The Cedar Ridge men’s lacrosse team isn’t far away from being undefeated in one of the best conferences in the state.
After a tight loss to crosstown rival Orange, the Red Wolves have responded with three consecutive wins. After beating Eastern Alamance 10-4 at Red Wolves Stadium last Thursday, Cedar Ridge stepped out of Mid-Carolina Conference play to handle Southern Alamance 16-6 in Hillsborough on Monday. Senior Captain Roman Oguntoyinbo scored six goals for the Red Wolves and finished with eight points. Oguntoyinbo scored the opening two goals of the first quarter, the second assisted by junior midfielder Billy Power.
Power finished with a hat trick for the Red Wolves and came away with seven points. Senior Logan Ekholm’s only goal put the Red Wolves ahead 3-1 at the end of the first quarter.
Leo Oguntoyinbo started as the Red Wolves goalkeeper. He finished with five saves. Josh Taylor replaced Leo Oguntoyinbo in the second half and had three saves.
Alex Castro scored two goals for Cedar Ridge. Harrison Neal, Mason Lynde, Holden Neal and Eric Thole also notched goals. Jacob Driver assisted on two goals.
On Tuesday night, Cedar Ridge had a hard fought 8-6 win over Western Alamance at Davis Morton Field in Elon. Power led the Red Wolves with four goals and one assist. Roman Oguntoyinbo had three goals and three assists as Cedar Ridge improved to 3-2 in the Mid-Carolina Conference. Mason Lynde added a goal.
Leo Oguntoyinbo played the second half for the Red Wolves and came up with some huge saves. He earned the win with nine saves. Taylor started in net. Jimmy Orozco had five ground balls for Cedar Ridge, while Kadin Brown and Eric Thole were credited with four ground balls each.
Cedar Ridge will play its final game before spring break at Williams in Burlington on Friday night.
Men’s Tennis: Carrboro 6, Cedar Ridge 3
In a tight match between two of the top teams in the area, the Jaguars outlasted the Red Wolves courtesy of wins in the final four singles matches. Cedar Ridge’s Josh Mayhew remained undefeated on the season with a three-set victory over Jonathan Baddour. Mayhew captured the match 6-2, 4-6, 10-3. Mayhew is now 8-0.
At #2 singles, senior Eli Rachlin won over Wesley Hanes 6-4, 6-1. Rachlin is 6-1 on the year.
Cedar Ridge’s only doubles win came from the #1 team of Mayhew and Seth Upchurch, who defeated Baddour and Jonas Miyagawa 8-5. The Red Wolves were supposed to face Williams in a critical Central Carolina Conference match last Wednesday, but it was rained out. On Thursday, the Red Wolves will host Northwood in Hillsborough.
Orange 8, Roxboro Community School 1
The Orange men’s tennis team completed a season-sweep of Roxboro Community School with a 8-1 win at Panther Tennis Courts last Thursday. Freshman Porter Pelphrey was named the Orange Panther of the Match after winning at #2 singles 8-1. Senior Justin Conover won twice on the day for the Panthers. He prevailed at #1 singles 8-1. Then at #1 doubles, Conover teamed with Pelphrey to win 8-0.
Orange swept all six singles matches. At #3, Joseph Clark won 8-4. At #4, junior Nathan Pavalonis prevailed 8-2. Tristan Plummer won at #5 8-2. Junior Brendan Kassler completed the sweep with a 8-3 victory.
At #3 doubles, sophomore Jackson Panning and freshman Ryan Jouannet team to emerge victorious 9-7.
Orange 5, Western Alamance 4: Orange won its first Central Carolina Conference tournament match of the season with a victory over the Warriors on Tuesday in Hillsborough. Orange’s doubles team of Clark and Pavalonis had the decisive victory at #2 doubles, winning 8-2.
Orange won four of the six singles matches. Justin Conover prevailed at #1 singles 6-1, 6-2. Clark won at #3 singles 6-2, 6-0. Pavalonis also was victorious at #4 singles 6-2, 6-0. Plummer captured his match at #5 singles 6-2, 6-4.
Orange will face Williams in Burlington on Friday.