Orange Women’s Tennis

Photo by Shannon Murphy

Women’s golf: Orange senior Shannon Murphy is going to the 3A State Golf Championships next week. Lady Panthers sophomore Gianni Burnette will join her.

On Monday at the Central Regional championships, Murphy finished 15h overall with a 92, including shooting a 44 on the front nine at the Valley Golf Course in Burlington. It will be the first time that Murphy has reached the state championships.

Brunette finished in 21st place with a 98.

Cedar Ridge’s Laci Sykes also qualified for regionals. She finished in 42nd place. Orange senior Kayla Pope was the third Lady Panther to earn a spot in regionals, coming in 49th.

Southern Alamance’s Riley Bush tied with Carrboro’s Cristina Murphy and Lee County’s Sydney Pomeranz for first place, each carding a 77.

Terry Sanford 8, Orange 1: Another solid season for the Orange women’s tennis team came to an end in the 2nd round of the 3A State Dual Team Playoffs in Fayetteville on Wednesday.

Terry Sanford, which has won four state championships, defeated Orange to advance to the round of 16. The Bulldogs won all six singles matches to sew up the team victory before doubles play even started.

Orange’s double team of Adelyn Alvis and Kyla Mehl was the lone Lady Panther victory of the day. Alvis and Mehl teamed to defeat Autry Canady and Grace Farmer 8-4. Alvis ends the season with an overall record of 27-2, including an 11-0 record in doubles play.

It was the final match in the Orange career of senior Shannon Sollars, who reached the 3A State Tournament twice in doubles play. Sollars was Orange’s top singles player and won 22 overall matches in 2024. Sollars older sister, Erin, was an assistant coach for head coach Justin Webb. In 2022, the Sollars sisters teamed to reach the 3A State Tournament. Erin and Shanon Sollars defeated Ellie Holtzman and Berkeley Geyer of Hickory 6-0, 6-2 to reach the state quarterfinals.

Overall, Sollars won 103 matches in her career.

It was also the final match for Orange senior Aubrey Petrosanu, who won all four of the matches she started this year.

Orange ends the year 14-5.

South Johnston 6, Cedar Ridge 3: The Cedar Ridge women’s team had its season end against South Johnston in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs in Four Oaks on Monday night.

Cedar Ridge senior Ella Caltabiano won the final singles match of her career. Playing at #1, Caltabiano defeated Alyssa Newton in one of four singles matches that required a third set, 10-point tiebreaker. Caltabiano won 2-6, 7-5, 11-9.

Caltabiano and senior Adeline Cummings won their final doubles match together. Cummings and Caltabiano defeated Newton and Olivia Meyers 8-3.

Cedar Ridge dropped two of the matches that wound up going to tiebreakers. Myers defeated Cumming 5-7, 6-4, 11-9.

Cedar Ridge junior Caroline Hall defeated Kira Kelly 2-6, 6-2, 11-9.

Caltabiano ends her senior year with 18 wins, including a 9-4 victory in doubles play. Cummings and Caltabiano were the top-seeded doubles team from the Central Conference going into regionals.

Caltabiano, who played at Cedar Ridge four varsity seasons, won 58 overall matches in her career.

Cummings ends her career with 59 overall victories. She also played four varsity seasons.

Lila Rhoades ended her Cedar Ridge career with a start at #5 singles. It was also the final match for seniors Sydney Lund, Anna Grove and Lily Golden.

Cedar Ridge finishes the year 9-7.

Men’s soccer: Orange 6, Southern Alamance 0: The Orange men’s soccer team is one win away from tying the school record for most wins in a season. On Tuesday night, the Panthers played its second game in as many night, beating Southern Alamance in Hillsborough.

Orange improves to 14-4. The all-time school record is 15 wins, set by the 2010 team.

Daniel Romero Toledo, who scored the game-winning goal in a 1-nil win at Cedar Ridge last week, earned two goals against the Patriots. Senior Joseph Lopez and Issac Gallegos each scored one goal.

Junior Yurem Tapia Mendez, who leads the squad with 14 goals this season, added another to his total. Demetrius Holmes and Carson Condon each had an assist.

