Orange Baseball

Icez Barnett: Erskine defeated the Division II Chowan women’s basketball team 60-57 on Saturday in Due West, S.C. Barnett didn’t play. Last Tuesday, #21 Belmont-Abbey defeated Chowan 95-84. Barnett scored two points in three minutes. The Hawks are 4-16, 4-12 in Conference Carolinas.

Lauren Cates: The Wake Tech women’s basketball team edged Bryant & Stratton College 62-59 on Saturday at Maury High School in Norfolk, VA. Cates, who graduated from Orange in 2019, finished with four points, one rebound, two assists and two steals. She shot 1-of-5 from the field. On Wednesday, Louisburg College defeated Wake Tech 80-66 in a game where the two teams combined for seven technical fouls. Cates finished with six points. Wake Tech is 15-5 overall, 8-4 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Jamar Davis: The N.C. State indoor track & field team competed at the Texas Tech Invitational in Lubbock, TX over the weekend. Davis finished 11th in the triple jump with a leap of 15.38 meters.

Braden Homsey: Over the weekend, the Division III Ferrum Panthers wrestling team finished 16th at the Pete Wilson Invitational at Wheaton University in Wheaton, IL. Homsey came in 7th at 197 pounds, one of three Panthers to place individually. Homsey finished 5-2 with two pins in the tournament. This season, Homsey is 24-9 with two pins.

Next weekend will start the spring sports season for many college across the state. Hillsborough will be represented in baseball, softball and men’s lacrosse. Here are some of the local athletes that will return to action at colleges across the southeast.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State catcher was named a Preseason All-American by Softball America. Davidson, who led Orange to the 2017 3A State Championship, is 10th among active players with 45 home runs in her first two years in Starkville. She led Mississippi State in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, hits, runs, RBIs and total bases in 2019. Davidson was a top-10 finalist for USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year in 2019.

Montana Davidson: Montana will join Mia Davidson for a Mississippi State team that hired Samantha Ricketts as its new head coach in the offseason. After Montana received a medical redshirt during her sophomore season due to a knee injury, she started all 58 games for the Bulldogs in 2019. As a redshirt sophomore, she hit .269 with seven doubles and 21 RBIs. Mississippi State will play Missouri State to start its season on Friday during a weekend series in Clearwater, FL. That series will also include N.C. State, Louisville, and Liberty.

Amy Stutzer: Stutzer, a 2019 Cedar Ridge graduate, will start her softball career at Division III Salem College in Virginia against Southern Virginia on February 14.

Brad Debo: This upcoming season will be the senior campaign for Debo, who was the catcher for four consecutive Big 8 Conference championship teams for the Orange Panthers. Last season for N.C. State, Debo appeared in 59 of the Wolfpack’s 61 games. He hit .242 with 47 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, four homers and 39 RBIs. The Wolfpack will start its season against James Madison on February 14.

Brandon Andrews: Andrews will start his junior season with the Nicholls Colonels against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville in Thibodaux, LA on February 14. Andrews appeared in 24 games as a pitcher last season for the Colonels. He was 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA and two saves.

Jaylin Jones: The Division II Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team has become Hillsborough south. There are three former Orange and Cedar Ridge players who will suit up for the Falcons this year. Jones will start his junior season in Misenheimer. In his sophomore season, Jones made six starts and played in 16 games. He scored two goals and added three assists for the Falcons.

Zach Berry: The former Cedar Ridge goalkeeper transferred from the Virginia Military Institute to Pfeiffer last season. In his only year at VMI, Berry was between the pipes for five games. He gave up seven goals in 55 minutes and made six saves.

Luke Hernandez: Also now at Pfeiffer. Hernandez played in one game for the Falcons last season. Pfeiffer faces Emmanuel in Franklin Springs, GA on Saturday.

Bowen Collins: A former star at Orange, Collins is now at redshirt senior at Division Lenoir-Rhyne. Last season, Collins played in 15 games for the Bears. He scored seven points with ten shots on goal.

Zach Wright: Now a senior at Division II Mars Hill, Wright had nine goals in 15 games last season. Mars Hill hosts Montevallo on Saturday.

