Cedar Ridge Volleyball

This should be a time for big games and active gyms and stadiums.

There’s potential for drama in volleyball. Cedar Ridge, despite a tough loss to defending 3A State Champion D.H. Conley on Monday, still leads the Central Carolina Conference by a game over Northwood. Orange volleyball has three home games this week.

Plus, Orange will host two football games at Auman Stadium this week. The junior varsity faces Cedar Ridge on Thursday night, the only football game between the two teams from Hillsborough this year. On Friday, Orange will take on Williams in its first home conference game.

But fan participation is back to levels last seen in the spring. After the Orange County School Board’s vote last Monday, attendance has been cut back to two fans per spectator. Hopefully, the mandate will be lifted in time for October when Cedar Ridge could be playing for a volleyball conference championship. Plus, the Orange women’s tennis team is battling for first place in the Central Carolina Conference.

Last week was a solid one for Orange and Cedar Ridge in all of the fall sports. On Sunday, we tipped our hand for one of the honorees of the Magnificent 7 for this week. Here’s a complete list of the best performers of the fifth week of fall sports:

Sarah Durham: This week’s Orange Panther of the Week, Sarah finished tied for 2nd at the CCC meet at the Preserve at Jordan Lake. She finished with a 47, tied with Northwood’s Lily Jordan. Every weekend, Sarah practices her tee shots at Occoneechee Golf Course in Hillsborough. On Sunday afternoon, she was kind enough to meet us on a Sunday afternoon to film the interview that was posted on Monday.

Jinkie Andrews: The Orange tennis senior had two wins in Orange’s 8-1 win over Riverside last Tuesday. Andrews teamed with Tea Jones to win at #1 doubles 8-8. At #3 singles, Andrews defeated Riverside’s Willow Tobin 6-1, 6-2. On Thursday, Andrews earned another win as the Lady Panthers defeated Roxboro Community School 7-2.

Avery Miller: Stong overall game against Person with eight kills and six digs. Against Northwood, Miller had a season-high ten kills. She also finished with eight digs, an ace and a block.

Benjamin Weaver: The Cedar Ridge goalkeeper made some huge saves as the Red Wolves won the Hillsborough Derby over Orange 4-1 at Red Wolves Stadium on Wednesday night. Weaver, who transferred to Cedar Ridge after moving to Hillsborough from Pennsylvania over the summer, may have saved the game with 14:45 remaining when he made a kick save on a shot by Orange’s Darius Corbett with the Red Wolves clinging to a 2-1 lead. Weaver also played well against Northwood in a tight 2-1 loss in Pittsboro, a game where the game-winning goal was scored with two minutes remaining.

Chris Mendez: Mendez scored the game-winning goal for the Red Wolves against Orange. Mendez fired eight shots against the Panthers, five of them on goal. He also finished the scoring when he collected his own rebound and deposited it into the net with 6:02 remaining.

Hannah Shinnick: The Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team defeated Western Alamance 5-4 last week in Hillsborough. Shinnick earned two big wins. She started with a victory at #3 singles over Madison Randleman 6-3, 6-3. At #2 doubles, Shinnick teamed with Olivia Kelly to win 8-5. It was a pair of Cedar Ridge freshmen, Ella Caltabiano and Adeline Cummings, who wrapped up the dual match victory with a 8-3 win at #3 doubles.

Julie Altieri: The Cedar Ridge volleyball team defeated Western Alamance 3-1 last Thursday. Altieri had 27 assists against the Warriors as the Red Wolves remained undefeated in the CCC. Altieri had three aces in the four set to wrap up the win for the Red Wolves. Cedar Ridge will resume conference play on Thursday with a critical game against Person.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is outside hitter Cameron Lanier. It’s the second consecutive year that Lanier has been honored. The Cedar Ridge volleyball team is off to its best start in school history after wins over Western Alamance and Williams last week. Lanier is second on the team with 66 kills. She has had double-digit kills in four of Cedar Ridge’s first eight games. She had a career-high 18 kills in a victory over defending 3A State Champion D.H. Conley on August 20. Against Northwood on September 2, she had ten kills, while she registered eleven kills in a victory at Eastern Alamance on September 9. Last season, Lanier was second on the team in kills with 68 as Cedar Ridge captured the Big 8 Conference championship. Lanier and the rest of the Red Wolves have a busy week ahead with a rematch against D.H. Conley on Monday night in Hillsborough. Then East Chapel Hill will return to Hillsborough for a nonconference game on Tuesday. On Thursday, Cedar Ridge travels to Person to start the second half of the Central Carolina Conference season. Cedar Ridge leads the CCC with a 6-0 record, one game ahead of Northwood for first place. (Quick note: this award commemorates the week starting September 5. It’s not being posted until now because we got behind. We’ll have another Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week to announce on Wednesday.)

