Cedar Ridge Softball

Just between me and you, I’m happy Bryson Massey, Allen Byrd and Andy Simmons allow me to have the VIP parking spot for Cedar Ridge baseball and softball games. That’s located down the hill near the tennis courts.

There’s a lot of equipment to haul nowadays to get those sound signals through your Internet speaker. There are miles to travel, but they’ve been worth it.

The four-year class that will graduate for Cedar Ridge this week were all freshmen when I started this website. Since then, I’ve traveled to Morehead City to watch the Cedar Ridge softball team beat West Carteret in the second round of the 3A State Playoffs. Tori Dalehite and Takia Nichols both homered that night.

This past January, the drive to Greenville to watch the Cedar Ridge volleyball team battle D.H. Conley wasn’t as far, but it was intense. For the second year in a row, the Red Wolves played a team that won the 3A State Championship. Unlike in 2019 when they stunned Chapel Hill, the Red Wolves would fall a little short, but they did capture the first set. I’m sure that match hasn’t left the minds of Cameron Lloyd, Julie Altieri and Cameron Lanier this spring as they’ve been practicing with Coach Fiona Cunningham.

To the seniors who have been so kind and patient with this website, I truly want to thank them for giving me the honor of covering their games and listening to my dumb questions. I hope they keep up with the website as they move on in life because some of them have left impressions on me.

I’ll remember ShiLi Quade, who doesn’t seem to believe in days off. In the winter, she played volleyball for the Cedar Ridge team that won the Big 8 Championship. When she wasn’t practicing or playing, she had to handle editor duties for the Cedar Ridge Yearbook. She would be on the sidelines shooting photos at men’s and women’s basketball games and was kind enough to share some of her galleries for this website. Keeping my usual overnight hours, I’d be typing away with some album from King’s X blaring in my headphones, and then an email from ShiLi would pop in my inbox at 2AM. In 2025, an employer somewhere will hire someone with a great work ethic.

Alexandria Matthews, Lajoan Stuart, and Emma-Rae Sharp and Quade were part of one of the greatest comebacks I’ve ever seen. For anyone who reads this website, it’s become cliche to bring up Cedar Ridge softball scoring seven runs in the seventh inning to tie Orange 9-9 to send the game into extra innings. Alex, who played 1st base and pitched, jump started the rally with a single up the middle and later scored off a single by Olivia Aitkin. Stuart started in right field that night for Cedar Ridge and Sharp started at 1st base. It was something to remember for everyone in attendance.

I’ll remember Elijah Whitaker, and his dedication to the Cedar Ridge football program. The emotion of the Cedar Ridge players as they walked off the field in their final game against Vance County was unmistakeable. All of those players want to win every game, of course, but there were tears in the eyes of the seniors who had just played their last football game. They want to establish a program. Elijah didn’t plan to be the quarterback this season, but the top starter was injured in the first half of the first game, never to return. Elijah played quarterback for the final five games against a tough Big 8 Conference. Afterwards, he talked about coming back to Cedar Ridge to coach wide receivers because he loved the brotherhood that Coach Cory Lea is developing.

I’ll remember Kyle Long, who rarely got a play off along the interior line for Cedar Ridge. Kyle is going into the Navy now. He’ll be keeping up with Cedar Ridge football on Friday nights, no matter where he is. He may be leaving Cedar Ridge, but Cedar Ridge won’t leave him.

I’ll remember Luke Pagnanelli and Ian Johnson. And their perseverance. It would have been easy to throw in the towel when Orange led Cedar Ridge in men’s basketball 49-31 with 2:34 remaining in the third quarter on January 11. But Luke and Ian wouldn’t let that happen. Instead, they erased that deficit in just five minutes and 53 seconds. Pagnanelli scored the opening four points of overtime and Cedar Ridge won 67-66. A month later, Pagnanelli and Johnson each hit pressure free throws in the final minute to beat Orange again, this time in Panther Gymnasium. Pagnanelli and Johnson labored through a 1-23 season as sophomores, but they each won their last four games against Orange.

I’ll remember A.J. Richmond for his dedication to athletics. He played basketball, football and ran track. I’ll also remember him for a memorable interview last week where he said that his father played basketball against Jerry West. Jerry West?! The logo of the NBA? The man who traded Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant?! Why didn’t Andre ever tell me about this? Turned out it was David West, who played at Garner when Andre Richmond was at Orange. David went on to play 16 years in the NBA and won two World Championships with Golden State. I’m sure Andre was more impressed with his son’s two victories at Northwood High in the 100 and 200 meters last week.

I’ll remember the versatility of Marlee Rakouskas. She was a starting libero for Cedar Ridge volleyball. She played on two Cedar Ridge softball teams that won the Big 8 Conference Championship. Marlee didn’t always get the headlines, but those teams wouldn’t have been as successful without her. Between playing two sports, she put together an art show for the Orange County Arts Commission. And, like Krzyzewski, I’ve learned how to spell Rakouskas by typing it so often I don’t even need to look it up. (Well, just once for old time sake tonight).

I’ll remember James Rosati-Brown and Daina Pritchard. Like all other senior wrestlers in Hillsborough, they had some of the most cherished annual events in the area taken from them because of the pandemic. James and Daina both love competing in the Jim King/Orange Invitational, the Tiger Holiday Classic and the Red Wolf Invitational. This year, they had to start the season at a time when it would normally be long in the rear view mirror. That hasn’t stood in the way of making progress. Daina is 20-1 this year. James is 19-2, and both of those losses were last week to wrestlers who placed in the state championships last year. Fortunately, they’ll be able to compete for spots in the state championships next week.

