Month: October 2023

In the midst of a wide open race in the Central Carolina Conference, there isn’t much separating a first-place team from a fifth-place squad.

Thus, it isn’t surprising that the battle for first place will likely boil down to the final night of the regular season on October 23. Some late heroics from Orange’s Joseph Lopez made a tight battle even more narrow on Monday night.

Following a scoreless regulation, Lopez scored the game-winning goal in the 91st minute as Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 2-0 in overtime to win the second leg of the Hillsborough Derby. Orange senior goalkeeper Finn Kelly made a season-high 15 saves to earn his second clean sheet of the season.

It was the first CCC loss of the season for Cedar Ridge (11-3-2, 7-1-1 in the CCC). The loss put Cedar Ridge into a tie with Western Alamance for first place in the CCC. The Red Wolves will travel to Elon to face the Warriors on Monday night.

Orange (5-6-2, 5-3-1) used its defense to shutout a Red Wolves team that piled up a season-best seven goals in its previous game against Southern Alamance. The Panthers have allowed only four goals in its last four games going into Wednesday’s road trip to Person.

Orange immediately threatened following the kickoff to the opening 10-minute overtime. Junior Angel Chavez sent a diagonal long ball to the left sideline that Dallas Johnson ran down before it rolled over the boundary. Johnson played it back to senior Ryker Stein, who unleashed a right-footed shot that sailed just below the crossbar. Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Erik Galunas made a diving save.

Orange’s Daniel Romero, positioned along the right post, made a bicycle kick attempt on the rebound that was briefly put aside by the Red Wolves’ Salomon Hernandez. Yurem Tapia Mendez kept possession in the box for Orange and attempted a shot that was blocked by Giovani Yanez. Hernandez slid and knocked the ball away. The ball went off Mendez’s leg right to Lopez, standing off to the left eight yards away, who fired a quick shot into the corner past a diving Galunas with 9:05 remaining in the first overtime. The entire Orange team chased Lopez to the sideline, where several Panther fans joined in the celebration.

Cedar Ridge’s best attempt for an equalizer came with 6:27 remaining in the second overtime. Senior Abazar Babiker sent a worm burner of a long ball ahead to midfielder Dominic McNerney. The subsequent throw-in by McNerney found Gael Antunez-Nunez, who fired a line drive from 12 yards away along the right side of the area. Kelly was positioned along the near post to stop the shot with both hands.

Minutes later, after Kelly halted another long pass intended for Antunez-Nunez, Johnson took a free kick following a Cedar Ridge offsides infraction. Mendez won a ball off a rebound at midfield and triggered a pass to Emmanuel Mil Cruz, who started an attack up the field. Enzo Bruhns drew two Red Wolves at the top of the box, then found Daniel Romero along the right edge. Romero chipped the ball from 17 yards away past a sprawling Galunas for the insurance goal, Romero’s third of the season.

“We just tried to take away some crossing lanes,” said Orange coach Palmer Bowman. “Our centerbacks, Dallas Johnson and Jay Parker, did a good job of cutting off their passes. I was pleased with our defensive effort tonight.”

Last month, Cedar Ridge defeated Orange 2-1 at Red Wolves Stadium behind goals from Jonam Juarez and McNerney.

“We didn’t execute,” said Cedar Ridge head coach Chauncey Brummells. “All credit to Palmer and Orange. I think they had a good gameplan tonight. They were dangerous on the set pieces. Dominic (McNerney), Sal (Salomon Hernandez) and Marc Reid did a really good job defending. Credit to Orange. They played a really good game. We had chances and just couldn’t finish.”