The crowds at Cedar Ridge volleyball games have been spirited and loud this season. On Tuesday night, it was much calmer following the Orange County School Board’s ruling that limited spectators to two people per player. Regardless, Cedar Ridge improved to 10-0 after holding off Western Alamance. As usual, Cedar Ridge played its best five points from victory. In the third set, Cedar Ridge got a kill from junior Melissa Benkowitz off an assist from Cameron Lloyd to take set point. Western Alamance captured the third set 27-25, only the second set that the Red Wolves have dropped this season. Cedar Ridge opened the fourth set with an 8-1 run. Lloyd served consecutive aces as Cedar Ridge reeled off seven straight points. Junior libero Grace Young had six digs in the fourth set alone, and won match point when her dig off a Warrior serve sailed over the net and fell harmlessly onto the other end of the floor. Julie Altieri served the final five points of the match, including back-to-back aces that put Cedar Ridge ahead 23-12. The Red Wolves are now 37-7 since 2019, 22-4 in conference play. The Red Wolves will look to remain undefeated when they travel to Williams on Thursday in Burlington.

Women’s Tennis:

Orange 7, Cedar Ridge 2: After going years without beating its crosstown rival, the Orange women’s tennis team has now won three straight dual matches against Cedar Ridge.

Last Tuesday, the Lady Panthers defeated Cedar Ridge 7-2 at Red Wolves Tennis Courts.

The Lady Panthers won four singles matches and swept the three doubles matches to improve to 6-1, 2-0 in the Central Carolina Conference (a match against Williams on September 1 was suspended and will resume on September 27).

There were two marathon matches. At #2 singles, Orange sophomore Grace Pell went to a third-set tiebreaker against Cedar Ridge senior Patz Chloe. Pell prevailed 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), with Pell taking the 10-point tiebreaker 10-5 to improve to 6-2 on the season.

Tea Jones, last week’s Orange Panther of the Week, had another three-set match against freshman Ella Caltabiano. In the opening set, Caltabiano won 6-3. Jones bounced back to win the second set 6-3, and the 10-point tiebreaker 11-9.

At #3 singles, junior Jinkie Andrews defeated Hannah Shinnick 6-3, 6-4. Andrews later teamed with Erin Sollars for a win at #3 doubles 8-4. Erin Sollars won her match in singles 6-0, 6-2.

Cedar Ridge sophomore Cameron Mayhew, who won the Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week back in June, captured the #1 singles match over Finley White 6-3, 6-1. Freshman Adeline Cummings won Cedar Ridge’s other singles match over Orange freshman Shannon Sollars 7-5, 6-3.

Orange clinched the match at #1 doubles when White and Pell teamed to win 8-4.

Orange 8, Person 1: The Lady Panther improved to 7-1 with the win over the Rockets on Thursday in Hillsborough. Orange took five of the six singles matches to sew up the dual match.

Makayla Davis earned her third singles win of her varsity career at #3 singles, 6-1, 6-1.

White, Pell, Shannon Solars, and Isabelle Lynn also won for Orange.

In doubles: Jinkie Andrews teams with Tea Jones for a win at #1 doubles 8-1. Jones and Madelyn Horn won the most dramatic match of the day at #3 doubles by a score of 8-6. Erin & Shannon Sollars won 8-0 at #2 doubles.

Volleyball:

Cedar Ridge 3, Eastern Alamance 1: Cedar Ridge’s streak of 24 consecutive victorious sets came to an end against Eastern Alamance in Mebane on Thursday night.

The Red Wolves unbeaten streak didn’t end.

After the Eagles became the first team to take a frame from the Red Wolves 27-25 in the opening set, Cedar Ridge rolled 25-10, 25-12 and 25-12 to remain undefeated at 9-0. Cedar Ridge also maintained first place in the Central Carolina Conference at 4-0.

