Month: September 2023

Bryse Wilson: For the second time in his career, Bryse Wilson has reached the Major League Baseball playoffs. The Milwaukee Brewers won the National League Central Division championship on Tuesday night, even though St. Louis defeated the Brewers 4-1. It is Milwaukee’s 3rd division title in six years. Wilson threw one-and-two-thirds innings on Tuesday night, allowing only one walk with two strikeouts. The Brewers will face either the Chicago Cubs or the Arizona Diamondbacks or the Cincinnati Reds in a best-of-three series starting on Tuesday.

Trenton Gill: The Kansas City Chiefs hammered the Chicago Bears 41-10 on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. Needless to say, Gill, a punter, found himself very busy. Gill averaged 45.8 yards on five punts. The longest was a 58-yarder. He had one downed inside the 20-yard line and another for a touchback. Chicago is 0-2 and will look for its first win in a showcase matchup against the Denver Broncos at Solider Field on Sunday.

Ivy Garner: The Liberty Flames women’s soccer team remains undefeated after beating Sam Houston State 6-0 at Osborne Stadium in Lynchburg, VA in a Conference USA matchup. Ivy Garner, who played for Cedar Ridge in tennis and soccer her freshman year before she transferred to Eno River Academy, assisted on the third goal, scored by Rachel DeRuby in the 46th minute. Garner played 48 minutes and had a shot on goal Liberty. The Flames are 11-0, 2-0 in Conference USA and will host New Mexico State in another Conference USA matchup on Saturday. Garner, a sophomore, has scored four goals and dished out three assists this season. She has started in all eleven games.

Emerson Talley: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne women’s soccer team defeated #19 North Georgia 3-1 at Moretz Campus on Wednesday night. Talley assisted on the game-winning goal scored by Neve Dustin in the 59th minute. Talley played all 90 minutes and had a shot on goal. On Saturday, the Bears defeated Mars Hill 4-0 in Hickory. Talley played 45 minute and had a shot. Lenoir-Rhyne is atop the South Atlantic Conference with a 4-0 record. They are 5-0-3 overall with a trip to Wingate on tape for Saturday night.

Will Berger: A former Cedar Ridge pitcher and quarterback, Berger is now running cross country at Wofford University. Wofford started the season with the Eye Opener at the Roger Milliken Research Center Park in Spartanburg, SC. Berger finished 123rd out of 170 runners with a time of 30:05.3. The Terriers finished 13th out of 18 teams. Liberty finished first. On September 15, Berger competed in the Covered Bridge Open at Appalachian State in Boone. Once again, the Terriers finished 13th as a team. Berger finished 120th with a time of 30:29.41. Florida State finished first with 22 points. Berger also was on the outdoor track & field squad for Wofford last spring.

We’ll have a full volleyball update on Thursday.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is freshman wide receiver Kayden Bradsher. The defensive player of the week is senior linebacker Jayden Medley. On September 8, Bradsher scored three touchdowns in Orange’s 22-0 win over Montgomery Central at Auman Stadium. It was the first three touchdowns of his career. In the first half for the Timberwolves, Medley had a fumble recovery. He created two fumbles on the night and also had a sack. Orange pitched its first shutout against a non conference team since they defeated Granville Central last year in Stem, which was head coach’s DeVante Pettiford’s first win as Orange coach. Bradsher led the team with four receptions for 40 yards and three touchdowns. Bradsher’s first touchdown of the night came on a 12-yard run up the middle. Medley finished the game with seven tackles. Medley is a native of Maryland who moved to Hillsborough. Orange’s young group will face Cedar Ridge at Red Wolves Stadium on Friday night in the annual Battle for the Bell.

