Orange Men’s Soccer

BAILEY–Exactly three months after its season started, Orange men’s soccer ventured into Bailey on Tuesday night.

They have played in 13 different stadiums across ten different towns.

They scored 66 goals and won a school record 16 games.

In the end, the number that Coach Palmer Bowman wanted more than anything else was one.

Just one more practice with a group that had been the most successful in the 37-year history of the team. A group that had overachieved since they kicked off the long campaign on August 12, with a heat advisory in effect, in its first-ever win against Carrboro.

“It was a good group,” Bowman said. “I wanted to keep it rolling after tonight.”

On Tuesday night, fans gathered at Firebirds Stadium wearing earmuffs, sweatshirts and overcoats in 55-degree weather to watch Southern Nash forward Wyatt Earp put the tombstone on Orange’s season.

Earp scored two goals while junior Mario Arredondo scored the game-winning goal with 5:19 remaining in the first half as Southern Nash defeated Orange 4-1 in the second round of the 3A State Playoffs. The Firebirds, the champions of the Big East Conference, will face J.H. Rose in the third round on Thursday night.

Orange, which reached the second round of the playoffs for only the second time in school history, ends the season 16-6.

“They’re fast,” Bowman said as he finished an emotional team meeting. “We turned the ball over a lot and they exploited that really quickly. At time, we were careless with the ball and they’re a quick team. They punished us we were turned it over, especially in the middle of the field.”

From kickoff, the Firebirds established a tempo that was as loud as the colors of their uniforms. A fast, pressing attack made it difficult for Orange to gain any significant possessions in the attacking end of the field. The Firebirds Yair Payola scored off a header just minutes into the game, leaving Orange with an uphill battle the entire night.

The best attempt in the first half for Orange came when Demetrius Holmes outfought a Firebird to win a ball in the box late in the first half. Holmes made the turn and fired from ten yards, but it sailed over the crossbar into the crisp November night.

Orange’s leading scorer, Yurem Tapia Mendez, decided to test Southern goalkeeper Alexis Benitez with an attempt from 45 yards with 1:12 remaining in the first half. Benitez, backpedaling, made the save and immediately launched a counter. Earp took a long throw from Benitez and dribbled to midfield, where he found Arredondo. As he enters the box, Arredondo fired to the low right corner, where the ball skipped past Orange goalkeeper Hector Garrido with :51.9 remaining in the first half.

Any hopes of an Orange comeback were dashed just when it appeared they would cut the lead in half. The Panthers’ Dallas Johnson fired from ten yards with Benitez out of position, but the ball was headed away on the goal line. The Firebirds stroked down the field on a counter, which ended with Earp scoring his first goal as he tucked it safely past Garrido with 24:50 remaining in regulation.

“That was a huge momentum swing,” Bowman said. “It was a total 180. We went from having a chance of our own to letting up and allowing them to get one. It was a two goal swing.”

Earp would score again later in the second half. It was the first time all year that Orange surrendered four goals in a game.

Junior Daniel Romero Toledo scored late for Orange to keep it from being a shutout. Romero ends the year with eight goals.

While the Panthers came up short in trying to reach the 3rd round for the first time in school history, they can move on knowing they were the most successful men’s team in Orange soccer history.

“It’s a testament to this group,” Bowman said. “They work they’ve put in over the years and all the guys who come through the program and imparted stuff on them that have been passed on.”

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is men’s soccer midfielder Joseph Lopez. This season, Lopez has been a co-Captain for the most successful team in the 37-year history of the program. On Saturday night, the Panthers defeated Swansboro 1-0 to win the first home state playoff game in team history. The Panthers also set a school record with its 16th win of the season. Lopez scored one of the most beautiful goals of the year on October 9 against Walter Williams in Burlington. Lopez launched a shot from 27 yards that curled into the net for the game-winning goal in a 1-0 Panther victory. It was the first time that Orange swept a regular season series from Williams in Central Conference play. Lopez scored a goal in the Panthers’ win over Eastern Alamance in Mebane, which tied the school record for most wins in a season. He has four goals and five assists this season. Last year, Lopez scored three goals, including one against Western Alamance. Lopez has been instrumental in helping Orange reach unprecedented heights this season. In his second year on the varsity, Lopez has helped the Panthers reach the playoffs for the third straight season. Lopez will return to action on Tuesday night when Orange faces Southern Nash in the 2nd round of the 3A State Playoffs in Bailey.