Sophomore goalkeeper Hector Garrido made two saves to earn his sixth clean sheet of the season.

Decades in the making, the Orange women’s tennis team made its own bit of history on Monday night. The Lady Panthers defeated Northern Nash 5-2 to win the first-ever state playoff dual match at Orange High Tennis Courts. Orange, which received the #13 seed, advanced to the round of 32 to face Terry Sanford in Fayetteville on Wednesday. Junior Adelyn Alvis now has an overall record of 26-1 this season after winning two matches against the Knights. Alvis won her match at #5 singles overall Joy Aycock 6-4, 6-0. Alvis and junior Casey Robinson teamed to sew up the playoff win at #3 doubles, beating Aycock and Ella Mallory 8-2. Robinson won her match at #6 singles over Mallory 6-2, 6-0. Orange won two tiebreaker matches in singles play, including freshman Kalynn Mason winning over Nash’s Taylor McIntyre 7-5, 4-6, 14-12. In terms of points, it was the longest match this year for Orange. Before 2021, the Orange women’s tennis team had never won a state playoff match. They’ve now won three over the past four years. Coach Justin Webb has led Orange to 62 dual matches since 2021. It was likely the final home match for Orange’s top singles player, Shannon Sollars, who has been a four-year starter that has played in the 3A State Tournament twice. Sollars won her final match at Orange by beating Esther Edgerton 6-3, 6-4.

Orange women’s tennis Adelyn Alvis & Casey Robinson discuss 1st ever home state playoff win

Decades in the making, the Orange women’s tennis team made its own bit of history on Monday night. The Lady Panthers defeated Northern Nash 5-2 to win the first-ever state playoff dual match at Orange High Tennis Courts. Orange, which received the #13 seed, advanced to the round of 32 to face Terry Sanford in Fayetteville on Wednesday.

In fall sports, if a team wins when it starts getting cold, they’re doing something right.

The Orange women’s tennis team did something unprecedented on Monday night. They won the first-ever state dual playoff match at Orange Tennis Courts.

Adelyn Alvis and Casey Robinson each won singles and d0ubles matches as the Lady Panthers defeated Northern Nash 5-2 in Hillsborough. In the history of the facility, which dates back over five decades, there has never been a state dual team playoff match in men’s or women’s tennis.

Orange, which received a #13 seed after finishing second in the Central Conference, will travel to Terry Sanford for the 2nd round on Wednesday.

It is the fourth win in the past three years for Orange in the state dual playoffs, all under head coach Justin Webb. Prior to 2021, Orange had never won a state playoff match in team history.

“It’s a good feeling,” Webb said. “I think it speaks to the where the program is and where it was when I started coaching girl’s tennis.”

Orange started coaching the women’s tennis team in 2017 the Lady Panthers were in the Big 8 Conference and finished 6-15. Since then, Webb has done plenty of recruiting within the school, focusing on athletes from other sports that have some spare time in the fall.

Alvis, who runs track and field during the spring, has been a constant starter in singles and doubles. Sophomore Molly Kruse, who plays soccer, teams with senior Shannon Sollars on the top doubles team.

“Our numbers have gone up astronomically since then,” said Webb, who is also a history teacher at Orange. “When you have lots of numbers, you have lots of good athletes. It helps improve your program, for sure.”

Webb’s most successful team in 2022 is still the only tennis team, regardless of gender, to win the Central Conference Tournament championship. They included Sydney Rogers, who eventually signed to play soccer at Catawba College; Isabel Jones, Makayla Jones and Katelyn Van Mater, all of whom also played soccer.

“I think the girls help spread the word,” Webb said. “The girls come out here every day and they’re really good friends. They have a positive attitude and they all like playing sports. And they all start to love to play tennis. These girls are all just amazing people and they bond really well.”

Orange reached the state playoffs, where they had an interminable trip to Kill Devil Hills to face First Flight. Total drive: 9 hours round trip, but the ride home felt good after Orange prevailed 5-2.

On Monday night, Orange won four of the six singles matches. In her final match at Orange, senior Esther Edgerton 6-3, 6-4. Sollars and Kruse were leading their doubles match when it was called after Alvis and Robinson clinched the team victory with a 8-2 victory over Joy Aycock and Ella Mallory at #3 doubles.

