Orange Women’s Tennis

Volleyball: Cedar Ridge 3, Northern Durham 0

Three days after beating the defending 3A State Champions D.H. Conley, the Cedar Ridge volleyball team rolled past former Big 8 Conference rival Northern Durham 3-0 on Monday at Red Wolves Gymnasium.

The Red Wolves (4-0) played its fourth match in six days, but there was no sign of rust. Junior Cameron Lloyd led Cedar Ridge with eight kills, but sophomore Addie Reid came up with a career-high seven kills, which speaks to the increased firepower that the Red Wolves have developed over the course of the first week of the season.

Reid, who played sparingly in two matches at the end of last season, opened the year with four kills each in matches against East Chapel Hill and Riverside. Junior Anaya Carter had five kills and one ace.

Cedar Ridge captured the first set 25-13. They won 25-9 and 25-22. The Red Wolves have yet to drop a set in its four matches thus far.

Junior Julie Altieri finished with four aces. The Red Wolves will finish the week on Wednesday with a road trip against powerful Carrboro, who is 2-2 thus far. The Jaguars, which moved to 3A in the new Northern Lakes Conference this summer, won 27 consecutive games in the 2A Mid-State Conference. They captured back-to-back Mid-State Conference championships and won the 2016 2A State Championship. It will be the first matchup between the Red Wolves and the Jaguars since 2016, when Carrboro finished a perfect 30-0.

Women’s Tennis: Orange 9, Southern Alamance 0

The Orange women’s tennis team is off to its strongest start in at least a decade. The Lady Panthers improved to 3-0 with a 9-0 victory over Southern Alamance in Graham on Tuesday.

Sophomore Grace Pell started at #1 singles and won her match 6-1, 6-1. Senior Tea Jones started at #2 singles and captured her match 6-1, 6-1. Sophomore Erin Sollars, freshman Shannon Sollars, sophomore Makalya Davis and sophomore Isabelle Lynn completed the singles sweep for Orange.

In doubles play, sophomores Finley White and Pell teamed to win at #1 8-1. The only competitive match of the day came at #2 doubles, where Jinkie Andrews and Erin Sollars defeated the Patriots’ Faith Moore and Paicey Cameron 8-6. Katelyn Van Mater, who is now participating in her third sport at Orange (including soccer and basketball), teamed with Madelyn Horn to win at #3 doubles 8-2.

Orange 9, Riverside 0 (August 23)

The Orange women’s tennis team won its first road trip of the season with a 9-0 victory over Riverside in Durham on Monday. Lady Panthers coach Justin Webb named Jinkie Andrews the player of the match. Andrews won at #3 singles 6-2, 6-0 to improve her record to 2-0 on the season.

Finley White, who was a regular at #1 singles last spring, earned the top spot against the Pirates. White prevailed over the Pirates’ Delaney Schick 7-6 (7-5), 7-5. Grace Pell won at #2 singles over Sara Carbajal 6-0, 6-0. Tea Jones, Erin Sollars and Shannon Solars all won as Orange swept the singles matches.

In doubles play, Erin and Shannon Sollars defeated Schick and Carbajal 8-4. Faith Moore & Paicey Cameron won the tightest match of the day, beating Makayla Davis and Isabelle Lynn 9-7.

Katelyn Van Mater and Jones won over Juliet Paw & Alexis Hester 8-0.

Part of the reason for Orange’s earlier success is a strong turnover. Over 20 players on currently on the squad, which is the most Justin Webb has had since he became the Lady Panthers’ coach.

Orange will travel to Carrboro to complete a suspended match on Thursday, then play a regularly scheduled match. On August 16, Orange led the Jaguars 3-1 in Hillsborough when the match was interrupted by rain.

When you’re a program that’s built a winning pedigree for the past two years, there’s nothing like the word “new.”

As in “new threats on offense” and “new players who can finish.”

That’s what Cedar Ridge Coach Fiona Cunningham is trying to establish as the Red Wolves prepare for the new Central Carolina Conference.

The newest Red Wolf factored big against her old team in the season opener.

Junior Melissa Benkowitz, an East Chapel Hill transfer, had ten kills and three assists in her first official game for the Red Wolves as Cedar Ridge swept East Chapel Hill 3-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Wildcats Gymnasium. After Cedar Ridge wrapped up the second set, Cunningham rested starters Cameron Lloyd and Cameron Lanier, while junior setter Julie Altieri also had reduced time. That left Benkowitz as the main outside hitter, and she had four kills and two aces in the final set. Benkowitz finished the second set with a kill off an assist from Altieri, followed by an ace to give Cedar Ridge the frame 25-15.

