Cedar Ridge High School

Cedar Ridge RF had a walkoff single last Friday when the Red Wolves defeated East Chapel Hill 5-4. Last week, the Red Wolves ensured a spot in the 3A state playoffs for the second straight year by sweeping Hillside in a two-game series. On Thursday, Zehnder hit two doubles as the Red Wolves won 10-0. On Friday in a 11-1 win over the Hornets, Zehnder went 1-for-3. On Saturday, Cedar Ridge defeated Eastern Guilford 8-2 in Gibsonville. Zehnder earned the win on the mound, striking out seven in five-and-two-thirds innings. He gave up just three hits as Cedar Ridge won its eighth straight game. 

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Erik Zehnder

Cedar Ridge RF had a walkoff single last Friday when the Red Wolves defeated East Chapel Hill 5-4. Last week, the Red Wolves ensured a spot in the 3A state playoffs for the second straight year by sweeping Hillside in a two-game series. On Thursday, Zehnder hit two doubles as the Red Wolves won 10-0.

Orange Baseball Coach Dean Dease is already in exclusive company solely from remaining as the head of the Panther baseball program since 1988.

On Friday, he goes for his 500th career victory when Orange hosts Southern Durham for a doubleheader starting at 5. Once Dease earned his next win, he will move into even more exclusive company.

How exclusive?

According to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, there are only seven members of the 500-win club among North Carolina high school baseball coaches.

The most recent totals were updates to the NCHSAA in 2013, according to spokesman James Alverson. At the time, three coaches had reached the 500 win plateau. Since them, four more have joined the club. The most recent was Charles Davis, who retired from C.B. Aycock in 2016 with 512 career wins.

The all-time leader is Ronald Vincent of J.H. Rose, who won his 900th game last season.

What are the playoff implications going into the final week of the regular season?

Of greater importance for Dease is Orange’s standing for the state playoffs. After Cedar Ridge’s 10-0 win over Hillside on Thursday night, the Red Wolves are in sole possession of 2nd place in the Big 8 Conference with a 8-3 record, one game behind first-place Chapel Hill. The Red Wolves travel to Durham on Friday.

If Orange sweeps Southern Durham, they will be 8-4 in conference play, placing them in no worse than a tie for 3rd place. On Friday afternoon, Northwood travels to East Chapel Hill. The Wildcats, were started last week tied for 1st with Chapel Hill, have lost three in a row and are tied with the Chargers for 4th at 7-4. Next week, Chapel Hill will face East to wrap up the regular season.

What are Cedar Ridge’s chances of trying for the Big 8 Championship? 

Average. As mentioned before, Cedar Ridge played the toughest part of its schedule in the opening five weeks of the season when they faced Northwood, Chapel Hill, Orange, East Chapel Hill and Northern Durham. If the Red Wolves win its final three conference games, they have to hope Chapel Hill loses two of its final three league games. Chapel Hill will face Northern Durham on Friday before starting the East Chapel Hill next week. Cedar Ridge and Chapel Hill split its season series, with Cedar Ridge winning 3-1 on March 19. Chapel Hill took the rematch four days later. If the Red Wolves and Tigers finish tied, the tiebreaker would greatly depend on where Northwood and East Chapel Hill finish in the league standings, which won’t be determined until the regular season ends next Thursday.

Despite a disappointing loss to East Chapel Hill on Wednesday afternoon, the Cedar Ridge Women’s Soccer team has officially qualified for the 3A State Playoffs for the third year in a row. The Red Wolves’ back line has been anchored by centerback Brittany Daley, who has committed to play at Greensboro College. Daley, who has played on the varsity level for four years,  has scored four goals this season while helping goalkeepers Taylin Jean and Grace Davies. Cedar Ridge is 8-3-4 overall and 6-3-2 in the Big 8. Next week, the Red Wolves wrap up the regular season with two home games. They host Hillside on Monday and Southern Durham on Wednesday.  

