Cedar Ridge High School

The Cedar Ridge men’s basketball team defeated Jordan-Matthews for its first win of the season on December 13. Senior Landon Dalehite scored a team-high eleven points as the Red Wolves won 46-38 to avenge an earlier loss to the Jets. Cedar Ridge center Harrison Perel finished with a double-double of ten points and eleven rebounds. The Red Wolves outrebounded the Jets 40-20, including 14 offensive boards. Dalehite drained all three of his 3-pointers, including a trey from the corner with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter assisted by freshman Jordan Jacobson to put the Red Wolves ahead 21-19. Braeden Wilbourn finished with eight points and nine rebounds to help the Red Wolves in the second half. Cedar Ridge limited the Jets to seven points in the third quarter. The Red Wolf defense held Jordan-Matthews to seven points in the third quarter. For the first time in seven years, Cedar Ridge will play in a holiday tournament this week. The Red Wolves will venture to Southeast Alamance High School in Haw River for the eight-team Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoopla Tournament. Cedar Ridge will open with its first-ever matchup against Southeast Alamance on Thursday night at 8:30. You can hear that game on Hillsboroughsports.com. The winner of the game between the Red Wolves and the Stallions will face the winner of Chatham Charter and Eastern Alamance. Cedar Ridge is one of four teams from the Central Conference in the event. 

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This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior quarterback Mason Cates. Mason is known for several sports at Cedar Ridge, namely for baseball. This season, he was the quarterback and linebacker for the Red Wolves under first-year head coach Brent Bailey. He was one of many players who helped keep the Friday night lights on at Cedar Ridge after the Red Wolves didn’t field a football team in 2018 and 2021, helping the students receive the full high school experience with Homecoming, Senior Nights and rivalry games. Last month, Mason signed to play baseball with Catawba Valley Community College in Hickory. Cates was an All-Central Conference selection for the Red Wolves last season. He was a pitcher. 1st baseman and outfielder for a Cedar Ridge team that reached the state playoffs for the second straight year. Among the highlights of Cates season came against Walter Williams on March 7, when he had a two-run single in the second inning to help the Red Wolves beat the Bulldogs 6-2. In February, Cates will start his fourth season on the varsity baseball team under head coach Bryson Massey. He will be one of several experienced pitchers back for Cedar Ridge, who will look to challenge for the Central Conference championship.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Mason Cates

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior quarterback Mason Cates. Mason is known for several sports at Cedar Ridge, namely for baseball. This season, he was the quarterback and linebacker for the Red Wolves under first-year head coach Brent Bailey.

It’s not even Christmas yet, but the Cedar Ridge wrestling team already has its New Year’s Resolution set.

Win the Central Conference championship.

When 2024 begins, the Red Wolves will be just two wins away from its first-ever undefeated conference season as a 3A team, and just its second regular season conference championship ever.

Last week, the Red Wolves earned bonus points in six consecutive matches to defeat Eastern Alamance Eagles 58-18 at the Tal Jobe Court in Mebane. The Red Wolves improved to 10-7 overall, 5-0 in the Central Conference.

The Eagles (6-5, 2-2) got pinfall victories from Braxton Ballard (126 pounds), Chasen Phillips (138) and Elijah Watson (113).

Cedar Ridge junior Pierce Prescod started the night by pinning Jayden Batten in just 28 seconds at 120 pounds. Prescod, who won the Central Conference championship at 120 pounds last year, improved to 21-2 after his 15th pin of the season.

Ballard’s pin at 126 evened the match, but Cedar Ridge’s Graylon Collins put the Red Wolves ahead when he pinned Lucas Dodson in 32 seconds. Phillips pinned Jordin Blue in 2:37 to even the dual match at 12-12, but Cedar Ridge won the next nine individual battles for sew up the win.

Alejandro Briones earned his first technical fall win of the season at 144 pounds, beating Carson Gardner 17-1 in 3:07. Angus Pritchard earned a 10-8 decision over Mason Tanner a 150 pounds to put the Red Wolves ahead 20-12.

Ryan Rakouskas, who won the Red Wolf Invitational at 157 pounds last month, chalked up his 14th pin of the season with a victory over Aidan Clark in 33 seconds.

Shea Spiller, at 165 pounds, pinned Wyatt Facuette in 2:36.

At 175 pounds, senior Kaden Tatro notched his tenth victory via technical fall this year when he defeated Christopher Solomon 20-3 in 2:03. Tatro improved to 21-0.

James Este-Wittinger and Joe O’Melia picked up forfeit victories while heavyweight Aaron Olivares pinned Jett Giovani in 2:30.

At 106 pounds, Cedar Ridge’s Colton Jones earned his sixth win of the year with a 10-8 decision over Christopher Hamm.

Cedar Ridge will need to defeat Western Alamance and Walter Williams next month in order to secure an undefeated conference season. The Red Wolves opened the dual season with a 75-6 win over Williams in a non conference tilt on November 15 in Hillsborough.

