Cedar Ridge High School

Considering everything she accomplished in her Cedar Ridge career, it may seem surprising that Cameron Lloyd hasn’t won a conference player of the year award until now.

Yet Lloyd was honored as the Central Carolina Conference Volleyball Player of the Year earlier this month for the first time. Lloyd was one of five Cedar Ridge players to be named All-CCC.

Joining Lloyd on the All-Conference team was senior middle blocker Cameron Lanier, senior setter Julie Altieri, libero Grace Young and outside hitter Melissa Benkowitz.

Together, Lloyd, Lanier, Altieri, Young and Benkowitz ended their Cedar Ridge careers with three consecutive conference championships. Lloyd, Lanier and Altieri, all of whom started as freshman, ended their career with a cumulative record of 83-11. They won 40 consecutive games against conference opponents and became the first female team to win a state championship in Cedar Ridge history when they captured the 2021 state championship.

This year, Cedar Ridge won 25 consecutive matches. Its only two losses came against J.H. Rose, who defeated the Red Wolves in its season-opener and in the Eastern Regional Championship match in Greenville.

Lloyd, who set the school record for career kills in her junior season, had 346 kills in her senior season. It was 14 kills shy of her school single-season record of 360 set in 2021. Lloyd, who committed to Bucknell in August, had a career-high 243 digs. She had ten games where she finished with double-digit kills, including a season-high 20 in a sweep of Southern Alamance on September 14. In her final match at Cedar Ridge, Lloyd had seven kills against Wilson Hunt in the state quarterfinals.

Altieri, the all-time assist lead in school history, is also the all-time leader in assists. This season, Altieri had 479 assists and 38 aces. Against Hunt, with Cedar Ridge trailing 23-20 in the final set, Altieri served the Red Wolves out with back-to-back aces. She assisted on the final two points, the last she would score in Hillsborough, as the Red Wolves won its tenth consecutive playoff match. Altieri ended her career with 1,978 assists and 213 aces.

Lanier, who committed to Elon, had 165 kills in her senior year. She finished with 671 career kills, the second-highest total in school history. Lanier had a season-high 14 kills against Orange on September 6, on a night where the Red Wolves were without Benkowitz. On August 27, Lanier had eleven kills in a sweep of Green Level, the 2021 4A State Champions, in Garner. Lanier also finished with 33 blocks, which led the team.

Young, in her third varsity season, committed to UNC Asheville last year. She led the team with 292 digs and finished her career with 623 digs. Young had a career-high 86 assists as she would occasionally play as a setter. She had a season-high 24 digs in the second round of the 3A State Playoffs against Orange. She also had 21 digs against Walter Williams on October 11. She is currently playing basketball for head coach Megan Skouby, who is also an assistant in volleyball.

Benkowitz, who transferred from East Chapel Hill at the beginning of 2021, provided a priceless attacking presence for the Red Wolves to take the load off of Lloyd and Lanier. Benkowitz was third on the team with 143 kills. Over the course of her two seasons with Cedar Ridge, Benkowitz had 331 kills with 75 aces, 325 digs and 346 service receptions. This season, Benkowitz had three matches where she finished with double-digit kills. She had a career-high eleven kills against Walter Williams on October 11. She also had ten kills in a sweep of Person on September 22, as well as ten kills against Eastern Alamance on October 4.

Cedar Ridge only had three matches all season where they dropped a set. After the 3-1 loss to Rose to open the season, the Red Wolves won its subsequent 20 matches without dropping a set. Overall, they won 62 straight sets before dropping the third set against Orange in the Central Carolina Conference tournament championship match on October 19.

Some things never change. Sitting in the stands of the Tiger Holiday Classic at Chapel Hill High School on Friday afternoon, I saw South View wrestling coach Cam Spence, an old friend who I got to know 25 years ago at Appalachian State University.

I was a late bloomer when I arrived in Boone, which made me ripe for age jokes. Cam, who was a teenager when I met him, doesn’t lack in that regard. Once, on our way to a football game at Auburn, Cam said “My girlfriend asked me if I was going antique shopping on our way through Atlanta. I told her we were picking Jeff up at noon.”

Naturally, Cam was still making age jokes as we watched the matches unfold on Friday. As old as I may get, I hope I never lose the special feeling I get at this time of year. I still look forward to Christmas. The Christmas music. The Charlie Brown Christmas Special. The holiday basketball tournaments. The Chapel Hill Tiger wrestling invitational.

