Cedar Ridge High School

For a team that was depleted by graduations and transfers at the end of last season, the Cedar Ridge Red Wolves baseball squad isn’t staying down when they’re supposed to.

Western Alamance led the Red Wolves 3-0 at the end of two-and-a-half innings on Tuesday night. But this was Cedar Ridge’s senior night, and it was seniors B.J. Thornton, Issac Anderson and Will Tippin who provided big plays that enabled a Red Wolf comeback win.

Cedar Ridge scored 12 unanswered runs to beat the Warriors 12-4. Thornton, the starting pitcher, fanned nine over six innings to earn the win. He allowed just four hits and four runs, only one earned.

Junior Mason Cates belted a two-run homer to start the comeback in the bottom of the third. It was Cates first homer of the season over the left field wall. After Thornton was hit by a pitch, Grant McGuffey stepped up to bat. Thornton stole second, and McGuffey lined a single to left field to score Thornton and tie the game.

In the fourth, Cedar Ridge loaded the bases when Ian McGuffey was hit by a pitch. Nick Aitkin walked and Tippin sent a hard grounder to right field for a single. McGuffey was thrown out at the plate after Anderson grounded to third baseman Tyler Atkins. With two out, Quinn Finnegan sent a hard grounder and reached on an error by the shortstop, bringing in Aitkin and Tippin.

Grant McGuffey delivered the kill shot with a single to left field. Anderson and Finnegan scored to increase the Cedar Ridge lead to 8-3.

The Red Wolves are now 6-5 in the Central Carolina Conference. They play Grimsley in Hillsborough on Wednesday, then travel to Western Alamance on Friday for their final conference game of the regular season.

On his senior night, Tippin went 2-for-3. Cates finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Grant McGuffey finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Orange 6, Northwood 1: Once again, the Orange bullpen took a potential upset that would have reverberated across the CCC and silenced it quickly.

And once again, it was junior Coltin Hedrick, who retired all nine Northwood batters he faced on his way to his third win of the season.

Hedrick’s dominance gave the Panther bats time to awake from a mid-game slumber. Tied 1-1 going into the fifth inning, Orange scored two runs in the fifth and another three in the sixth to beat Northwood 6-1.

In his last five appearances, Hedrick is 3-0 with two saves.

It was Orange’s eighth straight home win over the Chargers since the two teams became conference rivals in 2014. Northwood is leaving the CCC at the end of this season to return to 2A.

Northwood pitcher Sal Delgado kept Orange off-balance after the first inning. Moments after the Chargers tied the game following a sacrifice fly to right field by Nate Ortiz to score Nate Davis in the fourth inning, Delgado set Orange down 1-2-3 for the only time in the game.

Orange’s Cross Clayton opened the fifth getting plunked on the bat on a 2-2 pitch. With Neo Best at bat, Clayton advanced to second after wild pitch. Elijah Santos stroked a 2-0 fastball to left field to send Clayton to third. Jackson Berini drew a walk to load the bases. Waitt, who leads Orange in base hits, smashed a single past a diving Ortiz at third to bring in Clayton. With Ryan Hench at bat, Delgado uncorked a wild pitch. Santos raced for home and just got his hand on the plate before the throw by catcher Robert Tripp got to Delgado. Orange led 3-1.

After Hedrick retired the Chargers in order in the sixth, Orange rallied big time with two outs. Clayton dropped a single into left field. Best got on board on a walk. Santos faintly touched a cue shot down the third base line against new Northwood pitcher Nathan McWilliams, whose throw to first was errant. Ty Walker, running in place of Clayton, came around to score. The ball wound up in left field, and the relay throw skipped helplessly across the infield, allowing Best to score and sending Santos to second. Berini sent a grounder up the middle, plating Santos.

In the opening inning, Berini hit a leadoff double. Connor Nordan, who leads Orange with 26 RBIs, sent a laser to left field for a single, bringing in Berini, who has scored in 15 of Orange’s 18 games,

Orange starter Josiah Gibbs was strong across four innings. He allowed only one run off four hits with three strikeouts and no walks in a no decision.

Orange will travel to Southwestern Randolph tonight before going to Northwood to complete the two-game series on Friday night.

