Month: December 2024

The Orange women’s basketball team defeated East Chapel Hill behind the strongest game of the season from center Marshea Byrd on Tuesday night. Byrd tied her season-high of ten points as the Lady Panthers bounced back from a tough loss to Eastern Alamance to improve to 4-3. Orange is under first-year head coach Joshua Underwood. He inherits an experienced team that returns all five starters from last year. Byrd was a starter on last year’s team, which reached the state playoffs and finished 13-13. Orange began the Central Conference campaign with wins in each of its first three games last year and was the only team in the league to defeat Western Alamance, who claimed the conference title. On November 25, Byrd scored ten points as Orange defeated Southern Lee 58-46 in Hillsborough. Orange shot 49% from the field in the win over the Cavaliers. In October, Byrd was named the Homecoming Queen at halftime of Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge. Byrd has been a varsity player for three seasons. Orange will face Western Alamance in a crucial conference game on Friday night in Hillsborough. Over Christmas break, the Lady Panthers will face Southeast Alamance in Haw River to start play in the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoops Invitational on December 27. The Lady Panthers will also play in the tournament on December 28 and 30th.

Orange women’s basketball center Marshea Byrd discusses win over Southern Lee

The Orange women’s basketball team defeated East Chapel Hill behind the strongest game of the season from center Marshea Byrd on Tuesday night. Byrd tied her season-high of ten points as the Lady Panthers bounced back from a tough loss to Eastern Alamance to improve to 4-3.

In a period of rebuilding for the Orange wrestling program, the Panthers had two freshmen lead them to its biggest sign of progress this season.

Jordan Barbee won all five of his matches while Markus Thomas earned wins in four matches as Orange won the Rumble in the Jungle championship at Carrboro High School on Saturday. The Panthers won all five of its dual matches for its first team championship since the 2022-2023 season.

Orange’s closest match came against Ashley, based out of Wilmington. With two matches remaining, the Screaming Eagles led 38-29 after Carson Lane edged out Orange’s Adrian Sierra at 132 pounds. After Orange senior Braden Crawford earned a forfeit win at 138 pounds, Thomas pinned Elijah Allinen in 52 seconds to secure a 41-38 win for the Panthers.

Orange overcame an 18-0 deficit after the Eagles scored pins in the opening three matches. Sophomore Conner Harward secured the Panthers’ first win with a technical fall over Liam Morrow 15-0. It was the first of five straight Orange victories that included bonus points. Barbee pinned Arturo Cuellar in 1:03 at 190 pounds. Senior Jayden Medley pinned Aidan Weilarcher in 52 seconds. At heavyweight, sophomore Eli Clayton pinned Cason Walker in 1:49.

In all five of its dual matches, the Panthers had competitors in each of the 13 weight classes, which was enough to defeat Bartlett Yancey 51-27. Orange earned five forfeit wins over the Buccaneers. At 138 pounds, Albert Fuentes earned his first varsity win, a pinfall over Jaray Pugh in 3:33, which opened the dual match. Thomas followed with a pin of BY’s Jamir Woods in 29 seconds. After the Buccaneers won three straight matches to take a 15-12 lead, Harward earned a 13-7 decision over Jeshua Garland to even the dual match. After Barbee earned a forfeit win, Medley pinned Tayson Watlington in 35 seconds.

Orange also defeated Greensboro Page 65-12, where they scored pins in four of the opening five matches. Sierra opened with a victory over Joshua Rivera in 1:27. Sierra, a senior, is 11-10 with nine pins this season. Crawford pinned Alan Hoang in 32 seconds. Crawford has the top win percentage on the team so far with a 12-4 record with eight pins.

In a 46-28 victory over Southern Nash, senior Max Molinar earned his first pin of the season at 106 pounds. Molinar defeated Jesus Monroy in 1:11.

Barbee finished the day with four pins. He defeated Southern Nash’s Ryland Robinson in 5:56; Leesville’s Road’s Jesse McArthur in 2:49 and Page’s Luke O’Reilly in 1:33.

The Panthers closed out the day with a 42-27 victory over Leesville Road. At 165 pounds, Andrew Pavalonis started the dual match with a 9-7 win over Milo Wegmann. Brady Mcadams, Medley, and Logan Scarantino all scored pins for the Panthers.

Orange will be in the Eagle Invitational in Mebane this weekend.

Cougar Duals: Senior Ryan Rakouskas came away with five wins as Cedar Ridge finished 3-2 as a team during the Cougar Duals at Apex High School on Saturday.