Cedar Ridge will host Western Alamance on Tuesday at Red Wolves Gymnasium, then travel to Western Alamance on Thursday.

Men’s Soccer:

Orange 3, Riverside 0: Just one week after losing to Riverside 3-0 at Linny Wrenn Stadium, Orange rebounded to defeat the Pirates 3-0 at Orange Soccer Park on Thursday night. Panther co-Captain Jasper Tell notched a goal for Orange, and also assisted on another goal by junior Bryan Membreno. Sophomore Enzo Bruhns, in his varsity debut after starting the season on the junior varsity squad, scored a goal that was assisted by freshman Konner Johnson.

Junior goalkeeper Connor McMurty posted the clean sheet for Orange, who improved to 3-5.

Women’s Golf:

Occoneechee Golf Course in Hillsborough hosted its first Central Carolina Conference meet of the season last week. Western Alamance finished first in the team standings at 140 strokes. Eastern Alamance’s Emily Mathews had the top individual score with a 35 through nine holes.

Orange had four players for its squad. Sarah Durham, who was an Orange Panther of the Week in 2020, had the top score for the Panthers with a 47. Durham had the sixth-highest score in the meet.

Cedar Ridge’s only representative was Olivia Aitkin, who shot a 52. Aitkin is a rare three-sport athlete. She is also a swimmer during the winter and is a starting centerfielder for the Cedar Ridge softball team.

It’s been three weeks since the start of the season and the Cedar Ridge volleyball team still hasn’t lost a set.

Through the course of an 8-0 start, the Red Wolves have shown a propensity to win the pressure points in tight sets. Against Orange on Tuesday night, the second and third sets were filled with such crucial moments that define winners and losers.

Cedar Ridge swept Orange 3-0 on scores of 25-15, 28-26 and 27-25 at a crowded Red Wolves Gymnasium. The Red Wolves (8-0, 3-0 in the Central Carolina Conference) swept their crosstown rivals for the first time since September 29, 2015.

Cedar Ridge has now won 24 consecutive sets to open the season. They have sole possession of first place in the Central Carolina Conference.

Led by a boisterous Wolf Pack student section decked out in black, the bleachers were packed with fans representing both schools. The overflow crowd spilled out into the end zones and would have easily filled the few empty seats along the wooden rows in the bleachers.

“It’s our rival,” said Cedar Ridge junior Cameron Lloyd, who was honored before the game for reaching 500 career kills last week in a win over Person. “It’s crazy. It’s fun. Sometimes during the game, it’s like ‘Oh my God, I’m going to vomit.’ It just feels so amazing, whether you win or lose.”

Orange (3-1, 1-1), who has played the entire season without Big 8 Player of the Year Lottie Scully and junior All-Conference Erin Jordan-Cornell, had four set points to win the third. After Kinzy Rowney scored a kill on an assist from Caitlin Carden, Orange served for the frame leading 24-20. It led to the longest and wildest point of the match, where Red Wolves sophomore Graylinn Serge made three separate digs on attacks from Orange’s Avery Miller and Ella Van Tiem. Finally, Cedar Ridge’s Cameron Lanier finished the struggle with a spike off an assist from Julie Altieri.

Lloyd sent a changeup over the net and over the outstretched hands of two Lady Panthers for another point. Serge made another dig off an Orange spike, which Altieri quickly passed over the net into a vacant spot on the floor to cut Orange’s lead to 24-23. Junior Melissa Benkowitz notched an ace that bounced off the right corner of the court to even the set.

With the scored tied 25-25, Lanier scored off a block, and Lloyd earned match point on another kill.

It was the Red Wolves’ third win over Orange in their last four meetings.

The second set featured twelve ties and four lead changes. The Red Wolves bolted out to a 6-2 lead behind three early kills from Lloyd and an ace from Altieri. Orange rallied to tie with four consecutive points off back-to-back kills from sophomore Ella Wimsatt. After Rowney earned a kill off an assist from Carden, Orange took a 20-18 lead. The Red Wolves responded with five consecutive points, including a block from Lloyd, followed by a kill from Lloyd. The Panthers responded with three straight points, capped by an ace from libero Sadye Porter to even the set 23-23.