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team is fighting for a spot in the 3A State Playoffs. It would be the first time they’ve clinched a spot in the postseason since 2019. On Monday night, it was Senior Night for the Red Wolves. Cedar Ridge defeated Person 7-0. Senior Ianna Pfeifer scored a hat trick for the third time in her career against the Rockets. It came after Pfeifer set up the game-winning goal in the Red Wolves win over the North Carolina School of Science and Math last week, which was scored by Sophia Feken. It was the second straight game where Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Addie Reid got a clean sheet. Sarah Carson, Lily Dyslin, Sarah Fenwick, Alexia Gomez, and Stella Fadden also were honored during Senior Night for the Red Wolves. Cedar Ridge improve to 7-6, 2-5 in the Central Carolina Conference. The Red Wolves will travel to Northwood on Wednesday before another important road trip to Western Alamance on Friday. Next Monday, Cedar Ridge will play Orange in the second leg of the Hillsborough Derby. Orange defeated the Red Wolves 1-0 in overtime earlier this month.

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The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team is fighting for a spot in the 3A State Playoffs. It would be the first time they’ve clinched a spot in the postseason since 2019. On Monday night, it was Senior Night for the Red Wolves. Cedar Ridge defeated Person 7-0.

Women’s soccer: Cedar Ridge 1, North Carolina School of Science and Math 0: With Cedar Ridge fighting for a playoff spot, the Red Wolves broke open a scoreless tie against the North Carolina School of Science and Math off a gorgeous finish from a sophomore.

Sophia Feken scored her first goal of the season with a gorgeous shot over Unicorns goalkeeper Savannah Sullivan with 19:39 remaining in the second half as the Red Wolves defeated NCSSM 1-0 in Durham. The sequence started when senior Ianna Pfeifer took a throw-in and lifted a diagonal pass across the box. Sophomore Fleury Nicholson chased it down and passed it back to Feken, who floated a shot from 20 yards away that went over the head of Sullivan into the roof of the net.

Cedar Ridge struggled to get a shot off in the first half, but junior goalkeeper Addie Reid made five saves in the first half to keep the game scoreless at halftime. Science and Math’s best chance came with 21:50 remaining when Unicorn’s co-Captain Ariel Mercurio took a great pass from classmate Clara Smith. Mercurio was one-on-one with Reid, who made the save on a shot from 12 yards away.

Earlier in the half, Reid knocked.away a cross shot attempt by Callie Stoke that buzzed through the six-years box.

Cedar Ridge (6-6) is currently ranked #33 in the 3A East Region. On April 5, the Red Wolves faced Eno River Academy for the first-ever matchup between the two Hillsborough schools in soccer. Cedar Ridge came away with a 3-1 win at Red Wolves Stadium.

Nicholson scored the game-winning goal in the first half, which was assisted by Pfeiefer. Sophomore Celina Galla added another goal, while Pfeiefer scored a goal and added two assists. Reid earned another win in net making four saves.

Cedar Ridge will return to action tonight to face Person on their Senior Night. Pfeiefer, Sarah Carson, Lily Dyslin, Sarah Fenwick, Alexia Gomez, and Stella Fadden will be honored.

Orange 7, Person 0: Junior Ella Wimsatt scored two goals, including the game-winner, in the 15th minute as Orange defeated Person at Orange Soccer Field on April 4. Wimsatt’s opening tally was assisted by Teresa Rodriguez.

Elliana Sullivan-Gaddy finished with a goal and three assists on the night. Sullivan-Gaddy finished with the second goal off an assist from Channing Mahaney in the 22nd minute. Two minutes later, Wimsatt added her second goal off an assist from Gaddy.

In the opening minute of the second half, Orange goalkeeper Abby Monteith scored her first goal of her career on an assist from Caroline Cathey to increase the Lady Panthers’ lead to 4-0.

In the 61st minute, sophomore Cora Bailey scored the first of her two goals. Bailey would add another in the 70th minute, assisted from Sullivan-Gaddy

Hannah Hummel scored the final goal of the game in the 70th minutes, once again assisted by Sullivan-Gaddy.

Monteith played the first 30 minutes in net and earned the win. She went into the outfield late in the first half and was replaced in net by freshman Alexis Stephens.

Orange reached the third round of the 3A State Playoffs last season, but is playing this year without attacking midfielder Sydney Rogers, who was injured last fall during training.

Orange (5-4-2, 3-3 in the Central Carolina Conference) defeated Walter Williams 3-2 in Burlington on March 20. Isabel Jones, Caroline Cathey and Molly Kruse all scored for the Lady Panthers, which had to bring feeling of revenge for Orange. Last May, Williams defeated Orange in the 3A State Playoffs in a game where Monteith suffered a torn ACL in the second half and had to be replaced with the game tied.

Orange will travel to Western Alamance tonight. On Wednesday, they will face Walter Williams again, this time in Hillsborough. On Thursday, the Lady Panthers will travel to Seaforth.

