Cedar Ridge Cross Country

Under the definition of unlikely champions, the Cedar Ridge women’s cross country team would likely fit the description.

Not because of talent, but due to circumstances.

Yet that didn’t stop the Red Wolves from winning the 3A Mideast Regional championship at Owens Recreation Park in Louisburg on Saturday. Senior Naomi Dyreng, the individual Central Conference champions, finished second overall as the Red Wolves came in with 74 points, holding off runner-up Carrboro, who registered 84.

Freshman Isabella Taylor-Hall finished eleventh while another freshman, Illa Diaz, came in 15th. Cedar Ridge, which won the Central Conference championship in Burlington earlier this month, went from finishing fourth in the Mideast Regionals last year to a championship in 2024.

When head coach Jared Buddington started workouts in August, he wasn’t expecting a high level of success so quickly. Abigail Klaitman, the Red Wolves’ second-most experienced runner who finished 7th in the Mideast Regionals last year, has missed most of this season because of injuries.

“I really didn’t expect to be as good as we are,” Buddington said. “We’re really young. We have a lot of underclassmen. Gracie Whitaker has been a huge factor in our success. So has Isabella and Illa. It’s been a pleasant surprise.”

Taylor-Hall showed up on the first day of practice after being absent during summer workouts. Buddington thought Taylor-Hall would be a nice addition to increase participation numbers. Then in the first Central Conference race of the year, Taylor-Hall finished 5th overall to help Cedar Ridge win a tri-meet at Orange. Since then, she’s shaved off nearly three-and-a-half minutes from her personal best.

“She’s sort of become our #2 runner,” Buddington said. “Without Abigail, Isabella has really stepped up to fill that role of the second runner.”

Whitaker, who finished 21st in regionals, has made the eighth biggest improvement in the state from freshman to sophomore year. Last year, her personal best was 25:15.90 . This year, it’s 21:44.09.

“At the very beginning of this year, she said I want us to be a good team,” Buddington said of Whitaker. “She started putting in a lot of miles as soon as soccer season ended. She’s been really consistent.”

Another multi-sport athlete, sophomore Kate Finnegan, finished in 25th place at regionals.

“Without Kate making a big jump, I don’t think the girls would have won the region,” Buddington said. “She was one of our best runners.”

The championship came after a year of turmoil within the program. In 2023, a former head coach was fired in midseason, which attracted an outcry from parents and some students. Buddington, a former Cedar Ridge runner who was an assistant at Pinecrest, was thrust into the position of interim coach. Not only was he in charge of two cross country teams, he was also left trying to unite a divided household. Results didn’t come immediately.

Buddington called a team meeting in the J-wing Auditorium after the head coach’s departure. He vowed to the runners that they would be a good team and would move forward together. Conner Buddington, Jared’s sister-in-law, joined the staff last October.

“I really didn’t know what to do because I had never been a head coach before,” Buddington said. “I wasn’t sure if I was capable of taking over this program. But I had to sit down with the kids. At first, they were upset because they lost a head coach that they had grown to know. I think throughout the last year and three months, they’ve grown to appreciate what we offer the team.”

After winning the conference and regional championships, the Red Wolves will move on to the 3A State Championships at the Ivey Redmond Sports Complex this Saturday afternoon.

“I think there’s a huge value in giving kids in high school a structured running plan,” Buddington said. “I think that giving them all the tools to succeed and telling them exactly what to do each day and letting them see what they need to do really guides them to where they want to be. But I also think we also foster a strong community where we value developing runners and believing in our kids.”

Conner Buddington believes practices have become part of a fun day for the runners.

“They really enjoy being around each other,” Conner said. “They have a lot of fun as individuals, but they have a lot of fun together. So they’re not dreading going to practice. They get to come see their friends and run with their friends. The way they support each other before and after the race. The girls supporting the guys. The guys supporting the girls. It’s a lot of fun to see.”

The most accomplished runner in Orange’s cross country history has moved on to his Mormon mission, but the bulk of last year’s Mideast Regional championship team remains.

