Jeff Hamlin

Though anyone around the program is too modest to say it, it isn’t the winning that makes Orange Wrestling such a power tradition. It’s the collecting.

There will soon be another trophy in the case outside Jim King Gymnasium after Wednesday night.

The Panthers defeated Chapel Hill 64-7 to win the Big 8 Championship. Orange finished the regular season 24-2, 6-0 in the Big 8. Over the past three seasons, Chapel Hill has been the main challenger to end the Panthers’ dominance. In retrospect, this year it was Northwood, who was one match away from the Big 8 throne. Only no one knew it at the time.

On December 16th, Northwood’s Michael Queen pinned Josiah Ramirez at 160 to vault the Chargers ahead 36-34. Only the 170-pound remained, with Panthers sophomore Jamar Davis facing Northwood’s Luke Orbich.

Not much pressure on Davis, a sophomore. Just a string of conference championships and a number one seed in the state dual tournament was all.

“I was nervous,” said Davis. “But Coach (Bobby) Shriner has taught me a lot and the partners I’ve worked out with have helped me. I’ve gotten better. All I had to do was go out there and wrestle.”

That’s what Davis did, comfortably taking a 19-4 major decision and Orange won 38-36.

Compared to that December night, Wednesday was anticlimactic. Chapel Hill did jump out to a 4-0 lead when Cam Bergey scored a 10-2 major decision. Then Orange’s Juan Torres improved to 30-12 on the season by pinning Brad Kenyon in 5:01, the first of eight Panther pins. It was Torres’ eighth fall of the year.

“Juan has been a little banged up as of late,” said Shriner, a former wrestler at UNC. “We haven’t practiced since Friday (because of snow) and when you go that long without working out, it’s hard. But Juan hung in there and he made a nice move on that double leg.”

Shannon Thompson followed with a 7-2 victory over Joe Cannon at 195, Orange’s only regular decision win of the match. Probably the biggest win of the night came at 220 when Orange sophomore Payton Wilson faced Chapel Hill’s George McBurney, who was gunning for his 100th career victory.

Not only did Wilson win, he earned an 8-0 major decision to up his record to 33-6 (McBurney got his 100th win on Thursday night over Northwood’s Wesley Roberson).

Chapel Hill’s only other victory on the evening was at heavyweight when Hudson Price edged sophomore Daylon Alston 2-1, which included a controversial penalty point against Alston for stalling that tied the match in the 2nd period.

Then Orange scored six pins in the next seven matches to put the championship on ice. It started at 106 when Mitchell Askew pinned David Cureton in 3:26. At 113, freshman Gavin Wiggins finished Zin Maung in 1:24. Then Bailey Hawkins pinned Wesley Kelley in 5:11. It was Hawkins 15th pin of the season and put Orange ahead 31-7.

Jamison Askew gained a 15-3 major decision at 126. At 132, Hakeem Jones pinned Jack Davenport in 2:22, which officially earned Orange the championship.

Gonzo Garcia (138), Charlie Fitzpatrick (145, his 18th pin of the year), and Josiah Ramirez (152, also his 18th pin) also scored falls for the Panthers.

Orange’s Joe Scott recorded a technical fall 18-3 to improve to 35-4, the most wins on the team.

The state dual team tournament field will be announced on Monday. It’s likely that Orange will be in the same quadrant as Eden Morehead, the team that eliminated the Panthers last season in the 2nd round.

The Panthers defeated Chapel Hill 64-7 on Wednesday night to earn its 14th consecutive conference title. Coach Bobby Shriner Discussed the sophomores who stepped up against the Tigers, and next week’s state dual playoffs.

Orange Wrestling Coach Bobby Shriner Talks the Panthers’ 14th Consecutive Conference Championship

No Description

The Orange Panthers earned eight pinfall victories in its 64-7 landslide against Chapel Hill on Wednesday night. Juan Torres scored the first of the bunch in 5:01, improving his record to 29-11 on the season.

Juan Torres Talks his 9th pin of the Season at CHHS

No Description

Sophomore Orange wrestler Bailey Hawkins improved to 34-8 on Wednesday night after pinning Wesley Kelly in 5:11. It was his 17th pin of the season.

Bailey Hawkins talks about his pinfall win at Chapel Hill

No Description

Hours after Cedar Ridge lost to archrival Orange on Tuesday night, Red Wolves point guard Peyton Pappas sent out the following tweet Wednesday afternoon leading up to a trip to Oxford Webb that night.

“We better have our game”

They didn’t. It was more the buzz of winter weather coming to the Triangle than actual snow that caused the postponement. In the south, where nothing creates paranoia quite like snow, that was enough.

On Thursday night, hours before bone fide snow was set to move in, Cedar Ridge made the road trip to Oxford, where Pappas showed how hungry he was to play. And he wasn’t the only one.