The Red Wolves had four set points in the second. The first of which was nullified after junior Allie Wilkerson tipped the ball over the net. With the set tied 26-26, Lloyd registered another block. Serge scored set point with an ace that bounced on the back line.

“They’re a good team,” said Orange coach Kelly Young. “I told my girls that these are the teams you want to play because they make you a better team. So we see exactly what we need to work on. We only get better from it.”

Orange will return home to face Person on Thursday. It will be the first conference game, in any sport, between the Rockets and the Panthers in over 20 years.

Cedar Ridge will travel to Eastern Alamance on Thursday. The Red Wolves will look to improve to 9-0, which would be the best start in school history.

To understand how Cameron Lloyd advanced so far, so quickly in her volleyball career, you have to understand that competitiveness runs through her family.

Her father, Joel, played basketball at Orange. After graduation, while he was still dating his soon-to-be-wife Sherry, he could be seen on sweltering summer nights in White Cross playing right centerfield in modified pitch softball. In the winter, there would be recreation basketball just behind the softball field. It was a league so rough and tumble, you had to present your x-rays to get a free throw.

Cameron’s sister, Jordan, wasn’t the tallest volleyball player. She wasn’t the hardest hitter. But she probably led the Big 8 Conference in floor burns diving for digs. Her focus and intensity helped lead Orange to the 3A State Playoffs. Jordan played two years with Brevard College.

As Cameron arrived at Cedar Ridge, the Red Wolves program had fallen from its peak. In 2015, Cedar Ridge won the Big 8 Conference Championship and went 24-3. They reached the Eastern Regional Championship match, where they fell to Asheboro in four sets.

Following the season, Charlie Oakley stepped down as coach. The Red Wolves went through three consecutive losing seasons. Cameron reached the varsity as a freshman with classmates Julie Altieri and Cameron Lanier.

Since then, Cedar Ridge has gone 35-7, claimed the 2020 Big 8 Championship, beaten nearby powerhouse Chapel Hill twice and has won 13 consecutive conference games.

On Tuesday night before an emotional contest against crosstown rival Orange, Lloyd was honored for her 500th career kill. Joel and Sherry Lloyd were joined in a pregame ceremony by volleyball coach Fiona Cunningham, Cedar Ridge Athletic Director Andy Simmons and Principal Dr. Carlos Ramirez.

“Cameron is always someone we can depend on,” said Cedar Ridge volleyball coach Fiona Cunningham, now in her second season. “She’s great in all six rotations on the court. What really makes or breaks the team when sets get tight is who takes the swings. Cameron is the best arm on the team.”

Cameron surpassed 500 career kills early in a win over Person on August 31. It is a school record.

Earlier in the day, Lloyd, Lanier, Julie Altieri and sophomore Graylinn Serge were all named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Phenom watchlist. The list is designated for the top underclassmen who have received significant recognition for their outstanding volleyball play.

Last season, Lloyd led Cedar Ridge with 111 kills through an undefeated (limited to eight games due to the pandemic) regular season. In each of her first two years at Cedar Ridge, she has been named the team’s Most Valuable Player and to the All-Big 8 Conference team.

At Orange Middle School (formerly known as Stanford Middle School), Lloyd won an Orange-Person Athletic Conference championship as an 8th grader in 2017.

During her freshman year at Cedar Ridge, under then-head coach Anna Seethaler, Lloyd led Cedar Ridge with 346 kills. Altieri had 586 assists serving up finish after finish to Lloyd and Lanier, who finished with 193 kills as a 9th grader. The freshman triumvirate paced Cedar Ridge to a stunning victory over defending 3A State Champion Chapel Hill to open the Big 8 Conference season. The Red Wolves finished 2019 with its first winning record in four years and an appearance in the 3A State Playoffs.

Lloyd is a member of the Chapel Hill Volleyball Club. During the summer, she has traveled throughout the country for travel ball tournaments, as well as beach volleyball. She is a 12-time medal winner in the AVP/ESPL beach tournament. In 2019, Lloyd was the MVP of the Carolina Regional Tournament. She also earned the All-Star award at the AAU Junior Nationals.

Fittingly, Lloyd had the final kill on match point as Cedar Ridge defeated Orange in three sets on Tuesday night.

