Leading into last Friday’s game against Cedar Ridge, Orange had struggled to get off to a good start in its last three games. They trailed Northern Durham 17-0 in Hillsborough. At Vance County, they trailed 20-0 midway through the second quarter. Against Northwood, the Chargers led 17-0 and were 21 yards away from going ahead 23-0 before Khaleb Smith came up with an interception that sparked an Orange comeback.
Last Friday, Orange didn’t have that problem against crosstown rival Cedar Ridge. The Panthers scored touchdowns on four of its five possessions. The only exception came with a failed fourth-down conversion deep inside the Red Wolves red zone.
Orange had its best offensive game of the season. compiling 299 rushing yards. They finished with 418 yards total offense, eclipsing its previous high of 407 yards against East Chapel Hill.
Going through this edition of the Dire Dozen, you’ll notice how great an all-around game junior linebacker Elliott Woods played. He had the most important defensive play of the game for the second week in a row, plus he finished with a career-high 87 rushing yards and two touchdowns. On top of that, sophomore Omarion Lewis also had a career-high with 170 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Here are the twelve plays that decided Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge. We have video of ten of them.
- Orange’s opening possession, 3rd-and-7 from the Orange 43-yard line, Wyatt Jones hits Zyon Pettiford with a 57-yard touchdown pass.
Pettiford opened the season with eight receptions for 117 yards in the opening five games. This was his longest reception of the year and his third touchdown. On opening night against R.J. Reynolds, he scored on a 56-yard touchdown from Jones. It was also Jones’ longest touchdown pass of 2019.
2. Cedar Ridge leads 8-7. Orange ball, 3rd-and-9 from its own eleven yard line, Jones throws to Joe Kiger for 19 yards.
After Pettiford’s touchdown catch, Cedar Ridge had a long strike of its own when William Berger threw to Desi Raspberry for a 55-yard touchdown pass. Berger threw to Zach Holmes on the two-point conversion to give Cedar Ridge an 8-7 lead. Orange faces a 3rd-and-9, but they stood up to a blitz. Good blocking by Orange left guard Dari’us Matkins gave Jones a steady pocket to find Joe Kiger, who finished with a career-high five receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown.
3. Orange ball, 3rd and 4 from the Orange 36-yard line, Elliott Woods with a 31-yard gain.
A strong block from pulling guard Juan Navarro helped spring Woods for his longest run of the game. After being thrown back to its own 11-yard line following a 9-yard tackle for loss by defensive tackle Braxton Mergenthal, Orange crossed midfield with this run.
4. Orange ball, 2nd-and-3 from the Cedar Ridge 4-yard line. Woods scores on a four-yard touchdown run.
Since the Northern Durham game, Orange has used a full-house formation on goal line situations with Courtney Edwards and Owen Brimmer as halfbacks. On his first touchdown of the game, Woods followed his halfbacks behind Matkins for the touchdown that put Orange back in the lead.
5. 2nd quarter, Orange ball, 1st-and-10 from the Cedar Ridge 10-yard line, Woods scores on a 10-yard touchdown run
In its final possession of the first quarter, Cedar Ridge marched right back down the field on Orange. After Mergenthal took the ball to the 1-yard line, Berger scored on a quarterback sneak. Orange methodically went down the field on the opening drive of the second quarter on a 9-play, 65-yard drive. Woods scored on a 10-yard touchdown run to put Orange ahead 22-14.
6. Cedar Ridge ball, 2nd-and-12 from the Red Wolf 28-yard line, Woods sacks Berger.
Woods had perfect timing on this blitz up the middle. He leads Orange in tackles. Woods is third on the team with eight tackles for loss.
7. Cedar Ridge ball, 4th-and-22 from the Red Wolf 18-yard line, Orange’s Caulin Fansler blocks a punt.
Against Southern Durham, Fansler had an interception that led to an Orange touchdown to bolt the Panthers to a 14-0 lead. This block was set up by a bad snap. Jackson Phillips rushed over to recover the loose ball, setting up another Orange touchdown. For those wondering, a blocked punt doesn’t count as a turnover. This was the first game all season where Orange didn’t score a point off a turnover.
8. Orange ball, 4th-and-12 from the Cedar Ridge 19-yard line, Jones hits Joe Kiger for a 19-yard touchdown.
A days worth of rain made a 36-yard field goal too much of an undertaking for junior kicker Nigel Slanker. Instead, Coach Van Smith and offensive coordinator Marty Scotten relied on Jones once again, who chucked a gorgeous pass to Kiger. It was Kiger’s 2nd touchdown catch of the season.
9. 3rd quarter, Orange ball, Omarion Lewis scores on a 12-yard touchdown run.
Lewis rushed for 119 yards in his first game agains South Granville on September 6. in Creedmoor. This was his 2nd 100-yard game. This five-yard run was Orange’s only touchdown in the 3rd quarter.
10. Orange ball, 1st-and-10 from the Orange 18-yard line, Lewis runs for 59 yards.
This was Lewis’ longest run of the season. It was the final play of the 3rd quarter.
11. 1st-and-10 from the Cedar Ridge 23-yard line, Lewis runs for eleven yards.
Lewis followed the blocks of Matkins and Kalen Moore around guard to push the ball into the red zone. Video not available.
12. 1st-and-goal from the Cedar Ridge 2-yard line, Lewis scores his 2nd touchdown of the game.
Lewis now leads the team with eleven touchdowns after Orange pushed one in here.