Orange Panther of the Week: Kayden Bradsher. Defensive Player of the Week: Jayden Medley

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The Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team is in first place in the Central Carolina Conference. In its biggest win in over a decade, the Red Wolves stunned Western Alamance 1-0 at Red Wolves Stadium on Wednesday night. It appeared the two teams would end regulation in a scoreless tie until Salomon Hernandez scored on a header from Illah Babchenko with 4:17 remaining. Hernandez had a strong game defensively, playing along the back line and limiting the Warriors offensive flow in a game that had even possession time between the two teams. Babchenko, a senior co-Captain, had his eighth assist of the season. Another Captain, Dominic McNerney, triggered various Cedar Ridge attacks throughout the night. It was Cedar Ridge’s first win over Western Alamance, the 2021 3A State Champions, since the two teams became conference rivals two years ago. Cedar Ridge is now 4-0-1 in the CCC, the only undefeated team in the CCC in league play. The Red Wolves are 8-1-2 overall. For a team that had a goal of making the 3A State Playoffs when the season started seven weeks ago, Cedar Ridge is now bidding to become a conference champion. They will continue that pursuit tonight (Monday) when they face Walter Williams in Burlington.

Cedar Ridge’s Salomon Hernandez, Iliah Babchenko & Dominic McNerney discuss win over W. Alamance

The Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team is in first place in the Central Carolina Conference. In its biggest win in over a decade, the Red Wolves stunned Western Alamance 1-0 at Red Wolves Stadium on Wednesday night. It appeared the two teams would end regulation in a scoreless tie until Salomon Hernandez scored on a header from Illah Babchenko with 4:17 remaining.

Darius Satterfield; Satterfield is serving as Mr. Sophomore during his second year at Elizabeth City State this academic year. Satterfield is a part of the Royal Court at ECSU, which is comprised of eight students. Last week, Winston-Salem State defeated the Vikings 24-7 in ECSU’s CIAA opener. Satterfield was busy. He had seven punts for an average of an average of 41 yards. He had a career-high 88 yard punt. Elizabeth City State’s game against Shaw has been moved to tomorrow (Sunday) due to inclement weather by the coast.

Payton Wilson: The N.C. State football team had a wild 24-21 win over Virginia at Scott Stadium on Friday night. Once again, Wilson led the Wolfpack with 13 tackles, including one-half of a sack. Wilson had led the Wolfpack in tackles in each of its four games thus far in 2023. Last Saturday, in a 45-7 win over VMI, Wilson had nine tackles and a pass breakup. N.C. State is 3-1 and will host Louisville next Friday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Braxton Mergenthal: The Division III Hampden-Sydney football team rolled past Greensboro College 58-28 at Pride Field last week. Mergenthal, a former Cedar Ridge interior lineman, had a tackle. The Tigers are 2-1 and will host Bridgewater next Saturday.

Bryse Wilson: The Milwaukee Brewers are one win away from the National League Central division championship. On Friday, the Brewers routed the Miami Marlins 16-1 at loanDepot Park. Wilson threw the eighth inning and allowed one home run, the only Marlins tally of the game. He struck out one. This will be Wilson’s second trip to the playoff in his Major League career. In 2020, he helped the Atlanta Braves reach the National League Championship Series, where he defeated Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of that best-of-seven series. On Wednesday, Wilson threw a shutout inning of relief with one walk in a 8-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Last Monday, Wilson threw the eighth inning in St.Louis’ 1-0 win over the Brewers. He allowed one hit.

Ivy Garner: The Liberty women’s soccer team is now 10-0. The Flames defeated VMI 2-0 at Drill Field on Sunday. Garner started and played 39 minutes. On Thursday, Liberty defeated Middle Tennessee 1-0 in its Conference USA opener at Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium in Murfreesboro, TN. Garner started as a midfielder and played 60 minutes, firing three shots. She has started all ten of the Flames’ games thus far.

Emerson Talley: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne women’s soccer team remains undefeated at 4-0-3. On Wednesday, the Bears defeated Anderson 3-0 at Spero Financial Field in Anderson, SC. Talley started as a midfielder and played 41 minutes. Last Sunday, the Bears won its South Atlantic Conference opener when they defeated Limestone 3-0 at Saints Field. Talley had two shots, one of them on net. She played the full 90 minutes. Lenoir-Rhyne is 2-0 in the SAC and faces Mars Hill today.

