Orange Volleyball

The Orange volleyball team handed East Chapel Hill its first conference loss of the season on Monday night. The Lady Panthers defeated the Wildcats 3-1 on scores of 25-27, 25-19, 25-12 and 25-20. It was Orange’s first win over East since the Wildcats joined the Big 8 Conference in 2017, ending a streak of four straight Wildcat wins. It also creates a three-way tie for first place in the loss column in the Big 8 Conference among East, Chapel Hill and Cedar Ridge, with Orange only a game back. Elizabeth Vosburg was one of the seniors who came up big after a disappointing loss to Chapel Hill on Thursday. Orange has three matches this week. They will travel to Southern Durham on Tuesday, then host Northern Durham on Thursday to complete the first half of a rigorous conference schedule.

It won’t feel like it, but this is the first full week of fall. It’s also the start of the 2nd half of volleyball, women’s tennis and men’s soccer seasons.

Cedar Ridge and Orange were both swept by teams from Chapel Hill last week. Against an unforgiving Big 8 Conference schedule, Orange faces East Chapel Hill tonight (Monday) to start a three-game week. After losing its first conference game to East Chapel Hill on Friday, Cedar Ridge will look to bounce back with its first-ever match against Vance County in Hillsborough on Tuesday. The Red Wolves travel to Southern Durham on Thursday.

Also on Monday afternoon, Cedar Ridge will host Orange for its senior night. It will be a special day for the Red Wolves’ Olivia Ward, who was a member of Cedar Ridge’s Big 8 Championship team as a freshman. The Red Wolves haven’t lost to Orange since the two teams became conference rivals in 2014.

On Friday, football will start conference play. Orange will host East Chapel Hill. Cedar Ridge will travel to Northwood in Pittsboro. Both games will kickoff at 7. Our coverage here on Hillsboroughsports.com starts at 6:45 with the C&R Ski Outdoor pregame show.

Without any further ado, here’s the Magnificent 7 from last week. It featured a dramatic first leg of the Hillsborough Derby between Orange and Cedar Ridge in men’s soccer. Despite losing to East Chapel Hill, it was still another strong showing from Cedar Ridge volleyball. And the Orange women’s tennis team won three dual matches.

As always, a reminder that two of these athletes will be named the Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week and the Orange Panther of the Week on Tuesday.

Nicholas Frank: Orange appeared set to win its third straight men’s soccer game at Cedar Ridge on Wednesday night. The Panthers led 3-1 with 19:00 remaining. But Cedar Ridge freshman Nicholas Frank scored two stunning goals within 47 seconds to even the match. Dean Allen found Frank on a through ball with 15:43 remaining, and Frank finished from 18 yards. Moments later, Reese Weaver created a turnover and found Erickson Thole, who hit Frank again for the equalizer. Frank also scored the game-winning goal in penalties as Cedar Ridge defeated Orange 4-3.

Ty Corbin: Cedar Ridge’s goalkeeper earned the victory against Orange with back-to-back saves on Orange’s final two penalty attempts. Corbin also made a huge save in the first overtime session, which was the only major chance by either team to score after regulation ended. Corbin, who is also a lacrosse player, earned his third win of the year.

Cameron Lloyd: Yes, it’s cliche by now. But Lloyd becomes the first three-time inductee into the Hall of Awesome after two stellar games against Bartlett Yancey and Northern Durham. Against the Knights, Lloyd had 17 kills, 12 aces and ten digs as Cedar Ridge defeated Northern for the first time since becoming Big 8 rivals. In Monday’s sweep of Bartlett Yancey, Lloyd had 13 kills, one ace and four digs. Plus, she celebrated her birthday last week.

James McAdoo: The Orange football team fell short against Riverside on Friday night. It was also Orange’s best effort of the season. McAdoo, playing his second game after getting injured in a scrimmage against Person, had a team-high seven tackles. In the 2nd quarter, he stripped the ball away from Riverside quarterback Landon Sledge, and Will Torain dove on the loose ball. It led to a touchdown from Machai Holt. In the third quarter, McAdoo recovered another fumble, again leading to a touchdown from Holt.

