Month: September 2021

ELON-The home team walked through the stands during its entrance onto David Morton Field while a crowded grandstand cheered them, even during its worst start in decades.

There were sponsor banners stretched out from one end of the home fencing to the other, with even more in the end zone. It was enough patronage to make a NASCAR executive proud.

Even after the Western Alamance Warriors cruised to a 44-7 win over Orange, the night was hardly over. Parents played catch with their kids while the Homecoming court and cheerleaders gathered around the Warrior football team in a victorious huddle.

These were the images of Orange football’s new league. In its first game in the Central Carolina Conference, the Panthers couldn’t have looked more rattled and overmatched. Western Alamance, which hasn’t lost a conference opener in the ten-year stint of head coach Jeff Snuffer, looked right at home as they should have.

Western Alamance quarterback Eric Wagoner rushed for three touchdowns and threw for 200 yards. Running back Mason Hogsed rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns.

It was Snuffer’s 110th win as Western Alamance head coach.

After piling up a season-high 402 yards total offense and 21 first downs in last week’s win over Granville Central, Orange was held to 131 yards and seven first downs.

The Warriors, which had dropped its opening three games against Northern Guilford, Southern Alamance and Reidsville by a combined score of 125-28, put Orange on its back minutes after the opening kickoff and kept them there.

“We got off to another bad start,” said Orange coach Van Smith. “We weren’t executing. We got on ourselves early. All the Homecoming activities is great for what goes on beyond the field. But we let it get to us on the field. We have to more leadership from our coaches and our players.”

For the third time in five games, Orange gave up a touchdown on its opening drive and played uphill from that point forward. After Orange nose tackle Kameron Harshaw dropped Warriors running back James Newton for a 7-yard loss to force a 3rd-and-17, Wagoner threw to Kaden Wilborn for a 48-yard reception to invade the Panther red zone. On the next play, Wagoner danced up the middle for a 12-yard touchdown.

Orange fumbled on its next possession, which was recovered by Western Alamance’s Jordan Lambert. It led to Ty Belles scoring on a three-yard run.

After another 3-and-out by Orange, Hogsed rushed up the middle for a 22-yard score. Jacob Carter’s extra point put the Warriors ahead 20-0, and the Panthers hadn’t even picked up a first down yet.

Orange’s only substantial drive of the first half was aided by three offside penalties against the Warriors. After quarterback Jared Weaver hit running back Nathan Sorrells for a 5-yard gain, Orange attempted a 32-yard field goal, but it missed wide left as the first half expired.

The only saving grace on the night for the Panthers came when Weaver found tight end Jake Wimsatt for a 52-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter. Wimsatt made the catch along the Orange sideline, then ran across the field and beat the rest of the Warriors pursuit in order to avoid a shutout. Darius Satterfield added the extra point.

In the third quarter, Wagoner scored on an 11-yard touchdown run, while Hogsed burst up the middle for a 39-yard touchdown. Jacob Carter added a 34-yard field goal.

With its regular season halfway done, Orange looks ahead for the first of two meetings against Walter Williams. Next Friday’s game in Hillsborough will count in the conference standings, while the matchup on October 22 in Burlington (which replaced the scheduled date with Cedar Ridge, which is not fielding a varsity team) will be a nonconference game.

“Everybody has to get better on our side,” Smith said. “We have to have leadership from everyone right now because we didn’t get it tonight.”

WESTERN ALAMANCE 44, ORANGE 7

ORA–0 0 0 7-7

WAL–20 7 10 7-44

WAL–Eric Wagoner 12 run (Jacob Carter kick)

WAL-Ty Belles 3 run (pass failed)

WAL–Mason Hogsed 22 run (Carter kick)

WAL–Wagoner 4 run (Carter kick)

WAL–Carter 34 field goal

WAL–Wagoner 11 run (Carter kick)

WAL–Hogsed 39 run (Carter kick)

ORA–Jake Wimsatt 52 pass from Jared Weaver (Darius Satterfield kick)

