Month: November 2019

The post-Darius McLeod era of Cedar Ridge wrestling is off to a good start.

On Wednesday night, Cedar Ridge defeated Walter Williams 45-36 in Burlington. It was the first dual match of the season for the Red Wolves.

It also served as a steady tune-up for the Red Wolves Invitational, an all-day individual tournament at Cedar Ridge High School on Saturday.

It was the first dual match for Cedar Ridge head coach Scott Metcalf since the graduation of McLeod, who qualified for the 3A State Championships last February. McLeod ended his career with 98 victories and is now studying music at Western Carolina University.

Last season, McLeod finished 35-14 at 132 pounds. In the Mideast Regionals at Southeast Guilford High School, McLeod received ten stitches to his bottom lip after he was head-butted by Westover’s Lydell Canady. Despite that, McLeod finished the match and won it 8-6.

“I miss him,” Cedar Ridge Wrestling Coach Scott Metcalf said. “He was awesome. No one had a bad word to say about Darius. He was two wins shy of 100 for his career. We can’t replace him.”

Nonetheless, Metcalf will try to, starting with tri-Captains Ruffin Wyrick, Cutter Tate and James Rosati-Brown.

“We’re looking for leadership from all of them,” Metcalf said. “Cutter brings toughness and confidence. His demeanor isn’t over the top. I think the guys really respond to him. He’s like a big brother because he helps the younger guys.”

Against Williams, it was Alex Christian who came up with a critical pin at 182 pounds that led the way to the Red Wolves first dual match win of the year. Christian pinned Jordan McDowell in 1:14.

Daina Pritchard opened his season with a 14-7 major decision over Sam Sturgill. At 138, Alex Davis pinned Joshua Silva in 1:58. Rosati-Brown pinned Nick Wolfe in 42 seconds at 152 pounds.

Fernando Martinez (106), Wyatt Robinson (160) and Donaldo Aguilar (220) earned forfeit wins for the Red Wolves.

Cedar Ridge also returns Kady Watkins, who made history last year as the first female wrestler from Hillsborough to compete for a individual state championship.

In fact, Watkins’ participation with Cedar Ridge has carried over across school. Now, there are four female wrestlers on the Red Wolves team.

“I think she just wanted to stay competitive in something,” Metcalf said.
“She had a gymnastics background. She just fell in love with wrestling.”

Watkins competed at 126 pounds in the Women’s Invitational State Championships in Winston-Salem last February. While she has competed in tennis and ran track at Cedar Ridge, she considers wrestling her top sport.

“I think it’s just growing throughout the state,” Metcalf said. “Some of the other states are starting to sanction women’s divisions. With MMA (mixed martial arts) becoming popular, that’s getting women involved in wrestling. I love to see the sport grow.”

Cedar Ridge will host 15 other teams at the Red Wolves Invitational on Saturday morning. The field includes Person, Carrboro, Bartlett Yancey, East Forsyth, Enloe, East Wake, Leesville Road, Trinity and Chatham Charter.

Last season, McLeod finished second in the Red Wolves Invitational at 132 pounds, losing in the final.

Over the next week, we’ll hear from Orange and Cedar Ridge athletes about what they’re thankful for. Everyone is thankful for family and friends, so we went searching for other things that they’re giving thanks for this November. Here’s part 1, featuring Tori Dalehite, Brooke Fryar, Tionna Carter and Michael Nicholson.

Orange’s Ava Zinn was the highest finisher for the Panther’s women’s cross country team at the Big 8 Conference championships. She crossed the finish line at 21:56.70. Zinn also was the top finisher for the Orange women in the 3A Mideast Regionals at Northwood High School in Pitttsboro. She crossed the finish line at 22:43.13. On September 21, Zinn was Orange’s top finisher in the adidas XC Challenge, also at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, which is a grueling course that includes an uphill run in the final quarter-mile. Zinn ran for Coach Heath Wrenn and looks forward to indoor track & field season. 

Photo courtesy of WYMT

Scott Satterfield: After finishing winless in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2018, the Louisville Cardinals are bowl-eligible in Scott Satterfield’s first year as head coach. The Cardinals defeated N.C. State at Carter-Finley Stadium for its sixth win of the season on Saturday night. On Wednesday, Satterfield was named one of 22 semifinalists for the George Munger National Coach of the Year Award, announced by the Maxwell Football Club. The winner will be announced December 29. Satterfield, a 1991 Orange High graduate, took over a Louisville team that was picked to finish last in the ACC’s Atlantic Division. He arrived to Louisville after leading his alma mater, Appalachian State, to three consecutive Sun Belt Conference Championships. Satterfield took over for his mentor, Jerry Moore, in 2013 as the head coach of the Mountaineers at they transitioned into the Football Bowl Subdivision. After winning four straight bowl games, Satterfield was named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 2018. Satterfield, nephew, Jett, was the leading tackler for the 2018 Orange football team.

