Orange High School

Orange football has had five straight seasons of 10 wins. The only thing missing in that span is a tough, early season test.

In the 90s, when they were the kings of Triangle football, Northern Durham coaches Ken Browning and successor Gary Merrill liked to schedule Garner or Millbrook just to get the Knights prepared for what life in November was truly like.

Tonight, Orange will get a taste of that

It’s been nearly five years since the Orange football team lost a regular season nonconference game. It was August 31, 2012 when Carrboro, of all teams, defeated the Panthers 27-19 at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough.

Since then, Orange has won 21 in a row against nonconference foes in the regular season, a school record. Orange is also riding a 17-game regular season winning streak.

All of that is at risk tonight against the Hoggard Vikings, an opponent that bears a strong similarity to the Havelock team that  ended Orange’s season last November in the 2nd round of the 3A state playoffs.

Like Havelock, Hoggard runs the spread, which hardly makes the Vikings unusual in that regard. Just about everyone is running some sort of spread offense nowadays, even Orange.

The Vikings finished 8-6 in 2016 in the 4A /3A Mideastern Conference. But what caught the attention of many football observers along the coast last week was the ease in which the Vikings handled Holly Springs 48-7 at Wilmington’s Scott Braswell Stadium.

Last season, the Golden Hawks defeated Hoggard 24-20 behind 394 rushing yards, including 373 yards and three touchdowns from senior Broderick Taylor.

Last week, Hoggard held Holly Springs to 115 yards on the ground. Granted, Taylor graduated and Holly Springs is rebuilding. But the fact is Hoggard will be the most difficult nonconference test for Orange since the Carrboro team that triumphed in Hillsborough five years ago.

Hoggard may also benefit from good timing. Orange is still working out the kinks in its new spread offense, installed over the summer by new coordinator Steve Burdeau. The Panthers put up 40 points against Northern Nash last week, but most of those touchdowns either came off long punt returns by senior Payton Wilson (244 returns yards, 393 all purpose yards), a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Colin Guentensberger or a fumbled snap by the Knights punter. In other words, Orange didn’t have a sustained drive ending in points until well after the game had been decided.

Orange has played undermanned teams during the early season in recent years, but that won’t be the case tonight. Hoggard senior linebackers McKenzie Frazier, Christian Hollar and Reece Moultan were dominant against Holly Springs last week. The Vikings’ offense scored on seven of ten possessions.

Hoggard also returns starting quarterback Josh Jones, who threw for 2,276 yards and 26 touchdowns while rushing for 645 yards. The top returning wide receiver is Tre Houser, who piled up 1, 028 total yards last season.

Wilson and classmate Marvante Beasley have made this season a personal mission since it is their final chance to win an elusive state championship. Tonight’s game will have a playoff atmosphere, even a week before Labor Day.

This is Orange’s only nonconference home game, one of only four dates in Hillsborough this year. The Panthers play their next three on the road and won’t see the lights of Auman Stadium again until October 6th against Northern Durham.

Plus, there’s playoff seeding. Most teams across the state play 11 games, but playoff records are determined by a 10-game schedule. If a team loses a nonconference game, it can simply be deducted off its record.

Orange doesn’t have that luxury this year since East Chapel Hill isn’t fielding a team. The Panthers will play ten games, and tonight’s game against Hoggard will count in the final playoff standings, win or lose.

For a team that’s won consecutive Big 8 Championships and 17 in a row during the regular season, the Panthers are going into uncharted waters tonight, even at home.

Through its first two games, Burlington Williams has lit up its opposition for 12 goals. The Bulldogs didn’t slow down against Orange.

Senior Enil Ferguson scored two goals as Williams (2-0-1) defeated Orange 4-1 in Burlington on Wednesday night. It was the first loss of the season for the Panthers, who were coming off a 9-0 win over Roxboro Community School.

Jorge Alfaro also scored for the Bulldogs, his team-leading fifth goal of the season. Brennan Lagana finished with a goal and an assist for Williams, who plays in the 3A Mid Piedmont Conference.

Junior R.J. Pherribo scored the only Orange goal on a penalty kick. Pherribo has scored three goals and two assists so far this season, leading the team with eight points.