Emma Williamson: The Orange women’s tennis team swept Vance County in back-to-back matches on Wednesday, then defeated Roxboro Community School 8-1 on Thursday. Williamson won her lone match at #4 singles against the Vipers 8-0. On Thursday, she won her match against Roxboro Community in straight sets. She also teamed with Morgan Gwinn at #2 doubles to win 8-1.

Lottie Scully: A sophomore enshrined into the Hall of Awesome for the first time, Scully had a team-high nine kills in Orange’s 3-0 win over Northwood on Tuesday night at Panther Gymnasium. Scully also had ten assists, two digs and an ace as the Lady Panthers improved to 7-4 before Thursday’s game against Chapel Hill.

Elliott Sikes: On Monday night, the Orange men’s soccer team defeated Vance County 10-1. Sikes came away with his first hat trick against the Vipers. Sikes also had two goals against Hillside in a 7-1 Panther victory on September 3.

Rodney Brooks: After a year at Fort Union Military Academy, 2018 Orange graduate Rodney Brooks made his four-year college debut for Division II Livingstone last week. Brooks, who plays safety, had a tackle in the Bears’ 27-16 victory over Elizabeth City State University at Alumni Memorial Football Stadium in Salisbury. On Saturday, Livingstone improved to 3-0 with a 21-7 win over Allen University. Brooks was a safety, cornerback and quarterback for the Orange football team who was a member of three Big 8 Conference Champions from 2016-18. He also played right field for the Orange baseball team in 2017, which had a stunning run to the 3rd round of the 3A State Playoffs. Brooks’ high school athletic career ended after he suffered a torn ACL playing quarterback against Riverside in 2017.

Payton Wilson: Though he didn’t start, Wilson served as a reserve linebacker in N.C. State’s 34-23 win over Ball State at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh on Saturday night. Wilson made four tackles. Wilson, a redshirt freshman, has 16 tackles through four games.

Trent Gill: Against Ball State, Gill had limited punting duties for the Wolfpack since State scored 34 punts. Nonetheless, Gill had three punts for an average of 51 yards per boot. One was downed inside the 20-yard line. Gill also had six kickoffs, five of which went for touchbacks. Saturday’s game was the nonconference finale for N.C. State. They will start ACC play at Florida State next Saturday.

Keshawn Thompson: The FCS Campbell football team defeated Davidson 31-29 at Barker-Lane Stadium in Buies Creek. Thompson, a redshirt sophomore from Orange, assisted on three tackles. Campbell won off a 50-yard field goal from Colin Gary as time expired.

Jack Schmid: Schmid saw action for Division III Wheaton College on Saturday. The Thunder defeated Illinois Wesleyan 24-10 at McCully Stadium in Wheaton, IL. Wheaton is 2-0.

Natalie Chandler: The 2017 Orange graduate is a member of the UNC women’s soccer team. Chandler was named to the 2018-19 ACC Academic Honor Roll. Now a junior, Chandler played in UNC’s 8-0 victory over UNLV in the Duke Nike Classic at Koskinen Stadium in Durham. Chandler helped Orange to the 2nd round of the 3A State Playoffs in 2016 and 2017.

Kayla Hodges: The Elon women’s soccer team split two matches last week. The Phoenix defeated Hampton 8-0 at HU Soccer Complex in Hampton, VA on Sunday. Hodges started at wingback and was credited with a shot on goal. On Thursday, UNC Greensboro defeated the Phoenix 4-3 at UNCG Soccer Stadium in Greensboro. Again, Hodges started and had a shot on goal. Elon is 6-2-1. They will host UNC Wilmington in its Colonial Athletic Association opener on Thursday at Rudd Field in Elon.

