Jeff Hamlin

Orange defeated Cedar Ridge in volleyball on Thursday night.

A year ago, those words were enough to send Orange fans rushing to the floor at Jim King Gymnasium, as it should have. It ended Cedar Ridge’s seven-game winning streak against the Panthers, a span of over four years.

On Thursday night, it was different. Of course, the crowd was larger than usual. That’s a given since two teams from Hillsborough are involved. But the circumstances were different this team.

For starters, Cedar Ridge wasn’t coming off a Big 8 conference championship like they were in 2015. That Red Wolves team played for the 3A Eastern Regional Championship.

Plus, there was a sense of finality for Orange last season. Seniors Jordan Lloyd, Mileah Shriner, Macy Hughes, Eva Porter, and Julia Lovingood  had gone their entire careers without beating Cedar Ridge. Last year’s match at Orange was their last chance.

This Orange team may be less experienced than last year, but they be more confident.

“I guess knowing Cedar Ridge’s record already from this season, we came in thinking we were the better team,” said Orange junior Liz LaNier. “They definitely put up a fight. They’ve definitely got some great girls on their team. In the end, I think we fought harder.”

The Panthers captured the match 3-1 on  scores of 23-25, 25-14, 28-26 and 25-20. Orange improves to 6-1, 2-1 in the Big 8. Cedar Ridge falls to 4-4, 0-3 in the Big 8.

It’s the first time since 2012 that Orange has claimed consecutive victories against their crosstown rivals.

The pivotal set in the match was the third, where Orange stormed out to a 7-1 lead on the strength of two kills by Avery Riley, each assisted by Faith Foushee. Cedar Ridge tied the set at 15-15, then took a 19-15 lead behind seven consecutive points while Kennedy Herold-Rhoe serving. Juliann De Jesus gave the Red Wolves the lead off a gorgeous sliding dig that cleared the net and found a empty spot on the Orange side. De Jesus added another point off a block, then followed with a kill assisted by Macy Henry.

Trailing 21-17, Orange scored seven consecutive points to take a 24-21 advantage. That run included Devyn Norman notching a kill off an assist from Caroline Compton and a spike by Emma Clements. LaNier scored a kill off an assist from Bailey Lucas to claim the set.

“We have a lot of problem rollercoastering,” said LaNier. “We’ll have moments of greatness, but then a few dips where we get down on ourselves. We’re doing a lot better pulling ourselves out of that. At that point in the match, we knew we had to finish it out.”

In the fourth set, Orange jumped to a 10-5 lead behind three aces from Lucas. Orange pushed the advantage out to 24-14 before the Red Wolves fought back with six consecutive points to make the Panthers sweat a little. Compton scored the game-winning hit on match point.

Compton finished with an ace, 29 assists and twelve digs. Emma Clements finished with three aces, nine kills and 21 digs. LaNier came away with an ace, 13 kills, a dig, a block and three digs.

“I guess it’s mostly communication with your setter,” said LaNier. “We have to figure out what play we’re going to run and if it’s different from the originally called play. You just have to go up knowing exactly what you’re going to do with it.”

Orange hosts Northwood next Tuesday in Hillsborough. Cedar Ridge will attempt to rebound when they welcome Northern Durham to Red Wolves Gymnasium. It will be the first-time ever that Northern Durham and Cedar Ridge have competed in a conference matchup in any sport.

Junior Liz LaNier had 13 kills on Thursday night as Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 3-1. The pivotal set was the 3rd, where the Panthers led 12-7 before the Red Wolves fought back and took a 19-15. Orange fought back and went on a 6-1 run and ultimately captured the frame 28-26.

Orange Junior Liz LaNier Discusses Victory over Cedar Ridge

Junior Liz LaNier had 13 kills on Thursday night as Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 3-1. The pivotal set was the 3rd, where the Panthers led 12-7 before the Red Wolves fought back and took a 19-15. Orange fought back and went on a 6-1 run and ultimately captured the frame 28-26.

Editor’s Note: Last week because of scheduling conflicts, we didn’t have a chance to tape an interview with our 1st Orange Panther of the Week. We’ll tape that interview on Thursday and post it tomorrow night, along with our 2nd Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week for the new academic year. 