I’ll remember the excellence of Emerson Talley, the all-time leading goal scorer in Cedar Ridge women’s soccer history. A reluctant star who prefers to let her playing do the talking, Emerson will be a prime performer for the Lenoir-Rhyne women’s soccer team for years to come and provide plenty of fodder for Alumni Update.

And there are more. There’s Bryce Clark hitting a home run against Orange two weeks ago. There’s Grady Ray, who competes in three different sports and never takes a play off, regardless of what the sport is. There’s Matt Hughes, who will play baseball at Brunswick Community College after his final high school game this week.

To all of them, as they go forward in life, I’ll share with you what Coach Charles Watters told me when I walked away from Auman Stadium on my graduation night around this time 30 years ago.

There are only three things in life that truly matter: what you think about yourself when you wake up and see yourself in the mirror. What you think about yourself when you go to bed at night. And what your loved ones, in their hearts, truly think of you.

Have fun. Be free.

As Takia Nichols prepared to announce her destination to play college softball, she wanted three things.

The first was a program with teammates that she could bond with, just as she’s grown close to so many of her teammates at Cedar Ridge. The second was dugout energy, like what she saw when North Carolina Central faced North Carolina A&T at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary last month. The Eagle-Aggie rivalry is, by no means, limited to only the gridiron and the hardwood. When Joirea Dumas hit a walkoff single for Central in the bottom of the 10th inning to win 6-5, her Eagle teammates swarmed the field and mobbed her in celebration.

The third was a focus on her professional future for a career in crime forensics. It’s an area that her coach, Allen Byrd, is very familiar with. Byrd, who helped Nichols throughout the process of making her college decision, is an Assistant Chief with the Mebane Police Department.

On Friday night, Nichols made her decision final.

She was going to North Carolina Central.

Before she tweeted the official word, Nichols called Byrd to inform him. By that point, Byrd and his wife Brenda were cruising down Highway 17 near Brunswick County for their Memorial Day vacation.

As Brenda constantly reminds her husband, trips to Shallotte bring back unpleasant memories of Cedar Ridge’s crushing 4-3 loss in nine innings to West Brunswick in the third round of the 2018 3A State Playoffs. It ended the greatest season in Red Wolf softball history. Cedar Ridge was 17-1 and won the Big 8 Conference championship with a 14-0 record. The night ended with Byrd’s best player, Tori Dalehite, going to the hospital to treat a broken hand. After a four-hour bus ride back to Hillsborough, Byrd reported to work the following morning with no sleep. Four years later, he’s still not sure the right team won that night.

“I always throw my finger out where I ride past Brunswick County,” Byrd jokes. “But it’s only my index finger.”

The following year, Nichols was a freshman when the Red Wolves faced West Carteret in the 2nd round of the state playoffs. Before the game, Byrd treated his team to a walk along the beach near Morehead City. Hours later in the fourth inning, Nichols crushed a fastball over the left field fence that disappeared into the trees. It was the eighth home run of her career. Cedar Ridge would advance 6-3.

Nichols, the 2021 Big 8 Conference Player of the Year, is the all-time home run hitter in Cedar Ridge history with 26 in 42 games. This year, Nichols hit 13 home runs and 38 RBIs, both tops in the Big 8.

Marshall, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T and Winston-Salem State showed interest in Nichols. Ultimately, Nichols said NCCU was the best fit for several reasons.

“I absolutely wanted to attend an HBCU,” Nichols said. “That was important to me. I love the energy that the Central players have. There’s nothing like that at any other place in softball. I saw that when they played A&T. That was the first thing that attracted me to Central.”

Central had reached out to Nichols during her junior year. Byrd knew several members of Central’s coaching staff.

“They were already looking at her,” Byrd said. “Knowing what type of kid she is and what type of student she is, it really worked out. It was truly great to see because when you see kids that work hard like she does, it’s great. Takia did it all herself.”

Nichols grew acclimated to the environment of HBCU softball several years ago when she traveled to Claflin University in Orangeburg, South Carolina during an individual camp.

“That opened my eyes,” Nichols said. “It was a whole new world. It reminded me of Cedar Ridge. I wanted to be at a place where the team is close. I want to have teammates with a friendship like me and Ava (Lowry, a Red Wolf shortstop who has committed to North Carolina Wesleyan) have. You can’t beat that.”

Nichols has also played summer travel ball with the N.C. Rockers, the Carolina Cardinals and the N.C. Firecrackers.

As for life after softball, Nichols wants to follow in her coach’s footsteps. She’s looking into criminal forensics.

“Allen has been very involved in this whole process,” Nichols said. “He’s met with coaches and talked with my mom. And he’s told me about what I life in law enforcement is like. The good and the bad.”

“At the end of the day, you want kids to pursue what they desire,” Byrd said. “As a head coach, to see a player follow in your footsteps, that’s kind of amazing.”

On May 15, North Carolina Central reached the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship game, where they could have secured its first trip to the NCAA Division I Tournament. Morgan State ended the Eagles’ hopes with a 10-5 win in Norfolk, Virginia. Central is currently without a permanent head coach. Last September, Cat Tarvin became the interim coach after the resignation of Vashion Johnson, who left to pursue another opportunity. Central is expected to name a permanent head coach in July.

