Cedar Ridge High School

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior women’s tennis player Ella Caltabiano. This season, Caltabiano has been the #2 singles player for head coach Steve Mayhew. She has collected a total of eleven victories for a Cedar Ridge team that currently is in 2nd place in the Central Carolina Conference. On September 11, Caltabiano won a three-set match over Western Alamance’s Reagan Williams en route to a Red Wolf victory. Caltabiano has been a member of Cedar Ridge’s varsity team since her freshman year, where she was also honored as Red Wolves of the Week after helping Cedar Ridge beat Northwood. Caltabiano has also teamed with Catherine Ballenger at #2 doubles, which has given the Red Wolves the upper-hand in many conference matches. Last week Caltabiano and Ballenger won at #2 doubles in Cedar Ridge’s 6-3 win over Orange, which swept the regular season series from the Lady Panthers. Caltabiano has helped the Red Wolves get in position to reach the 3A State Dual Team Playoffs for the first time since 2016. Caltabiano and the rest of the Red Wolves return to action later today (Monday) against Eastern Alamance at Red Wolves tennis courts. It’s the first of three matches this week for Cedar Ridge.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Ella Caltabiano

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior women’s tennis player Ella Caltabiano. This season, Caltabiano has been the #2 singles player for head coach Steve Mayhew. She has collected a total of eleven victories for a Cedar Ridge team that currently is in 2nd place in the Central Carolina Conference.

Since the formation of the Central Carolina Conference in 2021, it’s no secret that the Alamance County schools have formed the nucleus of football power.

It’s only gotten stronger this year with the addition of Southern Alamance, who dropped down from 4A to 3A over the summer. It’s like having Georgia (Eastern Alamance), Ole Miss (Southern Alamance), Tennessee (Walter Williams) and Western Alamance (Missouri) in your league with dozens of players who grew up playing football in Alamance County’s Pop Warner leagues.

That would make it easier for Cedar Ridge High School not to field a football team.

But they haven’t quit. Every weekday morning, head coach Brent Bailey holds practice for the Red Wolves behind the softball field and tennis courts. When they’re done at 8AM, the teams walks uphill to class, which could be a metaphor for Cedar Ridge football.

Each week in conference play, and most games overall, the Red Wolves know their opponent will outnumber them. They will have more skill because they grew up with football, starting to play while they’re in 6th grade, if not earlier.

Cedar Ridge is winless. But that’s not the worst thing that can happen to a program.

The most desolate, dispiriting and emotionless thing is having the lights off at Red Wolves Stadium on Friday nights because there isn’t a varsity team at all. And Red Wolves fans and parents should know. It happened in 2018 and 2021.

So if you see a Cedar Ridge football player around class, around Hillsborough or anyplace else for the rest of this year, be sure to thank them. They’re keeping Friday Night Lights alive at Cedar Ridge, the way it should be. Any future success that the Red Wolves program enjoys will be because of them.

With that said, time for the Magnificent 7. The seven best performances during the week of September 18-22, in no particular order.

1. Malykhai Justice, Orange, Sr. On September 22, against a Walter Williams team that upset Eastern Alamance last week, Justice had three sacks. Justice finished the game with five tackles overall as the Panthers shut out the Bulldogs in the second half. Williams won 28-0. This season, Justice has eight sacks this season for a formidable Orange defense.
2. Graylinn Serge, Cedar Ridge, Sr.: Had a career-high 24 kills in Cedar Ridge volleyball’s win over Person on September 21. Serge had a double-double against the Rockets with ten digs. She also led the team with four aces. Serge is tied for the team lead with 194 kills. Cedar Ridge appears set to host a game in the state playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
3. Salomon Hernandez, Cedar Ridge, Sr.: Responsible for the game-winning goal in the biggest win for Cedar Ridge men’s soccer over the past decade. Hernandez scored on a header off an assist from Iilah Babchenko with just over four minutes remaining as the Red Wolves defeated Western Alamance 1-0 on September 19. The win put Cedar Ridge in first place of the CCC, where they remain.
4. Ella Wimsatt, Orange, Sr.: The Orange volleyball team won three home matches over the span of three days from September 18-20. Wimsatt, who leads the team in kills, had 16 kills and 13 digs against Western Alamance. A day earlier against Falls Lake, Wimsatt had 21 kills and 19 digs in a 3-1 Lady Panthers win. It was the second time this year that Orange defeated a Falls Lake team that was ranked #1 in the 1A East RPI standings.
5. Emmanuel Mil Cruz, Orange, Sr.: The Orange men’s soccer team won its first conference game of the season over Person on September 18. Mil Cruz notched a goal against the Rockets. Two days later, Orange defeated Southern Alamance 4-3 in Graham. Mil Cruz earned a goal and also assisted on another goal scored by Daniel Romero.
6. Erinn Sollars, Orange, Sr.: Sollars won both of her singles matches in the Orange women’s tennis team’s 7-2 victory over Western Alamance on September 21. Sollars defeated Amelia Weaver in the #1 singles match. Sollars teamed with her sister Shannon to win the #1 doubles match. Erinn also won her top singles match in Orange’s 9-0 win over Eastern Alamance on September 18.
7. Catherine Ballenger, Cedar Ridge, Sr.: Ballenger won both of her matches for the Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team on September 20. Ballenger won her singles match 6-0, 6-0, then teamed with Lily Golden to win at #1 doubles. The Cedar Ridge women are on track to make the 3A State Dual Team Tournament for the first time since 2016.

The Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team has swept the season series from its crosstown rival. On Wednesday night at Orange High Tennis Courts, the Red Wolves defeated Orange 6-3. The victory keeps Cedar Ridge’s hopes alive of playing in the 3A State Dual Tennis Tournament for the first time since 2016. Senior Cameron Mayhew came through with one of her finest performances of the year. She won her #1 singles match over Erinn Sollars 6-2, 6-1. Later in the night, Mayhew teamed with Adeline Cummings to clinch the match for Cedar Ridge. Mayhew and Cummings defeated Erin and Shannon Sollars 8-4. Cummings also won two matches on the night. In the #3 singles match, Cummings defeated Makayla Davis 6-0, 4-6, 11-9. Cedar Ridge senior Dupree Sorenson won at #6 singles over Kyla Mehl 6-2, 6-3 to give the Red Wolves a 4-2 edge in the six singles matches. Junior Ella Caltabiano and senior Catherine Ballenger won at #2 doubles over Davis and Molly Kruse 8-6. Cedar Ridge improves to 8-4 overall, 6-1 in the Central Carolina Conference. The Red Wolves will continue to pursue Walter Williams over the final two weeks of the regular season. Cedar Ridge will host Eastern Alamance on Monday in Hillsborough.

Cedar Ridge women’s tennis Cameron Mayhew & Adeline Cummings discuss win over Orange

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Cameron Lloyd: The Bucknell Bison defeated archival Lehigh on the road for the first time since 2010 on Friday night. The Bison rallied to win 3-2 on scores of 21-25, 25-16, 21-25, 27-25, 15-13. Lloyd had five kills and eight digs. The following day, Bucknell defeated Lafayette 3-1 (25-17, 25-23, 21-25, and 25-13) for its second Patriot League win. Lloyd was third on the team with nine kills, along with 14 digs. She also had one ace. Bucknell is 6-7, 2-2 in the Patriot League. They will face Navy later today in Annapolis, MD.

Cameron Lanier:  Last Saturday, UNC Wilmington swept Elon at the Schar Center (25-19, 25-22, 25-20). Lanier paced the Phoenix with eight kills. She also had six digs and one assist. It was the third straight match that Lanier led the Phoenix in kills. On Saturday, the Seahawks defeated the Phoenix 3-2 (14-25, 18-25, 34-32, 25-18 and 15-12). The Phoenix had a match point in the third for a sweep. Lanier finished with ten kills, nine digs and an assist. Elon is 3-10, 0-4 in the CAA. On Friday, they will host Northeastern.

Lottie Scully: Colgate defeated the Binghamton Bearcats 3-0 at West Gym in Binghamton, New York on Wednesday. The Red Raiders won on scores of 25-22, 25-18 and 25-13. Scully had 15 assists, eleven digs, and three kills. Binghamton is 6-8. Later today, they start play in the American East Conference when they face the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Anaya Carter: Last Saturday, Division II UNC Pembroke swept Southern Wesleyan (25-18, 26-24, 25-20) at Tysinger Gymnasium in Central, SC. Carter played in all three sets and had seven digs with two aces. On Tuesday, the Braves defeated Barton College 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 25-22, 21-25 and 15-7) at Wilson Gymnasium in Wilson. Carter played all five sets and registered nine digs and two aces. UNC Pembroke is 8-7 overall, 2-2 in Conference Carolinas. They will host Converse in Pembroke on Friday, then take on Belmont Abbey on Saturday.

