After becoming the first female Orange swimmer in school history to win an individual state championship, Katie Belle Sikes earned two spots on the All-Central Carolina Conference squad.
In addition, Cedar Ridge freshman Sophia Stinnett made the All-Conference team.
After leading the Orange men’s team to its first Central Carolina Conference championship, Ron Geib was named the Central Carolina Conference Men’s Coach of the Year.
In men’s swimming, freshman Luke Roman was one of five Panthers to be named to the All-Conference squad. Roman was named the Central Carolina Conference Male Swimmer of the Year in February.
The conference championships were held on January 27 at the Orange County Sportsplex in Hillsborough.
Sikes was named to the All-Conference team in the 50 yard freestyle and the 100 yard freestyle. She was the CCC champion in both events, winning the 50 freestyle at 24.77 seconds. Sikes went on to win the 3A State Championship in the 50 yard freestyle at the Cary Aquatic Center on February 11, earning All-American consideration. She also captured the 3A Central Regional Championship in the 50 meters for the second straight year. Sikes was the only Lady Panther to make All-Conference.
Stinnett was named All-Conference in the 200 yard freestyle and the 500 yard freestyle. In the CCC championships, Stinnett won the 200 with a time of 2:05.28, leading Cedar Ridge to a third place finish as a team. Stinnett finished 2nd in the 500 yard freestyle behind Northwood senior Mia Corrado.
The Orange women’s team, which finished 4th in the CCC, was also honored with the league’s sportsmanship award.
The Orange men’s team, which captured the school’s first conference championship as a 3A team, had Roman earn three spots on the All Conference team: in the 200 yard medley relay and the 500 yard freestyle. Roman swam a dominant race in winning the conference 500 yard freestyle championship, touching the wall at 5:19.54. It was a full 32 seconds ahead of runner-up Greyson Brummer, also of Orange.
Brummer, a junior, was also named All-Conference in the 500 freestyle.
Orange’s Ian Moore, Evan Phillips and Alex Andre joined Roman on the All-Conference team for the 200 yard medley relay team. The quartet won the conference championship with a time of 1::49.80. They went on to finish eighth in the state championships.
The Panthers’ 400 yard freestyle relay team of freshman Nick Baczara, Roman, Andre & Phillips earned All-Conference honors after winning the conference championship.
In all, Phillips, a senior, claimed four spots on the All-Confernce team: two relay and two two individual races. He won the 200 yard individual medley championship (2:10.39), as well as the 100 yard breaststroke. Phillips came in 15th in the state championships.
Moore claimed an All-CCC spot for winning the 100-yard backstroke championship. Moore went on to finish eleventh in the state championships.
Orange freshman Alex Andre made All-Conference in four events. In addition to the two relay teams, he finished runner-up to Philips in the 200 yard individual medley. Andre also came in 2nd in the 100 yard butterfly behind Eastern Alamance’s Owen Sawyer.
Cedar Ridge had several freshman earned conference honors. Matthew Czar earned three spots on the All-Conference team, two for individual races and one for a relay. Czar captured the CCC championship in the 50 yard freestyle. He was also honored for winning the 100 yard freestyle title.
Czar, Alexander Hill, Nikhil Agains and Jason Pattison made All-Conference for a runner-up finish in the 200 yard freestyle relay (1:54.15).
Agans was also honored with an All-Conference spot following a runner-up finish, behind Czar, in the 50 yard freestyle.
In addition, Orange senior diver Stanz Zitko was named All-Conference. Zitko finished with his fourth 3A Central Regional diving championship at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in February.