Junior Anaya Carter had a kill off an assist from Altieri on match point to put the third set away for the Red Wolves 25-21.

“It was a team effort today,” Cunningham said. “Every single player got on the court and every single player scored a point or contributed in multiple ways.”

Lloyd finished with six kills.

“Mel was a liber at East Chapel Hill,” Cunningham said. “Over the past year, she grew into some height during club ball and they started using her as an outside hitter. She plays beach (volleyball) and when she plays beach, she hits outside. So we’ve been giving her some time to swing on the pin and see how it works.”

Cedar Ridge (1-0) will return home to face Riverside on Thursday. Then comes a much-anticipated trip to Greenville to face D.H. Conley, the defending 3A State Champions. The Vikings defeated the Red Wolves in the second round of the 3A State Playoffs in January 3-1. Cedar Ridge captured the first set, one of only three sets the Vikings lost in the postseason. They swept Cox Mill in the State Championship match.

ORANGE 3, JORDAN 2

Playing without 2020 Big 8 Player of the Year Lottie Scully and junior All-Conference middle hitter Erin Jordan-Cornell, Orange still found a way to win its season-opener against Jordan in Durham 3-2 on Monday night. The Lady Panthers prevailed on scores of 25-18, 17-25, 25-20, 22-25 and 15-13.

In the absence of Scully, Ella Van Time had 15 kills, six blocks and 15 digs as the Lady Panthers captured its season opener for the fourth time in five years. Junior Allie Wilkerson added eleven kills, one ace, and 15 digs.

Junior Caitlin Carden established herself as the team’s premier setter, registering a whopping 40 assists, along with 16 digs and two aces. Senior Avery Miller, starting her third varsity season, had seven kills and ten digs.

Orange will travel to East Chapel Hill on Friday afternoon at 5.

WOMEN’S TENNIS: ORANGE 3, CARRBORO 1…SUSPENDED

The Orange women’s tennis team started its season against Carrboro at Panther Tennis Courts on Monday afternoon, but the match was suspended because of rain. At the time the match was halted, Orange led 3-1.

Grace Pell grabbed a win for Orange at #2 singles after her opponent had to retire due to injury. At #5 singles, sophomore Erin Sollars earned her first victory at the varsity level. Freshman Shannon Solars won at #6 singles, also her first win for Orange.

Orange women’s tennis coach Justin Webb hopes to continue the match at a later time. The Lady Panthers will return to action against Southern Alamance on Thursday in Hillsborough.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is freshman tennis player Finley White. Last week during the Big 8 Women’s Tennis Tournament at Lindsay Linker Tennis Courts at East Chapel Hill High School, White and fellow freshman Grace Pell qualified for the 3A Mideast Regionals after reaching the semifinals. This season, White won six singles matches, including a 5-3 record at #3 singles. In the final dual match of the year, White defeated Chapel Hill’s Cameron Pehlivanzade 8-4. Though White hasn’t had a chance to experience a traditional academic year because of the pandemic, she has still been active. She’s played tenor saxophone with the Orange High band. She also had a perfect sore when she tried out for All-District band. Along with playing tennis, White is planning a career in music. In addition to playing saxophone, White is a singer. White and Pell will start play in the 3A Mideast Regionals on Friday morning at the Burlington Tennis Center. The top four teams in the regionals will qualify for next week’s 3A State Championships.

With the Big 8 Conference Championship already secure, the Orange wrestling team maintained its undefeated record with little trouble in Yanceyville.

In a tri-meet, Orange swept Bartlett-Yancey 60-18 and Walter Williams 64-12 on Tuesday night. It happened a week after Orange defeated Chapel Hill to clinch the Big 8 title and finished 7-0 in conference action.

Against the Buccaneers, Orange senior Henry Joubert-Stanzel scored his team-leading seventh pin of the season after he finished off Jakoby Casselman at 170 pounds. Joubert-Stanzel got a forfeit win against Williams and is now 13-0.

Senior Elliott Woods, who made All-Big 8 Conference for football, earned his first pinfall of the season with a win over William Caldwell at 182 pounds. Another All-Conference football player, Hayden Horne, pinned Jada Davis at 220 pounds. At 160 pounds, Nate Hecht pinned Christian Scott. Dillon Heffernan pinned Paul Vogel at 113 pounds.

Joshua Dunn, Jared Hutchins, Kessel Summers, Avery Clark, and Matthew Smith-Breeden earned forfeit wins against the Buccaneers.

Summers improved to 15-0 on the season with a 13-1 major decision over Williams’ Sam Sturgill.