Aidan Poole: A former defenseman at Cedar Ridge, Poole is now at Division III Greensboro College. Greensboro opens its season on February 15 against Virginia Wesleyan at Pride Field in Greensboro.

In this edition of Thanksgiving wishes, we hear from Orange’s Cooper Porter, Grace Andrews and Taylor Montague, along with Cedar Ridge’s Anaya Carter.

In this edition, we ask Orange shortstop Joey Berini, Cedar Ridge volleyball setter ShiLi Quade, Cedar Ridge women’s basketball center Caitlyn Lloyd and Red Wolf soccer midfielder Eh Kaw Hso what they’re thankful for. Wait until the end for a thoughtful answer from one of the athletes.

The 2013-2016 years of Orange baseball could be labeled the Wilson/Debo era.

The period that followed that have been the Berini/Cooper era.

Joey Berini and Cooper Porter each started their varsity careers on March 1, 2017 in a 6-0 win over Riverside in Hillsborough. Berini started at shortstop, Porter entered as a courtesy runner. Ironically, Porter started at shortstop in the next game at Jordan, the only time in his career that Berini didn’t start. Since then, Berini has been Orange’s starting shortstop for 69 consecutive games.

After beginning their high school careers together, Berini and Cooper took the next step in their respective baseball journey on Friday afternoon at Orange High Gymnasium.

Now, they have to prepare for the very likely possibility they’ll be opposing each other in college.

Porter, who committed to N.C. State shortly after his freshman season, formally signed with the Wolfpack.

“I just felt like State was the best option,” Porter said. “It’s in the ACC. It’s close to home. It felt more like home to me when I went on my visit.”

Berini signed with East Carolina, where he committed last spring. He was courted by UNC, UNC Asheville, Western Carolina, UNC Greensboro and North Carolina Central, among others.

“I’ve always wanted to (play college baseball),” Berini said. “I guess I knew when I started getting some (college recruiting) looks that I could play in college. It’s always been my dream to play in college and I’ve worked towards that.”

Berini was named the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year in 2018. He led the Panthers in five offensive categories with a .541 batting average, 35 runs scored, 33 hits, 12 doubles and four triples. He was third on the team with 26 RBIs.

As Berini prepares for his senior year, his younger brother is set to take over his long-held spot in the Orange infield. Jackson Berini is a shortstop at Stanford Middle School. Jackson hit leadoff with the Chargers last season, where they captured the Orange-Person Athletic Conference Northern Division championship.

N.C. State coach Elliott Avent wasted no time with a scholarship offer after Porter’s freshman year, when he played four different positions, including four appearances on the mound. Wolfpack coaches maintained contact with Porter while he played on the Showcase summer circuit with Canes Central.

“They reached out immediately to me,” Porter said. “They came to all my tournaments and stayed in contact with me more than the other coaches did.”

Berini and Cooper started as freshmen just as the program was in the midst of change. At the time, they had no idea the biggest transformation was yet to come.

After leading Orange to four consecutive Big 8 Conference championships, Bryse Wilson and Brad Debo had just graduated in 2016. Wilson was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball Draft days after he turned his tassel at the Smith Center. Debo was en route to N.C. State.

Berini and Porter learned on the job in their freshmen year as Orange started 9-11. They reached the postseason and had a remarkable run, beating South Johnston in Four Oaks 4-2. The following Friday, the Panthers pulled a 2-1 upset over Southern Lee in Sanford, despite being held to four hits and six baserunners. Porter had the game-winning hit with an RBI single to score Dalton Brown in the 2nd inning.

The following Tuesday in Shallotte, Orange was two outs away from another upset against West Brunswick, leading 1-0 in the seventh inning. Berini scored Orange’s only run off a groundout by Caige Clayton. In the 7th, West Brunswick’s Garrison Gause launched a solo homer to centerfield just beyond the extended glove of Jayden Poteat to tie the game, only the second home run hit in the Trojan’s spacious ballpark the entire year. It was something that was more than poetic.

Gause’s father died the week before from cancer. The Trojans won 2-1 in eight innings.