Durham college softball, still in its infancy, is red hot right now. Before his departure, Johnson took Central to a 23-win season in 2019, including an upset over North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Duke, in its fourth season as a program, won its first Atlantic Coast Conference championship earlier this month.

All of that is in the distant future for Nichols. There’s still the matter of her final season at Cedar Ridge. She isn’t treating it as a stepping stone before leaving for Division I college softball. It’s the last time she gets to play with classmates Ava Lowry and Olivia Aitkin, as well as rising juniors Hayley King and Tori Carden.

2021 left a sour taste in her mouth. In a standard year, the Red Wolves #33 ranking in the MaxPreps standings would have put them comfortably in a 64-team field for the 3A State Playoffs. But because of the pandemic, it was reduced to a 32-team tournament and the Red Wolves were on the outside looking in for the first time since 2017.

Nichols knows firsthand that she’s about to enter the new 3A Central Conference, which will bring higher-caliber competition. It includes 2019 3A State Champion Eastern Alamance, Western Alamance, as well as familiar rivals Orange and Northwood.

It also isn’t changing her goals for her Cedar Ridge swan song.

“I want to make states next year,” Nichols said. “I know we’re in a new league. But this team and this school mean a lot to me. I don’t want to leave without winning another playoff game. I think we can do better next year and I can do better. That’s my goal.”

Robert Jones: After capturing the gold medal at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championships in the high jump, former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf Robert Jones earned his third victory of the season. Last weekend, Jones finished first in the men’s high jump at the Aggie Classic Twilight at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. Jones’ winning jump was 2.05 meters. This season, Jones has not finished outside the top-five in any of the events he’s competed in. He now heads to the NCAA Eastern Regional Championships, which will start Thursday inside Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team’s season came to an end over the weekend in the Stillwater Regional of the NCAA Softball Tournament. The Bulldogs opened play with a 3-1 win over Boston University on Friday afternoon at Cowgirl Stadium in Stillwater, OK. On Saturday afternoon, #5 Oklahoma State defeated Mississippi State 9-3. In the elimination game on Saturday night, Mississippi State easily defeated Campbell 12-0 in five innings. Oklahoma State eliminated the Bulldogs 10-2 in five innings on Sunday afternoon. Mia Davidson opened the tournament going 1-for-3 against the Terriers. She had an RBI fielder’s choice to score Aquana Brownlee in the fifth inning. In the first game against the Cowgirls, Mia went 1-for-3. Against Campbell, Davidson hit the 69th home run of her career. That moved her into sole possession of 2nd place all-time in Southeastern Conference history. It was also her third home run in the NCAA Tournament for Mississippi State, another school record. Mississippi State broke a school record with four home runs in an NCAA Tournament game. In the third inning, Mia tagged out Campbell’s Katelyn Chisholm at the plate. Davidson went 1-for-2 in her final game of the season. Mississippi State took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning after Davidson drove in a run with a single up the middle. It was her seventh career RBI in the NCAA Tournament, which is third in school history. She also reached base for the 20th straight game, a new career-high. Mia ended the year with a .311 batting average after starting all 60 of the Bulldogs’ games. She was second on the team with 17 home runs. She also registered 42 RBIs. Davidson, who was accepted into graduate’s school last month, will enter her senior season only two home runs shy of the SEC record, held by Florida’s Lauren Haeger.

Montana Davidson: Montana started all four of Mississippi State’s games at third base in the NCAA Tournament. Against Boston University, she singled up the middle in the sixth to knock in Christian Quinn for the game’s final run. Montana finished 1-for-3 against the Terriers. She went 0-for-3 against Oklahoma State. Later in the day against Campbell, Montana finished 1-for-3. She scored in the 3rd inning off a Carter Spexarth. On Sunday, Davidson drove in the final Mississippi State run of the year with a single in the 2nd inning. For the season, Montana finished with a .252 batting average in 58 games. She had three home runs and 21 RBIs. Mississippi State finished the year 34-23, which included an 8-game winning streak down the stretch. Montana is a senior, but can opt for another year of eligibility after the COVID-19 pandemic ended the 2020 season before the NCAA Tournament started.

Tori Dalehite: After winning the Southern Conference Championship for the first time, the UNC Greensboro softball team participated in the NCAA Tournament for the first time this weekend. Duke defeated the Spartans 2-0 in the opening game of the Athens, Georgia regional at the University of Georgia. Western Kentucky ended the Spartans season 8-4 in the elimination game at Jack Turner Stadium. Dalehite, a freshman, didn’t play in either game. This year, Dalehite appeared in 12 games, almost exclusively as a pinch runner. She had one at-bat, walked once and scored six runs. UNCG finished 34-17, 14-4 in the Southern Conference.

Photo by Lindsay Chamberlain

Jaden Hurdle: Hurdle was named to the Region 10 All-Tournament team for the Patrick Henry Community College softball team. The Region 10 Tournament was held at Springwood Park in Burlington on Friday and Saturday. Patrick Henry was eliminated on Friday. The Patriots captured the opening game as they edged Florence-Darlington Technical College. Hurdle completed a 5-run third inning for the Patriots with a three-run homer to right field, which put Patrick Henry in the lead for good. She finished 1-for-3. Later in the day, top-seeded Louisburg shut out Patrick Henry 5-0. Hurdle threw five innings agains the Hurricanes and struck out seven. Louisburg would go on to win the tournament championship. Florence-Darlington would eliminate Patrick Henry 2-1 to end the day on Friday. Hurdle completed her freshman season with a .328 batting average. She was tied for the team lead with ten home runs and ten doubles. Hurdle also had 31 RBIs, which was third on the squad. In 17 pitching appearances, Hurdle was 4-3 with a 4.51 ERA. Patrick Henry finished 22-20, 13-7 in Region 10.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team captured the Southern Conference Championship with a 9-4 victory over Western Carolina at UNCG Softball Stadium on Sunday. On Thursday, the Spartans advanced to the semifinals as they subdued Mercer 3-2. Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner in the 1st inning after designated player Kayleigh Wilis walked. On Sunday night, UNCG learned they would face #13 national seed Duke in the opening round of the Athens Regional on Friday at noon. The irony is that Tori, her father Danny and her younger brother Landon are all Duke fans. As for her mother Beth, rooting against Duke is second nature.