Orange freshman Kalynn Mason won the longest individual match of the season at #2 singles. Mason defeated Taylor McIntyre 7-5, 4-6, 14-12 in a ten-point tiebreaker. Mason has now won nine singles matches this year.

Orange junior Oakley Gaddy won another match that went to a 10-point, third set tiebreaker. Gaddy defeated Carisma Deans 6-2, 2-6, 10-5. Alvis won against Joy Aycock 6-4, 6-0. At #6 singles, Robinson rolled past Ella Mallory 6-2, 6-0.

The Lady Panthers improved to 14-4.

Since 2021, Orange has now won 62 dual team matches.

Orange began the year without a home court to play on. Its regular court was being renovated, which was eventually completed in mid-september. Until then, Orange had to play home matches against Mebane and practice at various facilities, including Fairview.

On Monday night, they likely finished the season on its homecourt doing something that no Orange tennis team had done before.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is sophomore tennis player Ellie Wilson. Last week at the Central Conference Tennis Championships at the Burlington Tennis Center, Wilson qualified for the Mideast Regionals in singles play. Wilson had to win two matches in order to reach Regionals for the first time in her career. In the opening round, she defeated Jasmin Brown of Cedar Ridge 6-2, 6-3. With a spot in the Regionals on the line, Wilson got past Kensley Gasaway of Western Alamance 6-4, 7-5. This season, Wilson was placed in the starting lineup by head coach Justin Webb and she produced nine singles wins. Overall, Wilson has been a part of 14 victories as Orange finished in second place in the Central Conference. For the first time in school history, it appears that Orange will host a match in the State Dual Team Playoffs later this month. Wilson opened this season with a straight sets victory over Quinn Parker of Eno River Academy. She followed that by beating Alaina Bustillo of Voyager Academy 8-2. Wilson has played doubles with freshman Kalynn Mason and has amassed a 5-1 record. This Friday, Wilson will play in the Mideast Regional singles tournament at the Burlington Tennis Center looking to advance to the semifinals, which would earn her an automatic spot in the 3A State Singles Tournament.

Orange Panther of the Week: Ellie Wilson

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is sophomore tennis player Ellie Wilson. Last week at the Central Conference Tennis Championships at the Burlington Tennis Center, Wilson qualified for the Mideast Regionals in singles play. Wilson had to win two matches in order to reach Regionals for the first time in her career.

Orange 5, Cedar Ridge 4: It was a night of tiebreakers between Orange and Cedar Ridge on September 18. Three of the six singles matches wound up going to third set, 10-point tiebreakers. Unlike the matchup in August, Cedar Ridge was able to split the singles matches. Orange would take two out of three doubles fixtures in order to remain one match behind Walter Williams for first place in the Central Conference.

Cedar Ridge took the top two singles matches. At #1, senior Ella Caltabiano defeated Orange senior Shannon Sollars 6-1, 1-6, 10-5 in the tightest match of the night. Cedar Ridge senior Adeline Cummings held off Orange freshman Kalynn Mason 6-1, 3-6, 10-4. Cedar Ridge junior Caroline Hall won the Red Wolves third tiebreaker of the night when she defeated Casey Robinson 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 10-4.

Orange won singles matches 3-through-5 to gain a split going into doubles. Sophomore Ellie Wilson won another close match over Jasmin Brown 6-1, 7-6 (7-5). Oakley Gaddy, at #4, defeated Terra Proctor 6-1, 6-2. At #5, junior Adelyn Alvis won over Lila Rhodes 6-1, 6-2.

Orange’s doubles team of Kruse and Sollars won the decisive match at #2 doubles when they defeated Brown and Proctor 8-0. Alvis and Gaddy put the Lady Panthers in the lead with a victory at #3 doubles over Madeline Galindo-Woodring and Hall 8-3. Cedar Ridge’s only doubles win came when Caltabiano and Cummings defeated Mason and Wilson 8-4.