In their sophomore season, Orange defeated Jacksonville 6-2 in the state playoffs. Porter had an RBI double to score Poteat in the opening inning as Orange roared out to a 6-0 lead. It was Orange’s seven consecutive year with a postseason win, tying Southeast Guilford for the longest streak in 3A baseball.

It was also be Dean Dease’s final one.

The following month, Dease retired after winning 504 games in 34 years.

Berini and Porter helped new Coach Jason Knapp usher in another Panther era in 2019, where they finished second in the Big 8.

Berini and Porter weren’t the only members of Orange’s 2019 squad to sign with a college team this week. On Wednesday, former Cedar Ridge and Orange infielder Dante DeFranco signed with Charlotte. DeFranco’s commitment to the 49ers was reported on Hillsboroughsports.com last month.

Shortly after his freshman season ended at Orange in 2017, Cooper Porter committed to N.C. State. On Friday, Porter officially signed with the Wolfpack during a ceremony at Orange High gymnasium. Porter has been the ultimate utility man for the Panthers from the time he started as a freshman. He’s played 3rd base, left field, centerfield, catcher, and pitcher. Last year, he was Orange’s 2nd day starter in the rotation, he went 3-0 with a 2.21 ERA in 12 appearances. He also earned two saves. At the plate, Porter hit .355 with 22 hits. He was second on the team with 28 RBIs. Porter has spoken with an Orange High graduate, Brad Debo, about possibly attending N.C. State. He will play under Coach Elliott Avent in Raleigh. But first, Porter hopes to help Orange to its first Big 8 Conference Championship since 2015. 

Joey Berini was the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year in 2018. His performance with Orange and his summer travel team, the Cubs, led to him signing with East Carolina University during a ceremony at Orange High Gymnasium on Thursday afternoon. Berini has been a starter at shortstop for Orange since his freshman season, when he helped the Panthers make an improbable run to the 3rd round of the 3A State Playoffs. Last year, led Orange in five offensive categories, including a .541 batting average, 35 runs scored, 33 hits, 26 RBIs, 12 doubles and four RBIs as Orange finished 14-6 and claimed an automatic spot in the state playoffs. Berini has a career batting average of .383 with 79 career hits and he ventures into his senior season with Orange. As a sophomore, Berini hit .369 with 24 hits and 16 RBIs. 

Kayla Hodges: The Elon women’s soccer team had a thrilling 3-2 win over William & Mary at Rudd Field in Elon on Thursday night. Former Orange High star Kayla Hodges opened the scoring with a goal in the 47th minute. It was the 2nd goal of her career. Hodges headed in a cross from the five yard box on a cross sent in by Beky Myers. Elon scored the game-winning goal in extra time from Jessica Carrieri in the 101st minute. Hodges, a sophomore, finished with three shots, two of them on net. She has started in all 12 of the Phoenix’s games this year. Elon is 8-3-1 overall, 2-1 in the Colonial Athletic Association. Hodges also started in Sunday’s 5-0 loss at Hofstra in Hempstead, N.Y. on Sunday. Elon hosts Drexel at Rudd Field on Sunday.

Brittany Daley: The Division III Greensboro College women’s soccer team defeated Averett University 4-1 on Tuesday at Campbell Stadium in Danville, VA. Daley, a sophomore who graduated from Cedar Ridge in 2018, started her eleventh game of the season at center back. Greensboro is 8-3, 2-0 in the USA South Conference. The Pride will hosts Methodist University on Saturday in Greensboro.

Jordan Rogers: On Tuesday, the Pfeiffer women’s soccer team shut out William Peace University 5-0 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Jordan Rogers started at wingback for the Pacers, who are now 4-5-1, 1-1 in the USA South Conference. Rogers, a sophomore who graduated from Orange in 2018, has started in all ten of Peace’s games this season. Peace hosts Trinity Washington University on Friday night in Cary.

Lionel Reid-Shaw: On Wednesday night, Franklin & Marsh defeated the Division III Dickinson men’s soccer team 2-1 in Lancaster, PA. Franklin & Marsh came into the match ranked #4 nationally in Division III. Former Orange star Lionel Reid-Shaw started for the Red Devils. Dickinson is now 5-5, 2-1 in the Centennial Conference. Reid-Shaw has played in all ten of the Red Devils’ games this year, starting five. Dickinson host Ursinus on Saturday in Carlisle, PA.