Cedar Ridge Women’s Soccer Centerback Brittany Daley Discusses Preparing for the State Playoffs

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Adam Chnupa has signed his letter of intent to play college football at Elon University of the Colonial Athletic Association. The Phoenix will host its spring game this Saturday, and Chnupa will miss Cedar Ridge’s baseball game against Eastern Guilford to be in attendance. Last season as a linebacker, Chnupa had 36 tackles and a fumble recovery. Before he leaves for Elon, Chnupa has some business to finish with the Cedar Ridge baseball team, which is only one game behind first-place Chapel Hill in the Big 8 Conference with four league games remaining. Cedar Ridge will host Hillside on Thursday, then travel to Durham to face the Hornets on Friday. This season, Chnupa has been a regular starter in right field while hitting two home runs.

Cedar Ridge’s Adam Chnupa Commits to Elon Phoenix Football

Adam Chnupa has signed his letter of intent to play college football at Elon University of the Colonial Athletic Association. The Phoenix will host its spring game this Saturday, and Chnupa will miss Cedar Ridge’s baseball game against Eastern Guilford to be in attendance.

Cedar Ridge junior Natalia Garay has set two personal bests this season for the Red Wolves Women’s Track & Field team. In Cedar Ridge’s 5th home meet of the season against Hillside, Garay ran a personal best time of 13.34 seconds in the 100 meters. In the Orange County Championships at Orange High on April 14th, she ran the 200 meters in 28.54. Garay is also part of the 100 and 200 meter relay teams for Cedar Ridge, along with Yolanda Simpson, Madison Wardlow and Katrina Watkins. The relay team finished third in the Orange County Championships in the 200 meters with a time of 1:57.5. In the 4×100 meter relay, Cedar Ridge finished 2nd with a time of 53.6. In the winter, Garay is a starting guard for the Cedar Ridge girls’ basketball team, who finished 14-12 last season.

Cedar Ridge Junior Natalia Garay Discusses Setting Team Bests for Cedar Ridge Girls Track

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The Cedar Ridge softball team was supposed to play Hillside on Tuesday, but they were rained out. Rain has been the only thing that has stopped the Red Wolves this season. After sweeping the two-game series against East Chapel Hill last week, the Red Wolves are 10-1 overall, 9-0 in the Big 8. In Friday’s 8-1 win, sophomore 1st baseman Tori Dalehite went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs, including a triple. Dalehite, playing her first varsity season, leads the team with a .529 batting average. She leads the team in hits (18), runs scored (17), RBIs (16), triples (5) and on-base percentage (.579). 

Cedar Ridge 1st Baseman Tori Dalehite talks Sweeping East Chapel Hill & the State Playoffs

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Taylin Jean is a three-sport athlete for Cedar Ridge, but not your typical one. She plays two sports during the spring. Currently, she’s the goalkeeper for the girls’ soccer team, where she’s posted given up only four goals all season. She’s registered four clean sheets, the most recent last Monday when Cedar Ridge shut out Orange 4-0. Occasionally, Jean plays as a midfielder and has scored two goals this season. Jean also participates in track and field. Over the winter, Jean was a starting forward on the Cedar Ridge girls basketball team, the only high school team from Hillsborough to make the state playoffs this season.

Editor’s note: I apologize for saying Chapel Hill girls soccer team in the introduction.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Taylin Jean

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Mia Davidson: For the 3rd time this season, Davidson was named the SEC Rookie of the Week after Mississippi State took two-of-three games from archrival Ole Miss. On April 16, Davidson hit her 15th home run on a 7-6 loss to the Rebels, tying her with Georgia’s Alyssa DiCarlo for the SEC lead. Against Ole Miss, Davidson went 6-for-10 with a double, a home run and three RBI. On Friday, Davidson hit her 16th homer against #5 Florida in a 8-3 loss. Mississippi State is now 33-15 overall, 6-12 in the SEC. Davidson was also named a Top 25 Finalist for the National Freshman of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Davidson has started all 48 games for the Bulldogs, leading the team with a .413 batting average with 16 home runs and 41 RBIs (team lead in the latter two categories). She also leads the team with 13 doubles, 127 total bases and a .480 on base percentage. Davidson is two home runs away from tying Iyhia McMichael for the school single-season record.