And lots and lots of giving.

My Spotify playlist shifts to the Vince Guraldi Trio every December and largely stays that way for the entire month. I’m proud to say that after all this time, I’ve never had a case of holiday depression. I know not everyone is as fortunate, so anyone who may feel south of happy right now, my thoughts are with you.

Hopefully, my enthusiasm for the holidays is something else that never changes, just like Cam’s age jokes.

And a very happy holiday to all of you. Here’s the Magnificent 7 for the week of December 3-10.

1.  Zoey Moreno, Jr., Cedar Ridge wrestling: Moreno made history at the Green Hope Girls Grapple in Cary,. On December 3, Moreno became the first female wrestler in the history of Hillsbrough to win a tournament. Moreno captured the 120-pound championship with pins in all three of her matches. Moreno defeated Ava Lytle of Wakefield in 33 seconds to take the championship.
2.  Luke Roman, Soph, Orange Swimming: Set the school record in the 200 yard freestyle in the opening event of swimming season at the Orange County Sportsplex. Roman also qualified for regionals in the 100 yard freestyle. He also qualified for regionals in two relay events. Last year, Roman finished eighth in the 3A State Championships in the 200 yard freestyle.
3.  Amiyah Ware, Jr. Cedar Ridge women’s basketball: Talk about making an instant impact. Ware, in her second game in a Red Wolves uniform, scored 18 points as the Red Wolves defeated Person 58-27 on December 9. It was Cedar Ridge’s first conference win since February 8, 2019. Ware, a transfer from Burlington School, also had a solid game against East Chapel Hill on December 6
4. Nikayla Whitted, Sr. Orange women’s basketball: Led the Lady Panthers in scoring with 14 points in a 41-36 win over Carrboro on December 6. Three nights later, Whitted had six points as the Lady Panthers defeated Durham School of the Arts 72-34. Whitted also led Orange in scoring in a win over Riverside on December 2.
5. Sam Crawford, Sr. Orange wrestling: Earned three wins during the Orange quad on December 7. On a night where the Panthers were shorthanded, Crawford scored a major decision over Gabriel Waterhouse of Chapel Hill 15-3. He also Justin Hartsell of Cedar Ridge as the Panthers maintained its undefeated record in dual matches.
6. Kai Wade, Fr., Orange men’s basketball: Scored 15 points in Orange’s 69-35 win over Durham School of the Arts on December 9. Wade also had eight points, three assists and three steals in the Panthers 76-46 win over Carrboro. Wade is one of three freshmen who have started this year for an Panthers team that has already surpassed its win total from last year.
7. Quinn McCrimmon, Jr., Cedar Ridge women’s swimming: McCrimmon qualified for regionals in Cedar Ridge’s opening dual meets of the season. She finished first in the 200 yard individual medley with a time of 2:34.15. She also earned consideration for regionals in the 100 yard freestyle with a time of 1:05.05. The Red Wolves women’s swimming team won its opening dual match over Eastern Alamance.

By Jon Franklin

The 2022 volleyball season saw the Cedar Ridge Lady Wolves and Orange Lady Panthers engage in some memorable moments. But it also resulted in an unnecessary overreach affecting the game day experience.

At the 3A Eastern Regional Final in Greenville on November 1, the Cedar Ridge reign as defending state champions ended abruptly by the J.H. Rose Rampants. During the first set, play was halted several times as game officials determined that serves were being disrupted from both sides as a result of spectators making noise and allegedly making comments that were considered “demeaning, defamatory, and/or unsportsmanlike”.

Rose athletic director Clay Medlin and Cedar Ridge AD Andy Simmons were summoned to the chair as the officials directed their respective student sections to maintain decorum and not make noise during service. When this conventional method proved futile, play was stopped again. Medlin upped the ante and used the public address system to inform the patrons in “The Rose Garden” that silence must be observed on all serve attempts or face removal from the building. While not fully adhered, it did allow the game to continue without interruption.

This wasn’t the first time that a Cedar Ridge volleyball game was stopped due to “fan verbal interference”.

A similar incident also took place this season at the HighSchoolOT Invitational in Garner. The silly barking and meowing from The Wolfpack prompted Garner’s director of athletics to personally shut down Cedar Ridge’s fans. I’ve also been informed that Orange volleyball games have been affected as well.