Bryse Wilson: As the Atlanta Braves started its National League Divisional Series against the St. Louis Cardinals at SunTrust Park on Thursday night, Wilson’s season officially came to an end earlier this week. Wilson was left off Atlanta’s 25-man playoff roster. It marks the second year in a row that Wilson finished the regular season with Atlanta as they wrapped up a National League East Division Championship. Wilson ends the year with a 10-7 record with the AAA Gwinnett Braces of the International League. He had a 3.42 ERA in 21 starts and 121 innings. He had 118 strikeouts and 26 walks. Wilson started the season with Atlanta and was recalled from Gwinnett five times during the course of the season. In Atlanta, Wilson made four starts and six overall appearances. He had a 1-1 record with a 7.20 ERA in 20 innings.

Lili Henry: The 2018 Cedar Ridge graduate started for the Division III Methodist volleyball team on Tuesday night. Pfeiffer swept the Monarchs at the Riddle Center in Fayetteville. Henry had 15 assists, six digs and two aces. The Falcons won on scores of 28-26, 25-14 and 25-23. Methodist falls to 2-10, 1-3 in the USA South Conference. The Monarchs travel to Methodist College on Saturday for a tri-match with Meredith and Mary Baldwin University.

Taylin Jean: The former Cedar Ridge goalkeeper posted her 3rd shutout of the season for the Limestone women’s soccer team on Wednesday night. Division II Limestone defeated North Greenville 3-0 at Saints Field in Gaffney, SC on Wednesday night. Jean made four saves in her sixth start of the season. She is now 3-3. After not playing last season, Jean also had clean sheets against Chowan and Lander earlier this month. Limestone improved to 2-1 in Conference Carolinas. On Saturday, Limestone will face Barton College in Wilson. 

Jordan Rogers: Division III William Peace University scored a resounding 7-0 win over Sweet Briar in Sweet Briar, VA on Wednesday night. Former Orange star Jordan Rogers made her eighth start of the season as a wingback. Rogers has started every game for the Pacers this year. With Wednesday night‘s win, Peace has already exceeded its win total from 2018. They’re now 3-4-1 overall. They will open play in the USA South Athletic Conference against Mary Baldwin College at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on Saturday. 

Brittany Daley: On Sunday, Division III Greensboro College fell to Eastern Mennonite 1-0 at EMU Turf Field in Harrisonburg, VA. Daley, a 2018 Cedar Ridge graduate, made her eighth start of the season at centerback. Daley had played 642 minutes for the Pride this season after making 15 starts in her freshman season. Greensboro is 5-3. They host Ferrum College on Thursday night at Pride Field in Greensboro.

Lionel Reid-Shaw: The Division III Dickinson men’s soccer team shutout Neumann University 3-0 on Tuesday night in Aston, PA. The Red Devils are now 4-4. Reid-Shaw started the game at centerback and was credited with one shot off a corner kick. Reid-Shaw has played in all eight of Dickinson’s games this year. The Red Devils return to action in the Centennial Conference on Saturday against McDaniel College.

Bryse Wilson: Though he hasn’t pitched since Game 4 of the Governor’s Cup Semifinal series for the Gwinnett Stripers of the International League, Wilson is still on the 40-man roster for the Atlanta Braves. For the second year in a row, the Braves clinched the National League Eastern Division Championship on Friday, beating San Francisco 6-0 in SunTrust Park. The Braves will wrap up the regular season this weekend with a three-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field in New York. Last season, Wilson finished the regular season with Atlanta but wasn’t on the 25-man postseason roster.

