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Quick: What was the only football game that Orange trailed at the half in 2016?

Southern Durham? Nope. Havelock? Scoreless tie in the first half. Riverside? Close. Northern Vance? Not quite.

It was Northwood, almost a forgotten game for a variety of reasons. First of all, it was played on a Monday night, just a week after Orange’s demolishment of Southern Durham. A rainstorm that was expected to be heavy delayed the game to Monday, though other neighboring schools played that Friday night.

Perhaps all of those factors led to Orange’s offense being lethargic in the first half. The Panthers committed turnovers on its first two drives and were stopped on fourth-and-short situations twice in the second quarter.

While Northwood only had two first downs in the first half, they did get a 31-yard field goal from Arthur Gonclaves with 3:29 remaining in the first quarter. It came after linebacker Michael Hayes recovered a fumble at the Orange 38-yard line.

As Orange did so often in the second halves of games, they rode their powerful running attack to victory against the Chargers. But this was no ordinary ball control game. This was an offense so conservative, it would make Ted Nugent blush.

In the second half, Orange ran 37 plays and picked up 13 first downs. Northwood ran eights plays with zero first downs.

Payton Wilson, a wingback who really was utilized more as a wide receiver in the final month of the season, rushed for 82 yards in the second half alone. He finished with 155 rushing yards, and another 33 yards receiving.

It led to Orange winning 19-3 behind another strong defensive performance, which would be the Panthers trademark in 2016. In the regular season, Orange’s defense yielded just three touchdowns and mounted a 24-quarter streak without giving up a touchdown.

To put that in perspective, that’s six whole regulation games without giving up an offensive touchdown (Northern Durham did score a defensive TD  off a fumble return for a touchdown on August 26).

As the season unfolded, it was hardly the final highlight for Wilson or the Orange defense in a year that will forever live in Panther lore.

When training camp started in August for Cedar Ridge’s football team, they had something that was missing in 2015.

Stability.

Entering 2015, the Red Wolves thought that former Burlington Cummings Coach Steve Johnson would be their new head coach. It certainly appeared to be a quality fit. Johnson led the Cavaliers to two state championships and was an assistant on three others.

Yet a month after his hiring was announced, Johnson suffered a thoracic aortic aneurysm in late August. He never coached a game at Cedar Ridge.

Of course, the Cedar Ridge players didn’t know that at the time. They came and went from practice day in and day out, running drills, preparing for games and wondering if Johnson would ever return. Offensive coordinator Scott Loosemoore coached the team in 2015 on an interim basis.

This year, there was no wonderin who the head coach was. Loosemoore was named the permanent coach early in 2016, but there were plenty of holes to fill. Quarterback Payton Pappas had graduated.

So Loosemoore remolded the team in a design that fit the parts he had. The spread offense was scrapped, a bold move in modern high school football. Instead, Loosemoore installed a wishbone setup led by running back London Saunders, Shemar Miles and Lucas Baldwin.

Sophomore Phillip Berger took over at quarterback.

Cedar Ridge opened 3-0 for the first time in school history, beating Carrboro, Jordan-Matthews and East Chapel Hill by a combined score of 162-12.

Unfortunately, the Red Wolves hopes of making the playoffs were dashed on the final play of the 4th game of the year against Riverside. As the Pirates ran out the clock of a 20-3 win, a toss sweep spilled over to the Riverside sideline and led to a fight. Each team had three players ejected from the game, which led both teams to be barred from the state playoffs.

Cedar Ridge immediately appealed, but didn’t have video footage to turn over to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. The best evidence they could produce was still photographs, which wasn’t enough.

Cedar Ridge would spin the final half the season playing for nothing more than pride, which was crushing for a team that hadn’t produced a winning record since 2010. In the wake of the NCHSAA ban, several players quit the team to begin preparing for winter sports.

Those who remained and fought can look back and said they were members of Cedar Ridge’s first winning football season in six years.

The Red Wolves went into its final game of the season 5-5 with a road trip to Northern Vance, who had also been barred from the postseason after a fight against Warren County.

The Vikings had proven to be a tough opponent in Henderson. They held Orange to two touchdown in a 14-0 loss only three weeks before the season finale. But the Red Wolves served notice against the Vikings they wouldn’t wait a day longer without a winning season.

The Red Wolves stromed out to a 27-0 lead and defeated the Red Wolves 41-21.

In his final game, Saunders scored two touchdowns. Senior running back Montae Kee rushed for 105 yards, a career-high in his swan song.

Listen to the Orange girls try to remain undefeated against Northern Durham LIVE RIGHT HERE!