It’s already been a milestone season for Cedar Ridge, which defeated crosstown rival Orange for the first time ever during a quad meet in Red Wolves Gymnasium December 6.

Last weekend, the Red Wolves split dual matches against two teams from Greensboro. The Red Wolves defeated the Page Pirates 66-15. The Dudley Panthers knocked off Cedar Ridge 49-23.

Tatro maintained his undefeated record with two wins on the day. He scored another tech fall over Cameron Perryman of Dudley, winning 17-2. Tatro earned a victory via injury stoppage against Taylor Parrish of Page. Tatro is 24-0 with 12 pins and eleven tech falls.

Prichard pins both of his opponents. He defeated Deion Marshall of Dudley at 150 pounds. Pritchard also pinned Jax Harrison of Page to improve to 9-2 on the season with four pins.

At 132 pounds, Collins earned a 14-7 decision over Jamarr Parker of Dudley. Later, he pinned Page’s Culley Beavers for his seventh fall of 2023.

Prescod pinned Page’s Lorenzo Kimber for his 16th fall of the year. Dudley’s Jazion Humphrey defeated Prescod 10-8. Prescod is 22-3.

Rakouskas pinned Trystin Andrews of Page to improve to 18-5 with 15 pins on the year. Rakouskas 65% pin percentage is the highest on the team.

On Thursday, Cedar Ridge will make its return to the Tiger Holiday Classic, one of the biggest annual wrestling events in the southeast. Held annually at Chapel Hill High School, the Red Wolves will be one of 41 teams in the event, which will include three teams from Virginia.

There will also be a women’s event, which will include members of Cedar Ridge’s female squad like Zoey Moreno, Julie Hancock, Chloe Pankratz and Mariana Duqum.

Even after an 0-6 start, you won’t see Mike Jones panicking,

His boundless enthusiasm is impossible to ignore along the sidelines during Cedar Ridge men’s basketball games, constantly applauding his defense in the midst of possessions and trying to find the right pieces for a team that hasn’t had a winning season in eight years.

“It’s kind of my nature,” Jones said. “I just feel like the moment I give up and lose my confidence, they’re going to lose their confidence. They say that attitude reflects leadership, so the minute I give up, everybody else is going to give up. I think the true test of anybody is how you handle the bad days. Everybody’s good on a good day. How do you handle the bad days?”

On Wednesday night, Jones patience paid off when the Red Wolves defeated Jordan-Matthews 46-38 at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Senior Landon Dalehite scored eleven points while center Harrison Perel finished with ten points and eleven rebounds.

“Top to bottom, we played like a team tonight,” Jones said. “Everybody played good. Harrison played his second good game in a row. Braedon played his second good game in a row. Braedon’s rebounding as a guard meant a lot. Our zone looked really good. We took their big men out of the game. We executed at the other end and played through our mistakes. Really proud of our guys.”

Cedar Ridge out rebounded the Jets 40-20 to secure its first win of the season. Braeden Wilbourn finished with eight points and nine rebounds as the Red Wolves avenged a 58-46 loss to the Jets on November 27 in Siler City.

Jordan-Matthews led 19-18 after a lay-in by Brennen Oldham off an assist from Kelton Fuquay with 7:10 remaining in the third quarter. Dalehite put the Red Wolves ahead with a three-pointer from the corner off a skip pass from freshman point guard Jordan Jacobson. On Cedar Ridge’s next possession, Jacobson found Dalehite again for another 3-pointer. Jacobson knocked down a jumper after the Jets missed a jumper to increase the Red Wolf lead to 26-19, leading to a J-M timeout.

The Jets got a 3-pointer from Kamarie Hadley and a lay-in from Brennen Oldham to reduce the Red Wolf lead to 26-24 with 3:36 remaining in the third quarter, Cedar Ridge finished out the third quarter with seven straight points, starting with a lay-in from Perel off a pass from Elijah Jenkins. Wilbourn finished the quarter with a three-point play where he scored off a steal at midcourt and was fouled by Oldham. Wilbourn’s subsequent free-throw increased the Red Wolf lead to 33-24 going into the fourth quarter

Cedar Ridge pulled away early in the fourth quarter. They held the Jets without a field goal in the opening four minutes. Jacobson, who finished with nine points, drained a 20-footer off a relocation pass from Luke Orstad to put the Red Wolves ahead 36-25 with 6:13 remaining. Corin Wingate, the smallest player on the floor, scored off an offensive rebound following a miss by Jacobson to put the cap on a 13-1 Red Wolf run.

“Jacobson was playing middle school basketball last year,” Jones said. “He’s amazing. I’m going to have trouble keeping him. Other schools are going to be going after him. Jordan did really well tonight.”

The Jets narrowed its deficit to 38-31 following four free throws from Fuquay with 2:35 remaining, but Wilbourn scored off a stickback basket to put the game on ice.

The Red Wolves will venture into its Central Conference opener against Western Alamance in Elon on Friday night, its final game before holiday break. For the first time since 2016, Cedar Ridge will play in a holiday tournament this year. The Red Wolves will play in the Southeast Alamance tournament in Haw River, organized by former Orange High women’s basketball coach B.J. Condron. Cedar Ridge will play three games over three days starting on December 28.