For more photos from Jacques Morin, go to www.jacquesonthesidelines.com

Cedar Ridge not only maintained its undefeated record by beating its crosstown rival on Tuesday night, but they extended its sets streak. The Red Wolves defeated Orange 3-0 on scores of 25-16, 28-26 and 27-25. Cedar Ridge has won 24 straight sets to begin the season. Before Tuesday’s match, Cedar Ridge’s Cameron Lloyd was honored for her 500th kill, a school-record that was set during last week’s win over Person. Fittingly, it was Lloyd who got the final kill on match point. Orange was on the verge of capturing the 3rd set. They led 24-20 before the Red Wolves rallied for five straight points. Sophomore Graylinn Serge had three huge digs during a set point that ended with Cameron Lanier scoring a kill off an assist from Julie Altieri. Serge finished with 14 digs. The Red Wolves are alone atop the Central Carolina Conference at 3-0. Cedar Ridge will continue its pursuit of a second straight conference title when they travel to Mebane and face Eastern Alamance on Thursday.

Photo by Aidan Jensen

The chase for the Central Carolina Conference volleyball championship figures to be a horse race this year.

When you’re in a horse race, you want to be riding a thoroughbred. And that’s the rub for the challengers to Cedar Ridge right now.

Cedar Ridge doesn’t have only one thoroughbred.

If there was one lesson in January’s loss to D.H. Conley in the 3A State Playoffs, it was that the Red Wolves needed more finishers. The Vikings had an endless supply of outside blockers, most over 6-feet tall, who could slam the ball off the hardwood effortlessly.

The Red Wolves have spent the opening weeks of the 2020-2021 season showing they learned their lesson from last winter very well. The Person Rockets, a traditional power with a reputation that proceeds them, found themselves on the receiving end for a change Tuesday night.

The Red Wolves defeated the Rockets 3-0 on scores of 26-24, 25-23 and 25-15 at Cedar Ridge Gymnasium. Cedar Ridge junior Cameron Lloyd, the daughter of Joel and Sherri Lloyd of White Cross, finished with 19 kills, four aces and 12 digs, while Cameron Lanier had ten kills, including the final spike on match point. Julie Altieri, who is nearing 1,000 assists for her career, finished with 31 assists.

Cedar Ridge (6-0, 1-0 in the Central Carolina Conference) handed Person its first 3-0 loss since October 10, 2019, when they fell to McMichael. It was only the third time Person has been swept since 2018.

In its last 98 matches, the Rockets are now 84-14.

“She (Lloyd) did phenomenal tonight,” said Cedar Ridge coach Fiona Cunningham, who improved her mark to 15-1. “She’s someone you can depend on in all six rotations on the court. It really makes and breaks the team when it gets tight as who can step up and take the swings.”

Both teams were clearly anxious to open the match as there were several service errors early. Cedar Ridge built a 19-12 lead in the opening set behind six kills from Lloyd. The Rockets went on a 10-2 run to even the frame at 21-21 after a kill by senior Jacie Kennedy. After Person’s Lillie Davis had a flash kill to tie the match at 24-24, Cedar Ridge took the lead after a Rocket serve went into the net. Altieri, who usually sets up kills, delivered one of her own on set point off an assist from libero Grace Young to take the opening frame.

The second set was another tight one. The Red Wolves opened up a 12-7 lead behind four kills from junior Melissa Benkowitz. Person went on a 7-2 run late in the set to even things at 23-23. That’s when Lloyd came up with consecutive huge plays. She received a Person service and scored a kill off an assist from Altieri. On set point, Lloyd lofted a serve that touched the back line for an ace, and Cedar Ridge led 2-0.

The Red Wolves were fresher in the third set. Five differed Cedar Ridge players recorded kills. The point of the match came with Cedar Ridge leading 15-9. It appeared that Kennedy had spiked home a winner for the Rockets, but Young placed her hand on the floor. The ball rebounded off Young’s hand straight to Altieri. Meanwhile, the Person players started celebrating thinking they had won the point. Cedar Ridge didn’t stop playing and Lloyd ultimately notched yet another kill.

Lanier, who had six kills and one block in the third set, scored match point for Cedar Ridge, who won 25-15.

“We’ve been working all year in getting our offense to be more diverse,” Cunningham said. “When we play relaxed, like we did in the third set, they’re really comfortable with running that diverse offense. It’s when you see who we trust to take the swings when we’re a little bit tight.”

Cedar Ridge will travel to Northwood on Thursday.