Allie Wilkerson: The Division III Averett Cougars remain undefeated in Old Dominion Athletic Conference play. On Saturday, the Cougars defeated Eastern Mennonite University 3-2 (15-25, 25-17, 14-25, 25-18, 17-15). As a freshman, Wilkerson led the team with ten kills, along with two digs, two aces and one block. On Wednesday, Averett won at Guilford College 3-1 (25-23, 18-25, 25-20, 25-22) at Reagan-Brown Field House in Greensboro. Wilkerson had seven kills, four digs, one ace. Averett is 10-4 overall and leads the ODAC with a 5-0 record. They will host Randolph-Macon on Friday at the Stuart James Grant Center in Danville, VA.

Julie Altieri: The Division III Salisbury Seagulls dropped all three matches in the Johns Hopkins Invitational at the Newton White Center in Baltimore last weekend. On Friday, Johns Hopkins defeated the Seagulls 3-1 (25-16, 25-14, 17-15, 25-12). Altieri is now starting as the setter for Salisbury and finished with a team-high 24 assists. She added ten digs, three aces, and one kill. On Saturday, Mount Union defeated Salisbury 3-0 (25-22, 25-15, 25-16). Altieri had 18 assists, six kills (second on the team), five digs and one ace. Later on Saturday, Scranton defeated Salisbury 3-1 (25-23, 25-14, 14-25, 25-23). Altieri had 25 assists, three digs and two aces. Salisbury is 7-5. They will host Mary Washington and Stevens for a tri-match this weekend.

Ashlyn Davis: The University of Lynchburg defeated Ferrum 3-1 (25-23, 27-25, 25-27, 25-19) inside Swartz Gymnasium in Ferrum, VA on Saturday. Davis played one set for Lynchburg. The Hornets are 4-7, 1-4 in the ODAC.

In Steve Mayhew’s playing days, it was called “Pine Valley.”

As a player under coach Nick Walker in the 1980s, the fledging tennis program at Orange High didn’t have a series of country club courts to play on like their brethren at nearby schools. But their court had flavor. Situated across a secondary road separating Stanford Middle School from the senior institution, Orange’s tennis court was shrouded by pine trees and enveloped by a cage. If it wasn’t for the lights that shined well off into the distance before closing at 9PM, it would be easy to miss.

This was once Mayhew’s playground, where he played alongside Russell Westbrook, who went on to be Orange’s cross country coach in 2016. After he graduated and developed in life, Mayhew passed his love of tennis to his children Josh and Cameron.

On Wednesday night, Mayhew came full circle. One final time before he retires next month, he returned to the courts he once played on to coach against the school he once played for. In his fourth and final season as Cedar Ridge women’s tennis coach, Mayhew went out a winner to keep the Red Wolves hopes for a birth in the 3A State Dual Team Tournament alive.

Cameron Mayhew and Adeline Cummings defeated Orange’s top doubles team of Erinn and Shannon Sollars for the clinching victory as the Red Wolves defeated Orange 6-3. The Sollars sisters, looking to avenge an earlier loss to Mayhew and Cummings, charged out to a 2-0 lead. Mayhew and Cummings won eight of the final ten games to secure the Red Wolves eighth win of the season by a score of 8-4.

Cedar Ridge (8-4, 6-1 in the Central Carolina Conference) remains in second place in the CCC, one game behind Watler Williams. The Red Wolves will face Williams to cap the regular season on October 9.

“We’re just trying to get better,” Mayhew said. “Our regular season isn’t over. We still have matches to play. So we’ll cross that path when we get there. But we’re just trying to get better, improve and just take one match at a time. But I like where we are right now. We’re really improving and getting better. That’s what you want.”

A light drizzle fell as the final match of the night concluded. Cedar Ridge’s Ella Caltabiano and Catherine Ballinger faced Orange’s Makayla Davis and Molly Kruse. Early on, Mayhew objected when he thought an Orange player crossed her racket over the plane of the net, which triggered an immediate protest from the player on a night that had already been chippy. This led to the unusual instance of Mayhew and Orange coach Justin Webb standing on opposite sides of the net to oversee the match. Usually, players act as their own linesmen to call balls in or out. Caltabiano and Ballenger would take the match 8-5 despite trailing early.

Cedar Ridge won four of the six singles matches. That included Mayhew winning at #1 doubles over Erinn Sollars. Mayhew, a senior, has now won 14 matches this season for the Red Wolves, including a 9-2 record in singles.