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is Panther soccer midfielde R.J. Pherribo, who racked up four goals and three assists to open the season. Even though Pherribo had a two-goal game against Roxboro Community School last week, perhaps his most impressive performance came on Wednesday night against Wake Forest. Against a previously undefeated Cougars team, Pherribo scored a goal as the Panthers defeated Wake Forest 2-1.

Davis is joined in this interview by Jamar Davis, who notched a hat trick against Roxboro Community last Thursday. Orange is 3-2-2 on the season with a road trip to East Chapel Hill coming up next Wednesday.

Orange Panther of the Week: R.J. Pherribo

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For one year, the power structure of girls tennis in the Big 8 Conference shifted. That was last season, when Cedar Ridge swept Chapel Hill for the first time in school history, claiming its 1st-ever conference championship.

Now, it appears the balance of power is back on the southern end of Orange County.

In a heated match that saw several private discuss between the respective coaching staffs about words being exchanged on the courts, Chapel Hill defeated Cedar Ridge 7-2 in HIllsborough on Wednesday. The Tigers, who missed the state dual playoffs for the first time in recorded history last season, earned five of the six singles matches to end any hope that the Red Wolves would find a way to repeat. Cedar Ridge’s Ivy Gardner claimed the Red Wolves’ only individual match at #1 singles over Chapel Hill’s Hailey Polsky 6-0, 6-1.

Cedar Ridge’s Briana Cellini and Kate Millner team at #3 doubles for the Red Wolves’ only other win, an 8-0 shutout of Lauren Bolzan and Sarah Combs.

Chapel Hill earned wins from Gabby Kmiec, Gracie Kmiec, Lauren Bolzan, Cameron Pehlivanzade and Julia Ziaee. Polsky and Grace Kmiec captured the #1 doubles match, while Gabby Kmiec and Pehlivanzade won at #3 doubles.

The loss ends Cedar Ridge’s 13-match Big 8 winning streak. The Red Wolves went 12-0 in 2016, and hadn’t lost a Big 8 match since October 5, 2015 against Northwood. Cedar Ridge falls to 3-2, 1-1 in the Big 8 with a road trip to Orange coming up next Tuesday.

Chapel Hill improves to 4-0, 2-0 in the Big 8.

After five straight losses to start the season, the Orange Girls Tennis team defeated Hillside 9-0 on Wednesday for its first win of the season. It was the first win as girls tennis coach for Justin Webb, who took over for the retired Andy Brown in August.

Seniors Sara Beth Campbell and Payton Clayton earned victories as the Panthers swept all six singles matches. The Panthers return right back to action on Thursday at Orange High Tennis Courts against Eastern Alamance, who defeated Orange 8-1 to start the season.

Orange’s Sara Beth Campbell & Payton Clayton Discuss Girls Tennis 1st Win of the Season

After five straight losses to start the season, the Orange Girls Tennis team swept Hillside 9-0 on Wednesday for its first win of the season. It was the first win for new Girls Tennis Coach Justin Webb, who took over for the retired Andy Brown in August.

Playing for the 2nd consecutive night, the Orange volleyball team earned its first Big 8 Conference win of the season in Durham.

The Panthers (5-1, 1-1 in the Big 8) hammered Hillside 3-0 at Hornets Gymnasium on scores of 25-12, 25-4 and 25-13. Orange racked up a whopping 21 aces against the Hornets, including junior Meg Gattis finishing with six. Sophomore Emma Clements came away with three.

Senior co-captain Carolina Compton finished with two aces, two kills, 12 assists and three digs. Kaitlyn Werden had two aces, four kills and five assits. In addition to her six aces, Gattis added a kill and five digs. Faith Foushee led Orange with seven digs.

In Hillsborough, the news wasn’t as good for Cedar Ridge. Defending Big 8 Conference champion Chapel HIll defeated the Red Wolves 3-0 on scores of 25-12, 25-17 and 25-16. Tigers sophomore Kaya Merkler came away with an astounding 25 kills as CHHS improved to 5-3, 2-0 in the Big 8.