Rodney Brooks: As mentioned in Sunday’s update, the Division II Livingstone Blue Bears defeated Allen University 21-7 at Alumni Memorial Football Stadium in Salisbury on Saturday. Brooks, who spent last season with Fort Union Military Academy, had a fumble recovery for Livingstone, one of two turnovers forced by the Blue Bears’ defense. Brooks has played in all three games this season. Livingstone is 2-1 and will face Lincoln University in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Lili Henry: Division III Salem College defeated Methodist University in volleyball 3-1 on Wednesday night at the Riddle Center in Fayetteville. The Spirits defeated the Monarchs on scores of 25-21, 25-21, 24-26 and 25-21. It was the USA South Athletic Conference opener for Methodist. Monarchs junior Lili Henry, who graduated from Cedar Ridge in 2017, finished with 15 assists and one ace. Henry leads the team 167 assists this season. The Monarchs are 1-8 overall and will host Averett University in Fayetteville on Saturday. 

Jackson Schmid: The Division III Wheaton Thunder football team started its season with a 38-0 win over Monmouth (Illinois) at Zorn Stadium in Monmoth, IL on Saturday. Schmid, who was the quarterback for an undefeated Orange team in 2016, is now a safety with the Thunder. He recorded a career high two tackles on Saturday. Schmid, a junior, played three games for the Thunder last season.

Payton Wilson: N.C. State defeated Western Carolina 49-0 at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday. In his second college game, Wilson registered three tackles and a quarterback hit. He had six tackles in the season-opener against East Carolina last week.

Trent Gill: The 2017 Cedar Ridge graduate handled punting duties for N.C. State on Saturday. Gill had three punts for an 49.3 yard average. His longest punt was 58 yards, with two kicks inside the 20-yard line. Gill also had eight kickoffs with three touchbacks. The Wolfpack will take this week off, then return against Ball State on September 21.

Stone Edwards: After missing Vanderbilt’s season-opener against #3 Georgia on August 31st, the 2017 Orange graduate made his season-debut for the Commodores against Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, IN on Saturday. Edwards, who was listed as second-string defensive end on the Vanderbilt depth chart, wasn’t credited with a tackle. The Boilermakers defeated the Commodores 42-24.

Keshawn Thompson: The FCS Campbell Camels defeated Division II Shaw University 38-14 at Barker-Lane Stadium in Buies Creek on Saturday. Thompson was credited with two tackles. The Camels (1-1) return to action against Davidson on September 21.

Bryse Wilson: The day after making an appearance for the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, Wilson returned to the Gwinnett Stripers of the AAA International League the next day. On Saturday, Wilson got the start as the Columbus Clippers defeated the Stripers 5-4 in Game 4 of the Governor’s Cup Semifinals at Huntington Park. The Clippers clinched the series three games to one and advanced to face the Durham Bulls in the Governor’s Cup Finals. Wilson went six innings in a no-decision. He surrendered ten hits and three runs. Gwinnett led 4-3 in the middle of the eighth, but couldn’t hold on to the lead. Gwinnett ends the season after a club record 81 wins. Wilson, who could return to Atlanta before the regular season ends, was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher for the Stripers last week. He finished 10-7 with a 3.42 in 21 starts for the Stripers this season. In his final ten starts, Wilson went 7-1 with a 3.12 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 13 walks.

Madison Wardlow: After graduating as Cedar Ridge’s career leading scorer in women’s basketball, Wardlow has enrolled at Guilford Technical Community College, where she plans to continue her basketball career. Wardlow was the first Cedar Ridge player to score over 1,000 points, a mark she eclipsed in February against Southern Durham.

Kayla Hodges: For the fifth time in five games, Hodges started for the Elon women’s soccer team in a 3-1 win over Richmond at President’s Field in Richmond, VA on Thursday. Hodges wasn’t credited with a shot on goal. The Phoenix are now 4-1 after going 3-10-4 in 2018.

Taylin Jean: The 2018 Cedar Ridge graduate made her college debut for Division II Limestone women’s soccer team on Thursday. North Georgia defeated the Saints 4-1 at the UNG Soccer Complex in Dahlonega, GA. Jean got her first college start in net and made three saves. Jean was the Big 8 Goalkeeper of the year her final two seasons at Cedar Ridge.

Brittany Daley: The Division III Greensboro College women’s soccer team won its third straight game over Southern Virginia 4-0 in Buena Vista, VA on Saturday. Daley, a 2018 Cedar Ridge graduate, started at centerback. She has started all four of the Pride’s games this year, playing 90 minutes twice. Greensboro is 3-1.