Ava Lowry: The Division III North Carolina Wesleyan softball team swept a doubleheader from Methodist on Tuesday. In the Battling Bishops’ 7-0 win in the nightcap, Lowry went 2-for-4 with a double. Wesleyan won the opening game 5-3, where Lowry, starting at shortstop, went 1-for-3. On April 5, Wesleyan swept a doubleheader from William Peace in Rocky Mount. In the opening game, Lowry went 1-for-2 with an RBI single as the Bishops won 8-0 in five innings. Through 32 games, Lowry is hitting .307 with two home runs and 13 RBIs. Wesleyan is 21-10 overall, 6-4 in the USA South Conference.

Takia Nichols: For the second time this season, Nichols was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week. Last weekend, the North Carolina Central Eagles clinched a series against Howard to maintain first place in the MEAC. Playing at the national Youth Academy in Washington, D.C., Nichols went 3-for-3 with a solo homer as the Eagles defeated the Bison 11-3 on Saturday. Nichols knocked in the opening Eagles run with an RBI single in the first inning. In the fourth, Nichols drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Eagles ahead 5-2. On Friday, the Eagles won the opening game of a doubleheader 11-3 in six innings. Nichols went 2-for-4 with an RBI. In the third, Nichols drove in a run off an error by the shortstop. In the second game of the doubleheader, the Bison won 11-7. Nichols finished 1-for-2 with an RBI single in the first inning. Through 31 games, Nichols leads the Eagles with six home runs. She is second on the squad with a .337 batting average and 26 RBIs. She also leads the team with 51 total bases.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team is ranked #15 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II. The Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Southwest Virginia in Honaker, VA last weekend. It was the 100th career win for head coach Josh Bumgarner. In the second game of the doubleheader, which the Red Hawks won 7-1, Andrews went 1-for-3 with an RBI single. On April 3, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Pitt Community College at Highland Recreation Center in Hickory. Andrews went 2-for-3 in the opening game, which the Red Hawks captured 10-1 in five innings. Andrews went 1-for-3 in the opening game, which CVCC won 6-0. On Tuesday, Catawba Valley swept another doubleheader from Bryant & Stratton College. The Red Hawks won the opener 6-1, then captured the nightcap 9-0 in five innings. Catawba Valley is 32-6 overall, 19-6 in Region X of the NJCAA.

Lauren Jackson: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne softball team is now up to #22 in the country. The Bears swept a doubleheader from UVA-Wise at Bears Field in Hickory on April 2. The Bears won the opening game 9-2. Jackson, who started as catcher, went 1-for-2. Jackson appeared as a pinch-hitter in the Bears 6-2 win in the nightcap. Jackson faced her former Orange High teammate, Jaden Hurdle, when the Bears faced Catawba on March 29. The two teams split the doubleheader. Jackson had a single as a pinch-hitter in the Indians’ 7-5 victory over the Bears.

Mary Moss Wirt: A former Orange High player faced off against a former Cedar Ridge player when Elon dueled with North Carolina Central at Hunt Softball Park on Wednesday. Elon defeated Central 8-0 in five innings. Wirt played as a pinch hitter and entered the game as a catcher in the seventh inning. Nichols started at first base for the Eagles. Elon improved to 15-20. Wirt also played as a catcher against Duke on Tuesday at Duke Softball Stadium. The Blue Devils, ranked #11 in the country, defeated the Phoenix 4-0. On April 2, the Phoenix split a doubleheader against Hampton. In the Phoenix’s 9-0 win, Wirt played as a catcher in the seventh inning. Elon will host UNC Wilmington in a three-game series starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team lost both games against Furman University at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, SC last weekend. Dalehite scored a run as a pinch-runner in Sunday’s 9-8 loss to the Paladins. Furman edged the Spartans 5-4 in nine innings on Thursday in the opening game of the doubleheader. Dalehite played as a pinch-hitter.

Jaden Hurdle: Hurdle entered games as a reserve for Division II Catawba in a series against Newberry last week at Whitley Field in Salisbury.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior pitcher/first baseman Mason Cates. Last week, Cates earned the win as the Red Wolves defeated Eastern Alamance 12-2 at Red Wolves Stadium. Cates struck out eight over five innings. It was just the fourth start of his career. At the plate, Cates went 1-for-3 with an two-run double as the Red Wolves swept the two-game series from the Eagles. Last Tuedsay, Cates went 2-for-3 with two runs scored as Cedar Ridge defeated the Eagles 11-5. On March 30, Cates limited Orange to only four hits. He struck out seven Panthers. Of the three runs he surrendered, only one was earned. At the plate, Cates went 1-for-3 against Orange. Against the North Carolina School of Science and Math on March 23, Cates finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double. Cates, a junior, has been instrumental in helping the Red Wolves win three in a row going into tonight’s game against Lee County. Cedar Ridge will face Chapel Hill on Thursday night to wrap up its stint in the Hilltop Invitational. The Red Wolves will also honor seniors B.J. Thornton, Will Tippin and Issac Anderson against the Tigers. First pitch will be at 6 PM.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Mason Cates

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While spring break was several weeks ago for Orange County Schools students, this week is a chance for Cedar Ridge baseball players to deviate from the norm.