Taylin Jean: The 2018 Cedar Ridge graduate posted her first clean sheet as Division II Limestone defeated Lander University at Saints Field in Gaffney, SC on Wednesday. Jean made five saves to post the shutout. On Saturday, Belmont Abbey defeated Limestone 4-0 at Alumni Field in Belmont, NC. It was the first time Limestone lost a Conference Carolinas match in over three years. Jean made seven saves in the loss. The Saints are 2-3, 0-1 in Conference Carolinas.

Jordan Rogers: William Peace University defeated Brevard College 1-0 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. The Pacers improved to 2-3-1. Rogers, a sophomore who graduated from Orange in 2018, started at wingback. On Tuesday, the Pacers played to a scoreless tie against Randolph College at Wildcat Stadium in Lynchburg, VA. Rogers, who has moved to the defensive backline, also started. Rogers has started all six of the Pacers matches this season.

Lionel Reid-Shaw: The Division III Dickinson men’s soccer team defeated Swarthmore 4-0 in its Centennial Conference opener in Swarthmore, PA on Saturday. The Red Devils ended a four-game losing streak. Reid-Shaw, a senior, started at centerback. It was his sixth game of the season. Dickinson is 3-4.

Lilli Henry: The 2017 Cedar Ridge graduate helped the Methodist volleyball team win its first match of the season on Saturday. The Monarchs defeated Regent University 3-0 at the Riddle Center in Fayetteville. Henry finished with 17 assists, four aces, three digs and one kill. On Tuesday, Roanoke College defeated Methodist 3-2 in Salem, VA. Against the Maroons, Henry had 22 assists and eleven digs. The Monarchs are now 1-8.

Bailey Lucas: On Friday, the Division III Meredith College volleyball team defeated Roanoke College 3-2 at the Cregger Center in Salem, VA. Lucas played one set for the Avenging Angels. Meredith is 6-5.

In the past month, the Orange volleyball team won seven of its first eleven matches, beat previously undefeated Northern Durham and swept Northwood for the first time since 2016.

All of which is why Thursday night was so disappointing for the Lady Panthers.

Three-time defending Big 8 Champion Chapel Hill swept Orange inside Tiger Auxiliary Gymnasium on Thursday night in a contest that was never competitive. Chapel Hill, in the unusual role of playing for a share of 3rd place in the Big 8, rolled 25-18, 25-8 and 25-18.

Afterwards, Orange coach Kelly Young gathered the entire team in a corner of the gym and delivered a passionate talk for over ten minutes, almost longer than the 2nd set. The discussion may have gone on longer if the janitors hadn’t started turning out the lights.

A week after Cedar Ridge stunned Chapel Hill 3-2 in Hillsborough, Young looked at Thursday night as more than a battle for third place. It was a litmus test to see whether her squad was ready to step up to the forefront of the Big 8 and challenge Chapel Hill, East Chapel Hill and Cedar Ridge for the upper echelon.

Instead, the result was all too predictable. Chapel Hill has swept Orange in its last seven meetings. Orange hasn’t captured a set against the Tigers since 2015.

Young didn’t mince words postgame.

“We have a mentality against Chapel Hill where we come in defeated already,” Young said. “We have to get over that hump.”

Chapel Hill, which has spent the past month without junior Ellen Zwikker (the youngest daughter of former UNC center Serge Zwikker, who was at Thursday’s match), took control of the first set with a 5-1 run. Leading 15-12, Kaya Monrose and Kaya Merker had consecutive kills off the serve of Lauren Stanfa. The Tigers captured the set after a block from freshman Carly Sciborski.

The Tigers started the 2nd set on a 7-2 run off kills from Courtney Zwikker and an ace from Sciborski. Sam Breschi, the daughter of UNC men’s lacrosse coach Joe Brechi, ended the set with consecutive aces.

Orange started the third set with two straight points, its largest lead of the match. Chloe Riley and Lottie Scully had kills for Orange.

