Cedar Ridge Women’s Soccer

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore soccer forward Kate Finnegan. On Wednesday night, Finnegan scored a goal as the Red Wolves defeated Walter Williams 5-2 at Red Wolves Stadium. This season, Finnegan has become the starting striker for head coach Sam Semerzier and leads the team with 16 goals and 42 points in nine games. She had a string of three consecutive games with four goals each, starting with a 9-6 win over Northwood on March 3 in Hillsborough. She followed that with four goals against Durham School of the Arts on March 6. Finnegan scored four goals against Southern Nash in Wilson. Finnegan is a three-sport athlete who rarely goes home early after classes end. In the fall, she runs cross country and was a member of the Red Wolves women’s cross country team that won the Mideast Regional championship. Finnegan is also a starting forward for the Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team under head coach Megan Skouby, where she has played regularly since her freshman year. Her brother, Quinn, has signed to play Division I baseball at Wagner College. Finnegan is one of the best athletes at Cedar Ridge and has made soccer her top sport. This Monday night, Cedar Ridge will face Orange in the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby at Panther Soccer Field.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Kate Finnegan

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore soccer forward Kate Finnegan. On Wednesday night, Finnegan scored a goal as the Red Wolves defeated Walter Williams 5-2 at Red Wolves Stadium. This season, Finnegan has become the starting striker for head coach Sam Semerzier and leads the team with 16 goals and 42 points in nine games.

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team made a successful return to the pitch after spring break with a 5-2 win over Walter Williams on Wednesday night at Red Wolves Stadium. Fleury Nicholson scored two goals and added an assist. Sophomore Kate Finnegan, Cedar Ridge’s leading scorer, added a goal in the 10th minute when she took a through pass from Nicholson and tucked into the right corner of the net off a breakaway. Senior co-Captain Anna Peterson came up with a key defensive play in the final five minutes as she blocked a shot at the goal line that went off her face, but kept the ball out of the net. It was Cedar Ridge’s second straight win over the Bulldogs after losing to Williams five straight times between 2021-2024. Finnegan has now scored 16 goals this season. In 2024, the Red Wolves won a state playoff game behind a stellar season from junior Katie Paulakonis. Shortly after announcing her commitment to Division I Bellarmine, Paulakonis underwent a medical procedure and opted not to play this year. Finnegan has stepped in at striker and the Red Wolves are now 5-3-1 overall, 2-1 in the Central Conference. On Thursday night, Cedar Ridge will face Eastern Alamance in Hillsborough. On Monday night, they will travel to Orange for the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby.

Cedar Ridge women soccer’s Fleury Nicholson, Kate Finnegan & Anna Peterson discuss win vs. Williams

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team made a successful return to the pitch after spring break with a 5-2 win over Walter Williams on Wednesday night at Red Wolves Stadium. Fleury Nicholson scored two goals and added an assist.

Cedar Ridge and Orange women’s soccer scored so many goals on Monday night, they may as well have enacted rules from the old Major Indoor Soccer League, put up walls around the goals and sidelines, allowing rebounds to turn the game into human pinball and be done with it.

Sophomore Kate Finnegan scored a career-high four goals as Cedar Ridge outscored Northwood 9-6 in its home opener at Red Wolves Stadium. Cedar Ridge (1-1) also received two goals from Fleury Nicholson, who has started her senior season strong.

Nicholson has played varsity at Cedar Ridge since her freshman year. She enters her senior season with 42 career goals and 18 assists.

Alex Tong added a goal for the Red Wolves. Ava Smith, who just finished basketball season, added her first goal at the varsity level. Junior Peyton Decker also scored her first varsity goal.

Cedar Ridge bounced back from a season-opening loss to Riverside at Linny Wrenn Stadium in Durham last week.

Junior Ellamarie Perel had some crucial saves late to earn her first win of the season.

Just two games into the season, Finnegan already has five goals. The Red Wolves are scheduled to face Durham School of the Arts at Red Wolves Stadium on Wednesday night. They will face Southern Nash on Saturday.

This season, Cedar Ridge will go without its leading scorer from 2024. Katie Paulakonis, who scored 43 goals last season, committed to Division I Bellarmine last fall. Paulakonis, who was on the sidelines rooting on her teammates Monday night, recently underwent a medical procedure and didn’t want to risk further injury before she starts her college career in August. Paulakonis’ 43 goals is a single-season school record.