Braden Homsey: The 2018 3A Mideast Regional Wrestling Champion at 195 pounds, Homsey started his sophomore season at Division III Ferrum College earlier this month. On November 6, the Panthers defeated Greensboro College 30-9 at the GC Student Center. Homsey, competing at 197 pounds, scored a technical fall over Vince Wilson 18-2 in 5:12. In the Cougar Open at Averett University in Danville, VA, Homsey finished third. Hunter Tobassion of Queen University upset Homsey 4-3 in the opening round. Homsey responded with victories in his final three matches. He pinned Kowan Lee of Averett University in 3:55. Homsey finished out with three consecutive technical fall wins, starting against teammate Ethan Fragoso (15-0), then over Loic Tueguo of Garrett College (17-2) and Jonathan Bishop of Averett (15-2) in the consolation final.

On November 16, Ferrum split two dual matches in the VBR Sports Southeast Duals at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, VA. Ferrum defeated Otterbein, ranked #15 in Division III, 24-12. Homsey defeated Braden Neuberger 9-6. To open the day, Milikin topped Ferrum 34-12. Logan Hagerbaumer defeated Homsey via technical fall 18-1 in 5:00.

On Sunday, Homsey finished third at 197 pounds in the Estes Environmental Star City Classic in Salem, VA. Homsey ended the day 3-1. He won his opening match via technical fall (18-2) over Sean Gillespie of Liberty University. In the quarterfinals, Homsey edged Tyler Phenegar of Elizabethtown 13-11. Ross Sealby of Mount Olive beat pinned Homsey in 2:05 of the semifinals.

In the third place match, Homsey again defeated Ethan Fragoso 6-3.

Kalyen Campbell: The Division III Trinity women’s basketball team defeated Coast Guard 72-62 in New London, CT on Wednesday. Campbell, a member of the 2016-17 Orange team, came off the bench to score 12 points for the Bantams. Campbell shot 5-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three-point range. She also grabbed six rebounds in 24 minutes. Campbell’s career-high came on November 17, 2018, when she scored 16 points against Eastern Connecticut State.

Lauren Cates: It was supposed to be a matchup of former Hillsborough high school products when Wake Technical Community College faced Guilford Technical Community College on Monday in Jamestown. Madison Wardlow, who graduated from Cedar Ridge in June, is on the Guilford roster. But she didn’t play on Monday. Instead, Cates suited up for Wake Tech and dropped 15 points as the Eagles won 73-53. Cates was 5-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-9 from three-point range. On Wednesday night, Wake Tech defeated Lenoir Community College 88-51 in Kinston. Wake Tech is 5-2, 3-2 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Chris Walker has a long memory.

When Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 4-1 in 2017 at Red Wolves Stadium, Walker muttered afterward that he hadn’t lost to Orange at home since he took over as coach in 2013.

On September 18, it appeared another loss to Orange was certain. Rohan Kasthuri scored in the second half to bolt the Panthers ahead 3-1 with 22:30 remaining.

To make matters more difficult, Cedar Ridge already had lost leading scorer Brandon Garcia, who was injured midway through the second half. Garcia had a seven-game scoring streak to open the season and didn’t return until the 2nd overtime session, and barely touched the ball even then.

With 17:00 remaining, the Red Wolves went on the attack. Freshman Nicholas Frank scored two goals in a span of 43 seconds to tie the game.

Junior Dean Allen fed Frank with two gorgeous through passes on each goal that ultimately sent the game into penalty kicks.

Fittingly, Frank laced the game-winning penalty into the middle right side of the net. Cedar Ridge junior goalkeeper Ty Corbin made the save on Orange’s final attempt to start a wild celebration among the Cedar Ridge players.

“I told our guys at halftime we had to go back to our game plan,” said Walker, his voice hoarse from an intense night off coaching. “I pulled Nick in the first half because he told me ‘Coach, I’m not getting the ball.’ And I asked him what he was going to do? I told him he had to do more to get the ball.”

And he did. On consecutive possessions in the 2nd half, Frank received the ball after 20-yard runs. His first goal came from 20 yards away after Orange’s goalkeeper came out of net as Frank collected a gorgeous balll from Reese Weaver.

Less than a minute later, Frank received another pass to even the game.

Orange led penalties 3-2 after three rounds, but Corbin made saves on the last two attempts.

Garcia, Weaver, Erickson Thole and Frank scored penalties for Cedar Ridge.

The rematch in Hillsborough would be just as dramatic. Orange’s Elliott Sikes sent the game into overtime on an equalizing goal with 1:06 remaining in the second half.

Tyler Werden started the scoring for Orange. Frank and William Mendoza put the Red Wolves ahead with consecutive goals, including one assisted by Victor Garcia-Salazar.

After two scoreless overtime period, it came down to penalty kicks once again. In penalties, it once again boiled down to the fifth and final round. Frank calmly slotted his attempt past Orange goalkeeper Jonathan Cowan. Kasthuri stepped up and missed wide right on the final attempt.