From my chair as public address announcer, play-by-play announcer, color analyst, or fan, I’ve observed five different occurrences since 2019 where officials stopped play to a Cedar Ridge volleyball match either due to “fan verbal interference” or even to prevent me from performing public address duties.

From my research and from asking several volleyball coaches about this issue, there are no rules in the volleyball handbook that prevents fans from making noise during volleyball service – as officially issued by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) or the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

However, the NFHS puts out “Points of Emphasis”. These released bullet points stem from the NFHS volleyball rulebook about what needs to be enforced during games. The 2022 “Point of Emphasis” under ‘Sportsmanship’ (https://rules.nfhs.org/sports-resource-content/volleyball-points-of-emphasis-2022-23) contained this excerpt:

“… Sportsmanship, or good sporting behavior, is about treating one another with respect and exhibiting appropriate behavior. It is about being fair, honest and caring. When these types of appropriate behavior occur, competitive play is more enjoyable for everyone.

Coaches set the tone at athletic contests with their display of sportsmanship. If these individuals act in a sportsmanlike manner, their behavior sets the tone for players, spectators and others. If coaches, however, are complaining constantly about the decision of contest officials, spectators are more likely to do the same.

There must be a collaborative, working relationship between contest officials and game administration to promote good sportsmanship and safely conduct the contest. Everyone has their roles to play in creating a positive, sportsmanlike atmosphere at contests.

Officials should focus on the actions of players, coaches and other bench/sideline personnel. A positive, open line of communication between officials and coaches ultimately results in a better contest for everyone involved.

Contest officials, however, should never engage with spectators who are exhibiting unsporting behavior. Once the contest begins, school administration is responsible for dealing with unruly spectators. A proactive approach by school administration includes monitoring the behavior of spectators and intervening as needed.

If spectators are using demeaning or profane language at officials – or at others in the stands – those individuals should be removed from the contest by school administration…”

No matter where I have been, egregiously bad spectator behavior has always been dealt with by a school’s administration or game management personnel. Whether an official reprimand or a removal took place, schools generally and genuinely know how to nip unwarranted behavior in the bud. Yet, nowhere in my 30 years of announcing and 35 years of being a fan of high school athletics have I seen game officials arbitrarily create rules that simply do not exist. In the instances of “fan verbal interference”, coaches have pressed the officials to go to the rulebook to see where such rules actually exist. Instead, officials pushed back stating it “violated sportsmanship rules” without citing what they actually were.

On several occasions, I was temporarily stopped from announcing citing a misinterpretation of an actual rule that forbids music and announcements from being made during live game action. In Cedar Ridge’s 2021 game versus D.H. Conley in Hillsborough, the floor umpire stopped the game several times in the first set citing the misinterpreted rule. I remained silent until midway through the set when AD Simmons discussed the issue with the chair umpire. Through AD Simmons’ advocacy, the chair umpire agreed that I could announce as long as it was not during play and must cease at the ready for serve whistle. Had these officials actually been to any of the games I had previously announced, they would have seen and heard that I never announce or play music during live game action to begin with.

To be completely honest, what is being seen by game officials and the NCHSAA are good volleyball programs are starting to emulate collegiate environments with music, cheering, chanting, and the use of a public address announcer. While most schools do not have these things for volleyball, having them might seem overwhelming for some officials and feel they are losing control of the match. Perhaps they should take field trips to J.H. Rose, D.H. Conley, North Iredell, Fred T. Foard, Kings Mountain, Enka, West Henderson and other North Carolina volleyball powerhouses to see how their energetic game day experiences in volleyball can be managed.

In both instances, NCHSAA game officials have created or inserted rules to where no rules are given or are vague. Yet, these rules are not enforced with any consistency. What took place between Cedar Ridge and Rose and D.H. Conley, wasn’t enforced between Cedar Ridge and Orange, or of most opponents of the Hillsborough schools. In the vast majority of games played, game officials seemed to interpret that the noise during serve was fine. Either way, no consistency was made to enforce a rule that was vague from the beginning.

Another issue of concern regarding fan participation involved coaching. Back on September 14^th, Southern Alamance came to Hillsborough for a game at Cedar Ridge. With the Red Wolves maintaining a modest lead in the first set, the Patriots’ head coach began to complain about the Cedar Ridge students making noise during service.