The Red Wolves defeated Webb 78-66. Pappas scored 31 points, while Jacob Thomas added 16. CRHS’ ongoing problem of finding a reliable third scorer was no headache against the Warriors, as senior center Jonathan Hall scored eleven points. Not only that, but the Red Wolves got a fourth scorer in double figures, as Khalil Hill also registered eleven.

Cedar Ridge led 39-36 at the half, but out scored the Warriors 18-11 in the third quarter.

The Red Wolves’ road trip against Northern Vance, slated for tonight, has already been postponed. It’s likely to be made up next week, but an date hasn’t been confirmed.

Cedar Ridge is now 9-8, 2-5 in the Big 8.

Unlike the win-now-or-else world of football, high school basketball allows teams time to grow.

Seven weeks ago, Greg Motley knew the hand his was dealt for the 2015-16 basketball season was going to be shorthanded in the beginning. He would go into the season without Eryk Brandon-Dean, the point guard who guided his transition offense carefully for two seasons. As has been well documented, Brandon-Dean suffered a torn ACL against September 24th. Backup center Jace Jordan-Cornell would also miss half the season due to a leg injury, also suffered in football.

With only one starter returning, Orange predictably started 0-3, but there was reason for optimism. Now, having had time to gell and with Motley placing the guard tandem of Cameron Cavanaugh and Reggie Bradsher as regular starters, the Panthers have won seven of its last eight.

The latest victory came on Tuesday night with a 63-43 victory over crosstown rival Cedar Ridge. Playing its 2nd game in just over 24 hours, the Panthers received 21 points each from Connor Crabtree and Logan Vosburg to improve to 10-7. Orange is also 6-1 in the Big 8 conference, a game behind Southern Durham for first place (The Spartans blew out Northwood 81-43 on Tuesday).

“There were a lot of questions coming in (this season),” said Motley. “We didn’t know how good we could be. Now they’ve figured it out and they’re doing a good job.”

The surprise of the night wasn’t that Vosburg scored 21 points. He had put up 17 points and 15 rebounds just the day before against previously undefeated Goldsboro at the Durham School of the Arts.

The fact Vosburg hit 3-pointers in the 2nd half was another matter.

“That was big,” said Motley. “Some nights he looks to shoot it, some night he doesn’t. But we allow him the freedom to shoot the ball.”

For Cedar Ridge, the loss was a far cry from the elation of last February, when they stunned Orange 69-63 after trailing by 19 points early in the 3rd quarter. Not only did that win give Cedar Ridge a season sweep of its crosstown rival, it cost Orange the Big 8 regular season championship.

Orange led 29-26 at the half after the Red Wolves held Crabtree scoreless in the first quarter. Panther forward Daniel Mulligan, who finished with 11 points, scored seven in the first quarter.

The third saw Orange out score the Red Wolves 21-6. Cedar Ridge’s offense the entire quarter consisted of two field goals by Senior Peyton Pappas and two free throws by Jonathan Hall.

The familiar problem for the Red Wolves is scoring.  Pappas will get his points. He’s too talented not to. So will Chapel Hill transfer Jacob Thomas. But after that, it’s a question mark.

Pappas led the Red Wolves with 20 points on Tuesday, while Thomas was held to 9, including a lone field goal in the second half. The rest of the team had 14 points.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Orange played a heckuva game,” said Cedar Ridge coach Clay Jones. “They do a lot of things well and right now, we’re not. We’ve been looking for that third person the last two years, and we’ve yet to find it. Right now, it’s still up in the air.”

Cedar Ridge falls to 8-8, 1-5 in the Big 8. They travel to Oxford Webb tonight.

BOX SCORE: ORANGE 63, CEDAR RIDGE 43

Cedar Ridge:9 17 6 11 = 43

Orange: 10 19 21 13 = 63

Cedar Ridge: Peyton. Pappas 20, Jonathan. Hall 4, Jacob Thomas 9, Colby Cashaw 2, Shane Hill 6, Ikell Knowles 2.
Orange: Cameron Cavanaugh 3, Connor Crabtree 21, Demares Drummond 4, Daniel Mulligan 11, Alex Fish 1, Logan Vosburg 21, Jace-Jordan Cornell 2.

Coming off a 17-point, 15-rebound game on Monday against Goldsboro, Orange Center Logan Vosburg scored 21 points on Tuesday in a win over Cedar Ridge.

Orange Center Logan Vosburg Talks About the Panthers’ Victory over Cedar Ridge

No Description

There are no 35-page scouting reports in high school basketball. At least, not yet.

There’s not even online video, which is shared by high school football coaches via the streaming service Hudl. If a prep basketball coach wants to scout an opponent, they simply go to games.

It’s not the old fashioned way. It’s the way it is. Still.

Going into the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday on Monday, there were eight undefeated high school teams in North Carolina. Greg Motley knew his Orange Panthers would be playing one of them, the 2-A Goldsboro Cougars, 14-0 from the Eastern Carolina Conference. And the day after, a rematch at Cedar Ridge, who the Panthers defeated 74-67 on December 11th.

