Month: May 2019

For the first time since winning the 3A State Championship in 2017, the Orange softball team won a state playoff game on Tuesday night. Freshman catcher Lauren Jackson homered in the 5th inning as the Lady Panthers defeated Jacksonville 4-1. Shortstop Maddie Bartlett added a solo homer in the 6th. 1st baseman Jaden Hurdle ripped an RBI triple in the 1st inning to score Bartlett, who led off the frame with a bunt single. Orange will travel to Greenville on Friday night to face top-seeded D.H. Conley. We’ll broadcast that game here on Hillsboroughsports.com.

Last week during the Big 8 Track & Field Championships at Southern Durham High School, Wah finished 3rd in the 110 meter hurdle preliminary round. He crossed the finish line at 16.35 seconds. During the Big 8 championships, Wah participated in Cedar Ridge’s 4×100 relay team, which finished 3rd with a time of Keyshawn Crisp, Cory McIntyre and Eli Tilley. He also set a personal record in the long jump with a distance of 19 feet, 8.5 inches. On April 18, Wah won the 110 meter hurdles in a meet that included Orange and Southern Durham at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough. Wah finished at 16.44 seconds, narrowly holding off his teammate Keyshawn Crisp. Wah also was a member of Cedar Ridge’s indoor track and field team last fall.On December 4, 2018, he captured the 55 meter hurdles during the Eastern Alamance Polar Bear #4 event in Mebane.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is runner Kyle Van Tubbergh. Last week in the Big 8 Track and Field Championships, Van Tubbergh finished sixth in the 3,200 meters with a season-best time of 11:15.57. Van Tubbergh also finished 9th in the 1,600 meters, crossing the finish line at 5.11.60, a new personal best. Last fall, Van Tubbergh qualified for the 3A State Cross Country Championship meet in Kernersville. He has also run Indoor Track & Field for Orange. Last December, he finished 15th in the 3,200 meters in the NC Runners Holiday Invitational He hopes to walk-on in track and field wherever he winds up in college.

Balls were flying out of Orange High baseball field on Friday night in the Panthers’ win over Northwood, which officially ended the regular season. Tucker Joseph, Dayne Watkins and Joey Berini all homered as Orange defeated Northwood 15-4 to clinch 2nd place in the Big 8 Conference. Joseph has been the starter at catcher for Orange this season from the very beginning of the season against Ragsdale in early March. On Friday night, in possibly his final game in Hillsborough, Joseph went 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Going into the state playoffs, Joseph is hitting .340 with five extra base hits. Orange starts play in the 3A State Tournament on Tuesday. The team and location will be announced on Monday morning.

The Orange baseball team is now officially the #2 seed from the Big 8 Conference after beating Northwood 15-4 in six innings on Friday night in Hillsborough. Once again, Orange used the longball to its advantage. Dayne Watkins launched a three-run homer in the first inning. Tucker Joseph and Joey Berini also homered. It was Watkins 1st varsity home run, and his teammates didn’t let him forget about it in postgame. Orange completed the regular season 14-5 after lacing 17 hits against the Chargers. The Panthers will start play in the 3A state playoffs on Tuesday at a time and location to be determined.

Last year, the Orange lacrosse team came away disappointed after a lopsided loss to Northern Guilford in the state playoffs. On Wednesday night, it was completely different as the Panthers defeated Northside-Jacksonville 17-13 in the opening round of the 3A/2A/1A state playoffs. It was the 2nd state playoff win in team history. Dylan Boyer finished with four goals and two assists. Junior Wyatt Jones also scored four goals. Caleb Davis added the game-tying goal early in the 2nd quarter. Orange will travel to the coast again on Tuesday. This time, they will face Topsail, the 3rd seed from Conference One. Orange also got key contributions from Josh Mauer, who won 12 faceoffs.

The Orange lacrosse team won just its second state playoff game ever on Wednesday night in Jacksonville. The Panthers defeated Northside 17-13 in the opening round of the 3A/2A/1A NCHSAA State Playoffs. Sophomore goalkeeper Chase Hawkins made some vital saves as Orange outscored the Monarchs 6-1 in the 2nd quarter. The Panthers never trailed from that point forward. Hawkins started in lacrosse at Stanford Middle School and has continued to pursue it as his passion. On Tuesday night, Orange will make another trip to the coast to face Topsail in the 2nd round. The Pirates defeated First Flight 10-7 on Friday night.