Play was halted for several minutes as the floor umpire approached me and asked that an announcement be made that noise by spectators could not be made during service. At that point, I refused to make that announcement as I was not Cedar Ridge’s game manager nor was I in position to tell our fans to be quiet when they did not do or say anything that was unsportsmanlike. I called for AD Andy Simmons to come to the scoring table to be notified of the issue. When informed, Simmons along with Cedar Ridge coaches began to ask where in the official rules was fan noise prohibited during serve. As previously mentioned, the floor umpire used the blanket coverage of “sportsmanship” to enforce a rule that did not exist.

After a pause of bickering, Cedar Ridge relented to resume the game, and the Wolfpack acquiesced. But in the protest, Cedar Ridge faced a noticeable delay and eventually lost the advantage and momentum. While Cedar Ridge would eventually win the first set and eventually swept the match, the fact that the Patriots’ coach interjected himself into the match to help his team by a non-athletic reason was evident. After the game, I was notified by an eyewitness that the Southern Alamance coach utilized the same tactic in the match at Orange on August 22^nd. At no time should a coach use this tactic to help their team, especially when they are losing. If a coach has to resolve to underhanded tactics to improve their team in a game, then that coach needs to resign in disgrace. A coach must maintain a high degree of integrity to not only lead their team to victory, but to also to make decisions within the framework of the rules. When a coach interprets the rules as to how it benefits them and not to ensure fairness among both teams, then the coach has lost any credibility.

Throughout the NCAA volleyball season, I have watched numerous games to where the fans making noise on serve is prevalent. The current rules and its’ enforcement within the NCHSAA are not going to benefit players with collegiate aspirations. With numerous players from Hillsborough fixing to ascend to the collegiate ranks, they all need to be exposed to the noise so they can learn how to play in hostile environments.

Imagine playing at defending national champion Wisconsin at the Kohl Center among 18,000 rabid Badgers, or at the KFC Yum Center against Final Four contender Louisville packed with 21,500 screaming Cardinals? What about encountering the 12,500 members of The Oakland Zoo at the Petersen Events Center at another Final Four participant in Pitt? No matter the environment, the student athletes playing in all sports need to acclimate themselves to raucous environments. As Jeff Hamlin has told me numerous times about this issue, “Volleyball is not Tennis. Get past the crowd and put the ball over the net.”

So what if you don’t play volleyball? What if you are a basketball player shooting free throws in a contested game with time winding down? Will the referees stop the crowds from making noise in order to throw you off? What if you are a pitcher in baseball or softball in a tied game in the late innings? Will the umpires silence spectators as you’re about to pitch? Unfortunately for student-athletes, what we saw in volleyball may not be relegated to volleyball in the future. It’s possible that hot student sections and fan bases could be extinguished in other sports – all in the name of “sportsmanship”.

This issue brings up a life lesson. If approached with an aggressive situation, how do you handle it? Do you succumb to the pressure, or do you rise above it through critical thinking and assertive action? If anything from the NFHS and NCHSAA, they want the pressure removed so you don’t face it. But as we all know, this never happens in life. At no time in life will pressure be removed so you can face more easier challenges. So why can’t our children, our students, and our players learn to overcome obstacles that face them head on?

As the landscape of high school athletics continues to change, one thing needs to be realized: Life goes on and doesn’t change under the guise of “Sportsmanship”. Challenges in life will either make you bitter or make you better. As we all are at the mountain, many will remain at base camp while some will make the climb. For a select number, they will ascend to the summit and declare victory. Don’t be afraid to start your journey towards victory despite a challenge before you. While you’re there, cheer on others in their climb towards victory.

My take on the issue? As long as the fans are respectful and not saying anything derogatory or defamatory –