Mia Davidson: On the strength of winning eight consecutive Southeastern Conference games down the stretch of the season, Mississippi State earned a trip to the NCAA Softball Tournament on Sunday night. The Bulldogs will travel to Stillwater, Oklahoma regional to face Boston University on Friday afternoon. Mississippi State is the #2 seed. Oklahoma State, the host and #5 national seed, will face Campbell in the opening round. On Thursday, #4 Florida eliminated Mississippi State 6-2 in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals in Tuscaloosa, AL. Davidson went 0-for-1 with two walks. She scored off a home run from Jackie McKenna in the 2nd inning.

Montana Davidson: Montana started at third base against Florida. She finished 0-for-2. Mississippi State goes into the NCAA Tournament 33-23.

Bryse Wilson: Upon his return to the Gwinnett Stripers of Triple-A East, Wilson had a no-decision in Sunday’s game against the Louisville Bats at Coolray Field. Wilson threw six innings and surrendered four runs off ten hits. He struck out three and walked none. Wilson had won seven consecutive starts for the Stripers, a franchise record.

Landon Riley: The Liberty Flames baseball team took two-out-of-three games against Kennesaw State over the weekend. On Saturday, the Flames won 12-11. Riley threw two-thirds-of-an-inning and surrendered five runs off three hits. He struck out one and walked two. It was Liberty’s eighth straight win, but the Owls snapped the streak after a 7-4 win on Sunday. Liberty finished as the Atlantic Sun Regular Season champion. Starting Friday, Liberty will host Bellarmine in a best-of-three series at Worthington Field. The winner of the series will face either Kennesaw State or Lipscomb in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship in another three-game series in Jacksonville, FL starting May 27.

Jaylin Jones: The most successful season in Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse history came to an end on Saturday. In the opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament, #4 Lynchburg defeated the Falcons 26-11 at Shellenberger Field. Jones, who was named to the All-USA South Conference first-team as a short-stick defensive midfielder, had two ground balls. Pfeiffer finished 12-2 after they reached the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in program history.

Kate Burgess: During the ACC Rowing Championships at Lake Hartwell in Clemson, SC on Saturday, former Orange women’s basketball center Kate Burgess helped UNC’s varsity four win the Petite Final. Burgess joined coxswain Isabelle McGimsey and rowers Gigi Maroney, Jackie Wilhelm and Jessica Judge to finish the 2,000 kilometer course at 7:58.10. They edged Miami and Boston College. UNC finished ninth in the team standings with 19 points.

After finishing with a winning record for the fourth year in a row, three Cedar Ridge softball players were named first-team All-Big 8 Conference.

Third baseman Takia Nichols, the Big 8 Player of the Year, was named to the first-team. So were junior shortstop Ava Lowry and senior catcher ShiLi Quade.

Nichols led Cedar Ridge in nine offensive categories. She had a .707 batting average, scored 34 runs, had 29 hits, belted 13 home runs, registered 38 RBI, nine doubles, was walked 17 times, had a .793 on-base percentage with a 1.926 slugging percentage. Nichols, a junior, will enter her senior season on a six-game home run streak. Nichols started the string at Northern Durham on April 20 with a three-run blast to centerfield. The next day against the Knights, she hit an inside-the-park home run on a windy day at Cedar Ridge Softball Stadium, the 20th dinger of her career. Two days later, she hit another home run against East Chapel Hill, then followed with two home runs in a 8-3 win at Vance County in Henderson. Nichols concluded the season with two home runs in the opening game of a doubleheader against Southern Durham.

Despite playing home games inside a big park, Nichols is the all-time leading home run hitter in Cedar Ridge history, baseball or softball. She has 26 career dingers.

Lowry has built a bond with Nichols since the time they played together in middle school. They share the same side of the infield. Before the season started, Lowry committed to Division III North Carolina Wesleyan. This year, Lowry hit .550 with 25 runs scored, three home runs and 23 RBIs. She was also second on the team with seven doubles. Against East Chapel Hill on March 29, Lowry hit two runs as the Red Wolves defeated the Wildcats 18-5 in five innings at Wildcat Softball Park. She finished 4-for-5 against the Wildcats with six RBIs. On April 9 against Northwood, Lowry hit a three-run inside-the-park home run that ended the game. Lowry scored Quade and Olivia Aitkin to wrap up a 14-2 Red Wolf win. In the third inning of that game, Lowry had an RBI single to score Quade again.