Cedar Ridge 7, Eastern Alamance 2: In its first home match of the season, Caltabiano and Cummings won their respective singles matches, then teamed to win in doubles as the Red Wolves defeated the Eagles. Caltabiano defeated Camila Rosa at #1 singles 6-2, 6-2. Cummings won over Madison Drewery 6-2, 6-0. Later at #1 doubles, Caltabiano and Rosa clinched the match by winning 8-0.

Cedar Ridge senior Lila Rhodes won at #5 singles over Jayci White 6-0, 6-3. Madeline Galindo-Woodring won at #6 singles over June Martindale 6-1, 6-0.

Cedar Ridge swept the doubles matches. In addition to Caltabiano and Cummings, Brown & Proctor won 8-0. Hall and Galindo-Woodring won 8-1 at #3 doubles.

Cedar Ridge 7, Western Alamance 2: Caltabiano, Cummings, Brown and Hall all won two overall matches as the Red Wolves improved to 7-4 overall, 6-3 in the Central Conference with a win over the Warriors last Thursday.

Caltabiano defeated Reagan Williams in one of two matches that went to a third-set, 10-point tiebreaker. Caltabiano won 4-6, 7-5, (10-7). Cummings held off Sarah McLaughlin 7-6 (8-6), 6-3. At #1 doubles, Caltabiano and Cummings defeated Williams and McLaughlin 8-1.

At #3 singles Brown won over Kensley Gasaway 7-6 (10-8), 6-3. Later, Brown would team with Proctor to defeat Gasaway and Cana Kaffenberger 8-4. Hall won at #6 singles over Summer Kernodle 6-2, 6-2. Hall won in doubles with Galindo-Woodring to defeat Abigail Stimpson and Kernodle 8-4.

Cedar Ridge will host Durham School of the Arts on Wednesday, then face East Chapel Hill on Thursday. Both matches will be in Hillsborough. The Red Wolves will face Southern Alamance for Senior Night on October 7 in Hillsborough. The Red Wolves started the season with a win over the Patriots in Graham.

Orange 7, Eno River Academy 1: The Lady Panthers improved to 12-2 overall with a win over its nearby rival in Hillsborough. It was Orange’s second win over the Bobcats this year.

Sollars earned her 15th overall win of the season with a 8-3 victory over Rebecca Kirby. The Lady Panthers took five of the six singles matches. Mason, a freshman, won over Quinn Parker 8-1.

The Bobcats’ Lily Kate Phillipps defeated Gaddy 8-6 at #3 singles. Alvis knocked off Megan Kroothoep 8-2. Kyla Mehl defeated Lyla York 8-1. Orange junior Evelyn Gover won over Natalie Harkins 8-0.

There were only two doubles matches. Sollars and Molly Kruse defeated Rebecca Kirby and Quinn Parker 8-2.

Orange’s duo of Robinson and Lindsey Woodell defeated York and Harkins 8-2.

Orange will travel to Mebane to face Eastern Alamance on Wednesday. Then Orange will have a huge match against Walter Williams in its final home match of the regular season. Currently, Orange is 9-1 in Central Conference action. They are one match behind Williams for first place. Currently, Orange’s RPI is #11, giving the Lady Panthers a chance to host a match in the state dual team playoffs for likely the first time in school history. Orange has won two dual matches in the state playoffs under head coach Justin Webb in 2021 and 2022, but they were both on the road.

Over the past few years, the Orange women’s tennis team has prided itself on having multi-sport athletes up and down its roster. This year, the Lady Panthers are in second place in the Central Conference. On October 7, the Lady Panthers will face Williams with a chance to tie for first place in the regular season. One of the multi-sport athletes on this year’s team is Molly Kruse, the younger sister of Connor Kruse, the all-time leading scorer in Orange lacrosse history. On September 11, Kruse teamed with Shannon Sollars to defeat Reagan Williams and Sarah McLaughlin of Western Alamance 8-2. Orange’s Adelyn Alvis, who has been Orange’s #6 singles player for much of the year, runs track & field during the spring. The Lady Panthers are on the verge of returning to the state playoffs. Last week, the Lady Panthers defeated Person and Southern Alamance in Hillsborough. Kruse and Sollars teamed to defeat Southern Alamance’s team of Madalyn Corbett and Gabby Canup 8-0. Orange celebrated Senior Night against the Patriots. Sollars and Aubrey Petrosanu were honored by head coach Justin Webb. The Lady Panthers will return home to face Eno River Academy on Monday for another home match. They will travel to Eastern Alamance on October 2.