Let the fans cheer. If they act in an unbecoming way, remove them from the gym. If the offenses are repetitive, the offender(s) must face suspension from attending games. But if they’re just cheering, making noise, and having a good time – let them be fans. Fans often go to games to release stress, hang out with friends, and to have a good time. If the rules continue to suppress fan involvement, then sooner or later there will be no fans at high school sporting events.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior men’s basketball guard Colton Taylor. This season, Taylor is the leading scorer for the Red Wolves under first-year head coach Mike Jones. On November 21, Taylor scored 15 points as the Red Wolves defeated the Durham School of the Arts 58-50 at Red Wolves Gymnasium, which was Jones’ first win as the coach of Cedar Ridge. In a stacked Central Carolina Conference, Taylor has stood toe-to-toe with some of the best players in the Central Carolina Conference. On December 9, Taylor scored 15 points against Person, ranked the #2 team in the 3A East Region by MaxPreps. Last season, Taylor led Cedar Ridge averaging 13.2 points per game. Taylor scored in double-figures in the Red Wolves last 15 games of the 2021-2022 season. In the Central Carolina Conference Tournament quarterfinals, Taylor scored a career-high 27 points against Person in Roxboro. Taylor also led the Red Wolves in scoring in wins over East Chapel Hill and Voyager Academy on December 2. Taylor was an All-Central Carolina Conference selection last year. He’s also a faithful member of the Wolfpack, the cheering section of the Cedar Ridge volleyball team who journeyed from location to location wherever the Red Wolves played, providing a home court advantage even when they weren’t in Hillsborough. Cedar Ridge will continue its season against crosstown rival Orange on January 3 at Red Wolves Gymnasium. They will face Franklin Academy in Hillsborough on January 5.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Colton Taylor

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior men’s basketball guard Colton Taylor. This season, Taylor is the leading scorer for the Red Wolves under first-year head coach Mike Jones. On November 21, Taylor scored 15 points as the Red Wolves defeated the Durham School of the Arts 58-50 at Red Wolves Gymnasium, which was Jones’ first win as the coach of Cedar Ridge.

There wasn’t any need for a big pep talk from Megan Skouby on the night of their Central Carolina Conference opener.

Her Cedar Ridge women’s basketball team still looked motivated enough against Person in Roxboro, where the bleachers spill right onto the edge of the floor and the gym gets very loud when it’s full. Despite the circumstances, Cedar Ridge convincingly defeated Person 58-27 on December 9.

It was only afterwards that Skouby learned something from Jeff Young, the father of guard Grace Young, that caused her to raise her eyebrows.

Cedar Ridge had just ended a 39-game conference losing streak. It was their first conference win since February 8, 2019, when the Red Wolves defeated East Chapel Hill 36-35 at Wildcats Gymnasium. In fact, back then Cedar Ridge played in the Big 8 Conference, as opposed to its current home, the Central Carolina Conference.

Overall, the Red Wolves ended a 19-game losing streak.

“I didn’t realize that until Jeff told me,” Skouby said. “I was like, ‘Oh. Well. Alright.’ I was pretty surprised but I’m happy we were able to win. Just trying to build a program back up year by year. It’s a good thing for us to get that win in the conference and we’re going to go from there.”

Guard Amiyah Ware, in her second game in a Cedar Ridge uniform, led the Red Wolves with 18 points. Freshman Jamee Rose Watson added 17 for Cedar Ridge (1-8, 1-1 in the Central Carolina Conference).

Ware, a junior, transferred from the Burlington School over the summer. She tore her ACL last spring and still plays with a brace on her right leg after six months of rehabilitation.

“Amiyah brings a calming presence to the team,” Skouby said. “She’s a great ball handler so it gives us that element that we really haven’t had before. She just knows the game so well that everyone kind of feeds off of her.”

For twin sisters Cierra and Cameron Copeland, it was a particularly gratifying win. Two years ago during the pandemic, basketball season started amid a cloud of uncertainty. Virtually no fans were permitted to attend games locally or in neighboring school districts. Games were often cancelled or moved with less than 24 hours notice.

Because of injuries, illness and player departures, Cedar Ridge barely had a women’s basketball squad in 2021. More often than not, they suited up only five players for games–the bare minimum allowed to field a team. Two of those players were Cierra and Cameron Copeland, who fought against the odds every night through an 0-8 season. If one of those five players fouled out, which happened several times, Cedar Ridge would be forced to play 5-on-4.

When Skouby, a former center at Iowa, took over the basketball team the following summer, her first job was simple: get more players.

She says, perhaps half-jokingly, that she’s relied on “harassment in the hallways.”

Sometimes, she’ll see a student of above average height walking down the hallways, point to them and, if she doesn’t know their names, say directly “You! You need to play basketball.”

Skouby, an assistant coach in volleyball, talked Young and Julie Altieri to play basketball shortly after the volleyball team won the 3A State Championship in the fall of 2021. When Young played against Durham School of the Arts in the 2021-2022 season opener, it was the first time she had played a basketball game since elementary school.