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior volleyball outside hitter Graylinn Serge. In 2021 Serge was a member of the first Cedar Ridge women’s sports team in school history to win a state championship when the Red Wolves defeated North Iredell 3-1 at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. Serge played in all four sets in the match. This season, as a senior, Serge is tied for the team lead with 194 kills. She is also second on the team with 217 digs as the Red Wolves have secured 2nd place in the CCC. Through three years on the varsity, Serge has amassed 240 kills and has been a part of teams that have won a total of six championships, including consecutive Central Carolina Conference regular season and tournament championships. Serge will be one of eight seniors honored tonight for Cedar Ridge when the Red Wolves face Walter Williams to conclude its regular season at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Next Monday, Cedar Ridge and Williams will play once again in the quarterfinals of the CCC Tournament at Red Wolves Gymnasium. During her career at Cedar Ridge, Serge was a regular rotation player of teams that won 42-consecutive conference games and 33 straight home games. The Red Wolves will likely host a game in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs, which begin on October 21.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Graylinn Serge

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior volleyball outside hitter Graylinn Serge. In 2021 Serge was a member of the first Cedar Ridge women’s sports team in school history to win a state championship when the Red Wolves defeated North Iredell 3-1 at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

Days after its first victory over Walter Williams in decades, the Orange men’s soccer team knocked off Cedar Ridge 2-0 in overtime during the second leg of the Hillsborough Derby at Orange Soccer Field on Monday night. Joseph Lopez scored the game-winning goal, the second of his Orange career, in the 81st minute as the Panthers became the first team from the Central Carolina Conference to beat the Red Wolves this season. Daniel Romero added an insurance goal in the 98th minute as Orange improved to 5-6-2, 4-3-1 in the CCC. Senior goalkeeper Finn Kelly made a season-high 15 saves, including one with 6:27 remaining in the second overtime on a shot by Gael Antunez-Nunez along the near post that could have easily tied the game. With three games remaining in the regular season, Orange is in good shape to make the state playoffs for the second straight season. Senior co-Captain Emmanuel Mil Cruz leads the team with four goals in 2023. Orange will journey to Roxboro to face Person on Wednesday. The Panthers will be shooting for its third straight victory in the CCC.

Orange soccer’s Emmanuel Mil Cruz & Finn Kelly discuss beating Cedar Ridge in Hillsborough Derby

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For the first time since 2005, the Orange volleyball team has won a conference championship. And the Lady Panthers have been dominant doing it. The Lady Panthers defeated Southern Alamance 3-1 to clinch the crown in Orange Gymnasium on Thursday night. It was another big night for Orange’s outside hitters Ella Wimsatt and Aubrey Jordan. Once again, Jordan led Orange with 18 kills. Wimsatt came away with her sixth consecutive match with a double-double, finishing with 13 kills and 17 digs. Wimsatt now leads the team with 317 kills on the season and has 436 for her career. Wimsatt has 14 double-doubles this season. Senior libero Sadye Porter led Orange with 22 digs, while sophomore setter Katie Silcott had 46 assists and 17 digs. Sophomore middle blocker Ava Wilkerson had eight kills. Orange has won a school record 17 consecutive matches going into the final week of the regular season. They will host Senior night on Wednesday against Walter Williams. Wimsatt, Porter, Josie Crawford and Blessiny Dernonette will be honored in a pregame ceremony. Orange will finish the regular season at Eastern Alamance on Thursday night in Mebane, then prepare for the Central Carolina Conference Tournament next week. By clinching the top-seed, Orange has received a bye into the semifinals, where they will play next Tuesday.

Orange volleyball’s Ella Wimsatt and Aubrey Jordan discuss winning the CCC Regular Season title

For the first time since 2005, the Orange volleyball team has won a conference championship. And the Lady Panthers have been dominant doing it. The Lady Panthers defeated Southern Alamance 3-1 to clinch the crown in Orange Gymnasium on Thursday night. It was another big night for Orange’s outside hitters Ella Wimsatt and Aubrey Jordan.

Since high school sports slowly climbed itself out of the mires of the pandemic, Orange County teams have ruled local volleyball.

For the past three years, Cedar Ridge was at the top. With Cameron Lloyd, Cameron Lanier, Julie Altieri, Grace Young, Melissa Benkowitz and Anaya Carter formed the nucleus of a team that took volleyball to new heights in Hillsborough, winning the 2021 3A State Championship, three conference regular season and two tournament championships.

Now, Orange has earned its way to a conference championship, its first since 2005. Almost all of the Orange seniors who clinched the conference title last Thursday in a 3-1 win 0ver Southern Alamance weren’t even alive when the last Orange conference champions were crowned. Back then, Orange was a 2-A team playing in the Mid-State Conference.