Orange Panther of the Week: Joseph Lopez

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is men’s soccer midfielder Joseph Lopez. This season, Lopez has been a co-Captain for the most successful team in the 37-year history of the program. On Saturday night, the Panthers defeated Swansboro 1-0 to win the first home state playoff game in team history.

Photo by Kim Petrides 

The Orange men’s soccer team is happy about winning its first state playoff game ever played on its home soil.

But they’re not content.

As usual, Orange had to fight for everything they earned against Swansboro on Saturday night. They hit a crossbar in regulation and had to hold on late to force overtime after a scoreless regulation.

In the end, their most reliable scorer was the one who cashed in the night’s only goal.

Junior Yurem Tapia Mendez scored on a penalty kick in the opening 10-minute overtime session as the Panthers defeated Swansboro 1-0 in the opening round of the state playoffs. Orange’s Daniel Toledo drew the penalty after he was tripped in the penalty area after a run into Pirate grounds.

On top of winning just the second playoff game in school history, it was Orange’s 16th win this season. That breaks the team record set in 2010 for an Orange squad that finished 15-6 and lost in the opening round of the state playoffs at Western Alamance.

The Panthers, seeded 14th in the Eastern Region, move on to face Southern Nash on Tuesday night. The Firebirds, the champions of the Big East Conference, defeated East Wake in the opening round.

“Some call it fun, I call it stress,” said Orange coach Palmer Bowman, who has led the Panthers to both of its lifetime postseason wins. “It was pretty stressful for me, but we came out on the right end of it.”

Mendez scored his 19th goal on the penalty, which was awarded after Romero moved on from the left side and got fouled on the edge of the box.

It was the eighth clean sheet for sophomore goalkeeper Hector Garrido, who had never played organized soccer before this season. Garrido, who started for the Orange men’s basketball team in its season opener last year against Hillside, opened the season with a victory over Carrboro.

“They’re big and physical,” Bowman said. “They had their share of corner kicks and free kicks. Hector did a good job of coming out and gobbling up a few. He used his size to go out and get the ball. It was a good environment with two good high school teams.”

Orange tread in dangerous grounds going to extra time against Swansboro, a team that had played six overtime games this season. The Pirates, from the Coastal Conference, end the year 11-9-4.

Mendez nearly had a goal in the second half. With 35:32 remaining in regulation, he cut to the right side and hit the crossbar from 27 yards. It was the best opportunity for either team.

Swansboro’s best opportunity came off a corner kick Jeremiah Rodriguez sent in a shot from 20 yards that rolled just wide of the far post.

It was another strong defensive performance from Orange’s experienced back line of Kace McAuley, Dallas Johnson, Eben Petrides and Jay Parker.

“We’re fortunate to have those guys,” Bowman said. “They’re gritty, they’re smart. They give it all they have. They clean up all their mistakes on their end of the field. They just care deeply about the team and each other.”

The first home playoff game in school history brought out the best in Orange fans, who turned away from college football for one night and packed both grandstands. The Panther contingent also lined up along the left sidelines to make their voices heard while bundled up in blankets and sweatshirts.

In Bailey on Tuesday night, Orange will attempt to reach the third round of the state playoffs for the first time ever. While a state playoff win has been elusive, Bowman isn’t ready to stop striving for more.

“It’s great,” Bowman said. “But there’s more to do. I don’t want to celebrate and have this be the end. I want this to be the start of something.”

Everything Orange men’s soccer has ever earned, they’ve gotten the hard way.

