Lacrosse: Orange 18, South Brunswick 5: Following an undefeated run through the Mid-Carolina Conference championship, the Orange lacrosse team comfortably moved into the Round of 16 of the 3A/2A/1A State Playoffs with an easy victory over South Brunswick on Thursday night at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough.
Sophomore Connor Kruse score seven goals for the Panthers, who improved to 9-1 at home this season. Kruse leads Orange with 71 goals and 123 points. Junior Joe Cady, who scored six goals against Eastern Alamance on April 26, finished with three goals. It was his fifth hat trick of the season.
Tigh Metheny finished with six assists along with two goals. Metheny is second on the team with 60 points. Jake Wimsatt won all ten of his face-offs as orange never trailed against the Vikings.
Sophomore Katie Wolter earned the win as Orange goalkeeper. She has a 10-2 record in 2022. Freshman Luke Nevius, who was called up from the junior varsity squad, played in the second half.
Orange (15-2) advanced to the Round of 16 in the 3A/2A/1A/ State Playoffs for the second straight year. The Panthers will host Walter Williams on Tuesday night at Auman Stadium. The Bulldogs pulled an upset on Thursday, surprising Northwood 12-10 in Pittsboro. Williams trailed 10-7 late in the third quarter, but shut out the Chargers 5-0 in the fourth quarter for its second win over Northwood this year.
Orange swept the regular season series from Williams. The Panthers held off the Bulldogs 13-11 in Burlington on March 24. On April 22, Orange shutout the Bulldogs in the final 12:07 to win 12-8. Kruse scored five goals in an Orange win that largely secured the Mid-Carolina Conference championship.
Women’s Soccer: Orange 3, Northwood 2
With one game remaining in the regular season, the Orange women’s soccer team is on the verge of making the 3A State Playoffs for the first time since 2017.
On Wednesday night, junior Sydney Rogers scored the game-winning goal off a free kick from 22 yards away to push Orange past Northwood 3-2 at Orange Soccer Field in Hillsborough. With the win, the Lady Panthers improved to 9-6-1 overall, 8-3 in the Central Carolina Conference. The Lady Panthers are tied with Walter Williams in the loss column for second place.
Last Monday, the Lady Panthers rolled past Person 6-0 at Rocket Field in Roxboro. Junior Abby Montieth, who usually is the Orange goalkeeper, scored two goals. Senior Bella Brown added another goal. Freshman Elliana Sullivan Gaddy and Caroline Cathey added goals for Orange, as did junior Kitcia Castanada.
On April 27, Orange completed a season sweep of Cedar Ridge. The Lady Panthers defeated the Red Wolves 3-0 at Orange Soccer Field. Montieth earned the win in net after she played the opening 65 minutes. Junior Kate Barger played the final 15 minutes.
Destiny Lily Crayton, Sullivan Gaddy and Cathey all scored goals for Orange. Junior Isabel Jones, Allison Torkewitz and Brown added assists.
Orange will travel to Eastern Alamance, who leads the Central Carolina Conference, to wrap up its regular season on Wednesday night. The brackets for the 3A State Tournament will be unveiled on Friday.