In its first Central Conference meet of the season last week, the Orange men’s cross country team maintained its dominance by posting the top three finishers to take first place against Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance at Orange High. Junior Myles Jermyn, the son of Duke University cross country coach Kevin Jermyn, finished in first place with a time of 17:32.00. His teammate, junior Lucas Van Mater, finished second at 17:55. Sophomore Grant Schmid of Orange High came in third at 18:20.00.

Schmid is the younger brother of Gabriel Schmid, who won the 2022 and 2023 3A Men’s Individual State Championship. Schmid is just the second cross country runner from Orange High to win a state championship in cross country. Schmid, who volunteered for the Efland Fire Department, will run for N.C. State’s men cross country team after his two-year Mormon mission concludes.

Orange won the team meet with 27 points. Cedar Ridge finished second with 40 points while Western Alamance came in third with 59 points.

Cedar Ridge’s top finisher was John Ngunjiri, a junior who clocked in at 18:46.10. The Red Wolves had the 4th, 5th and sixth place finishes. Behind Ngunjiri was Henry Alexander (18:46.10), who finished just ahead of teammate Nathan Walters (18:46.70).

Orange’s Grady Thomas finished 10th at 22;06.00.

In the women’s meet, Cedar Ridge senior Naomi Dyreng continued a strong start to the season with a first place finish. It was enough to lead Cedar Ridge to a team victory with 26 points. Western Alamance finished with 41 points while Orange had 68.

Orange’s Reilly Jermyn finished second overall at 21:10.

Ila Diaz and Isabella Taylor-Hall had strong finishes for Cedar Ridge to ensure the team victory. Diaz came in fourth at 23:42, while Taylor-Hall registered a 5th place finish at 23:46. Gracie Whitaker of Cedar Ridge finished 7th (24:27), while sophomore Kate Finnegan finished 9th (24:48).

Cedar Ridge and Orange were both supposed to run in a meet at Red Wolf Course on Monday, but it was rained out. The annual Orange County Meet, featuring East Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill and Eno River Academy, was also rained out on Wednesday.

Women’s tennis: Cedar Ridge 8, Person 1: Only four matches took place when Cedar Ridge defeated the Rockets in Roxboro on September 11. Cedar Ridge’s Jasmin Brown got the start at #1 singles and defeated Annie Adcock 6-0, 6-2. Terra Proctor of Cedar Ridge defeated Lehra Pastrana 6-0, 6-0. Caroline Hall of Cedar Ridge defeated Makada Fife 6-0, 6-0.

Person’s only victory came in the lone doubles match where Adcock and Pastrana won 8-6.

Cedar Ridge 8, Northwood 1: The Red Wolves continues its long road swing to open the season with an 8-1 victory over Northwood in Pittsboro on September 12. The Red Wolves won five of the six singles matches, led by senior Adeline Cummings winning at #1 6-3, 6-1. Ella Caltabiano rolled at #2 singles 6-0, 6-0. Brown, Proctor and Madeline Galindo-Woodring also won its singles matches.

Cedar Ridge won all three doubles matches. Cummings and Brown teamed to win 8-2 at #1 doubles. Caltabiano and Lily Golden won at #2 doubles 8-2. At #3 doubles, Hall and Galindo-Woodring won 8-2.

Cedar Ridge improved to 5-3 overall.

Women’s golf: The first Central Conference golf meet was held on September 9 at Occoneechee Golf Course in Hillsborough. Orange finished 4th in the 7-team event with 146 strokes. Cedar Ridge had 177.

Southern Alamance finished first with 118. Walter Williams finished second at 135.

Shannon Murphy of Orange was the top individual finisher among the players from Hillsborough. She finished with a 47 over the first nine holes, then carded a 48 on the back nine. Orange’s Gianni Burnette finished with a 51 on the front nine and a 48 on the back nine. Kayla Pope of Orange finished 12th overall with a 55 followed by a 50.

Cedar Ridge’s Laci Sykes finished 16th overall and was the top finisher for the Red Wolves. She edged her teammates in golf and softball, Victoria Matthews.