The program stated in 1987 under head coach Pat Todd in the massive shadow of Chapel Hill High School, which won a state championship in 1983 when the word “soccer” was more of a stigma within the sports community.

Chapel Hill has three state championships. Orange has one lifetime win in the state playoffs.

After years of playing second, third, or fourth fiddle among Orange County teams, the Panthers will reach a new milestone tonight (Saturday). They will host a game in the state playoffs for the first time ever.

Orange earned a 14th-seed in the 3A State Playoffs when bracketing was released on Thursday by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. The Panthers will face Swansboro at Orange Soccer Field tonight at 6PM.

Orange has tied a school record with 15 wins this year, starting with its first-ever victory over Carrboro back in August. They wound up with an automatic bid to the state playoffs after finishing 2nd in the Central Conference behind Western Alamance, which is seeded #2 in the 3A East Region.

“It’s a testament to all the guys who have come through the program over the years to help it get to this point,” said Orange men’s soccer coach Palmer Bowman. “At the same time, that’s great and we appreciate that. But we want to make some noise and we got a job to do. Hopefully, we’re focused on that.”

Swansboro, from the Coastal Conference, will arrive in Hillsborough with an 11-8-4 mark. The Pirates played six consecutive overtime games in the month of October, including a scoreless tie against Coastal Conference champions Croatan. Swansboro defeated Croatan on October 1, but the Pirates enter the playoffs on a three-game losing streak.

“Swansboro is good,” Bowman said after practice on Friday. “Those coastal teams just beat each other up. We know we’re going to have our hands full tomorrow.”

After years of playing inside cavernous Auman Stadium, Orange has had its own soccer park for over a decade. The capacity of two grandstands creates a loud and often hectic environment where dedicated fans bring their own lawn chairs to sit right along the edge of the sidelines, often fielding errant passes that go out of play. For big games, Orange students will back their trucks right along the edge of the end zone fence behind the north end goalkeeper to watch the action, hence their fan section nickname “The Truck Bed Rowdies.”

Orange is 9-1 at home this year.

“We’ve had a huge home field advantage over the years,” Bowman said. “We’ve got a strong contingent of fans and family that really love these guys. They make a lot of sacrifices to come out and watch us.”

When workouts started in August, Bowman had an experienced team that included senior captains Joseph Lopez, Eben Petrides and Issac Gallegos. There was one major hole: at goalkeeper.

After Finn Kelly graduated last June, Petrides was the last goalkeeper remaining on the roster. But he moved to centerback. In tryouts, sophomore Hector Garrido stood out, despite the fact that he had never played any organized soccer.

Garrido, who started as a freshman for the Orange varsity men’s basketball team last year, has come through with seven clean sheets this season. His defensive back line of Petrides, Jay Parker, Dallas Johnson and Logan Edwards has provided ample defensive support to hold 13 opponents to one goal or less.

“It’s a strong group of guys,” Bowman said. “We just always preach about what’s in front of us and they’ve taken it one game at a time.”

Junior Yurem Tapia Mendez has scored 18 goals, including the game-winner in the season opener against Carrboro. It’s the most goals scored in one season by an Orange player since Jamar Davis, who ran track at N.C. State, scored 19 goals in the 2017-2018 season.

Senior co-Captain Joseph Lopez scored the game-winning goal against Walter Williams on October 9, which triggered a seven-game winning streak that concluded the regular season. Daniel Romero Toledeo has scored seven goals for the Panthers.

Orange’s only state playoff win came in 2017 at Jacksonville.