Orange 9, Durham School of the Arts 3: In the heart of downtown Durham, Orange forward Caroline Cathey scored four goals and racked up nine points in a dominant win over Durham School of the Arts.

Sullivan Gaddy, another senior, added two goals and two assists as Orange took its lid lifter over the Bulldogs. Gaddy scored the opener off an assist from Cathey in the 11th minute on an assist from Cathey. Two minutes later, Cathey notched her first goal.

Less than a minute later, Gaddy notch her second goal off a pass from Lucy Mignosa. Then Mignosa added her first goal of the season off a pass from Emma Edwards.

In the 22nd minute, Evelyn Gover scored off a pass from Gaddy as Orange led 5-3 at halftime.

Cora Bailey scored the opening goal of the second half in the 45h minute. Cathey scored separate goals in the 47th and 49th minutes, the ladder assisted by Cora Beth Bailey.

With 15;00 remaining, Cathey scored her fourth goal on an assist from Gaddy. Cathey, a senior, had her first four-goal game. Last year, she had a hat trick in a 6-0 win over Durham School of the Arts in Hillsborough. She also had a hat trick in a 10-1 win over Southern Alamance in 2024.

Last year, Gaddy had seven multi-goal games. It’s the second straight year she scored two goals against DSA. Last year, Gaddy scored 20 goals as Orange finished 9-6-2 overall, 6-4-2 in the Central Conference.

Right away, Orange will face a crucial conference contest this week. On Wednesday, the Lady Panthers are scheduled to face Eastern Alamance in Hillsborough. Last year, the Eagles split the season series with Orange. The Lady Panthers defeated Eastern Alamance 4-3 in Hillsborough behind two goals from Gaddy, along with tallies from Cathey and Bailey. Eastern Alamance would gain revenge, beating Orange 3-2 in Mebane in the regular season finale.

Eastern Alamance would defeat Orange 4-1 in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs behind a hat trick from junior Abby Brinker.

The game against Eastern Alamance on Wednesday may fall victim to rain, which is in the forecast.

The Lady Panthers will host Carrboro in Hillsborough on Friday night.

With the Central Conference championships one week away, the Cedar Ridge women’s swimming team finished the regular season undefeated in dual meets on Senior Night.

For the second time this year, Cedar Ridge’s relay team of Sophia Stinnett, Margaret Payton, Quinn McCrimmon and Natalie Kunz broke their own school record in the 200 yard medley relay with a time of 2:03.23. In the opening meet of the year on December 9, Stinnett, Payton, McCrimmon and Kunz broke the record at the Orange County Sportsplex.

The Cedar Ridge women finished the regular season 11-0 in the Central Conference, 12-0 overall. The Red Wolves held off Orange 87-79 and defeated Eastern Alamance 130-24.

It was a special night for Stinnett and McCrimmon, two seniors competing in their final regular season meet at the SportsPlex, which is a year-around home for swimmers. Not only do swimmers compete at the SportsPlex, but they practice there, as well.

Stinnett, who who the Central Regional championships in the 100 yard backstroke and the 500 yard freestyle last year at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, won in both events on Tuesday night and again qualified for regionals.

In the men’s dual meets, it was the final regular season meet for Orange senior Luke Roman, who is only the second male swimmer to win a state championship in school history. Roman, the defending champion in the 500 yard freestyle, won the event once again on Tuesday night touching the wall at 4:47.39. He also won the 200 yard freestyle, touching the wall at 1:49.77. Cedar Ridge freshman J.E. Sandor finished 2nd at 1:55.31 while Orange’s Ayden Twiddy came in third at 2:00.59.

Orange held off Cedar Ridge 172-149 in the men’s dual meet, tying the Red Wolves for first place at the end of the regular season with identical 10-1 conference marks. The Panthers also defeated Eastern Alamance 211-45. Cedar Ridge defeated Eastern Alamance 228-44 The Red Wolves men’s team finished the regular season 10-2 overall.

Roman joined Alex Andre, Nick Bazara and Noah Jones to win the 200 yard medley relay at 1:48.54. Cedar Ridge’s team Christopher Seawell, J.E. Sandor, Phillip Cauwels and Jacob Olmstead also qualified for regionals with a time of 1:55.70.