Allie Wilkerson: The Division III Averett University volleyball team defeated Randolph College 3-1 on scores of 25-13, 25-17, 23-25 and 25-23 on Tuesday at Giles Gymnasium in Lynchburg, VA. Wilkerson played all four sets and registered four kills, two digs and one ace. Averett is now 8-4 overall, 3-0 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. They will face Eastern Mennonite University later today (Saturday).

Cedar Ridge 3, Person 1: Winning at Person just means a little bit more. Regardless of the Rockets record in volleyball, the visiting team can always count on the home grandstand being close to full, if not full capacity. Cedar Ridge claimed its third straight victory over Person in Roxboro on scores of 28-30, 25-21, 25-16 and 25-22.

Senior Grayling Serge finished with 21 kills, a season-high, along with nine digs. Sophomore Claire Hargett finished with 17 kills and 29 digs. Senior Rachel Alverson finished with 38 assist and eleven digs.

The first set went to a thrilling overtime where the Red Wolves fought off three set points until Person finally took the opening stanza. There were seven leads changes in the opening frame. Serge had nine kills in the opening set, but Person built a 17-12 lead after an 8-3 run. Cedar Ridge rolled to tie with seven consecutive points while Hargett was serving. Senior Addie Reid scored an electric kill off an assist from Alverson to even the set 22-22. Person took the lead back with a block. Serge sent the match into overtime with a kill. Person finally scored match point when a Red Wolf volley went into the net.

The Red Wolves recovered and took the final three sets. The second set was even 20-20 when Cedar Ridge closed with five of the final six points. Ellie Woolson put the Red Wolves into the lead as she reached over the next to interrupt a Person possession and score a kill.. Alverson clinched set point with an ace.

The Red Wolves led from wire-to-wire in the third set. Senior Natasha Buchler-Fosado, now a libero, had a run of three consecutive aces to put Cedar Ridge ahead 8-3. Cedar Ridge (8-5, 5-1 in the Central Carolina Conference) finished the frame with three of the last four points, ending with a kill by Serge.

At one point in the fourth set, Person led 9-4. The Red Wolves started a comeback after back-to-back aces from Serge. Cedar Ridge scored five consecutive points to take a 19-17 lead, ending the run with a joust that Reid won at the net. After a kill by Hargett put the Red Wolves ahead 24-22, a return by Person went into the net on match point.

Cedar Ridge will return home to face Southern Alamance on Tuesday.

Orange 3, Western Alamance 0: Orange only trailed twice in the entire match in a sweep of Western Alamance on Thursday night, ending a span of three home matches in three days for the Lady Panthers.

Orange scored the first seven points of the first set, but the Warriors made a rally to narrow the Lady Panthers’ lead to 7-4. Senior Ella Wimsatt, who led Orange in kills, spiked home the final two points of the first set, winning 25-16.

Western Alamance took a 2-1 lead to open the second frame behind a kill from Reese Walker. Orange responded with seven straight points to take control of the set. Wimsatt had an ace while Sophomore Ava Wilkerson scored two kills. The Lady Panthers finished the set on a 8-2 run to win it 25-7 behind a spike from sophomore Aubrey Jordan.

Orange won the final set 25-11. They opened by scoring seven of the first nine points. starting with consecutive kills by Wilkerson. Leading 3-2, Orange reeled off four straight points. An ace by freshman Sawyer White sewed up the victory on match point.

Orange has now won 13 in a row. They’re 15-3 overall, 6-0 in the CCC. Midway through its conference schedule, Orange has won all 18 of its sets in conference play. Overall, they’ve won 38 of the last 39 sets. The only exception came on Wednesday night when they dropped the opening set against Falls Lake. The Lady Panthers would eventually win 3-1.

Orange will travel to Walter Williams on Tuesday night. They will return home to face Cedar Ridge on Thursday in a rematch from earlier this year. Orange defeated Cedar Ridge on September 5.

