Ellamarie Perel isn’t necessarily a server for the Cedar Ridge volleyball team, but the postseason can bring out something new even with experienced players.
In the third set against Franklinton on Tuesday night, Perel served up eleven straight winners to turn a tight set into a runaway as the Red Wolves defeated the Red Rams 3-0 on scores of 25-19, 25-15 and 25-14 in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs at Red Wolves Gymnasium.
Cedar Ridge, which received the #13 seed after tying Orange for the Central Conference regular season championship, advance to the second round to face Southern Nash on Thursday night. The Firebirds swept Southern Lee in the opening round.
It’s Cedar Ridge’s 14th state playoff win since the 2021 season and the fifth straight year where the Red Wolves have won a postseason match.
Cedar Ridge’s latest state playoff win hardly resembled its previous one, which was also against Franklinton at Lester Wilder Court. Last year, the Red Wolves won a thrilling five-set match where they trailed 7-4 in the fifth set, only to finish the match on a 9-1 run to advance to the third round.
Cedar Ridge led two-sets-to-nothing, but trailed in the third 8-6 before a return by Franklinton’s Tierrah Simmons sent an attack over the end line. Perel stepped up to serve and started a run of 12 straight Red Wolves points. Perel delivered five aces in that span, which vaulted the Red Wolves ahead 18-8. Senior Ellie Miller, in likely her final match on her home court, served consecutive aces in the match’s final two points.
Cedar Ridge junior Claire Hargett had 14 kills and nine digs. She has 392 kills this season and 810 for her career. Junior setter Mia Marty finished with 26 assists. Middle blocker Kayla Stoll finished with 12 kills.
The Red Wolves improve to 17-6. Franklinton ends the season 13-12 after finishing 2nd in the Big East Conference.
Orange 3, Triton 0: In the opening night of the 3A State Tournament, three of the 16 teams in the Eastern Regional lost. Orange quickly dashed any hopes by Triton of playing Cinderella.
Sophomore Sawyer White finished with eleven kills, eleven digs and eight assists as Orange defeated Triton 25-7, 25-12 and 25-10. The Lady Panthers won a state playoff match for the fourth straight year. Orange, seeded fifth overall, will host South Central in the second round on Thursday night in Hillsborough. The Falcons swept West Johnston on Thursday.
Orange rolled out to a 10-1 lead in the opening set. Mariah Poole had three blocks and a kill in the 1st set. White finished with four kills, seven digs and four assists. Ava Wilkerson, who leads Orange with 322 kills, finished with ten kills. It was her 17th match with double-digit kills this year. Poole had consecutive blocks that started a string of nine straight Orange points to finish the opening set. Aubrey Jordan spiked down set point off an assist from White.
Orange never trailed at any point in the match, nor were there any ties. The Lady Panthers started the second set with seven straight points, which included consecutive aces from Katie Silcott. White had two kills during the opening run. Orange finished the second set with an 8-2 run, keyed by an ace by Sawyer White and two more kills by Wilkerson. Silcott had two aces in the second set while Wilkerson added two blocks.
In the third set, Wilkerson had a block that sparked an 8-2 Orange run. Silcott and Aubry Hodges had consecutive blocks. Senior Peyton Sigmon got into the match late and scored an ace. Wilkerson scored match point.
Orange, the defending 3A Eastern Regional champions, has now won a season-best six straight matches. They won three matches over three days to take the Central Conference Tournament last week, beating Western Alamance and Cedar Ridge in five sets on Wednesday and Thursday, respectfully.
Cedar Ridge and Orange’s wins were the theme for a great opening night by Central Conference teams. Five of the league’s six teams won 1st round matches, including 27th-seeded Southern Alamance stunning Quad County Champion South Johnston in five sets. 22nd-seeded Northern Nash, who lost to Orange in the opening round last year, will actually host a 2nd round match against the Patriots after beating South Brunswick on Tuesday. Person, seeded 14th, won at Croatan in five sets.