It’s no holiday. It’s just a break from the rigors of Central Carolina Conference action.

The Hilltop Invitational provides a sort of midterm exam for players to test themselves against non conference teams to see how they’ve improve from the start of the season six weeks ago, and what needs shored up for a late season playoff push.

On Monday night, Cedar Ridge relied on some familiar power and pitching experience to get them over the first hurdle.

Senior B.J. Thornton’s RBI triple during a decisive four-run fourth inning, followed by a game-winning single from Landon Dalehite led the Red Wolves past Union Pines 9-5 at Red Wolves Stadium.

In a game that was tied twice, Cedar Ridge pulled away with three runs in the sixth inning. Isaac Anderson lined a single to left field to score Will Tippin. Mason Cates, who earned the save on the mound, sent a one-run single to left field to bring in Anderson.

The Red Wolves (9-6) have won three in a row as they prepare Lee County on Tuesday night at Red Wolves Field.

“What we want from this invitational is we want good, quality teams to come in,” said Cedar Ridge coach Bryson Massey. “That’s what we did this year. Union Pines is a high quality team with a great tradition. Lee County is one of the top teams in the state every year. So getting our guys to compete against teams they don’t compete against is what we want.”

Quinn Finnegan threw five innings to earn the win. He struck out two with no walks and withstood an early Vikings run in the second inning. Union Pines’ Jacob Williams knocked in Hunter Meeds on a hard grounder to right field in the second inning.

Tippin and Anderson drew consecutive walks to open the third inning. After Vikings’ sophomore starter Ryan Wallace got a strikeout for the second out, Finnegan sent a grounder to the hole in the right side of the infield, bringing in Tippin to tie the game. Thornton walked to load the bases. With Dalehite at the plate, Anderson scored on a wild pitch that bounced off the brink lining behind home plate to give the Red Wolves a 2-1 lead.

Union Pines jumped back in front in the top of the fourth. Junior Austin Mooring reached on an infield hit on a grounder to third base. Mooring stole second, went to third after a groundout by Grey Booker, then scored off a single by Ben Finkelstein. Meeds, who reached on a fielder’s choice, also scored from second base to put the Vikings ahead.

The lead was short-lived. In the bottom of the 5th, Anderson got aboard on a hard grounder to the shortstop. Cates also reached on a single. With two out, Thornton smoked a laser that rolled all the way to the centerfield wall, scoring Cates to tie the game. Dalehite sent a grounder to the left field hole, scoring Cates and putting the Red Wolves ahead for good.

But it didn’t end there. After freshman Caden Thomson reached on a bunt single, sophomore Nick Aitkin lined a double to right field. Dalehite and Thompson came home and Cedar Ridge led 6-3.

The Vikings drew within a run in the top of the sixth. Meeds and Grey Booker each scored on a throwing error with two out to trim the Cedar Ridge lead to 6-5.

Once again, Tippin led off the inning by getting on base, this time with a single to left field. Anderson also reached on a base hit to left field, and Tippin scored off an error by Booker. Cates drove in Anderson with a single.

Cedar Ridge will face Lee County on Tuesday night at 6PM. On Thursday, the Red Wolves take on Chapel Hill at Red Wolves Field, also at 6PM.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore pitcher and right fielder Quinn Finnegan. From the very beginning of this season on February 27, Finnegan has had a strong season at the plate. In the season-opener at Knightdale, Finnegan earned the win on the mound. He went 2-for-4 with three RBIs with a double as the Red Wolves defeated the Knights 19-8 in five innings. Finnegan has also had several displays of power at the plate. In an 18-2 win over Northern Durham, Finnegan hit a homer and finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs. Against Northwood, Finnegan hit a home run at Red Wolves Field, possibly the deepest park in the Central Carolina Conference, as the Red Wolves defeated the Chargers 7-1. In addition to playing baseball, Finnegan is relentless in his fitness regimen. He’s constantly working out as his mother is a Fitness Instructor at Duke University. This video was shot with Finnegan’s curly locks still intact. After Cedar Ridge’s win over Eastern Alamance on Wednesday night, Finnegan had his hair shaved in a show of support for cancer survivors during Cedar Ridge’s Vs. Cancer benefit for Duke Hospital, which raised over $2,800. Finnegan and the Cedar Ridge baseball team will return to action on Monday in the Hilltop Invitational against Union Pines. First pitch at Red Wolves Field will be at 6PM.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Quinn Finnegan

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore pitcher and right fielder Quinn Finnegan. From the very beginning of this season on February 27, Finnegan has had a strong season at the plate. In the season-opener at Knightdale, Finnegan earned the win on the mound.

