Jeff Hamlin

Here’s what is clear about the Cedar Ridge volleyball team right now: the regular season is over and no one is sure if they’ll make the playoffs right now. Trying to get a read on the team’s playoff future is as unpredictable as the team itself.

The Red Wolves dropped its regular season finale to Northwood on Tuesday night 3-1 on scores of 26-24, 25-27, 25-18 and 25-23. Meg Anderson had 13 kills to push her season total to 131. Senior Kayla Robinette had ten kills, extending her team lead to 144. Lily Henry registered eleven kills, three aces and 13 digs. Alexa Pagnanelli had six aces and 14 digs. Lindsay Thompson finished with 15 digs.

Cedar Ridge finishes the regular season 8-12, 5-5 in the Big 8 Conference. After winning the conference championship last season, the Red Wolves are now hoping to earn a wildcard spot for the 3A state tournament.

The loss on Tuesday followed a wild week where Cedar Ridge stunned conference leader Chapel Hill 3-0 in Hillsborough last Thursday, the first Big 8 loss this season for the Tigers. The stunning sweep gave the Red Wolves playoff hope. Alexis Dumain had nine kills and 12 digs. Anderson finished with nine digs and 11 digs. Robinette ended up with seven kills. Pagnanelli registered 18 digs and one ace, while Thompson had 18 digs. Henry, a senior, piled up five kills, 19 assists, nine digs and three aces.

Two days earlier, Cedar Ridge defeated Southern Durham 3-0. The following day, undefeated Carrboro swept the Red Wolves 3-0 at Jaguars Gymnasium.

Anyone who saw Orange’s stunning 49-7 victory over Southern Durham shouldn’t be surprised that Marvante Beasley is the Orange Panther of the Week. Beasley had a career-high 196 rushing yards on ten carries, scoring two touchdowns. Beasley also plays linebacker for an Orange defense that has given up just two touchdowns this season. (Western Guilford and Northern Durham). Marvante has plenty of goals ahead as Orange prepares for the postseason. For now, Orange is getting ready for crosstown rival Cedar Ridge this Friday.

Orange Panther of the Week: Marvante Beasley

Uploaded by Hillsborough Sports on 2016-10-12.

Last week, the Cedar Ridge Red Wolves girls tennis’ team finished the most successful season in team history. They won three matches over three days, beating Orange, Northwood and Webb to finish 18-1. Cedar Ridge captured the Big 8 Championship, the first such title in the program’s history, and won 17 consecutive dual matches. Senior co-captain Leah Thompson was a big reason why. She went 13-1 in singles play this season, 9-1 in doubles play with partner Alana Lutz.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week # 2: Leah Thompson

Uploaded by Hillsborough Sports on 2016-10-12.

Since we missed a week last week, we have two Cedar Ridge Red Wolves of the Week to make up for lost time. Our first is Cedar Ridge senior striker/placekicker Trent Gill, who leads the Red Wolves boys soccer team in scoring with 13 goals. He also leads the team in scoring with 32 points. On top of that, Gill is the kicker for the football team, where he has kicked 28 of 29 extra points this season. He also has made seven of nine field goals, with his longest being 42 yards. When it isn’t game day, Trent frequently has to attend both soccer and football practices. He’s also being recruited in football and soccer by Duke, N.C. State and Wofford.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week #1: Trent Gill

Uploaded by Hillsborough Sports on 2016-10-10.

On our second edition of the Hillsboroughsports.com podcast, Prep Sports Tonight, we’re joined by Marvante Beasley, Kendall Whitted, Ryan Sellers, Devondrez Moore and Noah Robinson. Also, members of the Big 8 Conference Champion Cedar Ridge girls tennis team, seniors Tess Johnson, Leah Thompson and freshman Olivia Ward.

HILLSBOROUGH SPORTS #2 PODCAST by hamlin37

On this edition of Prep Sports Tonight, the official podcast of Hillsborough Sports.com, we speak with Tess Johnson, Leah Thompson and Olivia Ward of the Big 8 Champion Cedar Ridge girls tennis team. Plus, we’re joined by Marvante Beasley, Kendall Whitted, and Noah Robinson of the Orange football team.

There will be a new addition to the list of accomplishments that surround Cedar Ridge’s athletic facilities next year.

In front of the football, baseball and softball fields at CRHS, every conference and state champion (individual and team) are listed on various signs and banners.

Coming soon to the tennis courts, there will be one that reads 2016 BIG 8 CONFERENCE CHAMPION.