Ironically, Lowry may have had her best game of the season in a loss. Against Orange on April 15, Lowry went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. Cedar Ridge trailed from the time they gave up three runs in the first inning, but Lowry never stopped competing. She hit a double in the second inning and scored Cedar Ridge’s first run off a wild pitch. With two outs in the sixth, Lowry drew a walk following a 10-pitch at-bat (she fouled off five balls) to extend the inning, which led to Quade scoring off a wild pitch. Then came the wild seventh inning, where Cedar Ridge trailed 9-2 but scored seven runs to send it to extra innings. In the 7th, Lowry reached off a dropped fly ball and also scored on a wild pitch. In the eighth, Lowry nearly won the game with a triple to right centerfield that missed clearing the fence by a few feet. She settled for a triple, but was stranded there after a groundout to the shortstop.

Quade played on two Big 8 Conference Softball championship teams at Cedar Ridge during her four-year stint on the varsity. After she played centerfield in her abbreviated junior year, Quade shifted to catcher this season to replace Emma Roby, who graduated in 2020. She opened the season by going 4-for-6 against Northwood on March 17 in a wild 17-16 loss to the Chargers in eight innings. For the year, Quade hit .465. She scored 32 runs, which was second only behind Nichols. Quade hit 4-for-5 against East Chapel Hill on March 29, where she had a double and a triple.

While the pandemic may have kept most students at home for most of the academic year, Quade had no problem keeping herself active. In the winter, she was a member of the Big 8 Champion Cedar Ridge volleyball team, which reached the 2nd round of the 3A State Playoffs. When she didn’t play volleyball, she was a photographer for the Cedar Ridge yearbook staff. Quade was a regular at Cedar Ridge men’s and women’s basketball games, shooting pictures at courtside (some of which appeared on Hillsboroughsports.com) right up until softball practice started in February.

Senior second baseman Reagan Ruhl and junior centerfielder Olivia Aitkin were named honorable mention. Ruhl, who also played on the varsity for four years, hit .340 with one home run. She had an inside-the-park home run against Northern Durham on April 21 that reduced Cedar Ridge’s deficit to 15-14.

Aitkin, who started in centerfield, hit .404. She was third on the team with 20 RBIs. In the past, Aitkin has also competed on Cedar Ridge’s swimming team.

Mia Davidson: The inevitable finally happened this weekend as Mia Davidson became the all-time home run hitter in Mississippi State history. On Saturday, Davidson blasted a solo homer against Georgia for her 68th career home run. She surpassed Rafael Palmeiro for the most home runs in Mississippi State history, softball or baseball. The accolade included a congratulatory video from Palmeiro:

Davidson is now tied in Southeastern Conference softball history with Georgia’s Alyssa DiCarlo for second place on the all-time home run list. The career leader is Florida’s Lauren Haeger with 71. Davidson went 1-for-3 on Saturday. On Friday, Mia finished 0-for-2, but scored a run after she walked in the fourth inning. She was driven home off a single from Jackie McKenna. On Sunday, Davidson went 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs. She hit a sacrifice fly in the 3rd inning to score Brylie St. Clair. In the first, Davidson had an RBI single.

Montana Davidson: Mississippi State concluded the regular season by sweeping the weekend series from Georgia. On Friday, Montana went 1-for-3 when she reached on a bunt single and stole a base in the third inning. It was her fourth stolen base of the season as Mississippi State won 4-2. On Saturday, Montana drew a bases-loaded walk in the 2nd inning. In the fourth inning, she scored off a fielder’s choice. In Sunday’s 4-3 win, Montana went 1-for-3. Mississippi State finished the regular season on a seven-game winning streak, which matches the 1999 team for the second-longest SEC winning streak in school history. The Bulldogs are 32-22, 8-15 in the SEC. They will open the SEC Tournament against Ole Miss on Wednesday morning at 11:00 AM in Tuscaloosa, AL.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team has claimed the Southern Conference regular season championship. On Sunday, the Spartans completed a three-game sweep of Western Carolina at UNCG Softball Stadium and will host the Southern Conference Tournament this week. UNCG will start play against Mercer on Thursday.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team completed its first full season in the opening round of the Region X Tournament on Saturday. Top-seeded Louisburg swept a best-of-three series from the Red Hawks at Sheila Cotton Field in Louisburg. The Hurricanes won game one 24-5 in five innings and the final game 8-7. Andrews went a combined 0-for-5. It was the first time all year that Andrews went hitless in consecutive games and ended a seven-game hitting streak. In her freshman year at Catawba Valley, Andrews led the team with 41 RBIs and 53 hits. She finished with a .442 batting average (2nd on the team), with eight home runs (also 2nd on the team). Catawba Valley ends the season 23-13 overall, 12-8 in the Region X West Division.

Marvin Jones: Jones earned the gold medal in the high jump during the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T in Greensboro on Saturday. Jones, a senior who lettered at Cedar Ridge, leaped 2.09 meters for his first collegiate gold medal. It was his second career MEAC medal. He claimed a bronze in the 2020 MEAC Indoor Track c& Field Championships.

Jaylin Jones: For the first time in school history, the Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team is going to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Falcons defeated Piedmont 17-13 to win the USA South Conference Tournament at Lefko Field in Misenheimer on Sunday. Jones, who was named All-Conference as a defensive midfielder last week, had one ground ball for the Falcons. Pfeiffer will face Lynchburg College in Shellenberger Field for the opening round of the Division III Tournament on Saturday afternoon.

Bryse Wilson: After being optioned by the Atlanta Braves last week, Wilson made his first start for the Gwinnett Stripers of Triple-A East on Thursday night. Wilson threw five scoreless innings to earn the victory as Gwinnett defeated the Charlotte Knights 4-0 at Truist Field. He became the first pitcher in Gwinnett history to win seven consecutive starts. Dating back to July 21, 2019, Wilson is 7-0 with a 0.80 ERA for Gwinnett. Against the Knights, Wilson scattered four hits with five strikeouts and one walk in his first Triple-A start of the season.