The 3rd set had five ties, but Chapel Hill assume command with a 6-1 run off kills from Sciborski and Zwikker. Orange got within 15-13 after several Tiger strikes went wide, but the Tigers ended the set and the match with a 8-3 run. Merkler had the final kill.

Orange (7-5, 2-2 in the Big 8) will play three matches next week. They host East Chapel Hill on Monday, travel to Southern Durham on Tuesday and host Northern Durham on Thursday.

In the meantime, Young hopes her team’s latest loss to Chapel Hill will serve as a lesson.

“The past few years, we’ve been beaten consistently by them,” Young said. “They’re state runner-ups. They got far (in the state playoffs). But they’re human. They’re another team just like anybody else. They’re beatable. Cedar Ridge proved that. We have to decide if we want it or not.”

Article by Tim Hackett

For Orange High School volleyball, last Thursday was pretty unusual. The Panthers are pretty used to playing Cedar Ridge, their cross-town rivals, but they’re also used to beating them: the Red Wolves’ victory at Orange on Thursday was their first in the series in five tries. That’s pretty unusual. The five-setter was the first time Orange had to go the distance in a match since last August. That’s pretty unusual. Cedar Ridge hit .175 as a team in the match and still won. That’s pretty unusual. And that Cedar Ridge victory came just days after their historic win over Chapel Hill, a team that hadn’t lost a match to another team from North Carolina all year. It doesn’t get a whole lot more unusual than that. 

But on Tuesday night in Hillsborough, everything was pretty much back to normal. Back at home in their first game since Thursday’s thriller, the Panthers (7-4, 2-1 Big 8) eked out a close first set before dispatching the Northwood Chargers (6-7, 1-3) in straight sets, 26-24, 25-15, 25-21. It’s the third straight win in this in-conference series for Orange after the Panthers won both matchups in four sets a year ago. 

The two teams went toe-to-toe to start the tilt. The Chargers served well to start and got out to a 13-10 lead, and Orange had little luck getting the left-side attack in gear. The solution? Switch the offense to the right side. It’s an uncommon strategy at any level of volleyball, but Orange’s Lottie Scully was the girl for the job. Facing that three-point deficit, Kaitlyn Werden back set for a right-side kill, sparking an 8-3 that vaulted Orange into the lead. But the Chargers wouldn’t die: the teams battled to ties at 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 before, fittingly, a Scully ace gave Orange set point and a Scully set for a Werden kill on, you guessed it, the right side, gave Orange the set at 26-24. 

“We’ll feed the right side especially if they don’t have the defenders to block it,” Orange head coach Kelly Young said. “A lot of teams aren’t used to a strong right side attack from a defensive standpoint, so we’ll definitely go to it when we can.” 

The success on the opposite end finally opened up the traditional attacking avenues as the match progressed – Avery Miller and Emma Clements got their looks from the left side, and Erin Jordan-Cornell added a few kills out of the middle. Orange’s offensive diversity was on display in the second set as the Panthers scored the first five points and never looked back. Miller was clinical from both sides all set before Ella Van Tiem appropriately finished it off at 25-14 with another kill from the right side. 

But the Chargers still had some juice left in them. The visitors won five of the first six points and, after Scully responded with back-to-back kills from each pin, Northwood generated a run to establish a 16-13 lead. Young called a timeout, and the Panthers responded by rattling off the next six points to take a 19-16 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Clements cleaned up the rebound on one of Northwood’s few blocks of Scully for match point, and then the Chargers bump-set a free ball wide to hand Orange the set 25-21 and the match three sets to none. 

Northwood’s serving, especially from Kaela Harris, kept the Chargers in the match early. Young conceded that her players might have been a little unsettled in their first match since Thursday’s events, but said that once they cleaned up their serving and passing in the second set things went a lot smoother. As for Scully, the sophomore setter/right side had a splendid showing in all phases – serving, setting and swinging. Afterward, Young said Scully has been playing through injuries all year and we might just be seeing the beginning of how good Scully could be. 