Orange’s 200 yard freestyle relay team of Baczara, Jason Spey, Colin Wuthrich and Twiddy won the 200 yard freestyle relay. Cedar Ridge’s Cauwels, Seawell, Sandor and Zion Green finished second, earning a spot at regionals.

Baczara won the 200 yard individual medley at 2:20.31. Jones claimed the 50 yard freestyle at 24.21. Cauwels, a senior for Cedar Ridge, finished 2nd.

Andre earned a trip to regionals in the 100 yard butterfly with a time of 57.83 seconds.

Cedar Ridge’s Seawell won two events. He claimed the 100 yard freestyle at 51.18 seconds. Twiddy finished second, also earning a spot at regionals, at 53.65.

Seawell also won the 100 yard backstroke at 1:00.92.

Orange’s Andre, on his senior night, won the 100 yard backstroke (1:07.75). Sandor just trailed finishing second at 1:08.64.

In other women’s individual races, Orange’s Piper White claimed two individual events. She won the 50 yard freestyle at 25.95 seconds. White has won three state championships in relay events with Riley White, Ainsley Rasinske and Katie Belle Sikes (now swimming at the University of Georgia). White also won the 100 yard Butterly.

White teamed with Rasinske, Zoe Jones and Addison Moore to take the 200 yard medley relay at 2:01.77. Cedar Ridge’s relay team of Stinnett, Payton, McCrimmon and Kunz finished second.

Rasinske captured the 200 yard freestyle at 2:15.34. Orange’s Moore finished 2nd at 2:17.97 while Cedar Ridge’s Eden Pollard finished third at 2:18.41. All three earned spots at regionals. Moore also qualified for regionals in the 100 yard backstroke with a runner-up finish (1:09.53).

jones finished first in the 200 yard individual medley at 2:27.44, just beating McCrimmon to the wall by .13 of a second. Payton finished third, also earning a spot in regionals at 2:29.88.

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Five weeks of relentless travel to start the season has ended–at least for one night–for the Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team.

The track around Red Wolves Stadium was one of many renovation projects around Cedar Ridge and Orange High Schools this summer. It kept Cedar Ridge men’s soccer on the road for its opening seven games, where they journeyed from Henderson to Cary to Efland.

On Monday night, they finally played its first home game and made the wait worth their while.

Senior Salomon Hernandez scored two goals while Rodrigo Arellano added two goals and two assists as the Red Wolves defeated Eastern Alamance 9-0 in Hillsborough. Alex Rosales, Miko James, Arturo Hernandez and Sawyer Smith added goals as the Red Wolves improved to 3-3-2 overall while staying in first place in the Central Conference with a 2-0 mark.

“It was worth the wait, oh my gosh,” Cedar Ridge coach Chauncey Brummell, who took the Red Wolves to a second-place finish in the Central Conference last year. “Anytime you have a young team, it’s going to take them some time to gel and learn how to work together as a team. We’re not the only young team in the conference so there’s really no excuse.”

Junior Erik Galunas earned the victory in net as he played in the opening 40 minutes. Senior Ben Miller started the second half and played the final 17 minutes until the final goal of the game scored by Arellano, who fired it in from 20 yards off a free kick.

Salomon Hernandez, who battled his way back from injury, scored the opening goal off a corner kick fired in by James with 21:27 remaining in the first half. Rosales added insurance when Arellano fired a shot from 28 yards, which was knocked down by an Eagles defender. Rosales took possession off the rebound, dribbled into the penalty area and fired it in from eleven yards along the near post.

Arturo Hernandez added a third goal with 9:15 remaining in the first half when he collected a pass from Arellano and shot it in from 12 yards away.

Arellano, a freshman, turned 14 on Monday.

Cedar Ridge’s home stand will be short-lived. On Wednesday, they will travel to Elon to face Western Alamance at Primm Stadium. The Warriors are atop the Central Conference after former Red Wolf Dominic McNerney, who led Cedar Ridge in scoring last year, transferred to Western Alamance last month.

“The constant travel has been tough,” Brummell said. “Being on the bus for 45 minutes to one hour is a lot. For me, as an adult, it’s a lot. I can only imagine what it’s like for those kids not being able to play a home game for a month. To finally play on their home field and have a decent crowd tonight, it was great for the kids. And to get a win was even better.”