The Orange men’s soccer team is another step closer to tying the school record for most wins in a season. Earlier this week, the Panthers survived a tight match at Southern Alamance to win 2-1 at Hanford Stadium in Graham. The following night, Orange rolled past the Patriots 6-0 in Hillsborough, putting the Panthers at 14 goals for the season. Orange senior Joseph Lopez scored a goal for Orange. Lopez scored Orange’s game-winning goal against Walter Williams on October 9, which clinched a season sweep of the Bulldogs. Daniel Toledo scored two goals for Orange, putting him at 7 goals for the season. Panthers goalkeeper Hector Garrido earned his sixth clean sheet of the season. Garrido is in his first season as Orange goalkeeper. He never played organized soccer before this season, but he hit the ground running when he earned a shutout against Carrboro in the season opener. The Panthers have clinched an automatic spot to the 3A State Playoffs. Now, they’re trying to become the first team in the 37-year history of the program to host a state playoff game. The Panthers will face Eastern Alamance in Hillsborough on Monday night. With the extension of the fall sports season, Orange will travel to Haw River to face Southeast Alamance on November 6 for the regular season finale.

Orange men’s soccer’s Joseph Lopez and Hector Garrido discuss Williams win

The Orange men’s soccer team is another step closer to tying the school record for most wins in a season. Earlier this week, the Panthers survived a tight match at Southern Alamance to win 2-1 at Hanford Stadium in Graham. The following night, Orange rolled past the Patriots 6-0 in Hillsborough, putting the Panthers at 14 goals for the season.

Photo by Kim Petrides 

Orange 6, Cedar Ridge 1: A victory in the Hillsborough Derby has become, pardon the pun, old hat for Orange men’s soccer. Last Thursday, Orange rolled past Cedar Ridge to win the competition between the two schools for the third straight year.

With every win, Orange is taking steps towards two milestones. They’re now 12-4 overall. The school record for most wins in a season is held by the 2009 team, which finished 15-5. The Panthers entered Monday night’s game against Southern Alamance with three more matches on its slate. They will face Southern Alamance again on Tuesday, followed by its Central Conference finale against Eastern Alamance on October 28. With the fall sports season expanded, the Panthers have added a nonconference game against Southeast Alamance in Haw River on November 6.

Orange is also on track to host a state playoff game for the first time since the program started in 1987. Going into Monday night, Orange’s RPI was #9. While Western Alamance has clinched the Central Conference championship for the second year in a row, the Panthers have officially clinched the league’s 2nd automatic postseason spot.

While Orange struggled to score against Cedar Ridge last Monday, the Panthers rolled in the rematch on Thursday night. Demetrius Holmes scored his first career brace, and added an assist. Junior Yurim Tapia Mendez added his team-high 13th goal of the season. Mendez scored the game-winning goal in Orange’s senior opener against Carrboro in August.

Senior Joseph Lopez added a goal for Orange in the final second of regulation. Lopez scored the game-winning goal in Orange’s 1-0 win over Walter Williams on October 9 to complete a two-game sweep of the Bulldogs. It’s the first time that Orange has swept Williams since the two teams became conference rivals in 2021.

Senior Isaac Gallegos and junior Logan Edwards also scored for Orange.

Salomon Hernandez scored the only goal for Cedar Ridge, who fell to 6-8-2 overall, 5-5 in the Central Conference.

Orange sophomore goalkeeper Hector Garrido earned the win.

Cedar Ridge 4, Eastern Alamance 0: On October 16, Cedar Ridge senior goalkeeper Erik Galunas earned the clean sheet as Cedar Ridge completed a season sweep of the Eagles at the John Kirby Sports Complex in Mebane.

Fresman Alex Rosales scored his seventh goal of the season. Rosales scored in the opening win over Eastern Alamance on September 23.

Senior Salomon Hernandez added another marker, his sixth of the season. Hernandez, who was one of the premier players for Cedar Ridge’s team that finished second in the Central Conference last year, also has three assists this year. Junior Edber Lopez and sophomore Niko James added goals for Cedar Ridge. James has ten goals this season.

Cedar Ridge will host Williams on Wednesday night. They have added a nonconference game against Vance County, which will be the Red Wolves final home game of the season, on October 28. The Vipers defeated the Red Wolves 3-1 on August 19 in Henderson.