It’s always special to beat your crosstown rival. It’s even sweeter when you haven’t defeated them in four years.

Those were the circumstances that the Orange volleyball team found itself in on September 27th against Cedar Ridge. In the first match between the two teams on September 1st, the Red Wolves easily disposed of the Panthers 3-1, its seventh consecutive victory over Orange.

It wasn’t so much that Cedar Ridge had enjoyed an advantage over Orange. It was that they had become dominant. During its seven-game winning streak, the Red Wolves had won 21 out of 25 games against OHS. Four of the seven wins were sweeps.

The 2015 Red Wolves captured the Big 8 Championship in dominant fashion, finishing unbeaten in conference play. They even defeated Carrboro, who would go on to win the 2-A State Championhip a year later.

On September 27, Orange wasn’t just victorious against Cedar Ridge. They were due.

After dropping the first game 25-22, the Panthers won the final three sets 25-21, 26-24 and 25-18 to send the students inside Jim King Gymnasium into a frenzy, rushing the floor and gathering for a photo with the team.

Bailey Lucas had 13 kills with a kill percentage of 52%, a,one with 22 assists. Jordan Lloyd, who would sign with Division 3 Brevard College in December, finished with eight kills, 25 digs and an ace.

Unanimously, Lloyd, Macy Hughes, Mileah Shriner, Julia Lovingood and Eva Porter would call the win the highlight of their Orange careers.

The Panthers would go on to finish second in the Big 8, finishing only behind Chapel Hill. The Tigers, under first-year head coach Ross Fields, would claim the 3-A Eastern Regional Championship and face Concord Cox Mill for the state championship at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

Orange made the state playoffs, falling in the first round against Cleveland. They finished 11-10, 8-4 in the Big 8.

Dmonte Kinney wasn’t sure his first game-winning three-pointer was going to go in. He hadn’t made a trey all night.

But he found the right time to be the hero.

Trailing 36-34 with :36 remaining, Kinney scored the game-winning basket after an offensive rebound from B.J. Freeman as Cedar Ridge held off Northern Vance 39-36 on Tuesday night at Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Sophomore Terrence Crawford led the Red Wolves with eleven in a defensive struggle. Northern Vance (5-4, 1-1) was held to just 14 points in the first half.

Leading 32-26 going into the fourth quarter, Cedar Ridge couldn’t find the basket in the fourth quarter until the time was right. Leading up to Kinney’s game-winning shot, the Red Wolves only had four points in the opening seven minutes.

Nonetheless, Cedar Ridge earned is now 4-3 overall, 1-1 in Big 8 play. That looks a lot better than last year’s 0-4 in the conference play with a senior-laden team featuring Payton Pappas, the school’s all-time leading scorer.

“We focused tonight on trying to get off to a better start and get a win,” said Cedar Ridge Coach Clay Jones. “We’ve started out playing a lot of games at home. You have to win at home in this conference.”

Kinney finished with seven points, while Khalil Barnett was held to seven.

Jones continues to employ a three-guard lineup, even though none of the backcourt regulars are seniors. Freshman Mekai Collins has started every game.

“I don’t know who’s going to show up each night,” said Jones. “We don’t have what a lot of other people have. We’ve got guys who are going to get six, eight, eleven, ten points. Tonight was Dmonte’s night. He’s been a good defensive presence for us.”

Cedar Ridge will have it’s final game of a eight-game homestand to start the season against Southern Durham on Friday night at Red Wolves Gymnasium. The Red Wolves were the only Big 8 team to defeat the Spartans during the regular season last year.

“I hope they’ve forgotten that part,” said Jones.

CEDAR RIDGE 39, NORTHERN VANCE 36

NORTHERN VANCE: Laquad Holden 3, Malik Glasco 4, Noah Seward 5, Kenton Pettaway 1, Kalin Jackson 4, Jacolby Williamson 4, Thomas Townes 6, Zion Copeland 6, Deiondre Palmer 3.

CEDAR RIDGE: Dmonte Kinney 7, Khalil Barnett 7, Terrence Crawford 11, Tahjai Hill-Wells 4, Mekai Collins 6, Colby Cashaw 2, B.J. Freeman 2.

When your offense starts sluggish coming off a rivalry game, sometimes just having Connor Crabtree is enough.

Orange labored through a lethargic opening  against Southern Alamance on Tuesday night at Jim King Gymnasium, scoring just one field goal in the opening six minutes. After Southern’s Harrison Cochran’s backdoor lay-in put the Patriots ahead 7-6, Crabtree simply took the game over.