The Red Wolves will host Walter Williams next Monday.

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Orange 9, Person 0: Another multigoal game from junior Yurem Tapia Mendez led Orange to a 9-0 victory at Rockets Stadium in Roxboro on Monday night. Mendez finished with two goals, his four multi-goal games this season as the Panthers improved to 7-3 overall, 2-1 in the Central Conference. Mendez has eleven goals overall.

Mendez scored the opening goal. Junior Logan Edwards added two goals, the first two of his varsity career. Edwards’ first tally of the night gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Brendan McDonald also had a brace, including the ninth goal that ended the game in the second half. McDonald now has three goals this season.

Carson Condon and Demetrius Holmes each had goals in the first half as Orange took a 5-0 lead to halftime. Kace McAuley also scored for the Panthers.

Orange will host Southern Alamance in Hillsborough on Wednesday night.

Ivy Garner: The North Carolina Courage’s U-23 team won the USL W League championship at the WRAL Soccer Complex in Cary last month. Garner, who played soccer and tennis at Cedar Ridge her freshman year in 2018-2019 before she transferred to Eno River Academy, assisted on the game-winning goal in the championship game against the Colorado Storm on July 20. Garner sent a crossing pass to Macey Bader in the 66th minute. Garner, who is entering her junior year at Liberty University, scored seven goals in 15 games with the Courage this season. North Carolina went undefeated in 12 matches, finishing with an 11-0-1 record to win the Southeast Division championship The Courage U-23 squad reached the USL W League championship game in 2023, as well, falling to Indy XI in the final. Garner will return to action when Liberty travels to High Point on August 15.

Mia Davidson: A summer that started in Japan, continued to Italy will end in Rosemont, Illinois for Davidson. Davidson earned the silver medal for the United States softball team in the World Baseball Softball Coalition Women’s Softball World Cup in Castions di Strada Italy. The American romped through group play, winning its first six games by a combined margin of 32-4. In the Gold Medal game, Japan defeated the U.S. 6-1, scoring six unanswered runs. Earlier in the tournament, the Americans blanked Japan 2-0. Davidson played in two games during the World Cup. Last weekend, Davidson started her third season with Athletes Unlimited. She suited up for Team Alexander for three games at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, IL. For the week, Davidson finished with 28 points in Athletes Unlimited unique system where players earned individual points based on their performance. Team Alexander dropped all three of its games. Davidson went 2-for-8 and set a new league record for career hit by pitches. This weekend, Davidson will play for Team Skylar Wallace after being selected in the eighth round of this week’s draft.

Bryse Wilson: Going into Friday, the Milwaukee Brewers lead the St. Louis Cardinals by five-and-a-half games in the National League Central. Wilson continues to work middle relief. On Tuesday, Wilson threw two innings and allowed four hits with one walk and three strikeouts in a 5-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves at American Family Field. Wilson didn’t allow any runs. On Monday, Wilson threw the ninth inning in a 8-3 win over Atlanta. He allowed one solo home run from Sean Murphy.

Ryan Hench: The Burlington Sock Puppets of the Appalachian League ended its season in the Eastern Division Championship game on Thursday night. The Danville Otterbots defeated the Sock Puppets with a walkoff double to win 3-2 at American Legion Field. Hench, who redshirted for North Carolina as a freshman last spring, went 2-3 with a 5.71 ERA for Burlington this summer. In eight games, Hench struck out 41 and walked 21. In his final appearance of the regular season, Hench struck out eight over four innings in a start against the Johnson City Doughboys. He allowed four runs off seven hits in a no-decision. Burlington reached the Appalachian League playoffs for the second straight year after finishing 26-22, good enough for second place in the Eastern Division, five games behind Danville.

Payton Wilson: After being selected in the third round of April’s NFL Draft, Wilson will make his unofficial debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Houston Texans next Friday at Acrisure Stadium. It will be Pittsburgh’s preseason opener.

Trenton Gill: After being released by the Chicago Bears last spring, Gill will make his debut for the Denver Broncos on August 11 against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Gill will try to win the starting job from veteran Riley Dixon, who was signed by the Broncos in 2023 after a season with the Los Angeles Rams. Gill is the first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf to play in the NFL.