Competing at 157 pounds, Rakouskas pinned four of his five opponents to improve to 25-2. He leads the team with 19 pins this season.

The Red Wolves ended the day with wins over Northern Durham (66-13), Wllow Spring (53-27) and Apex 41-30. Hoggard edged the Red Wolves 40-39. Topsail also knocked off the Red Wolves 58-15.

Red Wolf senior Alejandro Briones won all five of his matches. He earned a decision over Hoggard’s Thomas Ponce 10-3. Briones also pinned Charles Strickland of Topsail in 2:50. Briones is 26-4 with 15 pins this season.

At 120 pounds, Favio Jaramillo came away with four victories on the day, including a pin over Kellan Needle of Apex. Jaramillo also earned a 9-4 decision over Topsail’s Jacob Pope. Jaramillo ended the day with a forfeit victory over Willow Spring to improve to 25-5.

Senior Pierce Prescod pinned Hoggard’s Corban Barton, his 12th pin of the year. Prescod, competing at 126 pounds, started the day with a technical fall over Ans Issa of Apex 18-2. Prescod is 26-4.

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For the second time in four nights, Cedar Ridge and Northern Durham went down to the wire on Friday.

This time, Cedar Ridge had the answer in the clutch and his name was Jordan Jacobson.

With 2:00 remaining in the game, Jacobson took an inbounds pass from Braedon Wilbourn, drove past Northern’s Nasir Hasksins, scored on a lay-in while getting fouled to put the Red Wolves ahead 55-52. Jacobson drained four free throws in the final 30 seconds as Cedar Ridge defeated Northern 61-57 at Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Cedar Ridge avenged an earlier loss to Northern Durham from last Tuesday at Knights Gymnasium, where the game was also tied with 1:54 remaining. Just like Friday night, Tuesday’s game turned off an old school, 3-point play scored by the Knights’ Amari Stokes, who scored with 1:28 remaining after being fouled by Cedar Ridge’s Luke Orstad. The Knights’ won 59-53.

On Friday, there were ten lead changes and three ties as Cedar Ridge improved to 5-2, improving on its best start since the 2016-2017 season. Wilbourn led Cedar Ridge with 18 points and eleven rebounds.

Haskins paced Northern (3-5) with 17 points.

Cedar Ridge led 48-42 going into the fourth quarter after a foul line jumper by Wllbourn bounced in at the third quarter buzzer as head coach Mike Jones danced down the sidelines to watch it fall through the net.

Northern opened the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run, keyed by Bostic, who drained two free throws to cut the Red Wolf lead to 50-48 with 3:57 remaining. After Northern’s Camden Riley blocked a shot by Jacobson, Riley grabbed the loose ball and was fouled by Jacobson on the other end. Riley’s free throws tied the game at 50-50.

Bostic gave Northern it’s only lead of the fourth quarter when he poked the ball away and scored on a lay-in while being fouled by Orstad, vaulting the Knights ahead 52-50 with 2:34 remaining. Afterwards, Orstad hit two free throws after being fouled by Riley to even it up with 2:23 remaining.

In the third quarter, Cedar Ridge led by as much as 36-25 following a lay-in by center Jack Kelsey off a feed from Orstad. Northern chipped away at the Red Wolf lead, drawing to within 38-36 following a 3-pointer by Hasking with 3;10 remaining in the first half.

Cedar Ridge’s Kevin Etim, who finished with six points and three rebounds, assisted on a basket by Wilbourn. Jacobson stole a long pass by Haskins and fed Wilbourn to push the lead to 46-40.

Cedar Ridge led 32-25 after Orstad scored on another old fashioned three-point play. He was fouled by Haskins as he took a pass from Jacobson and drained a free throw with three seconds remaining before halftime.

MEBANE: After losing to Orange three times last season, it appeared the odds were stacked against Eastern Alamance from contending for the Central Conference championship this year.

The Eagles lost three starters due to graduation. Their top returning scorer and rebounder, Jordan Matthews, suffered a broken foot during the summer and could be lost for the season.

Orange arrived to the Tal Jobe Gymnasium in Mebane on Friday night fresh off a road win at Chapel Hill, a team that had defeated Eastern Alamance by 28 points on December 6.

But the Eagles utilized a 1-3-1 zone to stymie Orange from 3-point range and Eastern senior guard Javier Tinnen wouldn’t let his team lost to their nearby rival for a sixth straight time.