Cooper Porter: The Pensacola State baseball team had its season come to an end in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 8 Tournament. The Pirates lost to Santa Fe College 10-0 on Friday night in Lakeland, FL. In the opening game last Wednesday, Pensacola State edged Seminole State College of Florida 4-3 in ten innings. Porter entered the game as a pinch hitter. In 18 games this season, Porter hit .256 with one home run and six RBIs. He also pitched in three games. In one-and-two-thirds innings, Porter gave up two hits with one walk and four strikeouts.

Alongside her designation as the all-time home run hitter in Cedar Ridge history, Takia Nichols has a new accolade.

The 2021 Big 8 Conference Softball Player of the Year.

On Thursday, Nichols was named the league’s top player following a season where she led the Big 8 Conference with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs. Nichols amassed that total despite being walked 17 times.

Overall, Nichols led Cedar Ridge in six offensive categories. She hit .707 with 34 runs scored, 29 hits, and nine doubles. She even had three stolen bases.

“Firstly, I want to thank God for everything because none of it would be possible without Him. I want to thank my mom, my trainers, and my coaches for making me into the player that I am,” Nichols said on Thursday night. “would also like to thank the fans and my teammates for rooting me on in every situation- good or bad. I am super appreciative for all the love and support from everyone!”

In a nutshell, here’s how some teams protected themselves from Nichols’ power. In the Red Wolves season-opener against Northwood on March 17, Nichols led off the third inning with a solo homer to centerfield. In her subsequent four at-bats, she was intentionally walked.

In the rematch on April 9, Nichols was intentionally walked in all three of her plate appearances–despite hitting leadoff. In an instance of poetic justice, Nichols scored all three times in a 14-2 Red Wolves win.

Then there was Cedar Ridge’s unforgettable comeback on April 15 against Orange. The Red Wolves trailed 9-2, only to score seven runs in the seventh inning. With Nichols coming up to bat with Marlee Rakouskas standing at third as the game-winning run, Lady Panthers Coach Johnny Barefoot didn’t dare risk Nichols hitting a potential walkoff homer. She was intentionally walked in her second plate appearance in the 7th inning (Nichols walked earlier in the frame, when Cedar Ridge sent 13 batters to the plate). She was intentionally walked again in the ninth inning.

“Takia exemplifies what hard work is,” said Cedar Ridge softball coach Allen Byrd. “She is never satisfied, always striving to be better. She pushes her teammates to be better. It’s such an honor to be a small piece of her continued growth and progression.”

Nichols was an immediate sensation in her freshman season. Paired alongside power hitters Tori Dalehite, Kymberlie Thacker, and Kara Wagoner, Nichols still led the team with eight home runs. She was third on the team with 36 RBIs, tied with Taylor Ruhl.

Her sophomore season will forever linger in the unknown. In just four games, she hit five home runs. She knocked the ball off Cedar Ridge’s scoreboard against West Johnston in a 21-16 win in the third game of the year. Could she have inched closer to former Orange catcher Mia Davidson’s state record of 53 home runs? The COVID-19 pandemic ensured that question would go unanswered as the season was canceled after four games. She will enter her senior year with 26 career home runs in 42 career games. Davidson hit her 53 home runs in 90 career games.

“She’s amazing,” said junior Ava Lowry, who shares the same side of the infield with Nichols. “We have this bond because we’ve played together since middle school. We know what the other is thinking defensively. We’ll just look at each other and we’ll know where to line up. We know what’s going on with each other without saying anything. I’ve never had a better teammate.”

Normally, Nichols would have roughly 17-20 games to show her talents. Because of the pandemic, that number was paired down to 14 games this year. Still, Nichols saved her best for the final weeks of her junior season, where she hit home runs in each of her final six games.

That included two-home run games against Vance County on April 27, then another two-home run game against Southern Durham in the opening game of a doubleheader last Friday.

Nichols plans to announce her college commitment this summer.

“I am very happy about the way that things turned out for me this year but I can’t ponder on it anymore,” Nichols said. “It’s time to put in more work and it’s time to get better. 2022 is my last year as a Red Wolf and I only want to make the best of it.”

Savannah Wynne broke her nose in the first inning of Orange’s playoff game on Monday night. She wanted to stay in anyway.

A passing thunderstorm that cut through Hillsborough hours before the first pitch between the Lady Panthers and Southwestern Randolph had created a bumpy outfield, despite the best efforts of Orange softball’s coaching staff that worked on the field right up past game time. Randolph’s Alley Lowe lined a 3-2 fastball through to the outfield, which took a sudden, violent hop off the grass and into Wynne’s face.

Immediately, blood started coming out of her nose, which was covered with a towel by Orange trainer Emily Gaddy right away. It was only after lobbying from Gaddy that Wynne agreed to be replaced by freshman Delaney Shaffer. But she told Gaddy “I’m going back in.”

And she did. In the fifth inning, Wynne was back in left field. Most players who return from injury in the middle of the game aren’t effective. Wynne, however, lined a double to right field to drive in Emma Puckett to continue building an Orange rally after Southwestern Randolph jumped ahead 6-0. The Cougars would hold on to win 7-5.