Orange women’s tennis players Shannon Sollars and Molly Kruse talk new tennis court

Over the past few years, the Orange women’s tennis team has prided itself on having multi-sport athletes up and down its roster. This year, the Lady Panthers are in second place in the Central Conference. On October 7, the Lady Panthers will face Williams with a chance to tie for first place in the regular season.

The cracks are gone. The fading pine green courts have a bright, vivid shade of new paint. The lighting is bright enough to be see hundreds of yards away from the baseball press box.

Theses are the new Orange High tennis courts, which received renovations at the end of the men’s season in April. After spending the first three-and-half weeks of the season on the road, the Orange women’s tennis team  finally returned home on Monday and continued a stellar season.

The Lady Panthers defeated Eastern Alamance 7-2 in its first match after the reopening of their courts on Monday afternoon. Up to this point, Orange had played matches against in-county rivals Cedar Ridge and Eno River Academy at the Walker Tennis Complex in Mebane.

The last time the tennis complex had been refurbished was 2008. Cracks started to develop across all eight courts.

“It was just time,” said Orange men’s and women’s tennis coach Justin Webb. “For the past four years, the (Orange County) School Board had been looking at redoing the tennis courts. They just wanted to make sure they had the money and the resources to get it done.”

There is also new fencing and new drainage, which clears up some water issues that had been building in recent years. Plus, there’s an expanded walkway that is more handicap accessible. It came in handy on Wednesday night when Orange hosted Western Alamance as the mother of one of the Warriors got to sit comfortably in her wheelchair behind court 1 to watch her daughter’s doubles match.

“She came up and thanked me,” Webb said. “This walkway is big and allows people to get to the end courts. There’s a gate for American Disability Association accessibility. So I think those were some of the big things that needed to be fixed. And we got some new light posts.”

Following its wins over Eastern Alamance and Western Alamance, Orange remains just one game behind Walter Williams for first place in the Central Conference.

In 2022, Orange won its first-ever conference championship in women’s tennis with a heavy array of players who didn’t have tennis as their best sport, but they were stellar athletes. Sydney Rogers, Katelyn Van Mater, Isabel Jones and Makayla Davis were all starters who helped Orange reach the second round of the 3A State Playoffs.

This year, Orange has more multi-sport athletes who are regulars in Webb’s lineup. Molly Kruse, a junior who has played soccer the past two years, has been on Orange’s top doubles team with Shannon Sollars, one of only two seniors on a squad with 21 players.

Against the Eagles, Orange won 8-1, improving to 8-2 overall, 6-1 in the Central Conference. Freshman Kalynn Mason claimed two wins on the night. She defeated Madison Drewery 6-3, 6-4 at #2 singles. Mason teamed with Ellie Wilson to defeat Ryan Tanner and Claire Monroe 8-3. Orange won five singles matches to wrap up the dual match victory before doubles play started.

Wilson, a sophomore, won at #3 singles over Tanner 6-4, 6-2. Junior Oakley Gaddy won at #4 singles over Monroe 6-1, 6-2. Junior Casey Robinson knocked off Jayci White at #5 singles 6-0, 6-0. Adelyn Alvis, who runs track and field for Orange in the spring, won at #6 singles when her opponent retired after one set.

Sollars and Kruse won at #1 doubles over Camila Rosa and Monroe 8-0. At #3 doubles, Kyla Mehl and Alvis defeated White and Areli Silva Flores 8-0.

On Wednesday night, Orange defeated Western Alamance 7-2 to sweep the regular season series for the fourth straight year. The Lady Panthers will face Williams on Monday night in Hillsborough. The Bulldogs are 6-0 in conference play after edging Orange 5-4 on August 21 in Burlington. Williams is 7-0 on the year. Orange is the only team to win four individual matches against the Bulldogs this year.

