted with each other. Both want localbragging rights, an increased status in conference play; and no matter the sport, they want wins against their rival.

With my first interaction with “Hillsborough HEAT” in the books, I have to say that I am really looking forwards to future installments. There’s not enough water in the Eno River to extinguish the flames between these two schools, and I’m hoping fans of this rivalry will keep fanning it to keep burning.

Every September 1st, each Major League Baseball roster expands to 40 players. On Saturday, Bryse Wilson returned to the show.

Wilson was promoted by the Atlanta Braves to the parent club, one of seven players added to the active roster. The move came 12 days after Wilson made his Major League debut with Atlanta in a start against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.

Wilson threw five shutout innings against the Pirates, striking out five while yielding just three hits with three walks.

Wilson is just one of a corps of young guns that the Braves franchise is building on for the future. Also on Saturday, Atlanta called up 20-year-old Touki Toussaint from the Gwinnett Stripers of the International League. They also recalled outfielder Michael Reed from Gwinnett.

The day after the Pittsburgh start, the Braves sent him back down to Gwinnett, where he remained until being called up on Saturday. Wilson hasn’t started a game since the Pirates victory. He has made two appearances out of the bullpen for Gwinnett since returning to AAA, throwing one inning against Charlotte on August 26th. On Wednesday, he made his final appearance for the Stripers in relief against the Norfolk Tides, giving up three hits and two runs in one inning of work.

Overall, Wilson went 3-0 at Gwinnett with a 5.32 ERA. He struck out 28 batters with three walks.

Wilson watched Atlanta’s 5-3 victory over the Pirates from the bullpen at SunTrust Park in a Braves uniform.

Wilson has played for four different teams since April. He started with the Florida Fire Frogs of the Single-A Florida State League in Kissimmee, Florida in April. He started five games with the Fire Frogs, where he went 2-0 with a 0.34 ERA. In 26.2 innings, he gave up just one earned run, striking out 26 while walking seven.

Less than a month after starting the season with Florida, Wilson was promoted to the Mississippi Braves of the Southern League. Wilson had a lack of run support in his initial starts at the AA level. He compiled a 3-5 record with a 3.97 ERA in 15 starts. In Wilson’s last eight starts in Mississippi, the Braves failed to score more than three runs.

Wilson improved as time went on, leading all of minor league baseball in the month of July with 42 strikeouts, despite being the youngest pitcher at the AA level at 20 years old.

In his 3rd AAA start with the Gwinnett Braves, Wilson set the franchise record with 13 strikeouts against the Louisville Bats. On the very day he was named the International League Pitcher of the Week, he was called up to Atlanta.

Wilson’s return to Atlanta came with a quirk of fate. It was the same day that Wilson’s brother, Payton, was supposed to make his debut with the N.C. State football team in its season-opener against James Madison. However, Payton tore the ACL in his right knee last spring, leading to a likely redshirt this season. Payton originally injured his right knee on the opening kickoff last October’s Orange-Cedar Ridge game, ending his accomplished high school career.

Jordan Lloyd: The Brevard College volleyball team, which plays in the Division III USA South Atlantic Conference, opened its season on Friday in Memphis with the Rhodes College Tournament at Mallory Gymnasium in Memphis, TN. In the season-opening loss to Rhodes College, Lloyd led Brevard with six kills and tied for the team-lead with 12 digs. In the second match of Friday’s doubleheader against the Sewanee Tigers, Lloyd again led Brevard with seven kills. Brevard will play another doubleheader on Saturday morning, starting with Dubuque at 11AM followed by Birmingham-Southern at 1 PM.

Morgan Sellers: In Fayetteville State’s volleyball team opened the season last week against St. Andrews, where they lost 3-0. Sellers, a Cedar RIdge graduate who graduated in June, played in all three sets for the Broncos. She had an ace. Fayetteville State travels to UNC-Pembroke for a doubleheader on Saturday against UNC Pembroke and Lenoir-Rhyne.

Kayla Hodges: A freshman on the Elon women’s soccer team, Hodges came off the bench on Sunday in a 3-0 loss to #11 Duke at Koskinen Stadium in Durham. Hodges graduated from Orange in May and enrolled with the Phoenix in January. Elon played High Point to a scoreless tie on Friday night. Elon will host Richmond on Sunday night at 6PM at Rudd Field.

Chandler Compton:  Compton, another 2016 Orange graduate, started as a centerback on Monday as the Terriers fell to UNC Asheville 1-0 at Snyder Field in Spartanburg, SC. After redshirting in 2016, Compton played in two games as a freshman logging 36 minutes. Wofford travels to Winthrop for the Big South/Southern Conference Challenge on Sunday.

Rachel Shinnick: Shinnick, a 2015 Orange graduate, came off the bench for the Wofford Women’s Soccer team on Friday night in a 4-0 victory over Alabama A&M. The Terriers fired eleven shots in winning its first game of the season. Wofford is now 1-3-2. On Sunday, they host Clemson.

Jordan Rogers: Barely three months after playing her final game at Orange, Rogers was in the starting lineup on Friday night for the William Peace University women’s soccer team in its season debut against Southern Virginia.  Rogers, a freshman, played wingback in the Pacers 2-0 loss to the Knights at Knight Stadium in Buena Vista, VA. William Peace will continue its season on Sunday with a game against Agnes Scott University at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Rogers was an All-Big 8 Conference selection for Orange last spring and led the Lady Panthers in scoring.

On Saturday, there will be lots of former Orange and Cedar Ridge products continuing their college football careers. Among them:

Trent Gill: A former kicker for Cedar Ridge, Gill redshirted for the N.C. State Wolfpack last season. He’s listed as a punter. N.C. State opens its season at Carter-Finley Stadium against James Madison on Saturday at noon.

Ryan Sellers: The former Orange defensive end is a walk-on with East Carolina as a freshman. The Pirates open its third season under head coach Scottie Montgomery on Saturday night against North Carolina A&T in Greenville.

Stone Edwards: A 2017 Orange graduate, Edwards redshirted for Vanderbilt last season. He will be in uniform when Vandy opens its season against Middle Tennessee on Saturday in Vanderbilt Stadium.

Adam Chnupa: Elon starts its season at South Florida on Saturday at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. Chnupa, who graduated from Cedar Ridge in June after starting in baseball and football, is listed as a defensive back for the Phoenix.

Eryk Brandon-Dean: Brandon-Dean will start his third season as a running back at Guilford College on Saturday against Huntingdon. Last season, Brandon-Dean appeared in six games as a reserve running back and on special teams. He had 106 rushing yards, third-best on the team.

Jackson Schmid: A 2017 Orange graduate, Schmid will suit up for Division III Wheaton College when they face Monmouth. Last season, Schmid appeared in two junior varsity games.