Overall, the fall sports scene has been strong for Orange and Cedar Ridge. The Orange volleyball team is ranked #1 in the 3A East RPI rankings. Barring a slip-up during the conference tournament, the road to the state championship match in Raleigh will run through Hillsborough. Again.

With two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team is in first place in the Central Carolina Conference. There has never been a conference champion in men’s soccer at Orange or Cedar Ridge High Schools. Orange High first fielded a men’s soccer team in 1988, inconveniently across the county from Chapel Hill, who had won three state championships before Orange even started a program. While the current Orange team is on the bubble, they are still on track to make the state playoffs, as well.

The Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team will play for a share of a conference championship today. Even if they don’t defeat Walter Williams, they will qualify for a spot in the 3A State Dual Team playoffs for the first time since 2016, when they won the Big 8 Conference Championship. For the first time, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association will have 32 teams in the dual team state tournament, as opposed to the traditional 16 teams. Thus, Orange will likely make the field for the third straight year.

And we haven’t even brought up the Orange men’s cross country team, the two-time defending conference champions who just happen to have the defending 3A State Champion, Gabriel Schmid, set to run for another conference, regional and state championship.

All in all, there’s a lot to look forward to as we venture into October. And more conference champions waiting to be crowned locally.

With that in mind, here’s this week Magnificent 7 from the week of September 24-30. The seven best performances, in no particular order:

1. Tyler Narold, Orange, Sr. The ultimate Swiss army knife for the Orange football team. Narold had three interceptions for Orange in its 43-0 win over Cedar Ridge on September 29 at Red Wolves Stadium. Narold returned one interception for a touchdown and also kicked three extra points. He started at quarterback, safety, placekicker and punter.
2. Cameron Mayhew, Cedar Ridge, Sr. Won two matches in a 6-3 victory over Orange on September 27 at Panthers Tennis Courts. Mayhew and Adeline Cummings teamed to defeat Erinn and Shannon Sollars 8-4. Mayhew also defeated Erinn Sollars 6-2, 6-1 in the #1 singles match. The following day, Mayhew won two more matches in the Red Wolves victory over Southern Alamance in Hillsborough. Cedar Ridge women’s tennis is 13-4.
3. Sadye Porter, Orange, Sr: Porter, Orange’s libero, had 14 digs for Orange in its 3-0 sweep of Cedar Ridge on September 28. Two days earlier, Porter led Orange with 16 digs in a sweep of Walter Williams in Burlington. Porter also had a team-high six aces against the Bulldogs. After she missed the 2022 season, Porter’s return is a big reason why Orange volleyball returned to the top of the conference this season.
4. Iliah Babchenko, Cedar Ridge, Sr.: The Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team grabbed its first win over Walter Williams since they became conference rivals 2-1 on September 25 in Burlington. Babchenko, Cedar Ridge’s leading scorer, scored the opening goal and assisted on the game-winner from Dominic McNerney. Babchenko is a co-Captain for the Red Wolves who was the first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week this academic year.
5. Gabriel Schmid, Orange, Sr.: Yet another impressive performance from possibly the greatest runner in Hillsborough history. Schmid finished first in the Greensboro Cross Country Invitational on September 30. He paced a field of 146 runners. Schmid has five first-place finished this season with an Orange team that appears to be deeper than ever.
6. Claire Hargett, Cedar Ridge, Soph: Hargett led the Cedar Ridge volleyball team with 12 kills in a 3-0 win over Southern Alamance on September 26 at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Hargett also had 12 digs. It was her ninth double-double of the season. She had seven kills and eleven digs against Orange. Late in her sophomore season, Hargett already has 293 career kills.
7. Adeline Cummings, Cedar Ridge, Jr.: The Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team won three matches in three days, beating Person, Orange and Southern Alamance. Cummings won the top singles match over Person, defeated Orange’s Makayla Davis in three sets, ending with an 11-9 tiebreaker, then won a singles match against the Patriots.