There have been barnstorming team in various professional sports over the year, most notably in baseball during the early 20th century where Major Leaguers would tour the country in an effort to spread the word about America’s pastime.

This summer, the Orange and Cedar Ridge women’s tennis teams are both brainstorming out of necessity. Their respective home courts are undergoing renovations, but development has run long. Orange’s courts should be completed next month. Cedar Ridge’s courts likely won’t be ready until next spring, which will force the Red Wolves to spend the entire season on the road.

Both teams have had to find different places to practice. Orange has worked out at the Fairview Park courts since last week.

On Monday, Orange and Cedar Ridge had to go to the Walker Tennis Complex in Mebane for its first head-to-head meeting, where the Lady Panthers used its experience to control.

Orange won all three of the doubles matches to defeat Cedar Ridge 8-1. Three of the nine matches went to 3rd set, 10-point tiebreakers, including the top two singles tilts.

Last year, Cedar Ridge won three dual matches against Orange, including their first-ever matchup in the 3A State Dual Team playoffs.

Both teams have a top singles player who has been at the varsity level for four years. Orange’s Shannon Sollars defeated Cedar Ridge’s Ella Caltabiano 6-3, 3-6, 10-5 (ten point tiebreaker) in the tightest match of the day. It was the first of two wins on the day for Sollars. Later, she would team with sophomore Molly Kruse to defeat Jasmin Brown and Terra Proctor 8-1 at #2 doubles.

Cedar Ridge’s only victory came in another three set battle. Senior Adeline Cummings defeated freshman Kalynn Mason 6-2, 5-7, 10-5.

The Lady Panthers would sweep the final four singles matches to improve its dual match record to 3-1, 1-1 in the Central Conference. Sophomore Ellie Wilson defeated Brown 6-4, 7-5. In another three set match, Oakley Gaddy held off Proctor 3-6, 6-0, 10-4. Junior Casey Robinson knocked off Lila Rhodes 6-1, 6-4. At #6 singles, Adelyn Alvis won Caroline Hall 6-3, 6-3.

In doubles action, Orange’s #1 team of Wilson and Mason won over Caltabiano and Cummings 8-3. Orange closed out the night with Robinson and Kyla Mehl beating Rhodes and Hall 8-1.

Orange 9, Person 0: On Wednesday, Orange braved temperatures that reached 95 degrees in a road trip to Roxboro for an easy win over the Rockets.

Person had three players. Mason won at #1 singles over Annie Adcock 8-1. Alvis defeated Lehra Pastrana 8-0. Orange’s Aubrey Petrosanu won over Makada Fife 8-0.

In the only doubles match, Mehl and Evelyn Gover defeated Adcock and Pastrana 8-2.

Orange is 4-1 overall, 2-1 in the Central Conference. Their next road trip is to Elon to face Western Alamance on Thursday. After the Labor Day holiday, the Panthers will travel to Graham to face Southern Alamance on Tuesday.

Cedar Ridge 9, Southern Alamance 0: Last week, Cedar Ridge won its first match under new head coach Al Caltabiano in its season opener. Ella Caltabiano won the first match of her senior year over Gabby Canup 6-0, 6-0. Cummings won at #2 singles over Madalyn Corbett 6-0, 6-1. Jasmin Brown won at #3 singles over Ava Lynch 6-1, 6-1. Terra Proctor defeated Cherish Ray 6-2, 6-2. Lila Rhodes captures the #5 singles match over Cayla Shaw 6-0, 6-1. Caroline Hall completed the singles sweep with a victory against Chloe Nelson 6-0, 6-0.

It was Cedar Ridge’s first match since 2021 without Cameron Mayhew in the lineup. Mayhew graduated in June after four years as the Red Wolves top singles player.

Cedar Ridge swept the three doubles matches. Caltabiano and Cummings teamed to defeat Canup and Corbett 8-0. Brown & Proctor defeated Lynch & Ray 8-2. Rhoades and Hall rolled past Shaw and Nelson 8-1.

The following day, Durham School of the Arts defeated Cedar Ridge 9-0. The Red Wolves got back in the win column on Wednesday with a victory over Eastern Alamance in Mebane. Cedar Ridge is 2-2, 2-1 in the Central Conference. They will face Western Alamance on Wednesday.