–There are some very special conference championship chases going on right now. The Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team is in first place in the Central Carolina Conference after a resounding night at Red Wolves Stadium on Wednesday. Salomon Hernandez scored on a header with 4:17 remaining in game off an assist from Illah Babchenko. The Red Wolves have never won a conference championship as a 3A team in men’s soccer. While they still have seven conference games remaining, the Red Wolves on the pitch is bringing a lot of energy to Red Wolves Stadium. They return home to face Northwood on Tuesdays.

–Who can beat the Orange volleyball team in the CCC? Orange swept Western Alamance on Thursday night to improve to 6-0 in conference play. Orange has won all 18 sets in league play and 38 of its last 39 overall. Cedar Ridge travels to Orange next Thursday. If the Red Wolves can’t beat Orange, the Lady Panthers could gain the elusive conference championship well before the regular season ends.

–Really hope the Person football coach slept well last Friday night with his team leading Cedar Ridge 67-0. With seconds drifting away on a running clock in the fourth quarter, his team ran hurry up to the line so they could tact on another touchdown. The situation for Cedar Ridge football is tough, but I’ve been around long enough to see programs that appeared to have little hope turn things around. Happened at Jordan. Happened at Chapel Hill. Happened at Hillside. Come to think of it, I can recall a Hillside team that trailed Northern Durham 51-0 at halftime in 2000. Northern kicked a field goal on the final play of the first half. The next year, they beat Northern. In fact, Hillside had the game won and elected to throw a 47-yard touchdown in the final minute in an example of what Hillside’s then-coach called “Steve Spurrier coaching.” I hope Cedar Ridge’s returning players have long memories.

1. Graylinn Serge, Cedar Ridge, Sr: Finished with a season-high 18 kills against East Chapel Hill in a five-set win inside Wildcats Gymnasium. On September 12 against Western Alamance, Serge had 13 kills with 14 digs, and four aces in a 3-1 Red Wolves win. In a sweep of Walter Williams, Serge had eleven kills, 14 digs and two aces as the Red Wolves won three matches in four days.
2. Naomi Dyreng, Cedar Ridge, Jr.: Dyreng had her second consecutive first place finish for the Cedar Ridge women’s cross country team. She led the pack during a CCC meet at Orange High with a time of 21:54.00. On September 7, Dyreng finished first at a meet on her home course. The Cedar Ridge women finished first at the Orange meet.
3. Erik Galunas, Cedar Ridge, Soph.: The goalkeeper for the Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team, Galunas had a clean sheet against Southern Alamance in Graham on September 11. Galunas made a diving save in the final minute to keep the game level in the final minute. Two nights later, the Red Wolves earned a 2-1 victory over Orange in the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby at Red Wolves Stadium. Galunas had eight saves.
4. Ava Wilkerson, Orange, Soph.: Had 12 kills against Roxboro Community School on September 13. She also had an ace and three digs. Wilkerson finished with eight kills in a sweep of Southern Alamance in Graham. Orange has won 13 in a row. Wilkerson has 223 kills for an Orange team looking to win its first conference championship in volleyball since the mid-2000s.
5. DeAndre Brown, Orange, Jr.: Brown led the Orange football team with 16 tackles in a rugged game at Western Alamance last Friday. He added his first rushing touchdown on a four-yard run in the third quarter. Midway through the season, Brown leads Orange with 60 tackles and has four sacks, one shy of the team lead.
6. Ellie Wilson, Orange, Fr.: Wilson had the longest match of her young career in the Orange women’s tennis team’s win over Roxboro Community School. Wilson defeated Elizabeth Ess 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 10-8. Two days later against Southern Alamance, Wilson won another three-set match against Morgan Edmunds 4-6, 6-4, 13-11.
7. Cameron Mayhew, Cedar Ridge, Sr: Mayhew continued an impressive season for the Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team with a singles win against Western Alamance’s Amelia Weaver 6-1, 6-2. Against Walter Williams, Mayhew won her #1 singles match over Abigail Brown 6-3, 6-1. Mayhew is 8-1 in singles action this year.