Our first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week for the 2024-2025 academic year is senior women’s cross country runner Naomi Dyreng. Last week, Dyreng finished fourth in a field of over 300 runners at the Pace Yourself Early Bird Challenge at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Dyreng was the 2023 Central Conference Cross Country champion and went on to win a regional championship in the 3,200 meters last spring in outdoor track and field. It was her third regional championship in track & field. Dyreng has also qualified for the 3A State Cross Country championships each of the past two years. Earlier this week, Dyreng finished first at the Eno River Academy Invitational in Hillsborough, leading the Cedar Ridge women’s team to a first place finish. Dyreng has been one of the most accomplished runners in Cedar Ridge history. Dyreng has trained with former Orange High cross country runner Gabriel Schmid, who won back-to-back 3A State Men’s cross country championships. As Dyreng starts her senior year on Monday, she says her goal is to help Cedar Ridge women’s cross country as a team. Last year, the Red Wolves finished second in the Central Conference. After this fall, Dyreng will prepare for outdoor track & field next March.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Naomi Dyreng

Our first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week for the 2024-2025 academic year is senior women’s cross country runner Naomi Dyreng. Last week, Dyreng finished fourth in a field of over 300 runners at the Pace Yourself Early Bird Challenge at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

One of the most decorated female runners in Cedar Ridge history started her senior season with a strong showing at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

Naomi Dyreng finished fourth on Saturday in the Pace Yourself Early Bird Challenge at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, the first official meet of the new academic year in cross country. Dyreng was the highest finisher from a 3A school with a time of 19:54.15. Runners from Wake County schools took the top three spots, led by Kaleigh McHale of Middle Creek, who won at 19:25.96.

Last spring, Dyreng won her third Mideast Regional championship in outdoor track and field. Running at UNC Pembroke, Dyreng took the 3,200 meters title for the second straight year at 11:34.59. She finished second in the regional 1,600 meters race. She would finish 8th in the 3A State Championship meet at Truist Stadium at North Carolina A&T University.

In 2022, Dyreng won the 1,600 and 3,200 meters regional championships at Franklinton High School.

Last year, Dyreng won the Central Conference women’s cross country championship at Lake Cammack Course in Burlington. She led a Red Wolves team that finished second in the conference. As a sophomore, Dereng finished second in the conference.

Dyreng has qualified for the 3A State Women’s Cross Country championships twice. In 2023, she finished third in the Mideast Region in Louisburg. She would go on to come in 23rd in the state championships.

Cedar Ridge’s women’s team finished 12th out of 15 teams during the Early Bird Challenge. Sophomore Gracie Whitaker finished 58th. Ila Diaz, Isabella Taylor-Hall, Eliana Sobus, Anne Williams, Anna Peterson, Kate Finnegan, Annaya Srivasava, Anna Neuman and Samantha Quade also ran for the Red Wolves.

The Cedar Ridge men’s team finished eleventh out of 18 teams in the Early Bird. Junior Ryan Matthews was the highest finisher for the Red Wolves, coming in 21st out of 306 runners. Matthews time was 17:15.22. John Ngunjiri, another junior, finished 54th at 18:15.41. Elie Nadahiriwe came in 101st. Michael O’Melia, Landin Tillet, Ryan Rakouskas, Shea Spiller, Levon Copanioini, Phillip McLamb, William Neumann and Porter Sterling also ran for Cedar Ridge.

The Red Wolves men’s and women’s teams will have its first dual meet of the season against Eno River Academy on Tuesday.

Women’s Tennis: Orange 9, Voyager Academy 0: The Orange women’s tennis team continues to barnstorm while their home court is completing renovations in Hillsborough. It didn’t really matter on Friday afternoon as the Lady Panthers swept the Voyager Academy Vikings at Eno River Racquet and Swim Club in Durham.

Senior Shannon Sollars, juniors Molly Kruse and Adelyn Alvis each won two matches. Sollars won at #1 singles over Carrington Foster 8-1 (each match was limited to one set). At #4 singles, Kruse defeated Suhayma Chaudhry 8-1. Alvis won her match at #6 singles 8-0.

Sollars and Kruse won at #1 doubles over Foster and Addie Baker 8-1. Sollars won all four of her matches to open her senior year last week. Alvis teamed with junior Kyla Mehl at #3 doubles to complete the sweep for the afternoon over Chaudhry and Morgan King 8-0.