The Cedar Ridge huddle at midfield exploded and rushed to join their goalie. As they raced past him at full speed, Kasthuri, seemingly in slow motion, fell to the ground.

Cedar Ridge would narrowly miss the playoffs with a 7-12-1 record. They had close losses to Northwood and Southern Durham to conclude the season, but they succeeded in sweeping the Hillsborough Derby from its arch rivals. Orange ended the year 7-13, 4-10 in the Big 8 Conference.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior cross country runner Bennett Fleming. This season, Fleming was the top runner for the Orange men’s cross country team. During a dual meet against Cedar Ridge at the Red Wolves Course, Fleming finished with, crossing the finish line at 18:53.86. That was 27 seconds ahead of the nearest competitor. In the West Point on the Eno event on October 15 against Northern Durham and Vance County, Fleming finished first overall with a time of 20:09. Orange had the top seven runners, including Joshua Frank, Ethan Horton and Charles Damon. In the Big 8 Conference Championships at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on October 24, Fleming finished 24th at 18:09.50, and qualified for the 3A Mideast Regionals. Fleming started the season with a 19th place finish at the Northwood Five Meet in September. 

Just as the clock went to zero in his head coaching debut, Jaison Brooks wanted to capture the moment that he wishes would last forever.

It was a night every coach dreams of in his first game. Cedar Ridge, which went 1-23 the season before, had just routed the North Carolina School of Science and Match 77-48. The gym, triggered by the electrifying play of guard Mekai Collins, started to empty.

Brooks pulled out his iPhone to take a photo of the scoreboard, where the Red Wolves equalled its win total from all of last season on opening night.

It was certainly one to remember for the Red Wolves, who had as much life and enthusiasm than any point last year. Collins, in his return to Cedar Ridge after he spent his junior season at Orange, finished with 20 points to lead all scorers.

Junior Ian Johnson added ten points on a night where 14 Red Wolves scored.

“Mekai is one piece of the puzzle,” said Brooks. “He’s an awesome player. He plays with great intensity. He knows how to handle the ball, attack the basket and score. That’s an valuable asset that we definitely need on this team. The collaborative effort of everyone has added something to this team. He’s added some gasoline to the fire.”

Science and Math tied the game at 9 midway through the first quarter after a three-pointer from Ben Kersey. Johnson followed with a three-pointer, and Andrew Altieri canned a three-pointer at the first quarter buzzer to put Cedar Ridge ahead 25-13.

The Red Wolves finished the first half with 49 points, which included two more three-pointers from Johnson. James Ragland, Grayson Ramos and Chris Tinnen also added treys in a decisive spurt that put the game away. For comparison’s sake, Cedar Ridge failed to score 49 points in regulation in 17 of its 24 games last season.

At one point in the second half, Cedar Ridge led 54-27. It was a ridiculously dominant showing by Cedar Ridge after last season’s 1-win campaign, it’s hard to believe it was the same team. Of course, in some ways it wasn’t with Collins’ reemergence added a scoring punch that the Red Wolves desperately lacked last season.

Milan Wilkerson had 14 points to lead the Unicorns (0-3).

Cedar Ridge travels to Carrboro on Wednesday, then goes to Chatham Charter in Siler City on Thursday.

In the women’s game, NCSSM defeated Cedar Ridge 52-31. It was William Dobbs’ debut as head coach of the Lady Red Wolves.

Cedar Ridge jumped out to an 8-2 lead behind three-pointers from NaDia Oswald and Amiyah Gibbs. The Unicorns shifted into a 1-2-2 full-court zone press, which left the Red Wolves in a quandary since it was their first game without since the graduation of its all-time leading scorer, Madison Wardlow.

The Unicorns went on a 18-2 run and held the Red Wolves to two field goals in the second quarter. NCSSM led 21-15 at the half. They pulled away late.

Oswald was the only Red Wolf in doubles figures with eleven points. Gibbs scored five.

Bella Alfaro paced NCSSM with 15 points, while Anna Coley added 12.

Cedar Ridge will travel to Carrboro on Wednesday night at 6.

Cedar Ridge’s Ian Johnson had ten points in the Red Wolves’ season-opening win over the North Carolina School of Science and Math on Monday night at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Johnson came out firing with two three-pointers in the first half. Cedar Ridge showed its depth under new head coach Jaison Brooks. 14 Red Wolves scored as Cedar Ridge never trailed against the Unicorns. There was only one tie in the game at 9-9, at which point Cedar Ridge promptly went on a 11-1 run. Johnson and Mekai Collins were the only Red Wolves in double figures. Cedar Ridge had 26 bench points as they equaled its win total from all of last season as Coach Brooks won his first game as a head coach. The Red Wolves will travel to Carrboro on Wednesday night, then go to Chatham Central on Thursday in Bear Creek.