Rachel Peel: The Meredith Softball team ended its season over the weekend with a four-game, non-conference road series. Pfeiffer swept the Avenging Angles 8-0 and 4-3. Meredith defeated Guilford 9-0 to end the season 28-17. Against the Quakers, former Orange catcher Rachel Peel went 2-for-4 with 4 RBI and a double. In the first inning, Peel knocked in Alyssa Drake on an RBI fielder’s choice. In the next frame, Peel laced an RBI single to right, scoring Kelsey Mabe. In the 6th, Peel doubled to left field to bring in Drake and Mabe. In the 4-3 loss to Pfeiffer, Peel went 1-for-4 with a run scored. In 23 games this season, Peel hit .323 with 21 hits, five doubles and eleven RBI. Peel was named to the USA South Conference East Division first team, one of eight Avenging Angels honored.

Bryse Wilson: The 2016 Orange graduate got a no-decision on Saturday afternoon as the Florida Fire Frogs defeated the Lakeland Flying Tigers 7-5 at Osceola County Stadium. Wilson gave up four hits and four runs, only one earned, through four-and-two-thirds innings, striking out five and walking two. On April 15, Wilson earned his first win of the season against the Palm Beach Cardinals, throwing five shutout innings and yielding only one hit. Wilson struck out five and walked none. Through three games, Wilson is 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA with 15 strikeouts and three walks.

Mackenzie Cates: Lenoir-Rhyne Softball captured the South Atlantic Conference regular season championship outright on April 14 after sweeping a doubleheader from Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tennessee. The Bears captured the nightcap 7-5 in eight innings. In that game, former Orange catcher Mackenzie Cates hit her team-record 12th home run of the season in the 7th inning. On Wednesday, Lenoir-Rhyne swept another doubleheader from Newberry, 11-0 and 6-3. In the opener, Cates hit a three-run homer. On Friday, King College ended Lenoir-Rhyne’s 16-game winning streak with a 2-1 defeat of the Bears. The Tornado went on to capture game two 4-3. Lenoir Rhyne will be the top seed in the South Atlantic Conference Softball Championship starting Saturday in Anderson, S.C. Cates leads Lenoir-Rhyne with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs. She also hitting .347.

Jordan Toney: The former Orange pitcher has seen increased action for Division II UNC Pembroke recently. Toney started against Flagler on Saturday, throwing six-and-a-third innings, giving up six hits, three runs. He took a no decision as Pembroke won 5-3. On April 18th, Toney threw an inning of mop-up duty as Pembroke put away Coker 15-9. Toney struck out two while giving up one run and two hits. Against North Georgia in April 14th, Toney threw a season-high eight innings, giving up eight hits, four runs (two earned), while striking out two in a no decision. The Nighthawks defeated the Braves 5-4 in eleven innings. Toney took his third win of the season in an 8-4 win over Francis Marion. Toney tossed seven shutout innings, scattering six hits

Stephen Tanner: The former Cedar Ridge goalkeeper ended the season over the weekend with Greensboro College. The Pride lost to Huntingdon 12-5 in the USA South Athletic Conference Tournament in Lagrange, GA on April 14. Tanner made eight saves in the loss. Tanner, a senior, 8-9 with a 9.12 Goals Against Average.

Cole Churchill: Churchill saw action as a defenseman for Randolph-Macon in the Yellow Jackets 25-4 win over Randolph on Saturday.

Bowen Collins: Lenoir-Rhyne capture the South Atlantic Conference regular season championship after beating Coker 15-7 on Saturday. Collins played in the game late for the Bears.

Zach Wright: The former Orange attacker fired two shots as Mars Hill defeated Newberry 10-9 on Saturday. It was the Lions 2nd win of the season.

The Cedar Ridge Softball team took control of the Big 8 Conference on Tuesday afternoon with a 5-1 victory at East Chapel Hill. The Red Wolves are now the only undefeated team remaining in Big 8 play at 8-0, while East suffered its first conference loss. Catcher Kymberlie Thacker hit her team-leading 4th home run of the season in the 5th. Thacker played through pain in the 7th when her glove hand was accidentally hit by a bat. Thacker received treatment for her index finger, but finished the game. Cedar Ridge will host the Wildcats in Hillsborough on Friday as the Red Wolves search for its first conference championship in softball this decade. 

Cedar Ridge Softball Catcher Kymberlie Thacker Discusses Homer vs. East Chapel HIll

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