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Cohen 

Lottie Scully: On Friday night, the Binghamton Bearcats claimed a win over New Hampshire 3-1 on scores of 25-19, 18-25, 25-22 and 32-30 at West Gym in New York. Scully finished with a double-double, claiming 46 assists and 19 digs. Scully, the starting setter for the Bearcats, also finished with three kills. On Saturday, the Bearcats completed a weekend sweep with a victory over Bryant University (25-23, 25-20, 25-11). Scully had 29 assists, nine digs and four aces. Last Saturday, Binghamton defeated the New Jersey Institute of Technology 3-0 (25-20, 25-22, 26-24). Scully had 28 assists, eight digs and four kills. So far this season, Scully has had four double-doubles. The Bearcats are 9-8 overall, 3-0 in the America East Conference.

Cameron Lloyd: On Saturday, Bucknell defeated Holy Cross 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-17) at Davis Gymnasium in Lewisburg, PA. Lloyd had nine kills, four digs and three aces. On Friday night, American defeated Bucknell 3-1 (26-24, 25-11, 22-25, 25-23) at Davis Gymnasium in Lewisburg, PA, the home of the Bison. Lloyd finished with nine kills, ten digs, three aces, three aces and one assist. Bucknell dropped a match to Navy in five sets at the Wesley Brown Field House in Annapolis, MD last Friday (25-20, 21-25, 24-26, 25-18, 15-8). Lloyd had seven kills and 14 digs for the Bison. She also finished with two assists and one ace. The following day in Baltimore, Bucknell defeated Loyola (MD) 3-0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-23) in Reitz Arena. Lloyd had two kills, nine digs, one ace, one assist and one block. Bucknell is 8-9 overall, 4-4 in the Patriot League.

Cameron Lanier: Over the weekend, William & Mary took two matches from Elon, where Lanier plays as an outside hitter. On Saturday, the Tribe defeated the Phoenix 3-1 (15-25, 25-15, 25-17, 25-22). Lanier was tied for the team lead with eleven kills. She also had six digs, one ace and one assist. On Saturday, William & Mary swept Elon (25-14, 25-22, 25-20) Lanier had seven kills and two digs. Northeastern defeated Elon in a two-match series at the Schar Center last weekend. On Friday, the Huskies defeated the Phoenix 3-2 (25-23, 15-25, 21-25, 25-19, 15-11). Lanier finished with 12 kills, seven digs, one ace and one block. On Saturday, Northeastern defeated Elon 3-1 (20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 27-25). Lanier had eight kills and four digs. Elon is 3-14, 0-8 in the Coastal Athletic Association.

Grace Young: On Friday, Radford swept UNC Asheville 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-19) at the Dedmon Center in Radford, VA. Young played two sets and had one dig. On Saturday, High Point swept UNCA (25-19, 25-20, 25-14) at the Millis Athletic and Convocation Center in High Point. Young played in two sets and finished with five digs. UNCA is 6-12 overall, 0-5 in the Big South Conference.

Anaya Carter: The Division II UNC Pembroke Braves defeated Mount Olive 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-23, 27-25) at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court in Pembroke, NC last Wednesday. Carter, who was one of eight Braves to play, finished with seven digs and two aces. On Friday, Erskine defeated Pembroke 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-23). Carter played in all three sets and finished with two digs. Pembroke is 11-8 overall, 6-3 in Conference Carolinas.

Julie Altieri: On Saturday at Washington & Lee University, the Division III Salisbury Seagulls competed in two matches in Virginia Beach, VA. The Seagulls defeated Washington & Lee 3-1 (25-9, 25-19, 23-25, 26-24). Altieri had 39 assists and 13 digs. She also had five kills and one ace. Later that day, Virginia Wesleyan defeated the Seagulls 3-1 (25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21). Altieri finished with her seventh double-double of the season with 34 assists and ten digs. She also had three kills with two aces. Salisbury is 11-6.