“She’s not even at her full potential,” Young said. “I’m just waiting for her to be as good as she can be.”

But things won’t get any easier for Scully and the Panthers, as Chapel Hill, the three-time defending conference champs, loom on Thursday. After Orange was able to get back to business as usual on Tuesday, if the Panthers were able to tame the Tigers on Thursday, that would be unusual indeed. 

Would it be a stretch to say that last week was the most successful fall sports week at Cedar Ridge in years? Not at all.

In fact, it may be an understatement.

In 2016, the Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team won the Big 8 Conference Championship. The Red Wolves football team finished 6-5, the last time they had a winning season.

But to find a week with as many signature wins that register on a state level, you would have to go back to 2015, when the Red Wolves defeated Topsail and Lee County in the 3A State Volleyball playoffs. The Red Wolves hosted the 3A Eastern Regional championship match, where they lost to Asheboro in four sets.

A year after finishing 7-15, the Red Wolves put themselves in contention to win the Big 8 Championship with wins over Chapel Hill and Orange last week. Of course, it’s early. The Red Wolves are 3-0 and have eleven conference games remaining. But with freshmen Cameron Lloyd, Julie Altieri and Cameron Lanier leading the way, the Red Wolves will reach nine wins with a win tonight against Bartlett Yancey in Hillsborough. Keep in mind that after reaching the East final in 2015, Cedar Ridge hasn’t won nine games in a season.

Of course, it wasn’t just a volleyball week. Here’s our Magnificent Seven for a memorable Week 4. Keep in mind that of these seven athletes, one from each school will be chosen for the Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week and the Orange Panther of the Week. Those choices will be revealed tomorrow.

1. Julie Altieri: In a 3-2 win for Cedar Ridge over Orange on Thursday, Altieri had eight aces, seven kills, nine digs and 28 assists. She also had the game-winning ace on match point to secure the Red Wolves’ first win over the Lady Panthers since 2016. It was their first win over Orange since 2015.
2. Brandon Garcia: Though the Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team had a disappointing week with losses to Bartlett Yancey and Northwood, Garcia continues to excel. He now has a seven-game scoring streak to start the season. Garcia scored on a penalty kick against Northwood on Thursday in Hillsborough. Against the Buccaneers in Yanceyville, he scored the equalizing goal as the Red Wolves fought back from a 2-nil deficit to even the match against B-Y.
3. Nora Sauers: Earned wins in singles and in doubles as Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team defeated Vance County to improve to 6-3 overall on the season. Sauers also won two matches against Northern Durham on September 3.
4. Courtney Edwards: Six tackles, including one for a loss, for the Orange football team’s 21-13 win over Williams on Friday night. Edwards also scored his first varsity touchdown on a 4th-and-inches from the Williams 4-yard line late in the first half after Orange fell behind 13-0. It was Edwards’ first touchdown since his Pop Warner days.
5. Elliott Woods: The Orange wingback/linebacker was a iron man against Williams. He had a team-high eleven tackles. Woods also had a key 19-yard reception on a 3rd-and-4 early in the third quarter, which was Orange’s first 3rd down conversion in the game. Woods finished with 59 yards from scrimmage.
6. Halle Boroski: The Orange women’s tennis team defeated Southern Alamance and Northern Durham last week. Boroski won at #6 singles 6-3, 6-4, then teamed with Ashley Behringer to win at #3 doubles 8-4. Against the Patriots, Boroski captured her singles match 6-3, 6-4. In doubles, once again she teamed with Behringer to win 8-4.
7. Avery Miller: The Orange sophomore outside hitter had a team-high eleven kills as the Orange volleyball team defeated Vance County 3-0 in the first-ever match between the two teams. Miller also had four digs. Earlier this year, Miller had eleven kills against Person.

