Orange Football

The 2023-2024 academic year was a time of transition for the Orange athletic department.

It also brought success across fall, winter and spring sports that led to the Panthers being honored with the Wells Fargo Conference Cup for the second straight season for being the top athletic program in the Central Conference.

The cup was presented to Orange Athletic Director Jason Knapp last month.

“It’s a testament to all the coaches we have working here day in and day out,” Knapp said. “The students have worked hard across the board. You’ve got to deserve to be successful and these students deserve success because they’ve worked for it.”

Orange had nine Central Conference champions last season. Their greatest success came in the fall sports season. The volleyball team, in its first season under head coach Hope Heverly, won its first regional championship since 2004 when they defeated cross-county rival Carrboro in five sets at Panthers Gymnasium. In the state championship match, Orange led Kings Mountain 2-sets-to-1 before the Mountaineers came back to win in five sets at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. Led by seniors Ella Wimsatt and Sadye Porter, the volleyball team won its first conference title since 2005.

The Orange men’s cross country team claimed the Mideast Regional championship in addition to the conference crown under head coach Brian Schneidewind. In the 3A State Championships, only Croatan finished ahead of the Panthers at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville. Gabriel Schmid of the Panthers won hit second consecutive 3A individual state championship. Schmid signed to run at N.C. State last year and is currently on a Mormon mission.

The winter sports season was just as successful with an unforgettable farewell season from Katie Belle Sikes, who is now swimming at the University of Georgia. Sikes led Orange to a runner-up finish in the 3A State Championships. For the first time ever, the Orange women’s swimming team won a conference championship at the Orange County Sportsplex. Sikes won two individual state championships. In addition, Sikes, Riley White, Zoe Jones and Piper White won the 200 yard medley relay state championship. White, Sikes, White and Ainsley Rasinske won the 200 yard freestyle relay state championship.

The Orange men’s swimming team also claimed the conference title and finished 2nd in the Mideast Regional championships. Junior Luke Roman won the 500 yard freestyle state championship. It was Orange’s 3rd consecutive men’s swimming conference title under head coach Ron Geib.

The Orange men’s basketball team claimed its first conference tournament championship since 2016 when they defeated Eastern Alamance at Person High School. Under the direction of head coach Derryl Britt, the Panthers also won the Central Conference regular season championship for the first time since 2017. Coleman Cloer was named the conference player of the year before he transferred to Caldwell Academy over the summer. Xandrell Pennix, Freddy Sneed and Kai Wade are back for this year’s Orange team.

The men’s lacrosse team, led by head coach Chandler Zirkle, claimed its fourth consecutive conference championship and won its first 3A/2A/1A Eastern Regional championship. Led by Connor Kruse, the all-time leading scorer in team history, the Panthers faced off against Lake Norman Charter at Durham County Stadium for the state championship.

The Orange baseball team tied with Southern Alamance for the regular season championship, but the Panthers advanced further in the 3A State Tournament than any other conference team. It was the fourth straight conference title for the Panthers, who defeated Cedar Ridge and Eastern Alamance in the state playoffs. Senior Cross Clayton was honored as Central Conference Pitcher of the Year after becoming the first Panther to win 20 games in a career since Bryse Wilson, who just finished his seventh Major League Baseball season.

The Orange men’s and women’s track and field team also won conference titles at Eastern Alamance High School. Myles Jermyn won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meter championships. Riley Potter claimed the conference title in the 300 meter hurdles.

In women’s track and field, Adelyn Alvis took the 400 meter dash and the long jump. Bree Harris took the 100 and 300 meter hurdles. Grace Pell won the high jump.

Orange’s softball team reached the third round of the state playoffs. The football, men’s soccer, women’s tennis, women’s basketball and women’s soccer team all reached the state playoffs.

It was Knapp’s first season as athletic director, but he never forgot he predecessor, Mike McCauley, who passed away suddenly from pancreatic cancer at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year, just before he was set to retire.

“We remember Mike every day,” Knapp said. “He’s as much a part of these championships as anyone.”

A dominant defensive display led the Orange Middle School Chargers football team to its second consecutive Orange Person Athletic Conference championship on Wednesday night. The Chargers held the Raiders to ten yards total offense and forced five turnovers in a 22-0 win at Auman Stadium. In the third quarter, Amir Johnson knocked the ball away from Raiders quarterback Kasen Evans that was recovered by Ayden DeVor, who ran the ball back 22 yards for a touchdown. Quarterback Brayden Robbins threw a shovel pass to wide receiver Cam Royster for an 8-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter to give the Chargers the lead. Robbins also scored on the subsequent 2-point conversion. Royster made an interception in the fourth quarter. In the opening frame, Robbins, playing as a defensive back, recovered a fumble along the Raiders sideline. In the fourth quarter, Johnson received the lion’s share of carries as the Panthers started to run the clock out. Asher DeVore would score the final Charger touchdown of the season on a 28-yard touchdown run. Orange’s first-team defense only allowed 20 points all season. They finished the year 9-0 and handed the Raiders its first shutout of the season. Many of the Chargers who were instrumental on defense were 7th graders, leading OMS to even more promise for the 2025 season.