Jordan Rogers: On Saturday, Rogers started for Division III William Peace University. Agnes Scott defeated the Pacers 1-0 in Decatur, GA. The Pacers are 0-2 and will try to pick up its first win of 2019 against Hollins University at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on Tuesday.

Lionel Reid-Shaw: The Division III Dickinson men’s soccer team suffered its first loss against Lebanon Valley 2-0 on Saturday in Annville, PA. Reid-Shaw entered the game as a reserve and has played in all three of Dickinson’s games so far this season. The Red Devils are 2-1.

Bailey Lucas: The Division III Meredith College volleyball team went 1-2 in the Washington & Lee Invite at the Duchossois Center in Lexington, VA on Friday and Saturday. The Avenging Angels defeated Southern Virginia 3-2 on Friday. Lucas had one kill, 17 assists and two digs against the Knights. On Saturday, Gettysburg defeated Meredith 3-2. Lucas finished with 19 assists and six digs. Washington & Lee also knocked off Meredith 3-2. Lucas had three kills, 18 assists, and four digs. The Avenging Angels are now 4-2.

After helping the Gwinnett Stripers win a franchise-record 81 games and the International League’s Southern Division championship, Bryse Wilson has been named the Stripers’ Most Outstanding Pitcher.

As Gwinnett honored Wilson, he was promoted to Atlanta on Monday. Wilson entered Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays and tossed a scoreless sixth inning. He ran into problems in the seventh as Rowdy Tellez launched a solo homer over the left field wall. Wilson went one-and-one-thirds innings, and allowed four hits and two earned runs.

The Braves defeated the Blue Jays 7-2 for its sixth straight win. Atlanta now leads the Washington Nationals by six-and-a-half games in the National League East.

Wilson started 2019 in Atlanta. His latest promotion is his fifth stint with the Braves this season and seventh since 2018.

In his final six starts for Gwinnett, Wilson threw 40 innings and had a 0.90 ERA. He struck out 37 while conceding 31 hits. Opponents hit only .217 against him. Wilson had six quality starts and went 6-0 in that span, helping the Stripers rally past the Durham Bulls in the standings for its second division championship since moving to Georgia from Richmond, VA in 2009.

Gwinnett will start play in the Governor’s Cup Playoffs against the Columbus Clippers on Wednesday. Game one of the best-of-five series will be in Coolray Field in Larenceville, GA.

Scott Satterfield: 1991 Orange High graduate Scott Satterfield made his head coaching debut with the Louisville Cardinals on Monday night. #8 Notre Dame pulled away from the Cardinals 35-17 in Cardinals Stadium. It was Satterfield’s first game after five seasons at his alma mater, Appalachian State. In Boone, Satterfield led the Mountaineers to three consecutive Sun Belt Conference championships in its transition from the Southern Conference of the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision. Satterfield was a quarterback at Orange and also played safety. In his high school career, the only varsity year he was healthy was 1990, when Orange went 7-3. Satterfield tore his ACL int he season-opener of the 1989 season at Eastern Alamance.

Satterfield went on to become an FCS (then I-AA) All-American at Appalachian State. As fate would have it, the top tailback on his offense was 1993 Orange graduate Damon Scott, who would also become an FCS All-American. Together, the two helped Appalachian win the 1995 Southern Conference Championship, beating a Marshall team that included future NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss.

Satterfield also was the offensive coordinator at Florida International and quarterbacks coach at Toledo before returning to Boone, where he succeeded his mentor Jerry Moore as head coach.

Louisville hosts FCS Eastern Kentucky on Saturday night.

Kayla Hodges: The Elon women’s soccer team suffered its first loss of the season on Sunday. Furman defeated Elon 3-0 at Stone Soccer Stadium in Greenville, SC. Hodges started at midfield, as she has all of the Phoenix’s games so far this season. Elon is 3-1 and travels to Richmond on Thursday.

Brittany Daley: The 2018 Cedar Ridge graduate made another start for the Division III Greensboro College women’s soccer team on Sunday. The Pride defeated Bob Jones University 5-1 in Greenville, S.C. Greensboro is 2-1 and faces Southern Virginia University on Saturday.