Allie Wilkerson: On Wednesday, Averett University defeated Ferrum 3-2 (22-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-9, 15-9) at the Stuart James Grant Center in Danville, VA. Wilkerson finished with nine kills, one ace and one dig. Averett is 11-7, 6-2 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. They will travel to Bridgewater College on Friday. On September 29, Randolph-Macon defeated the Cougars 3-1 (25-17, 24-26, 25-19, 25-19). Wilkerson finished with five kills, one ace and one dig. On September 30, Averett had two matches. Virginia Wesleyan swept the Cougars (25-21, 25-18, 25-16). Wilkerson finished with five kills, one ace and one dig. Later that day, Newport University defeated Averett 3-1 (25-15, 25-27, 25-20, 25-15). Wilkerson had five kills and one ace.

There were two streaks that ended for Orange volleyball against Southern Alamance on Thursday night.

Their 29-set winning streak against Central Carolina Conference opponents was snapped by the Patriots. Southern, with strong attacks from Rylee Humble , Roslyn Taylor and Autumn James, were able to battle Orange and pulled out a 26-24 win in the third.

The bigger story was Orange’s 18-year wait to win a conference championship in volleyball is over. The Lady Panthers defeated Southern Alamance 3-1 on scores of 25-16, 25-22, 24-26, 25-16 to improve its league record to 10-0.

The Lady Panthers have won a school-record 16 consecutive matches. They’re now 18-3 and will receive a bye into the semifinals of the Central Carolina Conference tournament, which starts October 16. Orange will host a semifinal game and, if they’re victorious, the title contest.

While a conference championship isn’t the only goal for Orange this season, it is a significant box they’ve checked off their to-do list. During its stint as a 2A team in the mid-2000s, Orange had teams strong enough to win a conference title, but finished runner-up four consecutive years behind Cardinal Gibbons. The past three years, Cedar Ridge, Orange’s crosstown rival, rode atop the Big 8 and CCC with few serious challenges during a 42-match conference winning streak.

This year, Orange removed all barriers to its path to a championship. The power of outside hitters Ella Wimsatt and Aubrey Jordan, the imposing presence of 6-3 sophomore Ava Wilkerson, consistent and pinpoint lobs provided by setter Katie Silcott and the defense of Sadye Porter and Abby Silinksi, among others, have led to its most successful season as a 3A team.

Wimsatt, who leads the team with 304 kills, says it’s merely their first goal.

“It means a lot,” Wimsatt said. “Especially since the last time was 18 years ago. It’s crazy that it’s the time that I’m here and I’m a senior. As a team, we worked really hard for this goal. I hope it will lead to us going really far in the state playoffs.”

Orange coach Hope Heverly, in her first year, was in high school the last time Orange won a conference title.

“That makes it a little bittersweet for me,” Heverly said. “I think everything is a learning experience. We’re ending the conference season and going into the postseason. Losing a set wasn’t bad tonight. I think it’s good for the girls to see the adversity. They came out on fire in set four. I think this was a great learning experience for the girls as we continue this season.”

Orange, playing in pink jerseys during breast cancer awareness night at Panther Gymnasium, charged out to a 10-4 lead in the opening set with a kill by Wimsatt forcing a Southern Alamance time out. Wilkerson had consecutive blocks to increase the lead to 15-9, followed by a kill from Jordan. Senior Josie Crawford nailed down the set with an ace.

The Patriots led for much of the second set with strong play from Autumn James and Laci Gregory. A kill by Poppie Shanklin vaulted Southern ahead 15-13. They didn’t trail in the frame until Jordan had three consecutive kills, and another by sophomore Mariah Poole. Nonetheless, the Patriots fought back to even the set at 18-18 follow a spike by Rylee Humble. Orange reeled off three straight points to go ahead 21-18 and claimed set point when an attack by the Patriots went wide.

For just the second time this conference season, Orange was extended to overtime in the third set. The Patriots got four kills from Humble and three from senior Lacy Gregory to take a 19-15 lead. Jordan had back-to-back kills to even the set 19-19, but the Patriots fought back to force two set points. Orange staved off the first one off an attack from Wilkerson, but kills by Taylor and James gave the Patriots a 26-24 victory.

The fourth set was tied 6-6 before Orange went on a 7-1 run to take control, including a block and a kill by Jordan. Kills by Wilkerson and Jordan pushed the Orange lead to 17-8. On match point, a return by Southern went over the sideline, clinching an elusive conference crown for Orange.