Since having its 47-game conference winning streak end against Seaforth last month, the Orange lacrosse team had its rematch against the Hawks circled in on its calendar.
Yet it was an older, more familiar Chatham County rival who nearly ruined the Panthers’ hopes of winning a fifth consecutive conference championship.
The Northwood Chargers led Orange 4-2 at halftime at Chargers Stadium on Thursday night. Holden Ray delivered a hat trick as the Panthers finished the game on a 6-1 run and defeated the Chargers 9-5. After being limited to three goals in the first three periods, the Panthers scored six in the fourth quarter to maintain its tie with Seaforth for first place in the Mid-Carolina Conference.
Owen Wimsatt also had a hat trick and scored the opening tally of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 4-4. It started a string of four goals in a span of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Junior Matthew Macneir scored the go-ahead goal with 9:45 remaining. Wimsatt would complete his hat trick with an overhand shot 33 seconds later. Luke Nevius added his first goal of the night.
Brett Clark and Ray finished out the scoring as the Panthers improved to 13-3 overall, 11-1 in the Mid-Carolina Conference.
The showdown with Seaforth lived up to the Panthers brand of lacrosse that head coach Chandler Zirkle has installed since he arrived as head coach in 2017. Orange went on a 5-2 run in the second quarter and didn’t trail in the second half in a 10-8 victory at Hawks Stadium.
Sophomore goalkeeper Jackson Runkle finished with ten saves in a huge game.
Brett Clark scored three goals and four points. MacNeil finished with two goals and two assists against the Hawks. After the Panthers were stymied by the Hawks in their first game in March, scoring just one goal in the second half, Orange found consistency on offense scoring five goals in the second quarter.
Jay Parker, Aidan Monteith and Wimsatt all scored in the second quarter. MacNeil and Wimsatt added goals in the third quarter.
Sophomore Jackson Eackes had six ground balls while Grant Cardone added three ground balls
Orange will return home to face Eastern Alamance on Friday night at Auman Stadium.