Bryse Wilson: As the Atlanta Braves are on the verge of a 2nd consecutive National League East Division Championship, Wilson was recalled to the Major Leagues on Friday. It’s Wilson’s sixth stint in Atlanta this year. The 21-year-old has a 7.20 ERA in 20 Major League innings this season. Wilson was named the Pitcher of the Year by the Gwinnett Stripers of the AAA International League last week. He helped the Stripers to the International League Southern Division championship. Wilson finished 10-7 with a 3.42 ERA this season in Gwinnett. After July 21, Wilson won six consecutive games to push Gwinnett past Durham in the International League standings. On Saturday, Atlanta clinched a playoff birth with a 10-1 win over the Washington Nationals at SunTrust Park. Entering Sunday, the Braves’ magic number to win the division is four. Wilson completed the 2018 regular season on the Atlanta roster after starting the season with the Florida Fire Frogs of the Florida State League.

Payton Wilson: Wilson had three tackles as N.C. State’s football team fell to West Virginia 44-27 at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV on Saturday. Wilson also had his first college rushing attempt, running for nine yards on a fake punt to convert a 4th-and-4th in the final quarter. He didn’t start at linebacker as the Wolfpack dropped to 2-1.

Trent Gill: The former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf had three punts against West Virginia, averaging 49 yards per boot. His longest punt was 61 yards. Gill also had a punt blocked in the fourth quarter, leading to a Mountaineer touchdown. N.C. State will try to bounce back against Ball State at Carter-Finley Stadium next Saturday night.

Kayla Hodges: Hodges scored her first college goal in Elon’s 5-0 win over UNC Asheville at Rudd Field in Elon last Sunday. She headed in a cross sent in by Hannah Doherty to help the Phoenix surpass its win total from last seaon. Hodges had three shots against the Bulldogs. On Thursday, Hodges started at midfield in Elon’s 1-1 tie with Liberty. She fired a shot on net, which was stopped by Flames goalkeeper Melody Jayroe. Elon is 5-1-1 after finishing 3-10-4 in 2018.

Taylin Jean: The former Cedar Ridge goalkeeper not only earned her first college win for Division II Limestone, she also posted her first clean sheet. The Saints defeated Chowan 2-0 at Saints Field in Gaffney, S.C. on Saturday. Chowan only got one shot off in the match. Limestone is now 1-2. Jean has started all three of the Saints’ matches this season.

Brittany Daley: The Division III Greensboro women’s soccer team won its fifth straight game on Saturday, beating Marymount (VA) 5-0 at Pride Field in Greensboro. Daley started at centerback, her sixth start this season. Greensboro is 5-1.

Jordan Rogers: On Tuesday, Division III William Peace defeated Hollins 6-0 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. It was the Pacers’ first win of the season. Peace fired a whopping 44 shots. Rogers started at wingback. She has started all three of the Pacers’ matches. Peace is 1-2.

Lionel Reid-Shaw: On Saturday, the Division III Dickinson men’s soccer team lost to Catholic 1-0 in Carlisle, PA. Reid-Shaw entered the game as a reserve. On Wednesday, Reid-Shaw started at midfield as Messiah defeated the Red Devils 3-1 in Grantham, PA. Dickinson has dropped three straight and is 2-3.

Lili Henry: After a trip to Salem, VA was postponed last week because of Hurricane Dorian, the Division III Methodist volleyball team returned to action on Friday in Greenville, S.C. The Monarchs dropped two matches at Bob Jones University. The Monarchs lost 3-0 to Erskine. Henry had 21 assists against the Flying Fleet, along with four digs and one kill. Bob Jones defeated the Monarchs 3-0. Against the Bruins, Henry was credited with one ace, one kill and one assist. The Monarchs are 0-6.

Bailey Lucas: The Division III Meredith Avenging Angels volleyball team finished 1-2 during a tournament at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. On Friday, Meredith defeated Emory & Henry 3-0. On Saturday, Franklin & Marshall topped Meredith 3-1. In the nightcap, Marymount knocked off Meredith 3-1. Lucas played against Marymount and had 12 assists, one kill, two aces and ten digs.