Against Williams, who will be a conference rival for Orange starting in August, the Panthers had three pins. Avery Clark defeated Saul Segura-Alejandrez to go to 12-3 on the season. At 152 pounds, Samuel Crawford defeated James Hurst. Crawford is now 8-3. Brendon Worsham pinned Treyvon Cousins at 182 pounds to bolster his record to 11-2. It was Worsham’s fourth pin of the year.

Smith-Breeden, Heffernan, Dunn, Hutchins, Hecht, Joubert-Stanzel, and Horne all had forfeit wins for Orange against the Bulldogs.

Orange’s next dual match is scheduled against Hough High School next Tuesday. The Panthers will conclude its regular season in a tri-meet against powerful Cardinal Gibbons and Enloe on June 9.

Women’s Tennis: Northwood 6, Orange 3; Northwood 7, Orange 2

The Orange women’s tennis team honored five seniors during a lengthy evening at Orange High Tennis Courts on Tuesday.

The Northwood Chargers completed a suspended match that started on May 5 that was interrupted by rain, then won the regular scheduled match against Orange 7-2.

Orange seniors Halle Boroski, Ashley Behinger, Lindsey Jouannet, Morgan Gwinn, and Emma Williamson were honored before the match by head coach Justin Webb.

Freshman Grace Pell won in straight sets for Orange in singles play.

The Lady Panthers will finish the regular season at Chapel Hill on Wednesday.

Track and Field: Last Tuesday, the Orange and Cedar Ridge men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in a tri-meet at Northwood High School in Pittsboro. Cedar Ridge senior A.J. Richmond finished 1st in the 100 and 200 meter dash. Richmond had a new personal best with a time of 12.14 seconds in the 100. In the 200, Richmond finished at 24.24 seconds. In addition, Richmond finished second in the high jump with a leap of 5-feet.

For Orange, senior Erin Mink qualified for the Mideast Regionals in the pole vault. Mink cleared 10-feet, six inches to finish in first place. It was the huge day for Mink, who finished first in three different events. She won the long jump at 14-feet, eight-inches. She also captured the triple jump at 31-feet, nine inches.

Sophomore Abby Hengsterman won the 400 meter dash, crossing the finish line at 1:09.44. In the 300 meter hurdles, junior Samantha George finished first with a new personal best of 54.54 seconds.

For the Orange men, Spencer Hampton continued his strong season with victories in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. Hampton, who has already qualified for the regionals, won the 1,600 at 4:24.10. In the 3,200, Hampton crossed the finish line at 9:53.60.

A week after winning in the 400 meter dash against Northern Durham and Vance County on Senior Day, Jeffrey Faulkner finished 1st in the 400 meters again at 53.24 seconds. Keanu Mims, who competed in the state championships as a sophomore on the 4×100 relay team, came in second at 54.24 seconds.

Orange captured three more events. In the high jump, Devin Goss finished first with a leap of 5-feet, 2-inches. Junior Caelin Sampey won the long jump at 15-feet, 6-and-a-half inches. Sampey also won the triple jump at 31-feet, 8.25-inches.

Going into the 3A Mideast Regionals at Eastern Guilford High School next month, two Cedar Ridge wrestlers maintain undefeated individual records after a tri-meet in Yanceyville.

On Wednesday night, the Cedar Ridge wrestling team improved to 11-5 after sweeping a tri-meet from Bartlett-Yancey and Burlington Cummings. The Red Wolves rode a key pinfall win by James Rosati-Brown to a 33-30 win over the Buccaneers. Competing at 152 pounds, Rosati-Brown pinned BY’s Logan Church in 3:09. It was Rosati-Brown’s 70th career win. Later in the night against Cummings, Rosati Brown would earn a forfeit win to go to 16-0 on the season.

At 160 pounds, freshman Kaden Tatro pinned Christian Smith in 1:30. Thomas Bradley secured the dual match win for the Red Wolves with a 10-8 decision over Jakoby Casselman.

Fernando Martinez, Kady Watkins and Daina Pritchard earned forfeit wins for the Red Wolves against the Buccaneers.

Pritchard moved to 16-0 on the year as Cedar Ridge defeated Cummings 47-30 in the final match of the night. At 145 pounds, Prichard earned a technical fall over Elijah Collins 18-3. It was one of only two matches that didn’t end in a forfeit. In the other, Cedar Ridge heavyweight Aidan Kearns pinned Cummings’ Wesley Reese in 37 seconds. Two female wrestlers for the Red Wolves, Watkins and Zoey Moreno, picked up forfeit wins. Watkins has ten victories this year. Also winning via forfeit against the Cavaliers were Rosati-Brown, Martinez, Tatro, and Bradley. Martinez, a sophomore, now has a career record of 49-14. He will go for his 50th career win tonight when Cedar Ridge faces Greensboro Grimsley and Montgomery Central in another tri-meet.

