In the final days of summer vacation, Cedar Ridge and Orange made their annual trip to WakeMed Soccer Park for the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association Kick-Off Classic. The Panthers and the Red Wolves each came away with stronger performances with the Panthers earning a win.
Orange 2, West Johnston 1: Yurim Tapia Mendez now has four goals on the season after notching the game-winning goal as Orange defeated West Johnston on Saturday.
Mendez scored the game-winning goal off a free kick as the Panthers improved to 3-2 and bounced back from a loss to Riverside. Mendez scored the opening goal off a cross from Kace McAuley in the first half. Famany Zogbelamou scored the only goal for the Wildcats, who fell to 4-2. West Johnston came into the game off a 4-1 win over Central Academy.
Sophomore goalkeeper Hector Garrido earned his third win of the season for Orange making eight saves. Orange’s backline of Dallas Johnson, Jay Parker and Eben Petrides did a strong job of fending off the Wildcats in the final 20 minute.
Orange will return home tonight (Wednesday) to face Eno River Academy in the second-ever matchup. Last year, the Panthers defeated the Bobcats 2-1 at Soccer.com Park in Efland.
Cedar Ridge 1, Cape Fear 1: Last Friday, the Red Wolves broke a two-game losing streak with a tie against the Colts. Andy Tarija scored his first varsity goal assisted by Edwin Huerta. Erik Galunas was the Red Wolf goalkeeper. Cedar Ridge is 0-2-1. They will play its fourth consecutive road game tonight when they travel to Northern Durham. It’s Cedar Ridge’s only game this week. The Red Wolves will play its first home game against Chapel Hill on September 9.