RUSHING: ORANGE– 30-71 (Omarion Lewis 12-55, Weaver 6-12, Nate Hecht 2-6, Satterfield 1-5, Jackson Wood 1-3, Ronald Cooper 1-3, Connor Ray 1-0, Nate Sorrells 6-(-13)

WESTERN ALAMANCE– 23-120 6 TD (Hogsed 7-87 2 TD, Wagoner 7-24 3 TD, James Newton 4-16, Belles 3-12 TD, Evan Kuehnel 1-(-4), Jackson Snyder 1-(-5)

PASSING: ORANGE (Weaver 2-8 57 TD)

WESTERN ALAMANCE: (Wagoner 13-17 200)

RECEIVING: ORANGE (Wimsatt 1-52 TD, Sorrells 1-5)

WESTERN ALAMANCE (Logan Wilborn 6-133, Jackson Snyder 3-34, Zack Oakley 2-12, Burch Keck 1-18, Hogsed 1-3)

Ever notice that any good sports film is only as good as its main heel, a.k.a bad guy?

Carl Weathers was a great subtle heel in the first two Rocky films. As overrated a film as “Major League” is, Margaret Whitton was a wonderful villainess as Cleveland Indians’ owner Rachel Phelps.

And then there’s gambler Gus Sands from “The Natural.” Due to a financial dispute, Darren McGavin, perhaps best known as the father from “A Christmas Story,” demanded to be uncredited in the film. But he has the film’s most underrated moment as a wounded Roy Hobbs walks into Knights Field front office to play his last game against Sands’ wishes. When sinister owner The Judge, who would gain full ownership of the New York Knights if they lose the climactic game, threatens to turn over disturbing details about Hobbs’ past to the press, Sands halts everything and utters the movie’s best line with a sneer:

“That won’t be necessary. I like the action.”

I like to think my intentions are more pure, but I like the action, too. It’s why I sit up long after games still writing in a dark room listening to the Kiss solo albums way more than I should (Why did Gene Simmons end his with “When You Wish Upon a Star?). This should be the best time for the high school students who play these games because there’s a legion of fans ready to enjoy the action, too. The Cedar Ridge volleyball team is off to its best start ever. Orange’s volleyball team has been formidable even without two of its best players. The Orange women’s tennis team has a chance to win the Central Carolina Conference title. The atmosphere at recent volleyball and football games has been electric.

If you paid any attention to the beginning of this week, you probably know where I’m going with this.

It’s a time when it’s never been easier to communicate. Email. Twitter. Facebook. Instagram. At the click of a button, an entire day’s worth of activities with countless people can be scheduled within minutes.

So why is it so hard to communicate with each other right now?

On Monday morning, word broke that the Orange County School Board would act on a recommendation by the local health department to shut down all sports for two weeks. This was at the beginning of the fifth week of the fall sports season.

It caught most local coaches, players, students and parents completely by surprise. They’ve spent hours on end preparing, practicing and playing this season, only to be told they could be sent home for two weeks, disrupting (if not ruining) everything they’ve worked for over the past seven weeks.

During a workout on Monday afternoon, I asked one local athletic official if they had any idea the vote was coming before Monday morning.

Their answer was “No, we just work here.”

There’s the problem. The Orange County School Administrative office certainly wants to protect everyone. For that, they’re to be credited because it’s their first priority.

But this is a communication business. And the lapse made some local officials feel less like employees and more like pieces of equipment.

At best, the short notice of the meeting by the Orange County Administrative office was poor communication.

At worst, it was deceptive.

While sports continued this week, the school board did limit fans from attending games to two people per spectator for two weeks. It didn’t stop the Cedar Ridge volleyball team from beating Western Alamance on Tuesday at Red Wolves Gymnasium, but it was certainly a less spirited affair. Ordinarily, the student section would have been packed as the Red Wolves continue an undefeated season. Instead, it was empty. Red Wolves junior Melissa Benkowitz admitted “we had to create our own emotion.”