The Red Wolves claimed its 13th consecutive win by beating Chapel Hill 5-1 in a rain-shortened match at Red Wolves Tennis Courts on Wednesday.

Cedar Ridge is now 14-1, 9-0 in the Big 8 Conference. Its only loss this year came against the Durham School of the Arts on August 17th.

The highlight match of the abbreviated day was at #2 singles, where CRHS’s Olivia Ward won a three-set match against Chapel Hill’s Lauren Bolzano 6-2, 4-6, 10-6. Ward improved to 10-3 on the season.

At #3 singles, senior Leah Thompson upped her record to 9-1 after dispatching of Megan Wu 6-3, 6-2.

CRHS’ Serena Sauers remained undefeated after beating Sarah Combs 6-3, 6-3. Sauers is now 13-0.

Alana Lutz defeated Julia Ziaec 6-2, 6-4.

Clinching the championship for Cedar Ridge was junior Kate Milner, who is also undefeated at 12-0. She cruised past Rachel Thomas 6-0, 6-0.

The doubles matches were cancelled because of lightning.

This is the first 3-A conference championship for Cedar Ridge in girls tennis.

The Red Wolves cliched the title with  three dual matches left on the slate. They travel to Orange on Friday to make up a match that was rained out on Friday afternoon.

There was a reason why the O Zone, the student group for Orange High, was packed on Tuesday night for a volleyball match.

There was a reason why the spikes were harder, why there were more dives for loose balls, why sure kills were denied because of an improbable dig out of nowhere.

There was a reason why Orange principal Eric Yarbrough, naturally wearing an orange tie, implored the student section to make more noise late in the 2nd set when the Panthers tried to even the match.

And there was a reason why Orange senior Jordan Lloyd, who has played volleyball since she was an adolescent in White Cross, hugged her father Joel in joyful tears as the students rushed the floor around them after it all ended.

That reason was because Orange and Cedar Ridge were playing volleyball on Tuesday night. And Tuesday night was a long time in the making.

The Panthers defeated the Red Wolves 3-1 to end Cedar Ridge’s 7-game winning streak in the series. The last time Orange defeated Cedar Ridge, they weren’t even conference rivals. It was September 5, 2012, when Cedar Ridge was a 2A squad, while Orange remained in 3A.

It was also Lloyd’s first win over the Red Wolves in most likely the final time she’ll ever play them, along with fellow seniors Macy Hughes, Mileah Shriner, Julia Lovingood, and Eva Porter.

After the two teams split the opening sets, the turning point came in the 3rd. Cedar Ridge took a 16-8 lead, but Orange went on a 9-1 run to even the match. Cedar Ridge took the ensuing four points to bolt ahead again 22-18, but Orange captured six of the last eight points to win 26-24.

Orange captured the final set 25-18 to set off a raucous celebration in Jim King Gymnasium.

Lloyd registered 25 digs, eight kills, and an ace.

Bailey Lucas finsihed with an ace, 13 kills, 22 assists and eight digs for Orange. Caroline Compton added 19 assists and ten digs. Junior libero Faith Foushee had 17 digs. Julia Fish added six kills, eleven blocks and one dig.

Cedar Ridge captured the opening set 25-22 that ended with a thrilling set point. It appeared that Compton would spike a point home for Orange, but Lili Henry made a headlong dive to keep the ball alive, which turned into a block point for Hannah Tyo.

Cedar Ridge’s Meg Anderson had six kills, two blocks and twelve digs. Alexis Dumain had seven assists, and a solo block. Henry finished with eleven assists, nine digs and two kills. Tyo had six solo blocks and five kills.

Orange is now 7-7 overall and in sole possession of 2nd place in the Big 8 with an 5-2 record. The Panthers trail Chapel Hill by two games in conference play.

Cedar Ridge is 5-10, 2-5 in the Big 8.

Orange hosts Jordan on Monday in Hillsborough. Cedar Ridge hosts Person on Wednesday and Northern Vance on Thursday.

Foushee, a junior, had 17 digs on Tuesday night as Orange defeated the Red Wolves 3-1.

Junior Faith Foushee Discusses Orange’s Win over Cedar Ridge

The junior libero had 17 assists as Orange defeated Cedar Ridge on Wednesday night 3-1.

Macy Hghes had eight kills, seven digs and two aces as the Panthers defeated Cedar Ridge for the first time since 2012.

Orange Senior Macy Hughes Discusses Win Over Cedar Ridge

Hughes had eight kills, two aces and seven digs as the Panthers defeated the Red Wolves for the first time since 2012.