Our first Orange Panther the Week for the 2024-2025 academic year is senior tennis player Shannon Sollars. Last week, Sollars started her senior year with wins over Voyager Academy and Eno River Academy. Sollars defeated Carrington Foster of Voyager 8-1, then teamed with Molly Kruse to defeat Foster and Addie Baker in doubles. As a sophomore, Sollars was a member of the first Orange tennis team in school history to win a conference championship. She teamed with her sister Erin to reach the 3A State Tournament in doubles play. Since Shannon has been a part of the program, the Lady Panthers have reached unprecedented heights. As a freshman, Sollars played on a team that won in the opening round of the state dual tournament when Orange defeated Wilson Fike. On that day, Sollars won at #6 singles as the Lady Panthers defeated the Golden Demons 5-3. A year later, Orange defeated First Flight for another win in the state playoffs, though they had to drive all the way to Kill Devil Hills to do it. This year, Sollars isn’t playing alongside her sister, Erin. But Shannon is being coached by her. Erin has joined Coach Justin Webb’s staff as an assistant. Sollars will graduate next June as one of the most accomplished Orange tennis players in history. She plans to attend Alamance Community College. Shannon and Orange will face Cedar Ridge on Monday at the Mebane Tennis Center.

Orange Panther of the Week: Shannon Sollars

Our first Orange Panther the Week for the 2024-2025 academic year is senior tennis player Shannon Sollars. Last week, Sollars started her senior year with wins over Voyager Academy and Eno River Academy. Sollars defeated Carrington Foster of Voyager 8-1, then teamed with Molly Kruse to defeat Foster and Addie Baker in doubles.

Just because one of the Sollars sisters graduated in June doesn’t mean their presence with Orange women’s tennis is in the rear view mirror.

Erin Sollars teamed with her younger sister Shannon to comprise Orange’s top doubles team the past two years. After Erin turned the tassel in June, she looked for a way to remain with the program while she attended classes at Alamance Community College.

So she’s now an assistant coach.

“Her scheuedle allows her to help,” said Orange women’s tennis coach Justin Webb. “She’s been great. We’ve got 21 players out there. I’m projecting a really high number. It’s going to be hard for me to coach these girls. Erin is one of the most decorated players to ever come through Orange High. So a lot of girls enjoy working with her.”

Just one dual match into the year and it’s already been an unpredictable season for Orange. On Monday, the Lady Panthers hosted its season-opening match against Eno River Academy–at Walker Tennis Complex in Mebane.

The courts at Orange High went through a repaving project at the conclusion of the men’s season last May. Unfortunately, the project is behind schedule. It appears that the courts won’t be available until after Labor Day.

It has forced Webb to hold practices in Mebane. There were also workouts scheduled at the Fairview courts in Hillsborough, but both were canceled as a result of Tropical Storm Debbie.

The humor of Eno River and Orange, schools separated by barely two miles, going all the way to Mebane to play a match wasn’t lost on the participants.

Sollars started her senior year with wins at #1 singles and doubles as the Panthers rolled past the Bobcats 9-0 on Monday. Sollars won her singles match 6-4, 6-2. Later, she teamed with junior Casey Robinson to win 8-5.

Orange freshman Kalynn Mason made her debut in the tightest match of the day. Eno River’s Chiara Menolascino extended Mason to a third set, leading to a 10-point tiebreaker. Mason captured her first varsity win 6-2, 4-6, 10-3.

Sophomore Ellie Wilson won at #3 singles 6-4, 6-4. Junior Molly Kruse, a three-sport athlete who also swims and plays soccer, captured her match at #4 singles 6-3, 6-2. Oakley Gaddy defeated Lyla York 6-1, 6-0. Robinson completed a singles sweep for Orange with a 6-0, 6-1 win.

Mason and Wilson won at #1 doubles 8-3.

Adelyn Alvis, who was an All-Central Conference performer in track and field, teamed with Gaddy to win at #3 doubles 8-0.

Orange will face Durham School of the Arts on Tuesday.