Tinnen scored 15 points while freshman Mason Murphy scored 24 points as the Eagles outscored Orange 25-12 in the fourth quarter to upset the Panthers 66-60 in the Central Conference opener for both teams.

Orange didn’t hit a 3-pointer in the second half and was just 5-of-20 from downtown. Kai Wade led Orange with 18 points while sophomore Hector Garrido added nine points and 15 rebounds. Orange (5-2, 0-1 in the Central Conference) lost to Eastern Alamance for the first time since February 2, 2022.

Orange led 49-43 going into the fourth quarter, but the Eagles got a surprise boost from sophomore Xavier McPherson, who was called up from the junior varsity team for his first varsity game and scored eleven points, all in the second half. McPherson drained two 3-pointers, including one that gave the Eagles the lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Tinnen finished with 15 points and seven rebounds.

Orange senior Michael Clark scored nine points in the opening quarter, all off 3-pointers. The Panthers built a 12-point lead in the first half based off a 54-38 rebounding edge, plus the Eagles missed its first six three throws. Wade finished with a double-double with 18 points and eleven rebounds. Clark came away with 13 points and ten rebounds.

Orange will return home to face East Chapel Hill in a nonconference game on Tuesday night.

Women’s basketball: Eastern Alamance 37, Orange 34:

In a strange game, Eastern Alamance earned its second win of the year behind Ayila Trollinger’s 16 points.
Orange led 6-2 at the end of the first quarter despite not sinking a field goal. In fact, Orange scored just two field goals in the entire first half and still led 14-5 at halftime.

Senior Evelyn George led all players with 19 points. With four seconds remaining, the Eagles led 37-34 when Orange’s Addie Atkins tied up Selaya Rogers, giving the ball to Orange on the possession arrow. George had a clean look from 3-point range to tie it up and appeared to be hit on the arm by an Eagle, but there was no call as the buzzer sounded.

After being limited to two field goals in the first half, the Eagles exploded to start the second half. Marion Scott scored all nine of her points in the third quarter. Trollinger drained four 3-pointers in the second half, included one that was banked in that put the Eagles ahead 27-20 at the end of the third quarter.

Atkins and George sparked a late comeback for the Lady Panthers. Atkins knocked down a 20-footer while George scored seven points in the fourth quarter. Alexis Stephens added her only field goal of the game. The Eagles’ succeeded in slowing the game down to its own, half-court plodding pace. Only three Orange players scored field goals as the Eagles won its Central Conference opener.

The Eagles defeated Orange for the third straight time. Last year, Orange defeated Eastern Alamance in the Southeastern Alamance Holiday Tournament.

Orange will host East Chapel Hill, a former conference rival, in Hillsborough on Tuesday night.

Cedar Ridge freshmen basketball players Kassidy Tolliver and Kennedi Fearrington have seen plenty of action right away in their high school careers. Tolliver is the leading scorer for the Red Wolves just six games into her varsity career. Against Durham School of the Arts last Friday, Tolliver led Cedar Ridge with 12 points as the Red Wolves defeated the Bulldogs 55-31 in a wire-to-wire victory. Against Eno River Academy on Wednesday night, Tolliver posted a career-high 17 points as the Red Wolves defeated the Bobcats 41-25, squaring its record on the season to 3-3. Fearrington added ten points as the Red Wolves defeated the Bobcats in the first-ever meeting between the two schools from Hillsborough. Cedar Ridge is replacing its top two scorers from last season. They lost Amiyah Ware, who holds the county record with 54 points in a game, when she graduated in June. Ware is now playing at Division II North Greenville. The Red Wolves also lost point guard Sarah Utley, who transferred. Cedar Ridge reached the state playoffs last season and finished with a 13-13 record. They will continue its season with a trip to Bear Creek to face Chatham Central on Wednesday night. They will open Central Conference play with a home game against Person on December 20, its final game before Christmas.

Cedar Ridge women’s basketball’s Kassidy Tolliver & Kennedi Fearrington talk win at DSA

Cedar Ridge freshmen basketball players Kassidy Tolliver and Kennedi Fearrington have seen plenty of action right away in their high school careers. Tolliver is the leading scorer for the Red Wolves just six games into her varsity career.