Williams started the season with a 2-2 draw at Ragsdale, then routed Bartlett Yancey 10-1.

After Thursday’s rematch with Roxboro Community in Person County, Orange will have one more week to prepare for a rigorous Big 8 Conference schedule. The Panthers will travel to Linny Wrenn Stadium to face Riverside on Monday night, followed by a home game against Wake Forest.

The Panthers played to a scoreless tie against Riverside in Hillsborough last week, a match where Orange had six shots on net.

Orange’s opens conference play at East Chapel Hill on September 6.

Very quietly, Orange volleyball has done something it hasn’t accomplished in at least 11 years.

Win at Riverside.

The Panthers not only defeated the Pirates on Margratha Chambers Court on Wednesday night, but they swept them 3-0 on scores of 25-15, 25-21 and 25-17.

To say Orange’s luck against Riverside in Durham has been limited is an understatement. The Pirates had won the last four matches it hosted against Orange, conceding just three sets in the wins. Last year, Riverside swept Orange 30-28, 29-27 and 25-19.

The Panthers (3-0) were dominant on Monday behind a strong performance from Bailey Lucas, who amassed two aces, nine kills, six assists and seven digs. Caroline Compton had one ace, 15 assists, and five digs. Faith Foushee finished with one assist and eleven digs.

Senior Avery Riley added five kills. Sophomore Emma Clements chipped in 13 digs, which led the team.

With the win over the Pirates, the Panthers completed a sweep of Durham’s remaining 4-A teams. On Monday, Orange swept Jordan.

Orange starts Big 8 Conference play on Thursday night against new league rival East Chapel Hill in Hillsborough. The JV game is at 5 with the varsity game to follow shortly afterwards.

In a new look Big 8 Conference that added soccer powerhouse East Chapel Hill during the summer, it was vital for Orange soccer to have a show of force early this season to prove it could stand toe-to-toe with new competition.

So far, an experienced Orange team that returned leading scorer Jamar Davis has had a solid start to the season.

The Panthers are 1-0-2 after shutting out Roxboro Community School 9-0 on Monday night in Hillsborough. Davis scored his first two goals of the season and also had an assist. Junior R.J. Pherribo scored a goal and tallied two assists. Omar Landeros recorded a goal and an assist, as did senior midfielder Ewan McCallum. Luke Wirzba, Bryan Torres, Drew Jagentenfl and Jo Sances also scored goals for the Panthers, who notched its first win of the season. Cam Michalski, Noah Miller and Rohan Kasthuri also finished with assists.

Last Monday, Orange opened the season with a scoreless tie against Riverside. Davis, Pherribo and Jagentenfl were responsible for all six of the Panthers’ shots on net against the Pirates. On Friday, Orange traveled to Carrboro and came away with a 2-2 tie, despite taking the lead with 4:04 remaining off a goal by Jesus Chavez off a feed from Wirzba. The Jaguars, who played for the 2A Eastern Regional Championship last season, tied the game 30 seconds later.

Orange will play two games over the course of two nights starting tonight in Burlington, where they face Walter Williams. Then the Panters, coached by Palmer Bowman, travel to Roxboro for a rematch with Roxboro Community School on Thursday night.

The Orange volleyball team seems to have found a way to end its curse against the Jordan Falcons.

After Jordan swept Orange 3-0 last September, the Falcons had defeated the Panthers five straight times. However, Orange got revenge the following month, beating their former PAC-6 rivals in Hillsborough.

On Monday night, Orange claimed its second consecutive victory over the Falcons, 3-0, on scores of 25-20, 25-18 and 25-12.

The Panthers are now 2-0 after beating Eastern Alamance in last week’s season opener.

Senior Bailey Lucas, who missed the Eastern match with an injured ankle, made her season debut against the Falcons with two aces, six kills, seven assists and four digs.

Junior Liz LaNier registered six aces, four kills, two blocks, an assist and two digs.

Sophomore outside hitter Emma Clements recorded four aces, eight kills, an assist and two digs.

Senior Caroline Compton had 14 assists and three digs.

Orange travels to Durham to face Riverside on Wednesday night. The Panthers haven’t started 3-0 since 2013.

Over the weekend, Virginia Tech head coach Justin Fuente said “The first rule of special teams is don’t have a terrible thing happen.”