Afterwards, Wynne’s mother drove her to UNC Primary Care, where she walked in still wearing her uniform. Doctors had to glue the top of her nasal cavity back together. But she had to go back in the game because, well, as her mother says, “softball is in her heart.”

Chances are several Cedar Ridge players would have done the same thing.

In its final year in the Big 8 Conference, Orange rolled to the league title. They scored at least eleven runs in every game. Only one team came within nine runs of beating the Lady Panthers during the regular season.

Naturally, that team was Cedar Ridge. On April 15, it appeared Orange won on its way to its eighth straight win in dominant fashion. They led 9-2 going into the bottom of the seventh behind three runs scored by Carson Bradsher and two more from Serenity McPherson.

Then Cedar Ridge came up with a rally for the ages. They scored seven runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. For context, Orange had not surrendered four runs in a game yet, and they still didn’t until this past Monday night.

Cedar Ridge would have won if it wasn’t for the defensive reliability of Mary Moss Wirt, normally a second baseman who played third against the Red Wolves because Puckett was out of the lineup. Forgotten in the avalanche of runs that Cedar Ridge scored in the seventh was Wirt making the final out on a short grounder hit by Emma-Rae Sharp. Wirt, two steps in front of third base, fired to catcher Lauren Jackson, who retired Marlee Rakouskas.

The talk after the game among Cedar Ridge coaches, among other subjects, was “What if we played in a smaller ballpark?” For a brief moment, Red Wolf shortstop Ava Lowry appeared to win the game for Cedar Ridge with a long fly ball to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning. The only problem was she hit it to right center, which extends to 227 feet–the longest part of the stadium. The ball landed two feet shy of the wall and Lowry settled for a triple. Carson Bradsher made the final out of the inning to extend the game into the ninth, which led to another reminder of how bright the future of Hillsborough softball truly is.

Shaffer, a freshman who made just her second start, had the game-winning hit when she drove in Wirt in the ninth inning. Shaffer finished 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs. After her heroics at the plate, Shaffer made the game’s biggest defensive play in the bottom of the ninth when she caught a sinking popup off the bat of Alexandria Matthews at second base, then threw to first for a double play.

Years ago, Cedar Ridge 2nd baseman Tori Dalehite and Orange 1st baseman Jaden Hurdle started a tradition where they would pose together for a picture after every game they played against each other, regardless of who won. In 2017, Orange dominated the Red Wolves en route to the 3A State Title. In 2018, Cedar Ridge swept Orange on its way to the first softball conference championship in school history. Each time, the following morning, Dalehite and Hurdle would be on their mother’s Facebook feed, smiling with softballs in their hands and their arms around each other.

Last month, Cedar Ridge pitcher Hayley King and Orange’s Carson Bradsher continued the tradition.

For King, it’s been a tough 2021. In January, she lost her grandmother to COVID-19. Sherry Carter never missed any of Haley’s games. Not during the sweltering heat of summer travel ball, which usually included a new town every weekend. Not during the early games of a regular, non-pandemic season when the spectators are often bundled up amidst blustery weather like they’re at Lambeau Field, except it’s a softball diamond.

Against Orange, Haley’s grandfather brought along a t-shirt that Sherry wore to many of Haley’s games. Hayley kept that in her back pocket during games for the rest of the season. She rubbed it whenever she needed inspiration.

As the Cedar Ridge seniors gathered together on Friday night after its doubleheader sweep of Southern Durham, ShiLi Quade, Rakouskas, Matthews, Sharp, Reagan Ruhl, and Lajoan Stuart hoped that wouldn’t be the end. The Red Wolves ended the season with four straight wins, but the following day their hopes of a state playoff spot was dashed.

Cedar Ridge Coach Allen Byrd didn’t want to talk like it was the end on Friday night, but started to reflect on a group that help bring two Big 8 Conference championships and a 50-11 record since 2017 to the program.

“Those six kids devoted their lives to this program,” Byrd said. “They helped build this program. We played a little down this year. We’ve lost a lot over the last few years but they never gave up. It’s said it ended for them.”

The future is bright for both programs. Next season, Cedar Ridge third baseman Takia Nichols will be a senior, but her name is firmly embedded in the Red Wolf record books for generations to come. She’s already the all-time home run hitter, softball or baseball, in school history with 26 dingers after 42 career games. Her teammate, shortstop Ava Lowry, has already committed to play at North Carolina Wesleyan and will also return.

Orange only loses two seniors in first baseman Gracie Colley and third baseman Emma Puckett. Of Orange’s ten starters on Monday night, half of them were either freshmen or sophomores.

Combined with the fact that Orange, Cedar Ridge and Northwood will join a new league that includes defending 3A State Champion Eastern Alamance, powerful Western Alamance and longtime contender Person, 2022 may make this spring’s thrill ride look like a merry-go-round.

Jaylin Jones: Jones was named to the Division III USA South Athletic Conference first-team as a short-stick defensive midfielder over the weekend. Jones, who played lacrosse and football at Orange, also was named to the USA South All-East Division first-team. On Saturday, Pfeiffer captured the USA South East Division championship with a 13-11 win over Greensboro College at Lefko Field in Misenheimer. It was Pfeiffer’s tenth consecutive victory, a school record. Jones had two ground balls and created two turnovers. Next weekend, Pfeiffer will face Piedmont College for the USA South Conference championship at Lefko Field. The winner advances to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Montana Davidson: On Friday, the former Orange High shortstop hit two home runs for the Mississippi State softball team in an 8-7 loss to South Carolina at Carolina Softball Stadium in Columbia, S.C. In the second inning, Montana drilled a two-run homer to centerfield. In the fourth, Davidson hit a solo blast to left field. Montana finished 2-for-4 with 4 RBIs. Mississippi State bounced back with wins on Saturday and Sunday to take the series. On Saturday, Montana had an RBI off a fielder’s choice to wrap up a 6-run 1st inning as the Bulldogs won 6-2. Davidson went 2-for-3 with an RBI double as Mississippi State won 7-1. For the weekend, Montana hit .400 with a team-high 6 RBIs.