Women’s Tennis: Orange 8, Cedar Ridge 1; Orange 9, Vance County 0

The Orange women’s tennis team has won four consecutive matches, as well as seven of its last eight. For the second year in a row, the Lady Panthers swept the season series from crosstown rival Cedar Ridge. On Wednesday, Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 8-1.

Freshmen started in two singles spots for Orange Coach Justin Webb. Grace Pell won at #2 singles 6-1, 6-1. At #3 singles, Finley White captured her match 6-1, 6-0. Halle Boroski and Emma Williamson also had singles wins for the Lady Panthers.

Cedar Ridge captured the #1 singles match. Freshman Cameron Mayhew won 6-0, 6-2 to improve to 3-2 in single play this year. Mayhew is the younger sister of Josh Mayhew, who became the first Cedar Ridge player to reach a state championship tennis final earlier this month in the 3A men’s championships at the Burlington Tennis Center.

Orange junior Jinkie Andrews won at #4 singles 6-2, 6-2. Later in the day, Andrews teamed with senior Morgan Gwinn to win at #1 doubles 8-4. Boroski & Williamson won at #2 doubles. Tea Jones and senior Lindsey Jouannet finished the day with an 8-3 victory in #3 doubles.

In what will likely be the final head-to-head matchup between Orange and Vance County in any sport as conference rivals, the Lady Panthers two dual matches over the Vipers on Thursday afternoon. Orange won 9-0. The Vipers, who brought three players in from Henderson, forfeited the final match.

Andrews started at #1 singles and won 8-0. Jouannet won at #2 singles. Sophomore Madelyn Horn captured her #3 singles match. Isabelle Lynn and Ashley Behringer won the only doubles match that was contested 8-0.

Orange is now 7-3 overall, 6-3 in the Big 8 Conference. The Lady Panthers will host senior day against Northwood on Tuesday. First, the two teams will complete a suspended match from May 5 that started in Pittsboro. The Chargers led 4-3 at the time of the stoppage. Orange and Northwood will then play its regularly scheduled match.

Cedar Ridge will host Northern Durham on Tuesday. The Red Wolves defeated the Knights 9-0 on May 5. Cedar Ridge is also scheduled to face Vance County on June 7.

The Big 8 Women’s Tennis Tournament is scheduled for June 11. The 3A Mideast Regionals will be held at the Burlington Tennis Center on June 18.

As classes wound down at Orange High this week, the women’s tennis team continued a winning streak. On Wednesday, the Lady Panthers defeated Cedar Ridge 8-1 at Panther Tennis Courts. Junior Jinkie Andrews captured her singles match 6-3, 6-2. Andrews teamed with senior Morgan Gwinn 8-4 to win in #1 doubles. On Thursday, Orange won two dual matches over Vance County. Andrews started at #1 singles against the Vipers and won 8-0. It was her Andrews’ eighth win of the year. Earlier this month, Gwinn’s younger brother, Brandon, went to the 3A State Tournament in doubles play. Gwinn teamed with Colin O’Hagerty after they finished 4th in the Mideast Regionals. This season, Gwinn has started at #1 singles for Orange. On Tuesday, Gwinn and classmates Halle Boroski, Ashley Behringer, Lindsey Jouannet and Emma Williamson will be honored before the resumption of a suspended match against Northwood for Senior Day. After the completion of the earlier match, which was suspended in Pittsboro because of a thunderstorm, Orange will have its regularly scheduled home match against the Chargers. Orange has won four in a row and is 7-3 overall, 6-3 in the Big 8 Conference.

A combination of youth and experienced has helped the Orange women’s tennis team get off to a 4-3 start this season. On Thursday, the Lady Panthers defeated Cedar Ridge 8-1 at Red Wolves Tennis Courts. It was Orange’s third dual team win this week. Freshman Finley White won her match at #3 singles 6-1, 6-1. Later in the day, White teamed with fellow freshman Grace Pell to win at #1 doubles by default. Senior Halle Boroski won her fourth match of the season. Boroski won at #6 singles 6-1, 6-2. On Tuesday, Boroski won her match at #5 singles against Northern Durham 8-0. Usually, women’s tennis is a fall sport, but it’s being played in the late spring this year because of the pandemic. Last year, Orange finished with a winning record at 11-8, its best mark under head coach Justin Webb since he took over the women’s team. Despite the losses of some key players, the Orange women is aiming for another winning season. Next week, Orange will host Cedar Ridge again, this time at Orange Tennis Courts.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior swimmer Ashley Behringer. On Tuesday, Behringer won the 100 yard backstroke in a meet against Chapel Hill and Northern Durham at the Orange County Sportsplex. Behringer finished with a time of 1:05.35, which earns her consideration for the Mideast Regionals. Behringer joined Caroline Lazarus, Melissa Campbell and Abby Dease on the 400 yard freestyle relay team, which qualified for the regionals with a time of 4:15.65. The group finished. 2nd in a six-team race behind Chapel Hill. Behringer also played tennis this fall for Coach Justin Webb. The Lady Panthers finished 11-8, its best mark since 2013, at least. The Orange women’s swimming team has victories over Eastern Alamance, Walter Williams, Cedar Ridge and Northern Durham this season. The Lady Panthers will compete in the Big 8 Conference Championships at Duke University on Wednesday, January 22.