Make no mistake, there’s frustration around both local high schools with the administrative office right now. Among coaches. Among players and certainly among fans.

The school board and administrative office are lightning rods stuck with an extremely difficult job during the worst pandemic in modern American history. Their job is to keep students safe as the delta variant spreads faster. Meanwhile, there’s an inordinate amount of people who seemed to have earn medical degrees from Alex Jones University by “doing their own research,” whatever that means.

When people can easily obtain their own preferred version of the truth, it’s impossible for a governing board anywhere to satisfy everyone. Indeed, information overload is another problem and has made governing harder.

Hopefully, there will be better communication by everyone concerned in the near future.

Because everyone deserves to like the action. And be there in person for it.

For the fourth straight time, the Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team defeated Orange on Wednesday night at Red Wolves Stadium. Jorge Salazar and Chris Mendez each scored two goals as the Red Wolves defeated the Panthers 4-1. It was the first win in Central Carolina Conference action for new Cedar Ridge men’s soccer coach Chauncey Brummel, who took over in July. The score was deceiving as Orange nearly tied the game with 15:00 remaining. Konnor Johnson sent a gorgeous ball to Darius Corbett, Orange’s leading goal scorer, from eight yards away. But Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Benjamin Weaver Madeline big save with his knee just as Corbett got the shot away. Salazar added a late goal on a penalty kick. The Red Wolves earned its first home win of the season. They will travel to Eastern Alamance on Monday night in Mebane. Cedar Ridge has also beaten Orange in four of its last five matchups.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior varsity running back/defensive back Tyler Fields. On September 2, the Cedar Ridge junior varsity football team defeated Bartlett Yancey 21-18 in Yanceyville. Fields had a great all-around game. He scored two touchdowns on offense. Then on defense, he had two interceptions as the Red Wolves earned its first win of the season. Fields played his middle school football at Gravelly Hill Middle School in Efland. Against the Buccaneers, linebacker Matt Turner made several big tackles with the game on the line. Quarterback Tom Crawford through to Luke Orstad for the opening touchdown. After Fields’ second touchdown, Gavin Sher caught a pass from Crawford for a 2-point conversion. Brian Mazariegos kicked a point after touchdown after Fields’ first touchdown. Turner, Mason Cates and Mazariegos all had big defensive games for Cedar Ridge. The Red Wolves will travel to Person on Thursday searching for its second win of the year.

The crowds at Cedar Ridge volleyball games have been spirited and loud this season. On Tuesday night, it was much calmer following the Orange County School Board’s ruling that limited spectators to two people per player. Regardless, Cedar Ridge improved to 10-0 after holding off Western Alamance. As usual, Cedar Ridge played its best five points from victory. In the third set, Cedar Ridge got a kill from junior Melissa Benkowitz off an assist from Cameron Lloyd to take set point. Western Alamance captured the third set 27-25, only the second set that the Red Wolves have dropped this season. Cedar Ridge opened the fourth set with an 8-1 run. Lloyd served consecutive aces as Cedar Ridge reeled off seven straight points. Junior libero Grace Young had six digs in the fourth set alone, and won match point when her dig off a Warrior serve sailed over the net and fell harmlessly onto the other end of the floor. Julie Altieri served the final five points of the match, including back-to-back aces that put Cedar Ridge ahead 23-12. The Red Wolves are now 37-7 since 2019, 22-4 in conference play. The Red Wolves will look to remain undefeated when they travel to Williams on Thursday in Burlington.

Women’s tennis: Cedar Ridge 6, Western Alamance 3: Cedar Ridge sophomore Cameron Mayhew won her third straight match in singles play as the Red Wolves defeated Western Alamance at Cedar Ridge tennis courts on Monday afternoon.

Mayhew, who has competed at #1 singles in all of the Red Wolves’ dual matches so far this season, opened with a 6-2, 6-1 victory.