Since the Holiday in the Pines Tournament ended on December 29th, the Panthers have even wrapped up in exams and the Big 8 Conference. They entered Monday having won five of its last six.

So would there be extensive film study of the Cougars in an effort to be the team to put the blemish on a spotless record?

Not really.

“To be honest, we didn’t do any research because we’ve been so focused on our Confernece games,” said Motley.

The preparation was insulated. Orange started the day by going to a Martin Luther King event in downtown Durham, followed by lunch at Northgate Mall.

Doesn’t sound like much, but the results paid off handsomely.

Orange stunned the undefeated Cougars 85-69 at the Durham School of the Arts to improve to 9-7. Senior Connor Crabtree finsihed with 28 points and 9 rebounds. 6’6 Logan Vosburg provided a key inside presence the Cougars lacked, registering 17 points and 15 rebounds.

Crabtree was named the winner of the Jerry Stackhouse Award for game MVP.

Instead of pregame preparation, Motley relied on in-game adjustments, which included the continued offensive improvement of point guard Cameron Cavanaugh, who finished with 14 points.

The Cougars, who have scored over 80 points in nine of its 14 wins, was held to a season-low 69 points on 29% shooting from the field. Myron Cameron finished with 19 points on 6-of-22 shooting.

Goldsboro jumped out to a 9-2 lead, but Orange responded by scoring 14 points in the final three minutes of the first quarter. Chandler Compton’s three-point play with :11 remaining put Orange ahead 16-14 going into the second quarter.

The Panthers’ mixture of strong inside play and cautious transition offense swelled the lead to 40-25 in the second quarter. Crabtree scored 12 in the second quarter, while Vosburg added ten.

In the third quarter, Orange shot 8-of-9 from the field to extend its lead to 59-40 after a 3-pointer from Cavanaugh with 2:04 remaining.

Predictably, Goldsboro had a run in them to make it a game. A 17-5 run narrowed the Orange lead to 71-66 with 4:53 remaining after a three-pointer by Nakia Atkins. After Crabtree split a pair of free throws, Myron Carmon had a three-pointer rim out, and Crabtree scored a stick back to end the run.

Three Cougars fouled out. Crabtree finished 14-of-15 from the foul line. Orange shot 26-of-35 from the charity stripe.

Now the Panthers go from the unknown to a crosstown rival in the span of 24 hours. Tonight, it’s Cedar Ridge at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Orange enters 5-1 in the Big 8, 2nd in the conference behind Southern Durham.

Cedar Ridge expected to be among the contenders in the Big 8. Instead, they’re tied for 5th with Webb at 1-4, ahead of only Northwood.

Our coverage at Hillsboroughsports.com starts at 6:50. You can listen in right here.

By now, if you click on a story about Orange basketball, you know the drill.

Read about how many points Connor Crabtree scores, see who the latest schools recruiting him are, shut down the computer and wait until the next game three nights later.

Well, here on the basics. Orange defeated Chapel Hill 77-67 on Friday night at Tiger Gymnasium. Crabtree scored 32 points and was the focal point of the offense once again.

But halfway through the season, there’s a little more to Orange now than there was when the season started at East Chapel Hill a month ago.

Coach Greg Motley is starting to get 10-12 bodies in the lineup every game. On Friday, that was more of a necessity than luxury as Orange played its third game in four nights.

Of course, it was Crabtree who was the straw that stirred the Panthers’ drink.

“We know what we can get from him,” said Motley about Crabtree, who has already received a scholarship offer from Lehigh. On Tuesday night, coaches from High Point and Appalchian State were on hand for the Southern Durham game “He brings the offense every night. That’s what he does for us.”

From the very beginning, Motley has employed a point guard by committee in hopes of finding a scoring option to replace Eryk Brandon-Dean, who was lost for the season on September 30th with a torn ACL suffered against Southern Durham in football.

For at least one night, Motley found several solutions. Cameron Cavanaugh got a rare start and keyed a 10-1 third quarter run with two 3-pointers that put Orange ahead 41-31. Orange didn’t trail in the 2nd half. Cavanaugh finished with a career-high 11 points.

While Brandon-Dean won’t return from his football injury, Jace Jordan-Cornell has returned from his. The center, who injured his calf against Northwood November 13, scored four points.

The victory capped a successful week for the Panthers, where they led Big 8 leader Southern Durham going into the fourth quarter before losing late 85-77. On Thursday night, Orange traveled to Pittsboro and defeated the Chargers 68-60.

After an 0-3 start, Orange has now won four of its last five.

Motley played 11 players against the Tigers. Logan Vosurg scored 13 points, while Daniel Mulligan added nine. Demares Drummond scored six points, but backup guard Alex Long got the lion’s share of minutes during the second half.

Chandler Compton, a reserve forward who committed to play soccer at Wofford earlier this week, added two points.

Orange goes into exam break 7-7, 4-1 in the Big 8 Conference. They face Oxford Webb in Hillsbrough on Friday night. You can hear that game here on Hillsboroughsports.com starting at 6:50.