Orange Middle’s Royster, DeVore, Johnson, DeVore & Robbins discuss winning the OPAC Football title

A dominant defensive display led the Orange Middle School Chargers football team to its second consecutive Orange Person Athletic Conference championship on Wednesday night. The Chargers held the Raiders to ten yards total offense and forced five turnovers in a 22-0 win at Auman Stadium.

As the Orange Middle School football team gathered to receive its second consecutive OPAC Football Championship trophy in front of parents and fans, their athletic director reminded them of the importance of celebrating success quietly.

It was just as well. During the proceeding 90 minutes, the Chargers defense was as calm as a bomb.

Orange Middle forced five turnovers and held the Northern Raiders to ten yards total offense for a 22-0 victory in the Orange Person Athletic Conference championship game at Auman Stadium on Wednesday night. It was the Chargers 2nd straight OPAC title. They finished the season with a 9-0 record.

There was more than just the allure of a championship that provided incentive for the Chargers. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson, who played at OMS when it was known as Stanford Middle School, sent in a video wishing the team good luck in the lead up to the game. Playing under the bright lights of Auman Stadium as opposed to their middle school stadium down the hill from Orange High, the Chargers marched up together as a team and into the stadium to face their biggest out-of-town rival.

It was Northern Middle who came closest to beating the Chargers during the regular season, scoring 20 points in a September matchup in Roxboro. It took a last minute touchdown from Orange’s Cam Royster and a 2-point run by Robbins to secure the win.

On Wednesday night, the Orange defense made sure no late heroics would be required to beat the Raiders this time. Northern was shutout for the first time all season and contained to four first downs.

“This was the best team I’ve ever coached,” said Orange Middle head coach Jamie Bailey. “Our defense has shut down teams all year long. Our defense line was the most important thing. They were dominant all year long. The defensive line is what makes the defense, man. If you can get pressure and create chaos, you get turnovers, that makes a big difference.”

Ayden DeVore, Amir Johnson, Jakia Rawles and Asher DeVore all recorded tackles for loss for the Chargers in the opening 16 minutes.

The first half was a battle of field position where Orange steadily gained control, though they endured a few missed scoring opportunities. Chargers running back Wilbert Torain had a 25-yard touchdown run called back because of a holding penalty on Orange’s first play from scrimmage.

Brayden Robbins, playing as a defensive back, recovered a long pass thrown across the field by Northern quarterback Kasen Evans that was ruled a lateral and, thus, a fumble. Following the change of possession, Robbins ran the ball on offense to the Raiders 6-yard line on a 12-yard run, Northern’s Jamir McClain stepped in front of a screen pass for an interception where Robbins raced him down from behind for a touchdown-saving tackle with 1:47 remaining in the first quarter.

“Brayden is tough,” Bailey said. “Brayden is a man.”

On the very next play, the Chargers won the ball back when Rawles recovered a fumble created off an edge rush by Ayden Devore.

To open the second quarter, the Chargers Asher DeVore and Amir Johnson teamed up to sack Evans on a 4th-and-13, which led to Orange’s first touchdown. Robbins took off around right end for a 26-yard gain on a designed keeper to penetrate the Raiders red zone. On a second-and-goal, Robbins scooped it to Cam Royster on a shovel pass for a touchdown with 5:04 remaining in the first half. Robbins turned the left corner on a keeper to dance in the end zone on the 2-point conversion.

The Raiders had its only sustained drive of the night on their next series. It started when running back Daelyn Washington ran for 12 yards. Later, Washington would convert a 4th-and-2 by a whisker, but Evans was sacked by Johnson on the next play. On 4th down, Evans threw long to Kazorian Thorpe, who was wide open. But Charger defensive back Jakob Silinski got over to batter the pass away to end the drive.

“Silinski is a guy who has been playing offense all year long,” Bailey said. “Tonight, we decided to play him at cornerback. He’s been begging me to play cornerback. So we took him off offense so he could focus on defense. He had a heckuva game.”

The Chargers defense dominated the second half. After the Raiders drove to the Chargers 31-yard line, Amir Johnson wrestled the ball away from Evans. The loose ball was scooped up by Ayden DeVore, who ran 23 yards for a defensive touchdown. Robbins scored the 2-point conversion to vault the Chargers to a 16-0 lead with 2:52 remaining in the third quarter.

Royster ended the third quarter with an interception of an Evans pass.

Orange went into ball control mode to open the fourth quarter with Johnson getting the main share of the carries out of the I-formation. After Johnson ran for eleven yards, Asher DeVore took a handoff from the fullback position and broke free around right guard for a 28-yard touchdown run.

Torain sacked Evans on the next Raiders drive, jarring the ball free. Jamyrie Thompson recovered the loose ball.

The Raiders had another chance to score on its final drive when McClain threw the ball on a trick play to Evans, but once again Silinski batted the ball free, a perfect cap to a perfect defensive night.

Best of all for Orange Middle, many of the players who asserted themselves defensively were seventh graders who are set to return with a third consecutive OPAC Championship on their minds for 2025.