Orange 5, Person 1: Orange completed a season sweep of the Rockets with a 5-1 victory on October 16 in Hillsborough. Just days after he scored the game-winning goal against Cedar Ridge at Red Wolves Stadium, Daniel Toledo had his first career brace. Toledo now has five goals this season.

Toledo also had an assist on a goal by Dallas Johnson. Several members of Orange’s prominent backline wound up on the score sheet. Johnson, a junior centerback, scored a goal. Senior Eben Petrides also scored a goal, his first of the season.

Sophomore Brendan McDonald added his first career goal. Kace McAuley, Lopez and Jesse Petrides added assists for the Panthers. Garrido played goalkeeper for the first half. He was replaced in the second half by Durvin Lopez Abarca, a junior. Abarca made one save.

The Panthers have won eight consecutive contests over Person since the two teams became conference rivals again in 2021.

It was a game played at Cedar Ridge’s Stadium.

It was played at their pace.

It was played with Cedar Ridge getting the better chances in the final 50 minutes.

Yet it was Orange who came away from the Hillsborough Derby victorious continuing to take giant steps towards unprecedented heights in the 37-year history of the program.

Daniel Toledo’s goal in the 35th minute, assisted by Yurem Tapia Mendez, was the only tally on the night as Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 1-0 at Red Wolves Stadium. Orange improved to 10-4 and remains on pace to tie the school record for most wins in a season.

The 2010 Orange team finished 15-6, losing in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs to Western Alamance 1-0 in Elon.

Orange junior Demetrius Holmes triggered the game’s only goal with a long dribble past midfield. A quick feed to Mendez on the right side of the penalty area drew Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Erik Galunas off his line. Mendez first thought about shooting but decided to send a diagonal pass to Toledo, who fired the ball into an empty net with 5:28 remaining in the first half.

Orange sophomore goalkeeper Hector Garrido, who had not played organized soccer before this year, earned his fifth clean sheet of the season, but it wasn’t a game where the Panthers dictated play. Following Toledo’s goal, the Red Wolves came away with better scoring opportunities in the second half.

“I think we played the way that Cedar Ridge wanted us to play,” said Orange coach Palmer Bowman. “They got us off our game. We were fortunate to get one. They won a lot of balls out of the air and dictated how the game went tonight.”

Cedar Ridge (5-7-2 overall, 4-4 in the Central Conference) immediately had a chance off a corner kick. A ball sent in bounced off the head of Alex Rosales, hopped off the ground and bounced off the crossbar. Garrido’s momentum nearly took him into his own net as he grabbed the ball for the save.

“Before the game in the locker room, I told the boys to go out and give 100% on every single play,” said Cedar Ridge assistant coach Seth Foster. “Regardless of the outcome, at the end of the day, we’re happy with that. The boys came out at the beginning of the game and set the tone. They controlled the flow. I thought we outplayed them for the majority of the game. We had one simple mistake in the first half. Overall, I was happy with how we played.”

Cedar Ridge’s Salomon Hernandez had a breakaway opportunity five minutes into the second half. Garrido came out of the net to shut down his angle, leaving Hernandez with no choice but to fire from 21 yards, which rolled wide.

With 29:05 remaining, Hernandez would get another chance with a free kick of 23 yards. Hernandez aimed it for the upper left corner, but Garrido used his 6-1 frame to gently tap it over the left post for his best save of the night.

Orange centerback Dallas Johnson disrupted several Cedar Ridge chances throughout the night, denying a run by Cedar Ridge forward Edwin Diaz in the final ten minutes. The Red Wolves best chance in the waning minutes came when Niko James sent a wormburner on net from 18 yards, which bounced off Gurrido’s chest as Rosales ran in. Gurrido smothered the ball before Rosales could get the equalizer.

Orange is 5-2 in Central Conference play. Currently, Orange’s RPI is #9 in the 3A East Region. If the Panthers can maintain that standing for the remainder of the regular season, they will likely host a state playoff game for the first time since the program started in the summer of 1987 under original head coach Pat Todd.