The Vs. Cancer game isn’t a game as much as an event for Cedar Ridge baseball.

In the past, the event has featured giveaways for various souvenirs in a benefit for Duke Children’s Hospital. It usually ends with coach Bryson Massey getting his head shaved.

This year, it was no different. With a chair pulled up to home plate, Massey had his red mane shaved at home plate by pitcher Mason Cates after the Red Wolves defeated Eastern Alamance to complete a two-game series sweep. And he wasn’t alone.

Other Cedar Ridge players lined up to have their heads shaved in a show of solidarity for cancer survivors, including right fielder Quinn Finnegan. This year, the fundraiser raised over $2,800.

As for the game, the Red Wolves had another impressive game from senior B.J. Thornton. After Thornton drove in five runs and earned the win on the mound in the Red Wolves’ 11-5 win in Mebane on Tuesday, the senior went 3-for-4 with four RBIs against the Eagles. In the series, Thornton went 6-for-11 with nine RBIs and three doubles.

For the seconds straight week, junior Mason Cates had a strong pitching performance. After making his first start of the season against Orange last week, Cates struck out eight over five innings against the Eagles. He allowed only one run on five hits to earn his first win of the season. Of Cates 95 pitches, 55 were strikes.

Cedar Ridge (8-6, 5-5 in the Central Carolina Conference) wasted no time in taking the lead, scoring three runs in the first inning. Issac Anderson started the frame with a leadoff infield single. Finnegan drove a sharp grounder to the left side of the infield to bring Anderson to third. Thornton looped a two-run double, plating Finnegan and Anderson. With two out, Thornton induced a pickoff throw to second base that wound up in centerfield, leading to him scoring.

It remained 3-0 Cedar Ridge until the fifth inning. After the Eagles brought across a run in the fifth, catcher Will Tippin singled to right field. Cates drew a one-out walk. Thornton lined a single to centerfield to score Cates. Landon Dalehite drew a walk. With Grant McGuffey at the plate, Thornton went to third on a passed ball and scored on another passed ball. Dalehite would come in off an error by the catcher.

Cedar Ridge earned the run-rule win by scoring five more runs in the fifth inning. Ian McGuffey drew a leadoff walk. Tippin, who finished 2-for-3 on the night, lined a single to centerfield. Cates sent a double to left field that brought in McGuffey and Tippin and increase Cedar Ridge’s lead to 9-2. Finnegan followed with an RBI single to left field.

Thornton drove his second double of the night down the left field line, bringing in Finnegan. Dalehite ended the game with a single to left field to score Thornton.

Cedar Ridge will get next week off from CCC play to focus on the Hilltop Invitational. The Red Wolves will start with a game against Union Pines on Monday night at 6PM in Hillsborough. On Tuesday, Cedar Ridge will host Lee County. On Thursday, they will play Chapel Hill, a former Big 8 Conference rival.

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team played through the rain to defeat Northern Durham 3-1 on March 17. Lily Dyslin scored the game-winning goal early in the second half as the Red Wolves defeated the Knights for the second time this season. It was the fourth goal this season for Dyslin and the second time she scored against Northern Durham. Sophomore Fleury Nicholson got the insurance goal for Cedar Ridge. Nicholson also had an assist against Northern. Last season as a freshman, Nicholson led Cedar Ridge with 12 goals. This season, she has scored eight goals, including one at Northwood on March 20. Sophomore Celine Galla scored the game-tying goal against the Knights. It was her second goal of the season. Cedar Ridge is 4-5, 1-3 in the Central Carolina Conference. They will resume its season on Monday night against Walter Williams at Red Wolves Stadium. Kickoff is at 6:45.

Cedar Ridge women’s soccer’s Fleury Nicholson, Lily Dyslin & Celine Galla discuss win vs. Northern

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team played through the rain to defeat Northern Durham 3-1 on March 17. Lily Dyslin scored the game-winning goal early in the second half as the Red Wolves defeated the Knights for the second time this season.