Dominic McNerney became a fan of soccer watching Chelsea FC play in England’s Premier League.
As he absorbed a pass up the left sideline from teammate Abazar Babiker on Wednesday night, he may have had visions of Mason Mount, a modern legend for the Blues who helped them win the UEFA Champions League in 2021.
As McNerney roared up the left flank, there was one Orange defender who had an angle on him. McNerney had little choice but to blast away from 22 yards.
Searing like a rocket, the ball latched into the right corner of the net like it had eyes.
McNerney, who has waited three years to beat his crosstown rival, ran out on the track to celebrate in front of the Cedar Ridge students for the greatest goal he ever scored. Many of his teammates joined him.
He didn’t know it at the time, but McNerney gorgeous tally with 14:33 remaining in regulation would turn out to be the game-winner in Cedar Ridge’s 2-1 win over Orange at Red Wolves Stadium in the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby on Wednesday night. It was Cedar Ridge’s first victory over the Panthers since September 15, 2022, when they won 4-1 at Red Wolves Stadium.
Jonam Juarez notched the opening goal for the Red Wolves with 1:39 remaining in the first half. Off a corner kick from senior Illah Babchenko, the ball went into the six-yard box where several Panthers tried to clear it. Juarez blocked the clearance and chipped it into the net from along the near post for his fourth goal of the season.
It was a resounding rebound for the Red Wolves, who were 48 hours removed from a disappointing scoreless draw against Southern Alamance in Graham. After the tie, Cedar Ridge coach Chauncey Brummell and his assistants had a lengthy postgame huddle with his team about focus, among other subjects.
Did his team’s focus meet the threshold Brummell wanted against Orange?
“Not in the first half,” Brummell said. “The first half we didn’t play as well as I would like to. Bu after that we pick it up and turned it on.”
Of course, McNerney’s goal in the second half made things seem a lot better for Cedar Ridge.
“That goal was….whew,” Brummell said about McNerney’s third goal of the season. “He had one against Eno River this year that might have been better. He brings great leadership. He’s a great leader. He was talking to the boys before the game. And he’s fun to be around. He’s just a flashy player. I don’t like flash, but he brings a lot of flash. You had to be here to see that second goal. It should be on ESPN or something.”
Cedar Ridge sophomore goalkeeper Erik Galunas made eight saves and nearly had his second consecutive clean sheet, but Orange senior Travel Bruhns scored with 1:31 remaining off an assist from Emmanuel Mil Cruz to cut the Red Wolves lead in half. Orange was bidding for another late attack for the equalizer in the waning seconds, but Babiker had a key clearance to midfield that ran out the clock.
“Right now, we’re just lacking focus,” said Orange coach Palmer Bowman. Orange goalkeeper Finn Kelly had ten saves.
With the victory, Cedar Ridge has already surpassed its win total from last season. The Red Wolves (6-1-2) were 5-15-1 last year, 3-9 in the Central Carolina Conference. Cedar Ridge is 2-0-1 in the CCC and in sole possession of third place. Walter Williams and Western Alamance are tied for first at 2-0.
Cedar Ridge hasn’t been to the 3A State Playoffs since 2016. While they haven’t clinched a playoff spot, they have ended a three-game winless streak against Orange.
“That’s special,” Brummell said. “We didn’t take care of business against them last year. Palmer did a great job with his team last year. He lost a lot of players from last year. He’s in that rebuilding stage. My team is young, but they’re fun to watch if they can bring everything together. But they really wanted to win this game.”