The Cedar Ridge women’s basketball team is off to its best start in six years. On Tuesday night, the Red Wolves defeated Durham School of the Arts 52-29 in a game that was stopped with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter. Junior Sarah Utley has brought a steady point guard presence in her first year with the Red Wolves. Utley is a transfer from High Point Christian Academy. Utley had 15 points against the Bulldogs, tied for game-high honors with guard Amiyah Ware. Jamee Watson helped the Red Wolves pull away in the third quarter. She scored nine points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter. Cedar Ridge used a 28-6 run over the final ten minutes that was played to earn its fourth win of the season. Last week against Northern Durham, Utley ha eleven points, five assists, five steals and one rebound as the Red Wolves won 59-27. Watson finished with eight points, three assists and four steals. Three nights later, Cedar Ridge swept the week when they defeated the Lady Knights 42-17. Cedar Ridge will play its first Central Conference game on Friday. They will host Western Alamance in Hillsborough. Last year, the Warriors defeated Northwood in the state playoffs to end the Chargers reign as 3A State Champions.

Cedar Ridge women’s basketball’s Sarah Utley & Jamee Watson discuss win over DSA

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Women’s game: Cedar Ridge 52, Durham School of the Arts 29: A fight between two players marred the end of the Cedar Ridge women’s basketball game against Durham School of the Arts on Monday night inside Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Cedar Ridge led 52-29 with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter when a Cedar Ridge player tied up a Durham School of the Arts player for a held ball. The DSA player slung the Red Wolves participant to the floor, across from the Cedar Ridge bench. The Cedar Ridge player got up and threw a punch, which led to several DSA players and a few parents running onto the floor. Most attempted to quell the situation, but one person from the DSA fan section ran straight for the Cedar Ridge player involved in the altercation, screaming at her. Red Wolves coach Megan Skouby and Cedar Ridge guard Cameron Copeland got in her way and the fan eventually left the gym with the player, who was presumably her daughter, accompanied by an Orange County deputy.

Another DSA guard, who started the game, had to be restrained from getting near the Cedar Ridge bench.

Larry Faucette, a retired Orange County deputy who has worked within Cedar Ridge’s athletic department for years, along with several Orange County deputies quickly brought peace to the situation. DSA players and coaches later left the gym through the main entrance, as opposed to locker room entrance on the other end of the gym, probably to prevent another possible altercation with a Cedar Ridge player.

The two players involved in the fracas were ejected. The referees said they would later review the game video to decide any further disciplinary action.

The game ended at that point with Cedar Ridge being declared the winner.

With 5:12 remaining in the third quarter, DSA’s Kaylen Mumford scored on a drive near the right baseline to cut Cedar Ridge’s lead to 24-23. The Bulldogs had a chance to take the lead, but Cedar Ridge’s Addie Reid stripped the ball bay from Shakari Vasquez. Amiyah Ware scored on a three-pointer in the right corner while getting fouled by Genesis Daniels. Ware completed the four-point play, which triggered a 28-6 run that carried the Red Wolves to the abbreviated victory.

Cedar Ridge (4-3) is off to its best start since the 2017-2018 season, which was the last time they made the 3A State Playoffs.

Ware and junior guard Sarah Utley each scored 15 points for the Red Wolves. Jamee Watson added nine points.

Men’s game: DSA 54, Cedar Ridge 48: Cedar Ridge was denied its first win of the season, largely because of DSA’s Darren Johnson.

Durham School of the Arts ended the game on a 7-0 run behind Johnson’s 26 points as the Bulldogs won on Monday night. The Red Wolves had a chance to take the lead in the final minute but was called for three seconds. Johnson made two free throws to stretch the Bulldog lead to 51-48 with :37.5 remaining. Cedar Ridge’s attempt to tie the game from beyond the arc in the waning seconds came up short.

Cedar Ridge guard Braeden Wilbourn knocked down a shot from outside to reduce the Bulldogs lead to 49-48 with 2:03 remaining.

Durham School of the Arts started the game on a 9-2 run off the hot hand of 6-foot-8 center Jadin Haynes, who drained a trio of 3-pointers in the opening minutes. The Red Wolves never led in the first half, but reduced the deficit to 24-21 at halftime behind six points from center Harrison Perel.

In the third quarter, DSA led 37-31 when the Red Wolves reeled off seven in a row to take the lead for the first time. Perel took a pass from Wilbourn and scored off a catch-and-shoot lay-in to start the spurt, followed by a three-pointer from Landon Dalehite. Corin Wingate but the Red Wolves into the lead for the first time with two free throws after he stole the ball at midcoast with 1:03 remaining in the third quarter.

Harrison Perel led Cedar Ridge with 13 points. Wilbourn finished with eleven.

Haynes and Josiah Doresette added eleven points each for the Bulldogs.

Cedar Ridge (0-6) hosts Jordan-Matthews on Wednesday night at 7.