Cedar Ridge swept the regular season series from Orange for the first time since 2018.

Orange, the defending CCC Champions with Walter Williams, fell to 10-5, 5-4 in the CCC. It was the Lady Panthers third match in three days. On Tuesday, Orange rolled past J.F. Webb 9-0 in Hillsborough. Oakley Gaddy finished with two wins for Orange against the Warriors. Gaddy defeated Samantha Ragland at #6 singles 8-0. Gaddy teamed with Evelyn Gover at #2 doubles to win over Madison Ragland and Michaela Bryant 8-3.

Sophomore Adelyn Alvis also won two matches for Orange against the Warriors. Alvis defeated Bryant 8-0. Alvis teamed with sophomore Nora Plummer at #3 doubles to defeat Savannah Moody and Samantha Ragland 8-0.

Shannon Sollars won at #1 singles over Kallie Goldamez 8-0.

Men’s Soccer: Cedar Ridge 2, Walter Williams 1: What could Cedar Ridge men’s soccer do to top last week?

They defeated the 2021 3A State Champions off a goal from Salomon Hernandez with under five minutes remaining, putting them in first place in the Central Carolina Conference. What could be better?

How about beating the two-time defending conference champions on the road?

At Memorial Stadium in Burlington, the Red Wolves got goals from senior Illah Banchenko and junior Dominic McNerney to defeat Walter Williams 2-1 on Monday night. Cedar Ridge, which has never won a conference championship in men’s soccer, remains in first place in the CCC at 5-0-1.

It was Cedar Ridge’s first win over Williams since the two became conference rivals in 2021. Coming into this season, the Bulldogs had lost just four conference games the past three years.

McNerney notched the opening goal off an assist from Babchenko. Later, Banchenko would score the game-winner in the first half off a free kick.

The Bulldogs scored with two seconds remaining in regulation. Cedar Ridge lost Hernandez, a centerback who captains the back line, with an ankle injury in the second half.

Babchenko has 14 points (three goals and eight assists) to lead the team. McNerney scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Sophomore goalkeeper Eric Galunas, who came two seconds away from earning his second straight clean sheet, made nine saves to earn his ninth win.

Northwood 3, Cedar Ridge 1: The Red Wolves five-game unbeaten streak came to an end against Northwood in a nonconfrence matchup on Tuesday night.

The Red Wolves were without Hernandez, which hurt their backline. McNerney scored the Red Wolves only goal with 37:23 remaining in the second half off a penalty kick.

Cedar Ridge (9-2-2) will hit the road to face Person on Monday night in Roxboro. With a win, they will become the first Cedar Ridge team to win ten games in a season since 2016, which was also the last time the Red Wolves reached the 3A State Playoffs.

Orange 0, Walter Williams 0: Orange played to a scoreless tie against the Bulldogs on Tuesday night at Orange Soccer Field. It ended the Bulldogs eight-game winning streak against the Panthers. Orange goalkeeper Finn Kelly made a save in the second overtime to keep the game tied. Orange is 3-5-2 overall, 2-2-1 in the CCC.

Orange 3, Southern Alamance 2: Traveling to Redmon Stadium in Graham, Orange scored the opening goal and held on to defeat the Patriots in its first-ever conference matchup between the Patriots and the Panthers. Daniel Romero, who scored his first goal of the season against Person last week, notched the owner for the Panthers on a marker assisted by senior Emmanuel Mil Cruz. Later, Cruz would add his second goal for Orange, who captured its second straight victory.

In the second half, Mil Cruz scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season off an assist from sophomore Yurem Tapia Mendez to put Orange ahead 2-0. After the Patriots cut Orange’s lead in half after a tally from William Clark, Tapia Mendez scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal. Heinzen Amaya added an additional goal for the Patriots for the final scoreline.

Kelly, Orange’s senior goalkeeper, made 12 saves. one shy of his season-high. In Orange’s CCC opener against Western Alamance on September 6, Kelly finished with 13 saves.

Orange clinched consecutive wins for the first time this season and still stands a fighting chance to make the 3A State playoffs for the second straight year. Currently, the Panthers are ranked #30 in the 3A East RPI rankings as of Wednesday morning following the draw against Williams. The top 32 teams make the state playoffs.

Last year, Orange reached the state playoffs for the first time since 2017, where they lost to J.H. Rose. As fate would have it, if the season ended today, Orange would travel to face Rose in the opening round.