Some didn’t even have that much experience.

“I think a lot it has to do with the relationship I have with the kids,” Skouby said. “I’m able to joke, I’m able to keep that lightness. But I’m also serious about wanting them to get better everyday. The kids respect that. I have some kids in my science class and they come over and I talk to them.”

Her in-house recruiting efforts have paid dividends. For the first time in years, Cedar Ridge has a junior varsity team, as well as a varsity squad with 15 players.

“I think our confidence is getting better,” Skouby said. “We work everyday to try and make sure them to teach them that if you’re open, you have to shoot it. That’s the only way we can score. Before that, it was that game where they didn’t really want to shoot it because they didn’t want to be responsible Now, the kids realize that I’m not going to hold them responsible if they miss.”

At first glance, it’s an interesting time to take over a women’s basketball program. Northwood, who defeated Cedar Ridge on Friday, are the defending 3A State Champions.

Skouby isn’t living and dying with every win or loss right now. While she’s played in NCAA Tournament games and has been an assistant coach on a state championship volleyball squad, her focus isn’t purely on the scoreboard.

“I don’t really look too far into what our competition is going to be,” Skouby said. “I look in terms of what we can improve on each day. I tell them that I don’t always expect them to go out and beat the socks off of people. I expect them to go out and get better than the last game or the last practice.”

It wasn’t simply a win for the Cedar Ridge women’s basketball team in Roxboro on Friday night. It was the end of a losing streak that spanned nearly four years. The Red Wolves defeated Person 50-27 at Rockets Gymnasium. It ended a 39-game conference losing streak for the Red Wolves. Junior Amiyah Ware, in his second game in a Cedar Ridge uniform, led Cedar Ridge with 18 points. James Rose Watson, also in her first year for the Red Wolves added 17 points as the Red Wolves ended a 19-game overall losing streak. It was Cedar Ridge’s first conference win since they defeated East Chapel Hill on February 8, 2019. It was a great birthday present for Cedar Ridge senior guard Grace Young, who turned 18 last Friday. She added seven points for Cedar Ridge. Ware, a transfer from the Burlington School, had to sit out the first six games of the year after she suffered a torn ACL last spring. It was a signature moment for seniors Cameron and Cierra Copeland, two players who were out paying two years ago in the pandemic when the Red Wolves often only suited up five players. Red Wolves head coach Megan Skouby has now built the Cedar Ridge program to a varsity squad with 15 players, along with a junior varsity team. Cedar Ridge will host the defending 3A State Champions, Northwood, on Friday night in Hillsborough.

Cedar Ridge’s Amiyah Ware, Jamee Rose Watson & Grace Young discuss win at Person

It wasn’t simply a win for the Cedar Ridge women’s basketball team in Roxboro on Friday night. It was the end of a losing streak that spanned nearly four years. The Red Wolves defeated Person 50-27 at Rockets Gymnasium. It ended a 39-game conference losing streak for the Red Wolves.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior wrestler Kaden Tatro. This season, Kaden has started 22-0 with 16 pins. In the Red Wolf Invitational, Tatro won the 182-pound championship of the Red Wolf Invitational on November 19 at Cedar Ridge Gymnasium. Last season, Tatro qualified for the 3A State Championships at 170 pounds after he finished in fourth place at the 3A Mideast Regionals. As a freshman, Tatro missed qualifying for the state championships by one match at 160 pounds. He finished his freshman year 19-6, which was a heavily pared down season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If he had a standard-length freshman season, Tatro would likely surpass 100 wins this year. Last week, he won all four of his matches in the Red Wolf Duals via pinfall. He also won dual matches against defending Central Carolina Conference champion Orange and Chapel Hill. Tatro also won all of his matches during the Duals on November 3 in Raleigh. Cedar Ridge will continue its season on Wednesday when they face Eastern Alamance, Greensboro Dudley and Sanderson in a quad match at Cedar Ridge High. Kaden’s goal this year is to reach the state championships in February and place in his weight class.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Kaden Tatro

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior wrestler Kaden Tatro. This season, Kaden has started 22-0 with 16 pins. In the Red Wolf Invitational, Tatro won the 182-pound championship of the Red Wolf Invitational on November 19 at Cedar Ridge Gymnasium.