Freshman Kalynn Mason captured her second singles match of the year, winning at #2 singles over Addie Baker 8-5, the only thing resembling a competitive match on the day. Sophomore Ellie Wilson knocked off Alaina Bustillo 8-2. Oakley Gaddy, a junior, completed Orange’s singles sweep with a 8-1 win over King.

At #2 doubles, Lindsay Woodall and Casey Robinson rounded out the clean sweep for Orange with a 8-1 win over Huda Chaudhry and Bustillo.

Orange will start Central Conference play on Monday (today) against Western Alamance in Elon. It will continue Orange’s string of road matches as they wait for their home court refurbishments to be completed. The Lady Panthers will play at Walter Williams, the defending conference champions, on Thursday in Burlington.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore runner Naomi Dyreng. Last fall, Dyreng won the individual championship of the Central Conference women’s cross country meet at Lake Cammack Cross Country Course in Burlington. It was a Cedar Ridge finish in the top two. Abigail Klaitman finished second. Dyreng would go on to finish third in the Mideast Regional. For the second year in a row, Dyreng qualified for the 3A State Championships, where she finished 17th. This winter, Dyreng qualified for the 3A State Indoor Track & Field Championships. She finished 7th in the 1,600 meters in the 3A State Championships at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem. Dyreng qualified for the state championships when she finished with a time of 5:32.95 in the 1,600 meters at the East Chapel Hill Polar Bear at Dave Thaden Stadium on January 27. Last fall, Dyreng helped the Cedar Ridge women finish 2nd in the Central Conference championship meet. Now, she’s gearing up for the outdoor track and field season, which will begin next week. Last year, Dyreng won three Mideast Regional Championships at Franklinton High School. She won the 1,600 and 3,200 meters championships, as well as a relay championship. She ran in the state championships at North Carolina A&T University inside Truist Field in Greensboro. 

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Naomi Dyreng

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore runner Naomi Dyreng. Last fall, Dyreng won the individual championship of the Central Conference women’s cross country meet at Lake Cammack Cross Country Course in Burlington. It was a Cedar Ridge finish in the top two. Abigail Klaitman finished second.

Men’s Soccer: Orange 6, Person 0: For the first time since 2018, the Orange men’s soccer team has posted back-to-back shutouts. On Wednesday night, the Panthers defeated Person 6-0 in Roxboro. Senior Finn Kelly earned his second straight clean sheet. Orange has allowed only one goal over the past three games.

On Monday night, the Panthers defeated Cedar Ridge 2-0 in overtime. Kelly had a season-high 15 saves as the Panthers won the second leg of the Hillsborough Derby.

The victory improves Orange’s chances of advancing to the state playoffs. Orange was eliminated in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs last season by J.H. Rose. Since men’s soccer started at Orange in 1988, the Panthers have never made the state playoffs in back-to-back years. As of Thursday night, Orange was up to #24 in the 3A East RPI rankings, a six-notch jump compared to one week ago.

Orange (6-6-2 overall, 5-3-1 in the Central Carolina Conference) got the opening goal from Daniel Romero, who scored the insurance goal against Cedar Ridge on Monday. Enzo Bruhns, a senior who assisted on Romero’s goal against the Red Wolves, added his first goal of the season in the first half.

Joseph Lopez, a junior who scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Cedar Ridge, added his third goal of the season. Issac Gallegos, Angel Chavez and Issac Gallegos also scored goals for Orange. Yurem Tapia Mendez had two assists on the night. Senior Ryker Stein, Chavez, and Romero also had assists for the Panthers.

The Panthers now have a three-game winning streak. Last week, the Panthers defeated Walter Williams 2-1 in Hillsborough. It is believed to be Orange’s first-ever win over the Bulldogs in men’s soccer. Stein and Mendez scored goals for Orange. Kelly earned the win in net. He finished with seven saves.

Orange will continue its pursuit of a state playoff birth when they face Eno River Academy at the Soccer.com Complex in Efland at 6PM. It’s the first-ever matchup between the two teams in men’s soccer. It will be Orange’s final regular season nonconference game.