He went on a personal 9-0 run bridging the opening quarters, finished with 29 and Orange (5-3) defeated Southern Alamance 71-55.

Fellow senior Logan Vosburg added 14 points, while freshman  Mitch Portman also added 14, 13 in the 2nd half.

Orange’s defense held the Patriots (2-6) to nine points in the second quarter and never led by less than ten points in the second half.

Kyle Forbes led the Patriots with 19 points, including four 3-pointers. Harrison Cochran added 15.

“It took a while for us to get into a flow on offense tonight,” said Orange Coach Greg Motley. “We didn’t anticipate that. We feel that’s one of our strong points. At least it has so far this season. So we struggled to get into a groove.”

Orange was aided at the beginning of the second quarter after a bizarre technical foul against SAHS. Patriots backup center Lewis Drake was cited for wearing a different colored t-shirt underneath his red jersey. That led to Crabtree scoring both technical free throws, then canned a 15-footer on the subsequent possession.

At one point, Motley inserted the Football Four off the bench: Ryan Sellers, Morgan Pashcal. Kendall Whitted and Eli Haithcock, all of whom joined the team two weeks ago after Orange’s football season ended. Sellers had a season-high seven points of the bench.

While Orange still prides itself on its transition game, the one thing that’s missing this year is a point guard that can lead the break. Crabtree has triggered almost all of Orange’s transition opportunities, which Motley doesn’t mind. He just prefers Crabtree as a finisher.

“We’ve looked at our freshman guards (Portman and Joey McMillian) to try to fill that role,” said Motley. “It’s a work in progress.”

Orange will return to action against East Chapel Hill on Wednesday night, the team they defeated for its first win of the season 57-55 on November 29th.

“We have to enjoy this one quickly,” said Motley. “It’s a tough one tomorrow.”

ORANGE 71, SOUTHERN ALAMANCE 55

SOUTHERN ALAMANCE: Kyle Forbes 19, Jsi Hatfield 5, Harrison Cochran 15, Chandler Smith 7, Mikol Slade 2, Grant Sharpe 2, Lewis Drake 5.

ORANGE: Mitch Portman 14, Connor Crabtree 29, Logan Vosburg 14, Eli Haithcock 2, Morgan Paschal 1, Ryan Sellers 7, Matt Athenton 2, Treshon Richardson 2.

Even without placing a starter in double figures, the Orange girls basketball team found a way to start 6-0 for the first time in eight years.

Sophomore Lauren Cates came off the bench to score 16 points, including four three-pointers, while Icez Barnett added a dozen as the Panthers defeated Southern Alamance 52-39 on Tuesday night at Jim King Gymnasium.

Orange is 6-0 for the first time since the 2008-09 season, when they played in the 2A/1A Mid State Conference.

The Panthers never trailed against the Patriots (1-5), but it was a battle. Trailing by 14 early in the third quarter, Southern got consecutive field goals from Meghan Deese to narrow their deficit to 34-29 going into the fourth quarter. The Patriots made their charge with four reserves on the floor, including point guard Gracie Williams, who went the rest of the way running the offense.

Orange started the fourth quarter with consecutive three-pointers from Cates to push the advantage up to 40-29.

Orange’s 33 bench points were a season high.

“We have more scorers on this team than any other I’ve had,” said Orange coach B.J. Condron. “I think we played tentative at times tonight. I’d like to see us play a little better than we did at times tonight.”

Kaylen Campbell, Orange’s leading scorer, opened the game with a three-pointer that banked in off the right win. Campbell finished with nine, the first time all year she’s been held under double figures.

It was the second time in three weeks the Panthers defeated the Patriots. Orange won 47-3o in Graham on November 30.

Tuesday’s contest was the first in a span of three games in four days. On Wednesday night, the Panthers travel to East Chapel Hill. Tipoff is at 5:30. Orange defeated East Chapel Hill 58-51 on November 29. After a day off Thursday, Orange returns to Big 8 Conference action on Friday with a home game against Northern Vance. The Vikings fell to Cedar Ridge on Tuesday 56-32.

ORANGE 52, SOUTHERN ALAMANCE 39

SOUTHERN ALAMANCE: Allysa Jacobson 2, Eden Deanhardt 3, Jenna Haugle 17, Caroline Cousey 4, Gracie Williams 4, Cheyenne Cox 2, Meghan Deese 7.

ORANGE: Kaylen Campbell 9, Jazlyn Watson 8, Mia Davidson 2, Bethlyn Early 2, Janea Myers 3, Icez Barnett 12, Lauren Cates 16.