Cedar Ridge freshman J.E. Sandor had a memorable first high school debut at the Orange County Sportsplex on Monday night. Sandor broke the school record in the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 57.03 seconds, automatically qualifying for the 3A Central Regionals in February. In the final event of the night, Sandor teamed with Christopher Seawell, Zion Green and Phillip Cauwels to win the 400 yard freestyle relay, finishing at 3:47.10. It was a successful opening night for the Cedar Ridge men’s team, which won all five of its dual meets against Central Conference opponents. The Red Wolves defeated Orange, the defending Central Conference champions. Sandor also finished second in the 100 yard breaststroke, also qualifying for regionals. Walter Williams Liam Miller narrowly beat Sandor to the wall in the breaststroke, winning by .17 of a second. Sandor, Seawell, Cauwels and Jacob Olmstead finished 2nd in the 200 yard medley relay with a time of 1:53.43. Sandor has been swimming from a young age and joins his teammates every weekday morning at the Sportsplex for practice. After a successful start to the season, the Cedar Ridge men’s and women’s swimming teams will return to action on Thursday, December 19 against Western Alamance and Williams at the Burlington YMCA.

Cedar Ridge freshman swimmer J.E. Sandor discusses record setting opening night

Cedar Ridge freshman J.E. Sandor had a memorable first high school debut at the Orange County Sportsplex on Monday night. Sandor broke the school record in the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 57.03 seconds, automatically qualifying for the 3A Central Regionals in February.

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It’s not even the week before Christmas and the Cedar Ridge men’s basketball team has surpassed its win total from all of last year.

Braeden Wilbourn scored 20 points as the Red Wolves defeated Eno River Academy 73-53 at Red Wolves Gymnasium on Wednesday night. It was a wire-to-wire win for Cedar Ridge (4-2), who are off to its best start since the 2015-2016 season, which was the last time they made the playoffs.

Cole Creedle led the Bobcats with 12 points. Eno River fell to 8-3 following its first trip ever to Cedar Ridge, which is only eight miles away.

Last week, the Red Wolves defeated Durham School of the Arts at famed Sikes Gymnasium to win back-to-back road games for the first time since 2018.

Despite giving up size in most positions, the Red Wolves swarmed over the ball against the Bobcats. Junior Tripp Beasley sank the only 3-pointer of the first half for Cedar Ridge early as the Red Wolves built a 18-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. Wilbourn scored seven points in the opening frame.

Cedar Ridge junior Tripp Beasley finished with 15 points. Last week, Beasley led Cedar Ridge with 20 points against the Bulldogs.

Cedar Ridge led 30-23 at halftime, but the Bobcats narrowed the led behind early field goals from Jack Kroothoep and Cire McGhee. Eno River’s Ryder Moore was fouled as he fired a rainbow 3-pointer that found its way through the net. He sank the free throw for a 4-point play that cut the Red Wolf lead down to three points.

In the fourth quarter, Cedar Ridge sophomore Jordan Jacobson came alive with four 3-pointers. Jacobson sank three in a row from beyond the arc to pull away. Beasley added another 3-pointer while Kevin Etim had a late lay-in to finish with a career-high ten points.

It was the second game in two nights for Cedar Ridge. They dropped a close loss to Northern Durham on Tuesday.

Women’s basketball: Cedar Ridge 41, Eno River Academy 25: 

The Cedar Ridge women’s team never trailed in beating Eno River in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader. Freshman Kassidy Tolliver led the Red Wolves with 17 points as Cedar Ridge won for the third time in four games.

Another freshman, Kennedi Fearrington, posted ten points to push the Red Wolves record to 3-3. Eno River, which fell to 4-7, was led by Seno Chan, who finished with eight points.

Cedar Ridge used its size and speed to hold the Bobcats to one field goal in the opening quarter. Tolliver scored eight points early while Elliott Weinfeld opened the game with a 3-pointer. Hailey McLeod and Ellamarie Perel came off the bench to score as the Red Wolves jumped out to an early lead they would not relinquish. Vivienne Matthews got the only points of the first quarter for Eno River.

The Bobcats actually outscored the Red Wolves in the second quarter as Chan got three field goals. Ally Almers and Sadie Olsen also scored for the Bobcats.

Tolliver scored nine points in the second half. Tiana Oxendine knocked down the only 3-pointer of the second half by either team.

Tolliver and Fearrington are producing early for a Cedar Ridge team that lost its top scorer and point guard from last year. Amiyah Ware, who set a county record by scoring 54 points against Western Alamance in 2023, graduated last June and is now playing at Division II North Greenville. Sarah Lowry, who was at Cedar Ridge for her junior year last year, transferred during the summer.

The Red Wolves defeated Durham School of the Arts last Friday for its first road win of the season. Tolliver led Cedar Ridge with 14 points against the Bulldogs while Fearrington added eleven points.