Men’s Cross Country: Orange and Cedar Ridge runners were among hundreds of competitors at the Great American Cross Country Festival at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on October 6.

The men’s Race of Champions had 375 competitors. Orange High’s Gabriel Schmid finished 12th with a time of 15:03.30. Schmid was the highest finisher among competitors from a 3A public school. Athens Drive’s Noah Valyo finished first at 14:42.60.

Orange finished 14th among 44 teams that gathered from across the region. Orange sophomore Myles Jermyn came in 90th (16:15.30), while senior Alden Cathey came in 98th (16:17.50). Another Orange sophomore, Lucas Van Mater, finished 142nd (16:39.30). Nolan Hufner, Peter Musser, Cyrus Neal and Alden Viola also competed and finished for Orange.

Belen Jesuit Preparatory School finished first in the men’s team standings.

Schmid, the defending 3A State Individual Champion, will compete again on Saturday during the NC Runners Elite Cross Country Invitational at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville. Schmid won the state championship on that course last November. Once again, Redmon Sports Complex will be the site of the North Carolina High School State Athletic Association state cross country championships next month.

Cedar Ridge’s men’s cross country team competed in the Blue Race. Edgar Ibarra had a season-best time of 17:59.40, which was good enough for 72nd. Ryan Matthews finished 80th

Women’s Cross Country: Also at the Great American Cross Country Festival, Cedar Ridge’s women’s team competed in the 1-Girls Blue Race. Naomi Dyreng finished 13th among 298 competitors with a time of 19:48.50. Abigail Klaitman had a season-best time of 20:05.90 and finished 29th overall. Kate Finnegan, Anna Peterson, Samantha Quade and Lillian Barber also had season best times for the Red Wolves.

Dyreng was the top finisher for Cedar Ridge in the 3A State Championships last November.

As a sit down to write on the night of September 11, the natural reflex is to write about my memories of September 11.

Then it dawned on me that it’s been 22 years now and this is a high school website. None of the students who read were alive that. They can’t relate to a country that wasn’t nearly as divided back then as it is now.

At the risk of sounding old (like that’s new), the fact America could be the subject of a foreign attack was unheard of in 2001. I worked at WDNC/WCHL, two radio stations inside Durham Bulls Athletic Park when the attacks happened. When the second plane went into the World Trade Center, my General Manager informed me I would have to go in the control room, interrupt regular programming, look at the video on a monitor airing CNN and describe them to our audience.

It was surreal and I wish I could remember what I said, but I honestly can’t. But here’s what I do remember.

That night, Republicans and Democrats who served in Congress stood together on the White House steps and sang “God Bless America.” After the attacks, the content of people’s character really did matter more than the color of their skin.

For about three weeks.

As another birthday comes up for me later this month, I regret time goes by so quickly. As much damage as the last few years have done on optimism, I hope at some point in my life, America will be that united again.

So, let’s get to what we’re here for. The Magnificent Seven for week three, ranging from August 27-through September 2. The best performances from Orange and Cedar Ridge athletes in no particular order.