Cedar Ridge falls to 4-3, 0-2 in the Big 8.

Orange will host Cedar Ridge on Thursday night inside Jim King Gymnasium.

With two Orange County rivals coming up later this week, Cedar Ridge found the right time to end its two-game losing streak.

The Red Wolves swept Jordan 3-0 in Durham on Monday on scores of 25-16, 25-18 and 25-9. Macy Henry had a complete evening with 24 assists, one solo block, two aces and six digs. Juliann De Jesus finished with six kills. Tori Zielke led the team with seven kills, while senior Alexa Pagnanelli came away with eight digs and six aces.

As a team, Cedar Ridge had four solo blocks, 15 aces and 25 kills to improve to 4-2.

After a 3-0 start, the Red Wolves lost to Bartlett Yancey, then fell to Northwood in its Big 8 Conference opener.

The Red Wolves will face a stiff test against Chapel Hill on Tuesday night in Hillsborough before taking on Orange in Jim King Gymnasium on Thursday.

The usual suspects stepped up as Orange volleyball bounced back from a disappointing five-set loss to East Chapel Hill.

The Panthers received big nights from senior co-captains Bailey Lucas and Carolina Compton to sweep Eastern Alamance 3-0 in Mebane on Monday night. The Panthers won on scores of 25-19, 25-15 and 25-14. Orange is now 3-0 on the road this season after wins at Jordan and Riverside last week.

Compton has two aces, 26 assists and four digs. Liz LaNier finished with three aces, nine kills, one block, two assists and two digs. Lucas came away with four aces, ten kills, twelve assists and two digs. Sophomore Emma Clements led Orange with ten digs, while Faith Foushee added nine.

In the season opening win against the Eagles, LaNier finished with ten kills against only one error.

Orange (4-1, 0-1 in the Big 8) returns to conference action tonight with its first conference game at Hillside since the early 2000s. The Panthers host archrival Cedar Ridge on Thursday night.

With a critical match against Chapel Hill looming, Cedar Ridge’s defense of its Big 8 Girls Tennis Championship is off to a good start.

The Red Wolves put away Northwood 8-1 on Monday afternoon in Pittsboro. Ivy Garner improved to 3-1 on the season with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Sam Sparrow, who played for the Big 8 singles final last season against teammate Faith Peoples. Olivia Ward claimed a 6-1, 6-1 win at #2 singles. Kate Miler won at #3 singles 6-1, 6-0 over Sophie Cook.

Nora Sauers got a 6-2, 6-4 win over Korinne Fuller. Maddy Werner defeated Suzanne Earnshaw 6-2, 6-3.

Garner and Ward won the #1 doubles match 8-1 over Sparrow/Atkins. At #2 doubles, Milner and Sauers defeated Cook and Fuller 8-5. In #3 doubles, Brianna Cellini and Werner got a 8-5 win over Courtney Fisher and Earnshaw.

The Red Wolves improved to 3-1, 1-0 in the Big 8. Last week, they defeated Person 9-0 in its only match of the week.

On Wednesday, Cedar Ridge hosts Chapel Hill. Last season, the Red Wolves swept the Tigers for the first time in school history en route to the conference title and a trip to the 3rd round of the 3A state playoffs.

After starting its season two weeks ago with a scoreless tie against Riverside, Orange became the first team to lose to the Pirates this season.

On Monday night, Riverside (1-2-1) received goals from Anthony Argueta, Omar Cruz and Eric Garcia to blank the Panthers 3-0. Reese Powell earned the clean sheet in net for Riverside, his 2nd of the season. Orange is now 2-2-2 with a game at Wake Forest coming up on Wednesday night.

On Thursday night, the Panthers defeated Roxboro Community School for the 2nd time in four days 6-0. Senior striker Jamar Davis came up with his first hat trick of the season. It was the third hat trick of his career. Davis scored four goals against Bartlett Yancey last season, as well as a three-goal game in a 10-1 win over Northern Vance.

Junior Bryan Torres notches his first hat trick against the Bulldogs, as well. Torres put up seven goals last season and has four goals this season.

Orange will start conference play at East Chapel Hill next Wednesday.