Standing in a sweatbox gym at Fairchild Community Center in Burlington, Anna Seethaler seemed to know something a month ahead of everyone else.

She was asked by a local reporter how good her 2nd Cedar Ridge volleyball team would be.

“Look out,” was her pithy reply while wearing a beaming grin.

Look out? Many coaches in fall sports are full of optimism in August, but for a team that went 7-15 last year? That just lost senior Sarah McCuiston, who led the team in kills? That just lost promising sophomore Lydia Wood, who opted to transfer to The Trinity School after one year in Hillsborough?

Indeed, Seethaler did know something that almost everyone else didn’t. She watched as the Red Wolves breezed past Riverside, Greensboro Page and the Alamance Aces in scrimmages at the Fairchild Center on August 17 and understood that 2019 would be very different, in part because of three freshmen.

Three weeks later, Cedar Ridge has just completed its most successful stretch since reaching the 3A Eastern Regional Championship match in 2015.

To end an unenviable stretch in a sultry Orange High Gymnasium, the Red Wolves defeated crosstown rival Orange 3-2 on Thursday night in a rivalry game that was as entertaining as it was draining. Freshman Julie Altieri’s ace on match point was the perfect culmination of a week where the Cedar Ridge rookies delivered notice to the rest of the Big 8 Conference, and possibly the entire region.

Look out, indeed.

Cedar Ridge won on scores of 25-23, 22-25, 25-23, 15-25 and 15-7.

Orange (6-4, 1-1) had a six-game winning streak snapped.

After beating three-time defending Big 8 Champion Chapel Hill on Tuesday and Orange on Thursday, the Red Wolves sit atop the league with a 3-0 league record. With an 8-1 overall mark, the Red Wolves have already surpassed its win total from last season.

The last time Cedar Ridge defeated Orange, it was September 1, 2016. There was barely a ripple of celebration around Red Wolves Gymnasium that night because beating the Lady Panthers was all too common. Cedar Ridge had trumped Orange nine straight times.

Seethaler, who lived in Utah in 2016, wasn’t a clued in about the rivalry as other longtime local residents.

“I haven’t been here so I don’t know the rivalry so well,” Seethaler said. “I’m happy, though.”

The win on Thursday ended the Red Wolves’ five-game losing streak to the Lady Panthers.

It came amid a raucous gym where opposing student sections standing on opposite sides traded barbs about everything from the officiating to lack of air conditioning.

On a day where the heat index reached 101 degrees in Hillsborough, the sweltering weather led to a slick court and some spectators retreated to the parking lot before the exciting finish.

“I think it got to me,” Seethaler said. “I don’t think they thought about the heat. They had to play through it.”

In the fifth set, it was freshman Cameron Lloyd who fired the biggest shots, serving four consecutive aces as the Red Wolves bounced ahead 7-2. Lloyd, who already has 100 kills after Monday’s loss to Jordan, had three kills in the final set.

Orange sophomore Lottie Scully had four kills in the 4th set, the only lopsided frame in the match.

The opening set had eight ties and four lead changes. The second set had 13 ties and four lead changes.

In the first frame, Cedar Ridge scored the final four points with Lloyd serving. She delivered an ace to tie the set 23-23. Senior Emma Downing gave Cedar Ridge the lead with an unassisted kill. The Red Wolves took the opening set when a service return by Orange went wide.

Orange evened the match in the second. A successful block by Erin Jordan-Cornell gave the Lady Panthers a 22-18 lead. Jordan-Cornell finished the set with five kills. Cedar Ridge lost junior setter Layne Foster in the 2nd set because of a left quadricep injury.

Orange appeared set to take the 3rd set, leading 20-15 after a kill by senior Emma Clements off an assist from Ella Van Time. Cedar Ridge finished the frame with a 10-3 run, which included Altieri serving up three straight aces. She also slammed home set point.