1. Gabriel Schmid, Orange, Sr.: The defending 3A State Cross County champion continued a strong start to his final season in Hillsborough. He won the opening meet of the season at Person High on August 30 with a time of 18:39. It was a full 46 second ahead of the nearest competitor. Orange, the two-time defending CCC champions, won the opening meet over Cedar Ridge, Person and Southern Alamance.
2. Naomi Dyreng, Cedar Ridge, Jr.: Dyreng, who won three regional championships at the 3A Mideast Outdoor Track and Field Championships last spring, finished first for the Cedar Ridge women’s cross country meet in a quad-meet against Orange, Person and Southern Alamance. Dyreng finished with a time of 22:35. Her teammate, Abigail Klaitman, came in at 22:50 as the Cedar Ridge women captured the meet in Roxboro.
3. Claire Hargett, Cedar Ridge, Soph.: The Cedar Ridge volleyball team opened its CCC scheduled with win over Person and Cedar Ridge. Hargett had 14 kills, 15 digs and one ace in the Person win. In Graham, Hargett had a dig when the Patriots were serving on set point that ultimately tied the opening set. Hargett would finish with 13 kills and 19 digs as the Red Wolves swept the Patriots inside of a sultry Patriots Gymnasium.
4. Ava Wilkerson, Orange, Soph.: Orange continued its long road swing with wins over Jordan and Western Alamance. Wilkerson had ten kills and five blocks for the Lady Panthers against the Falcons in Durham. She followed with eleven kills, a block and an ace in the sweep of Western Alamance, the Lady Panthers’ CCC opener in Elon.
5. Jonam Juarez, Cedar Ridge, Sr.: Juarez scored the game-winning goal with 3:13 remaining as the Red Wolves men’s soccer team battled back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Seaforth 3-2 in Pittbsoro. Juarez finished with two goals, the first of his varsity career as Cedar Ridge remained undefeated. Giovani Yanez also had a goal for Cedar Ridge.
6. Shannon Sollars, Orange, Jr.: Sollars won three matches for the Orange women’s tennis team against Western Alamance and Walter Williams. Against the Warriors, Sollars defeated Reagan Williams 6-1, 6-4. Later in the night, Sollars teamed with her sister, Erinn, to defeat Amelia Weaver and Williams 8-3. Against Williams, the Sollars sisters defeated Abigail Brown and Lindley Oler 8-5.
7. Catherine Ballenger, Cedar Ridge, Sr. The Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team won its opening CCC match with a 8-1 win at Southern Alamance on August 30. Ballenger won her singles match over Ava Lynch 6-0, 6-1. In doubles action, Ballenger teamed with Ella Caltabiano to defeat Paicey Cameron and Madalyn Corbett 8-1. Ballenger has won seven matches overall this year.

Men’s cross country: Orange 17, Cedar Ridge 44, Southern Alamance 55, Person 183: Orange senior Gabriel Schmid started his farewell tour at Orange with a first place finish at a meet in Roxboro.

Schmid, the 2022 3A State Champion in men’s cross country, keyed an Orange victory with a time of 18:39 at Rockets Stadium. Orange, the defending Central Carolina Conference champions, had the top four finishers: Alden Cathy, an All-Conference performer in lacrosse, finished second at 19:25, junior Peter Musser came in third (19:33) while sophomore Myles Jermyn finished fourth (19:36).

Cedar Ridge sophomore Henry Alexander, who finished third in a meet at Eno River Academy on August 23, was the highest placer for the Red Wolves. Alexander finished fifth at 20:27. The Red Wolves’ Ryan Matthews came in sixth at 20;34.

Orange also had the seventh place finisher in Nolan Hufner, a sophomore, at 21:07. Cedar Ridge’s Ender Buchanan came in 10th at 21:52. Red Wolves’ senior Grayson Weisenfeld (11th) and Michael O’Melia (12th) helped Cedar Ridge to a second place team finish. Orange’s Lucas Van Mater came in 13th, while Cedar Ridge’s Eli Auchter finished 15th.

Women’s cross country: Cedar Ridge 15, Person 82: The Cedar Ridge women’s cross country team had the top top five finishers to win its Central Carolina Conference opener at Person High. Naomi Dyreng, who won three regional championships in outdoor track & field last year, was the top finisher for the Red Wolves with a time of 22:35. Junior Abigail Klaitman finished second at 22:50.

On August 23, Klaitman finished first at a dual meet at Eno River Academy. Cedar Ridge’s Serena Summers finished third at 25:35. Kaitlyn Horn (27:02) and Cia Biddix (27:14) rounded out the top five.

Orange’s Kassi Scarantino was the highest-placing runner for the Panthers, finishing sixth at 27:31. Scarantino finished one second ahead of teammate Channing Mahaney.

Cedar Ridge’s Gracie Whitaker (8th) and Rebecca Fullwood (10th) had top-ten finishes for the Red Wolves. Orange’s Mia Blake came in 14th, while Cedar Ridge freshman Samantha Quade finished 15th.

Women’s Tennis: Williams 7, Orange 2: In a match that has huge implications for the Central Carolina Conference championship, the Bulldogs gained revenge against Orange from last year.