Unfortunately, Northern Nash didn’t get that memo Friday night.

The Knights punting unit cost them 17 points in the first half against Orange, which isn’t unusual for a young team in the season opener. But having a player as special as Payton Wilson is unusual, and Orange rode its thoroughbred to as often as possible as he begins his final lap.

Wilson had 244 punt return yards and 127 receiving yards to push the Panthers past the Knights 40-6 on a sultry Friday night in Death Valley. Marvante Beasley rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns, his 12th 100-yard rushing game.

Orange has now won 17 consecutive regular games and 21 straight nonconference games.

Of course, few times run on all cylinders in its season opener and Orange was no different on Friday night. New head coach Van Smith, in his first game, watched his new offense sputter, at times. The Panthers have junked the double wing offense for the en vogue spread attack installed by new offensive coordinator Steve Burdeau, who arrived to Hillsborough after two seasons at Richmond County.

With seniors Rodney Brooks and Brenden Huss sharing time at quarterback, the results were hit and miss. Brooks was more eager to keep the ball on zone-reads, rushing for 18 yards on five carries in front of an offensive line with only one returning starter.

The one thing both players had in common was who they viewed as the top target: Wilson.

On the opening possession, Knights punter Travis Smith had the ball snapped over his head, setting up Orange from the Knight 12-yard line for the opening possession of the season. On third-and-goal from the Nash 7-yard line, Brooks found Wilson for the opening touchdown in the right corner of the end zone.

It was the start of a exhausting night for Wilson and Beasley, who endured the hottest weather they’ve ever played in.

“It was crazy out here,” said Wilson. “It wasn’t just hot, it was like you could barely breathe because it was so humid. We were in better shape, obviously. It was rough out here today. I’m ready for that fall weather.”

“I was about to die,” said Beasley. “I don’t sweat a lot but I’ve never played in a hotter game in my life.”

In the 2nd quarter, Wilson returned a punt 55 yards, leading to Francisco McKinley’s 23-yard field goal. On the subsequent possession, Wilson received another punt, which he returned 50 yards before fumbling at the Nash 30-yard line. Panther upback Colin Guentensberger picked up the loose ball and ran the final 30 yards for a touchdown.

Wilson, who had five punt returns for touchdowns last season, was surprised Nash continued to kick it right to him.

“After the first one, I thought they would kick it out of bounds like most teams do,” said Wilson. “But they kept kicking it to me.”

“Punt returns are definitely the most tiring,” said Wilson. “On defense, I give it my all because I try to make every play. I’m already tired when I walk back to return punts. Sometimes I run it back 50, 60 yards, so that’s what really tires me out.”

Orange opened the second half with Wilson making a gorgeous diving catch for 32 yards down to the Knight 1-yard line. Beasley scored his first touchdown of the season two plays alter.

“I felt like we were firing off the ball in the second half better,” said Beasley. “It cooled down a lot in the second half and we executed better. We focused much better.”

Later in the third quarter, Beasley scored on an 11-yard touchdown run. McKinley kicked a 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, doubling his season total from 2016 in the opening game.

Nash scored its only touchdown when quarterback Davontae Wiggins threw to Trevor Sledge for a 36-yard score.

Orange plays its only nonconference home game on Friday night against Wilmington Hoggard, who hammered Holly Springs 48-7 on Friday night.

“Hoggard is always supposed to be pretty good,” said Wilson. “We need a real good week of practice. Me and Marvante and everyone else worked very hard this offseason, so it means a lot to us. We out to go out every game the same.”

On a sweltering night in Rocky Mount where the heat index reached over 100 degrees at kickoff, Orange defeated Northern Nash 40-6 in Death Valley. Marvante Beasley rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns. Payton Wilson had 244 punt return yards as the Panthers claimed its 21st straight regular season victory over a nonconference opponent.

Payton Wilson & Marvante Beasley Discuss a Hot Night in Rocky Mount

With the heat indexes over 100 degrees at kickoff, Orange endured a sweltering night to defeat Northern Nash 40-6 on Friday night in Rocky Mount. Payton Wilson had 244 yards on punt returns while Marvante Beasley rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns. It was the 12th time Beasley has rushed for over 100 yards.

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