The Red Wolves return home to face Bartlett Yancey on Monday. Orange returns home to take on Bartlett Yancey on Tuesday, then travels to Chapel Hill on Thursday.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is freshman middle hitter Erin Jordan-Cornell of the Lady Panther volleyball team. Going into Thursday night’s match against Cedar Ridge, Jordan-Cornell help the Lady Panthers win six consecutive matches. Orange defeated Roxboro Community School 3-0 in Hillsborough on September 3. Jordan-Cornell led Orange with seven kills. Through the first six matches of her high school career, Jordan-Cornell has 31 kills, which is second on the team. Jordan-Cornell played for Stanford in 2017 and 2018. She was also a member of the Chapel Hill Area Volleyball Club, a summer travel team that journeyed to Atlanta and finished 2nd in the Big South Qualifier. They earned an invitation to the USA Volleyball Girls National Championships in Indianapolis, which took place in June. Jordan-Cornell also plans to play basketball this winter for Orange. 

The best start in Cedar Ridge volleyball history came to an end against a deep, tall, experienced group from Jordan High.

The Falcons defeated the Red Wolves 3-1 at Falcon Gymnasium on Monday night. The Red Wolves (6-1) lost the final set 25-15. Cedar Ridge remained close in the final set, trailing 10-9 before Jordan went on a 9-2 run. Jordan junior Maegan Williams had three kills in that span. Senior Morgan Hyman ended the match with a kill that hugged the outside line to improve the Falcons to 5-3 on the season.

Jordan also defeated Orange in the Peak City Classic at Apex Friendship High School on August 24.

It’s the start of a strenuous week for the Red Wolves. After facing a Jordan team that has six seniors on its 13-player roster on Monday, the Red Wolves will host three-time defending Big 8 Champion Chapel Hill on Tuesday night at Cedar Ridge. Chapel Hill, who defeated Jordan 3-1 on August 20, started its Big 8 season with a 3-0 victory over Vance County on Monday night.

On Thursday night, Cedar Ridge will face crosstown rival Orange at Panther Gymnasium. The Lady Panthers have defeated Cedar Ridge five straight times. The game will pair teammates from the Chapel Hill Area Volleyball Club against each other. Last spring, the CHAVC finished 2nd in the Big South Qualifier in Atlanta, Georgia. They earned an invitation to the USA Volleyball Girls National Championships in Indianapolis, which took place in June.

Cedar Ridge freshmen Cameron Lloyd, Julie Altieri, and Cameron Lanier were members of the CHAVC, along with current Orange freshman Erin Jordan-Cornell. Lloyd and Jordan-Cornell were also teammates at Stanford Middle School, but will be on opposite sides of the net on Thursday.

Orange will start its Big 8 Conference campaign on Tuesday night, making the long trip north to play Vance County. The Vipers joined the Big 8 Conference during the summer after Hillside moved back up to 4A.

Men’s Soccer: The Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team took a hard luck loss against Bartlett Yancey 3-2 on Monday night in Yanceyville. The Red Wolves fought back from a 2-0 deficit at halftime and evened the game, but the Buccaneers scored the game-winning goal late.

Senior midfielder Brandon Garcia scored for the sixth consecutive game by scoring the opener for the Red Wolves in the 2nd half. Cedar Ridge evened the game when Reese Weaver scored off an assist from Nick Frank.

Garcia now has six goals and three assists through six games this season. Weaver has four goals, while Frank has two goals and two assists.

Cedar Ridge is 2-3-1. The Red Wolves will open Big 8 Conference play against Northwood on Wednesday night at Red Wolves Stadium. Remarkably, this will be the home opener for Cedar Ridge three weeks into the season. They were supposed to play Bartlett Yancey last week, but the game was postponed.

The Orange men’s soccer team will play only once this week. They travel to East Chapel Hill on Wednesday night. It will also be their Big 8 Conference opener. The Panthers are 3-2 after falling to Riverside in Durham on Friday night.