But that can wait. On Wednesday night, it was all about celebrating properly.

“It means everything,” Bailey said. “Just trying to get football back going in Orange County. That way, we can feed it to the high schools and get them going again. I’m proud of this team, but I’m not surprised. I knew we were going to have a good team and we proved that. This is my favorite team I’ve ever coached.”

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This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior wide receiver Kingston Purefoy-Farrington. This season, Purefoy-Farrington has scored six touchdowns, including three against Walter Williams in Burlington last month. He finished with 200 yards receiving against the Bulldogs, his second 200-yard receiving game of the season. In the season opener against Southeast Alamance, Purefoy-Farrington had 220 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Purefoy-Farrington also had 86 yards receiving against Person with a touchdown. In the spring, Purefoy-Farrington runs track and field in the 100 and 200 meter dash. Last year, he qualified for the 3A State Championships at North Carolina A&T State University in the 4×100 meter relay team. He has a goal of qualifying individually for the 100 meters next spring just before he graduates. Hunter Albert scored two touchdowns in Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge for Homecoming. Albert earned his first touchdown of an interception return. Later, he caught a pass from quarterback Kyse Devore as the Panthers retained the victory bell. Albert starts as a wide receiver on offense and as a defensive back. He has 43 solo tackles this season. Albert has three career interceptions. Orange will conclude its season with a trip to Mebane to face Eastern Alamance on Friday night at the John Kirby Sports Complex. You can hear the game on Hillsboroughsports.com starting at 6:50.

Orange Panther of the Week: Kingston Purefoy-Farrington; Defensive Player of the Week: Hunter Albert

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior wide receiver Kingston Purefoy-Farrington. This season, Purefoy-Farrington has scored six touchdowns, including three against Walter Williams in Burlington last month. He finished with 200 yards receiving against the Bulldogs, his second 200-yard receiving game of the season.

Photo by Abigail Pfeiffenberger 

Orange Middle 28, Northern Roxboro 20: It was expected that the showdown between Orange Middle and Northern Roxboro on October 23 in Person County would be the biggest threat to the Chargers unbeaten streak to start the year.

Indeed, the Raiders and the Chargers were tied 20-20 with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. After the Raiders scored the game-tying touchdown, the Chargers got a huge kickoff return from Cam Royster, who was finally downed at the Norther 18-yard line. As dusk set on a field without lights, quarterback Brayden Robbins scored the game-winning touchdown, then added a two-point conversion. The Orange defense held up to secure the victory.

Royster, Wilbert To rain and Jakob Silinski also scored touchdowns for Orange Middle.

Orange Middle 36, Culbreth 6: The Chargers ensured that it would host the Orange-Person Athletic Conference Championship game on November 13 with a home victory over the Cougars in Hillsborough on Wednesday.

Wilbert Torain scored two touchdowns, one on offense and another on defense. Torain made an interception and returned it for a touchdown. Asher Devore, Brayden Robbins and Cam Royster also had touchdowns for the Chargers.

Orange Middle will host Gravelly Hill for 8th grade night next Wednesday for the regular season finale.

The Chargers will face Northern Roxboro for the OPAC Championship at Auman Stadium at Orange High School on November 13 at 5PM.

Volleyball: The Stanback Bulldogs have won the Northern Division championship in the OPAC. Stanback, coached by Izzy Sheppard, a member of Cedar Ridge volleyball’s 2021 3A State Championship team, went 10-2 during the regular season. They will face Smith Middle School for the OPAC Championship on November 7. Earlier this month, the Bulldogs defeated Orange Middle to win the division title.

Orange Middle fell to 9-2 after the loss.

Stanback’s junior varsity team won their division title, also finishing with a 10-2 record.

The Orange football team will end not only its season, but its stint in the Central Conference this Friday night against Eastern Alamance in Mebane. In the four years since the league was created from realignment, Orange has never defeated a team from Alamance County. Unlike previous years, the Panthers have been competitive against Central Conference teams in 2024. Orange led Southern Alamance 14-0 in the first quarter for Senior Night two weeks ago. It’s been a spectacular season for senior wide receiver Kingston Purefoy-Farrington, who has six touchdown catches. Against Walter Williams last month, Purefoy-Farrington had three touchdown catches. Junior quarterback Kyse Devore came on for an injured Hank Nunnery and threw four touchdown passes in a Homecoming win over Cedar Ridge. Devore also rushed for a touchdown. Junior defensive back Hunter Albert had an interception return for a touchdown and a reception for a touchdown. Against Person, Bradsher returned a kickoff to open the second half for a touchdown. He became the first Orange player to return a kickoff for a touchdown since Wynston Brown did it against Eastern Alamance in 2021. Orange will face Eastern Alamance at the John Kirby Sports Complex in Mebane on Friday night. You can hear the game on Hillsboroughsports.com.

Orange football’s Devore, Bradsher, Purefoy-Farrington and Albert discuss Homecoming win

The Orange football team will end not only its season, but its stint in the Central Conference this Friday night against Eastern Alamance in Mebane. In the four years since the league was created from realignment, Orange has never defeated a team from Alamance County.