The celebratory Gatorade Shower celebration dates back to 1984 when the New York Giants doused head coach Bill Parcells after following a victory over Washington.

That means the celebration is so dated, it’s doubtful that Orange women’s tennis coach Justin Webb was born the first time Harry Carson doused his boss 39 years ago. And it’s a certainty none of Webb’s players were around to see it, especially his top singles player, sophomore Jera Hargrove

On September 23, when Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 5-4 at Red Wolves Tennis Courts, it led to the first Gatorade Shower celebration in Orange women’s tennis history.

And a Ice Dump to that for Coach pic.twitter.com/l0z8Lig95c— OHSPantherTennis (@OrangeHSTennis) September 23, 2019

It was Orange’s first win over Cedar Ridge in women’s tennis since the Red Wolves joined the Big 8 Conference in 2013.

The match also continue a series of great matches between Hargraves and Cedar Ridge’s top singles player, senior Olivia Ward. It would carry over to the Mideast Regionals in October, but on this day Hargrove defeated Ward 6-2, 6-7 (5-7) and 10-4 in the #1 single match.

“It makes me feel really good. Olivia beat me both times my freshman year,” Hargrove said. “She beat me the previous time we played this season.”

In a summer where Coco Gauff became the sport’s newest sensation after making a run to the fourth round of Wimbledon, Hargrove watched from afar with admiration. Hargrove is exactly two days older than Gauff.

“Hopefully one day that can be me,” Hargrove said. “She’s a prodigy and she’s the same age as me. I was born March 11 and she was born March 13.”

Orange won four of the six singles matches. In addition to Hargrove, junior Emma Williamson, Lindsey Jouannet and Halle Boroski all claimed wins. In fact, Boroski had her own three set match against Cedar Ridge senior Karen Alvarez, which ended 6-2, 5-7 and 14-12 (10-point tiebreaker).

With Orange leading 4-2, the dual match came down to three doubles matches. Ward and Nora Sauers reduce Orange’s lead to 4-3 with a tight 8-6 win at #3 doubles. Cedar Ridge’s Brianna Cellini and Mary-Hunter Millet won 8-4 to even the match.

Jouannet and Sydney Allison clinched the match for Orange with an 8-2 victory at #3 doubles, leading to a joyous ride back to the other end of Hillsborough.

But first, Webb got doused.

Jouannet won two matches on the day.

“I think we were just ready to finally beat our rival,” Jouannet said. “It’s been a long time. A lot of the seniors helped pump us up, too, to get us ready and get the win.”

It would turn out to be a strong season for the Orange women’s tennis team overall. The Panthers finished with its first winning record since 2013, at least. After the Cedar Ridge win, the Lady Panthers edged Person 5-4. They ended the year 11-8 after beating J.F. Webb, Northern Durham and Roxboro Community School to end the dual team match season.

Hargrove would go on to qualify for the 3A Mideast Regionals, where she reached the second round. Once again, she would face Ward, a story you’ll read more about in the coming days.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is sophomore women’s tennis player Jera Hargrove. For the second year in a row, Hargrove qualified for the 3A Mideast Regionals In singles play. Her first match is scheduled for Friday afternoon at the Burlington Tennis Center. Hargrove has been the #1 singles player since her freshman season at Orange and helped Orange to an 11-8 record, its best mark this decade. Hargrove’s brother played at Orange and is now at Tuskegee University in Alabama. This weekend, Jera aims to qualify for the 3A State Singles Championships by reaching the semifinals. Last week, Hargrove qualified for regionals after she defeated a player from East Chapel Hill to reach the semifinals in the Big 8 Tennis Championship at the Lindsay Linker Tennis Stadium. The 3A State Championships will be held at the Burlington Tennis Center, as well, starting October 25.