Orange High School

For the first time since it won the 2012 3A State Championship, the Orange wrestling team is headed to the state quarterfinals.

The Panthers (29-0) will square off against Swansboro on Thursday night at 6 at Gray’s Creek High School in Hope Mills in a regional semifinal. On the opposite mat, West Brunswick will face Gray’s Creek in the other semifinal. The two winners will meet in the 3-A Eastern Regional final immediately afterwards.

Orange has won eight regional championships in three different classifications since the North Carolina High School Athletic Association started dual team playoffs in 1990.

Orange will have a mental advantage against Swansboro, having defeated the Pirates 44-19 during the Havelock Duals on January 14. It was another match where the Panthers’ depth proved too much. After six matches, Orange led 12-10 before Charlie Fitzpatrick (152), Josiah Ramirez (170), Jamar Davis (195) and Payton Wilson all scored pins to put the match out of reach. Daylan Alston added a 7-3 decision win over Swansboro’s Patrick Peterson.

However, Swansboro (37-4) will go into Thursday match after ending a dynasty. The Pirates defeated Eden Morehead 40-27 in Pittsboro on Tuesday, ending the Panthers’ run of four consecutive 3-A regional championships, winning it all in 2014 over Fred T. Foard.

Morehead ended the season 23-3.

Searching for its sixth state championship, Orange punched its ticket to the state quarterfinals after convincing wins over Corinth-Holders (43-27) in the first round and Wilson Fike (45-36) in the nightcap.

Josiah Ramirez started the night with a technical fall victory over the Pirates’ Mike Darden 19-4, the first of four consecutive wins for Orange. At 182, Braden Homesey got a 9-3 decision over Seamuis Brennan. At 195, Jamar Davis got a 12-2 major decision over Alvin Montanez. In possibly his toughest match of the year, Wilson grinded out a 3-1 win over Larry Williams to remain undefeated on the season.

Orange dominated the lighter weight classes as Mitchell Askew (106), freshman Noah Davis (113), Mitchell Lopeman (126), and Bailey Hawkins (132) all scored pins. Plus, Gavin Wiggins scored a major decision over Brian Hines 14-4.

Against the Golden Demons, Orange scored pins in six of the first seven matches. After Homsey received a forfeit victory to open the dual match, Davis pinned Jamonta Isler in 1:39. Wilson pinned Levi Nigoche in :25 at 220. Daylen Alston put the shoulders of Saulo Rodriguez on the mat in 1:46. At 106, Mitchell Askew scored his 2nd pin of the night against Blake Edwards in 2:44. Noah Davis also notched his 2nd pin when he finished off Jahmez Settles in 2:57. At 120, Gavin Wiggins defeated Taylor Gay in 1:05 to put the Panthers ahead 42-0.

Mitchell Lopeman got a 6-3 decision over Daniel Martinez.

Gray’s Creek, which opened in 2003, went 6-0 in the Cape Fear Valley Conference, earning its first regular season league championship. In the conference tournament, that lost to Union Pines last Saturday. The Bears are coached by Matthew Anglin, who is in his first season. He’s the program’s third coach in as many years.

West Brunswick in the top seed from the 4-A/3-A Mideastern Conference. The Trojans finished runner-up to Wilmington Laney in the league. It was Laney’s 20th conference championship in 27 years.

There will be a live radio broadcast of today’s meet on the HillsboroughSpoets.com website starting at 5:50.

On Tuesday night in the opening rounds of the 3A State Dual Wrestling Tournament, Orange defeated Corinth Holders 43-27 in the first round. In the second round, Orange scored pins in six of the first seven matches to roll past Wilson Fike 45-36. Orange will face Swansboro at a location to be determined on Thursday night. Coach Bobby Shriner discussed career victories number 603 and 604.

Orange Wrestling Coach Bobby Shriner Discusses Playoff Wins over Fike, Corinth Holders

On Tuesday night, Orange Coach Bobby Shriner earned career victories 603 and 604 as the Panthers reached the 3A Eastern Regional Semifinals, where they will face Swansboro on Thursday night.

While suffering from nerves in his first two playoff matches, freshman Noah Davis didn’t show it. Wrestling at 113 pounds, Davis pinned Corinth Holders Bryen Daughtry in 2:45 in the opening round. In the 2nd round, he pinned Wilson Fike’s Jahmez Settles in 2:57.

Panther Freshman 113 Pound Wrestler Noah Davis Discusses Winning his 1st Two Playoff Matches

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In the opening rounds of the 3A Dual Team Wrestling Playoffs on Tuesday night at Jim King Gymnasium, Gavin Wiggins scored a major decision over Corinth Holders’ Brian Hines 14-4, then pinned Wilson Fike’s Taylor Gay in 1:05. The Panthers will face Swansboro on Thursday in the regional semifinals. If victorious, they will compete for the Eastern Regional Championship against Gray’s Creek or West Brunswick.

Orange’s Gavin Wiggins Talks the Panthers Playoff Wins on Tuesday

Facing Corinth Holders and Wilson Fike, Wiggins scored a tech fall and pinball at 120 as Orange advanced to the 3A regional semifinals to face Swansboro on Thursday.

For a fleeting moment, the Orange Panthers appeared to have the Big 8 regular season championship all but sewn up.

Trailing 55-54 to Chapel Hill at Tiger Gymnasium, Orange’s Mitch Portman hit a shot at the buzzer. It would have put Orange 9-0 in league play, needing only two more wins to clinch the regular season title.

But did it beat the buzzer?

After a huddle, the referees ruled the answer was no. Chapel Hill, which was pounded 74-46 by Southern Durham just 24 hours earlier, edged the Panthers 55-54.

The loss snapped the Panthers eleven-game winning streak and makes the race for the Big 8 championship much more interesting in the final ten days of the regular season.