Cedar Ridge senior Hannah Shinnick won two matches against the Warriors. She opened with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Madison Randleman at #3 singles. At day turned into night, Shinnick teamed with classmate Olivia Kelly at #2 doubles to defeat Madison Randleman & Sophie Touchette 8-5. That win sewed up the match for the Red Wolves, who improved to 3-3 overall, 2-2 in the Central Carolina Conference.

Kelly wonder #5 singles match over Sarah McLaughlin 6-3, 7-5. At #6 singles, Cedar Ridge freshman Adeline Cummings defeated Touchette 6-2, 6-0.

At #3 doubles, Red Wolves freshman Ella Caltabiano teamed with Cummings to win 8-3.

Cedar Ridge will travel to Burlington to face Williams on Wednesday afternoon.

Orange 8, Riverside 1: Orange swept all six singles matches to defeat Riverside at Orange Tennis Courts on Wednesday afternoon. Grace Pell captured her match in three sets. Riverside’s only victory came at #3 doubles. Orange improved to 8-2.

Northwood 6, Orange 3: The Chargers ended Orange’s four-match winning streak on Monday in Pittsboro. Erin Sollars won at #5 singles. Shannon Sollars won in a third-set tiebreak at #6 singles. Once again, Pell was extended to three sets but fell just short. 10-8. The Lady Panthers are 3-1 in the CCC.

Men’s soccer: Williams 6, Orange 1:

Wiliams, who captured the 2019 3A State Championship, defeated Orange 6-1 at Orange Soccer Park on Monday night. The Panthers’ only tally came from junior Cooper Zinn on an assist from Dylan Silverman. It was Zinn’s first goal of the year. Kenan King had four goals for the Bulldogs, who improved to 4-2-2 overall, 2-0 in the CCC.

Orange falls to 3-6, 0-2 in the CCC. The Panthers will play in the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby on Wednesday night against Cedar Ridge at Red Wolves Stadium. Cedar Ridge has won the last three matches against Orange and four of the last five. Kickoff will be at 6:30 at Cedar Ridge.

Northwood 2, Cedar Ridge 1: The Red Wolves were tied with the Chargers at the half in their conference game at Chargers Stadium on Monday night. Northwood got the game-winning goal in the second half. The Red Wolves are 1-7 overall, 0-1 in the CCC

Women’s Golf: The second Central Carolina Conference meet of the year was held on Monday at the Preserves at Jordan Lake in Chapel Hill. In a field of 24 participants, Orange’s Sarah Durham finished tied for 2nd overall with a 47. Durham tied with Northwood’s Lily Jordan for second place.

Eastern Alamance’s Emily Mathews won the meet with a 35 through nine holes. Western Alamance won the team competition with 149 strokes, seven strokes ahead of Northwood, who finished at 155. Eastern Alamance finished third at 159. Orange was fourth with 168, while Person finished at 185.

Orange’s Samantha Durham, Sarah’s sister, finished tied for seventh with a 51.

Cedar Ridge’s Olivia Aitkin, who is the Red Wolves only golf participant, also finished in the top ten. Aitkin tied with Eastern Alamance’s Sarah Vannavong by shooting a 57.

Orange’s Lucia Godinez, Kayla Pope, Shannon Dorsi also participated in the meet.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is running back Omarion Lewis. And the defensive player of the week is senior Kameron Harshaw. On Friday night, Lewis had a career-high 174 yards rushing with two touchdowns as Orange defeated Granville Central 47-0 for its first win of the season. Harshaw had four tackles for loss, including two sacks. Harshaw now leads Orange with 12 tackles for loss this season. It was Lewis’s second career 100–yard rushing game. His first came in the very first varsity game he ever played in 2019 against South Granville. Lewis leads Orange in rushing yards, yards from scrimmage and touchdowns so far this year. Harshaw is a nose tackle that gets off the ball so quickly, Coach Van Smith said Harshaw is among the fastest defensive linemen he’s ever coached. Lewis, Harshaw and the rest of the Orange Panthers will start play in the Central Carolina Conference this Friday night when they face Western Alamance in Elon. You can hear that game here on HillsboroughSports.com.