Mia Davidson: Mia tied a Mississippi State record with her 67th career home run in Sunday’s win over the Gamecocks. Davidson hit a solo home run in the fifth inning to tie Rafael Palmeiro for the most home runs in Mississippi State history, baseball or softball. Mia is now in 3rd place in Southeastern Conference softball history for career home runs behind Florida’s Lauren Haeger (71) and Georgia’s Alyssa DiCarlo (69). Davidson also drew a walk with the bases loaded against the Gamecocks in the sixth inning. On Saturday, Mia drove in the Bulldogs’ opening run with another bases loaded walk. She finished 1-for-3. On Friday, she went 0-for-3. Mississippi State is now 27-22, 3-15 in the SEC.

Tori Dalehite: On Saturday, Mercer defeated UNC Greensboro softball 2-1 in the opening game of a doubleheader at Sikes Field in Macon, GA. Dalehite entered the game as a pinch runner. The Spartans rebounded to win the final two games of the series and are now 28-15 overall, 11-4 in the Southern Conference.

Jaden Hurdle: On the weekend she celebrated her 19th birthday, Hurdle had several strong performances for the Patrick Henry Community College softball team. On Sunday, Patrick Henry swept a doubleheader from Surry Community College in Martinsville, VA. In the opening 4-3 win, Hurdle earned the save as she threw the final two-thirds of an inning. She surrendered one hit. At the plate, Hurdle went 0-for-3. The Patriots won the nightcap 4-0. Hurdle hit her ninth home run of the season. She also had an RBI double and finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored. On Friday, Florence-Darlington Technical College swept a doubleheader from Patrick Henry by identical 5-2 scores. In the opener, Hurdle went 1-for-3 with a double. Patrick Henry finished the regular season 19-17 overall, 13-7 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association. The Patriots finished 3rd in the Region X West Division, only one game behind first-place Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute. In 34 games, Hurdle hit .356 with nine home runs and 27 RBIs. On May 14, Patrick Henry will be in the Region 10 Tournament at Springwood Park in Burlington.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team split a doubleheader with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute at Highland Recreation Center in Hickory on Saturday. Catawba Valley took the opener 9-2. Andrews, starting a shortstop, went 1-for-4 with a two-run single in the first inning. Andrews later scored off a double by Lillie Pennington. CCTI took the second game 14-7. Andrews went 2-for-4 with a two-run double in the 3rd inning. Catawba Valley finished the regular season 23-11, 12- 8 in Region X. Andrews played in all of the Red Hawks’ games and was second on the team with a .461 batting average (10th in Region X). She led the team with 53 hits (4th in Region X) and 41 RBIs (tied for 4th in Region X). Andrews also scored 35 runs (3rd on the team), hit eleven doubles (2nd on the team), and eight home runs (2nd). She goes into the Region X Tournament on a 7-game hitting streak.

Landon Riley: Riley earned his second win of the season for the Liberty baseball team in a 9-8 victory over Bellarmine on Sunday. In one-third of an inning, Riley surrendered three runs off three hits. It was only the second game this year where Riley surrendered a run. The Flames earned the walkoff win in the bottom of the ninth inning when Logan Mathieu hit a two-run homer. The Flames are now 30-11, 14-1 in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Bryse Wilson: Wilson was optioned by the Atlanta Braves to the team’s alternate training site after he started Thursday’s game against the Chicago Cubs. In three innings, Wilson surrendered seven runs off four hits with two walks and one strikeout. The Cubs won 9-3 and Wilson fell to 1-2 on the year.

Natalie Chandler: The #2 UNC women’s soccer team has started play in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels defeated Denver 2-0 in Matthews on Friday. Chandler, who was the captain of the Orange women’s soccer team in her junior and senior seasons, is a senior for the Tar Heels. UNC will face Washington at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on Wednesday.

It was the final game for six very special Cedar Ridge softball seniors on Friday night. Marlee Rakouskas, ShiLi Quade, Alexandria Matthews, Reagan Ruhl, Emma-Rae Sharp and Lajoan Stuart finished out the year with a doubleheader sweep of Southern Durham at Cedar Ridge Softball Park. Rakouskas and Quade have played on the varsity for four years. In that time, Cedar Ridge went 50-11 and won the 2018 and 2019 Big 8 Conference Championships. They were the first team to win conference titles in softball in Cedar Ridge history. They also won four state playoff games, including consecutive trips to the 3rd round of the 3A State Playoffs in 2018 and 2019. This season, Quade played catcher and hit .462 and led the team with 32 runs scored. Rakouskas, who left field and hit .371, also won a Big 8 Championship as a starter for the volleyball team. Quade also was a member of the volleyball squad. Ruhl, whose older sister Taylor also was a member of the 2018 and 2019 teams, hit .340 with 17 RBIs. Matthews played first base and pitched. Sharp was a first baseman. This was the fourth straight season where Cedar Ridge had a winning season. Congratulations to all of these ladies on a run filled with championships and fun.