While it’s impossible for a whole season to be played in one night, Orange’s Senior night game against Chapel Hill sure felt like you could.
In an interminable two hours and 57 minutes, the Panthers defeated the Tigers 30-6 at a frigid Auman Stadium in Hillsborough. The Panthers (5-6, 3-3 in the Big 8 Conference) ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak on a bizarre night.
In terms of completion percentage, Orange senior Wyatt Jones had the best night of his career in his final home game. Jones used early tap passes to classmates Zyon Pettiford and Cam White to score on the opening possession. He finished 9-of-15 for 154 yards and two touchdowns.
“We add little wrinkles as the season goes along,” said Orange Coach Van Smith. “(Offensive coordinator) Coach (Marty) Scotten has added it in lately. It was something that worked early and it opened up some other things, too.”
Junior Elliott Woods added 80 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Now Orange will sit back and wait for Saturday when the North Carolina High School Athletic Association releases the brackets for the eight state championship tournaments. Going into Friday night, Orange had a #68 ranking from MaxPreps among 3A teams.
Orange finished the decade 9-0 against Chapel Hill, and its unlikely the two schools will be on each other’s Christmas card lists next month. In an heated battle marred by four separate instances of offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, the two teams combined for an ungodly 253 yards in penalties and one ejection (that’s not counting the personal foul penalties which offset). That led to a game that proceeded with glacial deliberation, one that nearly stretched past 10 p.m. in front of fans, cheerleaders and band members already bundled up with temperatures barely above freezing.
Fortunately, the Orange students in the “O Zone” were dressed for the occasion since it was deemed “camouflage night,” where the stands looked more appropriate for the Outdoor Channel than the NFL Channel.
That included an aiding the runner penalty in the first quarter when a Chapel Hill lineman yanked running back Tyler Woody up just as he was about to fall to the ground. In the second quarter, Orange’s chain crew got ejected over something someone said to the line judge. Orange Athletic Director Mike McCauley and baseball coach Jason Knapp had to brave the cold to handle the chains the rest of the night.
Orange scored on its first three possessions, then was stymied by Chapel Hill’s defense during the second and third quarters. After White scored his first touchdown of the season on a tap pass from Jones from 17 yards, Orange led 7-0.
Jones hit senior Joe Kiger with a 26-yard pass on a 4th-and-14 to break into the Tiger red zone. Junior Elliott Woods scored a six-yard touchdown on the following play.
After Chapel Hill had a misguided snap during a punt on its next possession, Nigel Slanker kicked his seventh field goal of the season, a 28-yarder to put Orange ahead 17-0 with 10:53 remaining in the second quarter.
Chapel Hill invaded the Orange red zone each of its next three possessions and failed to score. The Tigers were down to the Orange 3-yard line after sophomore Caleb Kelly threw to Kyhili Jones. On the next play, the snap went over Kelly’s head and was recovered by Orange’s Caulin Fansler.
Slanker was forced to punt after consecutive holding penalties against Orange. The Tigers took over from the Panther 38-yard line and drove 34 yards. Then Chapel Hill was hit with a delay of game and a false start. Kelly’s pass on fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line sailed over Jones’ head.
Late in the first half, the Tigers got another chance when Kelly threw to Cameron Walker, who fumbled at the Orange 8-yard line. It was recovered by senior linebacker Owen Brimmer.
The Tigers had five turnovers. Seniors Zyon Pettiford, Machai Holt and Wyatt Jones all had interceptions in the second half. Another senior, Khaleb Smith, recovered a fumble on Chapel Hill’s final possession.
Tyler Woody scored the Tigers’ only touchdown on a six-yard run late in the third quarter.
Orange put the game away when Woods scored on a two-yard run on the first possession of the fourth quarter.
Jones later hooked up with Woods for a 44-yard touchdown pass. Woods finished the regular season with a team-high 18 receptions.
ORANGE 30, CHAPEL HILL 6
CHP–0 0 6 0-6
ORA–14 3 0 13-30
ORA—Cam White 17 pass from Wyatt Jones (Nigel Slanker kick)
ORA–Elliott Woods 6 run (Slanker kick)
ORA–Slanker 28 FG
CHP–Tyler Woody 6 run (kick failed)
ORA–Woods 2 run (Slanker kick)
ORA—Woods 44 pass from Jones (kick failed)
RUSHING: CHAPEL HILL 24-79 TD (Elijah Ayankoya 5-35, Caleb Kelley 7-21, #20 3-21, Khalil Jones 1-13, Woody 7-7 TD, Luke Roeber 1-(minus 18).
ORANGE—48-234 2 TD (Woods 14-80 2 TD, Omarion Lewis 17-74, Machai Holt 10-55, Joe Kiger 4-16, Courtney Edwards 1-5, Wyatt Jones 2-4)
PASSING: CHAPEL HILL 13-31 136 4 INT (Kelley 13-30 136 3 INT, Ayankoya 0-1 INT)
ORANGE: (Jones 9-15 154 2 TD INT)
RECEIVING: CHAPEL HILL (Jones 6-60, Cameron Kelly 4-34, Milad Aghaiepour 2-13, Roeber 1-11, Cameron Clegg 1-(minus 2))
ORANGE: (Woods 3-56 TD, Pettiford 3-49, White 2-23 TD, Kiger 1-26)