Jeff Hamlin

The Orange Panthers wrapped up a birth in the state playoffs by sweeping Northwood 3-0 on senior night at Jim King Gymnasium on Thursday night.

The Panthers, under first-year head coach Christina Carinci, finish the regular season 13-8, 8-3 in the Big 8 Conference. Orange finished 2nd in the Big 8, second only to Cedar Ridge.

Varisty Match Score:
Orange 3 – Northwood 0

Varsity Game Scores (Orange first):
25-17
25-19
25-15

Orange High School Stat Leaders:
Andie McKinnon – 1 ace, 13 kills, 2 assists, 10 digs
Kayla Durham – 4 aces, 11 kills, 2 assists, 3 digs
Jordan Lloyd – 1 ace, 18 digs
Caroline Compton – 1 ace, 18 assists, 3 digs
Julia Lovingood – 2 aces, 15 assists, 4 digs

Northwood High School Stat Leaders:
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JV Match Score
Orange 2 – Northwood 0

JV Game Scores (Orange first):
25-19
25-22

Cedar Ridge will have one singles player and a doubles team involved in the 3-A Regional Tennis Tournament at the Burlington Tennis Center on October 24th.

Tess Johnson qualified after making the semifnals of the Big 8 Conference singles tournament on Wednesday at Orange High Tennis Courts. Johnson defeated Orange’s Lexie Mignosa 6-0, 6-1 in the 1st round, then captured her quarterfinal match over Oxford Webb’s Brycyn Smith 6-1, 7-5.

Johnson fell in the semfinals to Northwood’s Sam Sparrow 6-1, 7-5.

In the doubles ranks, Leah Thompson and Maddie Allen qualified for the semifinals by winning its quarterfinal match.

Cedar Ridge will be busy next week. In addition to the regionals, they’ll compete in the 3-A state team tennis tournament. Their first round opponent will be either Fayetteville 71st or Union Pines.

Chapel Hill captured both the singles and doubles conference championships. Hailey Polsky won the Big 8 conference title with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Sparrow. The doubles match was an all-CHHS affair as sophomore Gabby Kmiec and freshman Carolina Coch, in their first year as a team, defeated teammates Ellen Yu and Joy Stouffer 6-2, 6-1.

Coch was named the Big 8 Player of the year and Chapel Hill’s Neil Alderman was named coach of the year.

Cedar Ridge’s Tess Johnson makes 3-A Regional Tennis Tournament.

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The Chapel Hill Tigers defeated Orange 3-2 at Jim King Gymnasium in Hillsborough on Tuesday night. With the loss, the Panthers fall to 12-8, 7-3 in the Big 8.

After dropping the first set to the Tigers 25-23, Orange fought back to take the second and third sets 25-22 and 25-19, respectively. Chapel Hill won the fourth set 25-23, and took the match 15-11.

Orange returns to action at home on Thursday night for senior night when they face Northwood.

Here are the updated Big 8 standings:

Cedar Ridge 10-0

Orange 7-3

Webb 5-3

Chapel Hill 6-4

Northwood 3-5

Northern Vance 1-8

Southern Durham 0-9

They say that every football game is decided by 12 plays. Let’s go back and listen to the 12 plays that decided Orange’s 48-0 victory over Northern Vance last Friday night as the Panthers gear up for Cedar Ridge in the Battle for the Victory Bell this week!

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Orange running back/linebacker Drew Lemaster has been among the players coach Pat Moser has relied on over the past two years. The Panthers backfield injuries have piled up, with Jackson Schmid, Eryk Brandon-Dean and Jett Satterfield all suffering injuries. Lemaster has been the constant, scoring ten touchdowns so far this year. He also plays reguarly at linebacker, like his older brother Jack, who graduated last year. Lemaster had a career high 110 yards rushing against Northwood as the Panthers are off to a 7-1 start, 2-1 in the Big 8.

Orange Panther of the Week: Drew Lemaster

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With a showdown for first place against Chapel Hill looming on Wednesday night, Cedar Ridge took care of business on Monday with a 5-0 victory over Southern Durham.

Senior Chris Walker scored two goals to lead the Red Wolves, who remained 1 game behind Chapel Hill for 1st place in the Big 8 Conference. Ivan Carbajal, Elmer Trujillio and Johnny Caldaron also tallied goals for Cedar Ridge.

Sean Purner added an assist. Cedar Ridge is now 10-4-1 on the season, 5-2 at home.

Red Wolves goalkeeper Brendon Boss notched his fourth clean sheet of the season. He is now 11-4-1 on the year.

Cedar Ridge continues its pace to make the state playoffs. They travel to Chapel Hill on Wednesday night with first place in the Big 8 on the line.

Hunter scored two touchdowns and had an interception in Cedar Ridge’s victory over Chapel Hill two weeks ago. The Red Wolves face Orange on Friday night at Auman Stadium.

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The Ornage soccer team trailed 1-0 with 15:00 remaining on Monday night against Northern Vance, who were searching for its first Big 8 conference win of the year. But Alfredo Rodriguez wouldn’t let Orange lose.

Rodriguez scored the game-winner with 6:12 remaining to give Orange a 2-1 victory over the Vikings. Rodriguez notched the equalizer on a rebound with 13:29 left.

Northern Vance nearly scored an equalizer or their own, but Noah Miller rose his hands inside the 6-yard box to save the lead.

Woth the win, Orange remains in third place in the Big 8, behind first place Chapel Hill and Cedar Ridge. The Panthers face Southern Durham in Wednesday. If Orange finishes third, they’ll make the playoffs.

Listen to Alfredo and Noah discuss the victory below.

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The Panthers football coach talks about winning 48-0 over Northern Vance to improve to 7-1 on the season.

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The Orange Panthers scored on its first seven possessions as they routed Northern Vance 49-0 on Homecoming night at Auman Stadium.

Alex Long and Drew Lemaster each scored two touchdowns. Chris Eubanks and Cody Evans scored their first varsity touchdowns as quarterback Jackson Schmid went 10-for-17 for 140 yards and three touchdowns.

With the win, Orange (7-1, 2-1 in the Big 8) posted its second straight shutout. Since losing to Southern Durham two weeks ago, the Panthers haven’t yielded a point in eight quarters.

The Panthers started the game with a 12-play, 85 yard drive that ended when Schmid hit Long with a 18-yard touchdown pass.

On the subsequent kickoff, Eubanks recovered a fumble at the Vikings 30-yard line. Four plays later, Lemaster scored from three yards out.

Lemaster scored with :04 remaining in the first quarter on a two-yard run. Francisco McKinley added the extra point to push the Orange lead to 21-0.

In the second quarter, Schmid scored his first varsity rushing touchdown on a quarterback sneak. After the Panther defense posted a three-and-out, Schmid hit Long with a six-yard touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone.

After Marvante Beasley recovered another fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Schmid immediately hit Evans with a 30-yard touchdown pass.

Eubanks scored the final touchdown of the game late in the second quarter on a 20-yard scamper.

The second half was played with a running clock. Landon Riley created and recovered a fumble on the Vikings opening drive of the 2nd half. Mitchell Lopeman intercepted a pass on the final play of the game.

Northern Vance was held to two first downs, 77 total yards and crossed the 50-yard line once.

Since losing to Northern Vance in 2010, the Panthers have won the last five meetings by a combined score of 254-26.