The Bulldogs swept all six singles matches to defeat Orange in Hillsborough on Thursday. In 2022, Orange defeated Williams to claim a share of the CCC title, the first tennis championship for the Panthers (men’s or women’s) in team history.

The most competitive match of the day was at #2 singles. Williams junior Jaden Wilson defeated Orange’s Shannon Sollars 6-2, 2-6, 10-5. Sophomore Abigail Brown, Freshman Lindsay Oler, Senior Gracie Hartle, junior Lauren Turner and senior Gracie Gabrielli all claimed singles wins for the Bulldogs.

Orange got their victories in doubles play. The team of Erin and Shannon Sollars won over Brown and Oler 8-5. The Sollars sisters are 5-0 this season. Makayla Davis and Molly Kruse defeated Hartle and Gabrielli 9-8, winning the tiebreaker 7-2.

Orange is 4-2, 1-1 in the CCC.

Cedar Ridge 8, Southern Alamance 1: The Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team won its conference opener in Graham on Thursday. The Red Wolves won all of the singles matches

Senior Cameron Mayhew won at #1 singles over Paicey Cameron 6-1, 6-1. Junior Ella Caltabiano rolled past Madalyn Corbett 6-1, 6-1. Caltabiano also won at #1 doubles, teaming with Catherine Ballenger to defeat Cameron and Corbett 8-1.

Ballenger won her singles match over Ava Lynch 6-0, 6-1. Cedar Ridge’s Raven Mowles-Airing defeated Morgan Edmunds 7-5, 6-4. Annabeth Lundberg won in straight sets over Cherish Ray 6-0, 6-0.

In doubles play, Cedar Ridge’s Madeline Galindo-Woodring and Terra Proctor defeated Lynch and Ray 8-4.

Cedar Ridge is 2-2, 1-0 in the CCC. They will host Orange on Tuesday at Red Wolves Tennis Courts, the first of three matches in three days. The Red Wolves will host Eno River Academy on Wednesday, then travel to Eastern Alamance on Thursday.

Mayhew, the younger sister of three-time CCC men’s player of the year Josh Mayhew, is 3-1 this year in singles play. Cameron Mayhew qualified for regionals in her freshman and juniors years with the Red Wolves.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore cross country runner Naomi Dyreng. This season, Dyreng was the top qualifier for Cedar Ridge in the 3A State Cross Country Championships, held on November 5 at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville. Dyreng finished 23rd in the 3A State Championships. Last season, Dyreng played tennis, but opted to focus on cross country this fall. She finished 2nd in the Central Carolina Conference championships at Lake Cammack Cross Country Course in Burlington on October 19. Dyreng had another runner-up finish during a conference meet on August 31. The Cedar Ridge women’s cross country team narrowly missed qualifying as a team for the state championships by only eight points. At the Mideast Regional championships, Dyreng finished 5th individually. Cedar Ridge finished 5th in the Mideast Region with 152 points, while Eastern Alamance came in fourth with 144. Next season, Dyreng hopes to lead Cedar Ridge to qualify as a team in the state championships. Dyreng is also a member of the Cedar Ridge band, where she plays French horn. Dyreng will focus on track and field season this spring. 

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior cross country runner Roman Morrell. Already this season, Morrell has two first-place finishes. On August 27, Morrell won the Ronald Horton Cross Country Classic at Northwood High School, beating out 19 other competitors. On September 13, Morrell finished first in a twi-meet against Walter Williams and Northwood. It propelled the Red Wolves team to a victory. Morrell are to North Carolina from New Hampshire. Last year, he ran in the 3A State Championships in Kernersville, where he came in 26th. Morrell had a top-10 finish in the 2021 3A Mideast Regionals, where he finished ninth. In addition to cross country, Morrell also competed in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters in outdoor track & field, where he qualified for the Mideast Regionals. Earlier this year, Morrell finished 2nd in the Early Bird Challenge at WakeMed Soccer Park in a field that included 178 other runners. Last Saturday, Morrell finished 2nd in the 38th annual Greensboro Cross Country Invitational at Hagan Stone Park in Pleasant Garden.