Orange remains in first place at 8-1, while Chapel Hill is in second at 8-2, tied in the loss column with Southern Durham at 7-2. The Spartans travel to Cedar Ridge on Wednesday night. Orange has swept the season series from the Spartans, but split against CHHS.

On Tuesday night, the Tigers took the air out of the ball against the Panthers. Orange’s 54 points was a season-low. More importantly, the Tigers double-teamed leading scorer Connor Crabtree before he even got the ball on several occasions. The strategy worked as Chapel Hill led 36-31 going into the fourth quarter.

Elijah Haynes, who hit the game-winning shot against Cedar Ridge at the buzzer on Friday night in Hillsborough, paced the Tigers with 31 points. Ben Gaynes added eleven.

Orange will play its sixth game in 12 days on Wednesday night in Hillsborough when they host Northern Vance. The Orange girls will look to go to 21-0 when they face the Vikings at 6, while the boys will follow at 7:30.

Orange defeated Northern Vance 64-57 last Tuesday in Henderson.

In Pittsboro, Cedar Ridge’s playoff hopes to a major hit as Northwood rallied to defeat the Red Wolves 65-57. Cedar Ridge led 42-38 going into the fourth quarter, but Northwood piled up 27 points in the fourth quarter to earn its 2nd Big 8 win this season, both against Cedar Ridge.

The Red Wolves were led by Colby Cashaw’s 14 points while Mekai Collins added ten.

Northwood’s (8-13, 2-8 in the Big 8) Cameron Goins led all scorers with 16 points.

Cedar Ridge is now 7-13, 2-10 in the Big 8. They host Southern Durham tonight for Senior Night at Red Wolves Gymnasium.

As the balance of the Big 8 regular season plays out over the next two weeks, Connor Crabtree’s game-winning shot against Southern Durham on Friday night won’t be forgotten anytime soon for anyone who watched it (be it inside Jim King Gymnasium or on social media.)

The Orange-Southern rivalry has had several classic moments in recent years, and Crabtree’s was just the latest.

“All we set up was a screen at the top of the key,” said Crabtree, who finished with 32 points. “I didn’t have much space to work with, but the shot went in. I’ll take that any day.”

Yet as soon as Orange, (15-4, 7-0 in the Big 8) won its 1tth consecutive game against the Spartans, their fourth game in six days, they had to focus on yet another game where first place may be on the line.

Chapel Hill, 7-1  will host Orange on Tuesday night. But first, the Tigers travel to Southern Durham tonight, and they face the Spartans again next Tuesday, February 7th.

For the second straight week, Orange will play three games in four days. Following a road trip to Chapel Hill on Tuesday, the Panthers host Northern Vance on Wednesday, then travel to Northwood on Friday. If Orange beats Chapel Hill, they will simply need one more win to capture the Big 8 regular season championship.

The Big 8 Boys Basketball Tournament begins February 13th. If Orange takes the number one seed, they receive a bye to the semfinals. The championship will be on February 17th at a location to be determined.

Crabtree’s lay-in with :03 remaining gave Orange an 80-79 victory over Southern, triggering a celebration where members of the Motley’s Crew student section rushed the floor. Moments earlier, Southern’s Tyriq Burris missed a free-throw, but center Rashad Dixon rebounded the miss and floated a stickback that bounced on the rim twice before dropping through to put Southern ahead 79-78.

The Spartans roared back from 13 points down in the second half to take the lead. The turning point came after Crabtree scored on a steal and lay-in to put Orange ahead 61-48. After Rashad Dixon scored on a stickback, Mitch Portman was called for a reach-in on Southern’s Antonio Daye, his fourth foul with 3:43 remaining in the third quarter. Portman was immediately hit with a technical foul and fouled out.

Not only did Orange lose Portman’s frequent scoring, but Orange lost a second quality ball handler against Southern’s suffocating full-court pressure. Within a minute, Daye and Brown hit three-pointers to put Southern within six points.

Crabtree had to handle the ball the rest of the way, but the grind of playing four games in six days and the vehement Southern pressure took its toll on Orange’s leading scorer.

“That was huge,” said Crabtree. “I definitely got tired. My legs were dead. I’m tired right now. They played good defense.

Jamoru Brown finished with 29 points to lead Southern.

Orange pushed out to a double digit lead behind the hot shooting of center Logan Vosburg, who hit four three-pointers in the first half.

“My shooting is there right now,” said Vosburg. “I worked on developing my shot last summer.

All-State candidate Connor Crabtree continued his excellent senior campaign by scoring 32 points against Southern Durham on Friday night. Of course, the biggest points came when Crabtree scored on a drive with :03 remaining to give Orange an 80-79 victory over archrival Southern Durham. The Panthers travel to Chapel Hill on Tuesday night in another game where first place is on the line in the Big 8 Conference.

Connor Crabtree Discusses His Game-Winning Shot vs. Southern

The senior hit a running bank shot with :03 remaining to sweep the season series from Southern Durham 80-79 on Friday night. Crabtree scored 32 points as Orange won its 11th consecutive game.

Vosburg scored 25 points, including four three pointers, in Orange’s 80-79 win over Southern Durham on Friday night in a classic game at Jim King Gymnasium.

Logan Vosburg Discusses Southern Durham Victory

The senior center scored 25 points, including four 3-pointers, as Orange defeated Southern Durham 80-79 in a classic at Jim King Gymnasium.

The Panthers lead the Big 8 Conference by one game over Chapel Hill following an 80-79 win over Southern Durham in a classic Friday night at Jim King Gymnasium.

Orange Coach Greg Motley Discusses the Panthers 80-79 Win Over Southern Durham

The Panthers lead the Big 8 by one game beating Southern on Friday night following Connor Crabtree’s game-winner with three seconds left.