BURLINGTON: Walter Williams is back at the football heights they enjoyed during the 1970s and 1980s.

They have a Duke recruit at quarterback, depth at running back, size along the interior lines and more players than some 4A schools.

Last week, the Bulldogs were forced to play a night early against Orange because of Hurricane Helene. Even with rain falling down around them on a Thursday night against Orange, the Bulldogs rushing game would not be deterred.

Senior running back Amarion Richmond rushed for 230 yards and four touchdowns, including three on the ground, and the Bulldogs piled up 445 yard on the soggy turf at Memorial Stadium in a 47-23 victory over Orange. It was the Bulldogs fifth straight win over Orange since they became Central Conference rivals in 2021.

The night wasn’t a lost cause for the Panthers. Senior wide receiver Kingston Purefoy-Farrington finished with 219 receiving yards and three touchdowns, his 2nd 200-yard receiving game of the year. Junior quarterback Kyse Devore, who was pressed into duty after senior starter Hank Nunnery suffered an injury at Montgomery Central on September 13, threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns.

Orange senior linebacker Jayden Medley finished with 20 tackles, a forced fumble and a recovered fumble.

“Williams is the standard,” Orange head coach DeVante Pettiford said as the players walked along a shiny, wet track on its way to the team bus. “They’re the big dogs in this conference. Ever since I’ve been here, they’ve been where we want to go. They do everything first class. More importantly, they have a great coaching staff that does great things.”

Orange did have its first lead of the conference slate. On the first play of the game, Williams quarterback Dan Mahan mishandled a toss sweep, which was recovered by senior linebacker Justin Torain. It led to Will Cooper kicking a 27-yard field goal to put the Panthers ahead 3-0.

The Bulldogs would quickly score 20 points over its next three possessions. A big kickoff return led by the Bulldogs starting its next drive at the Panther 38-yard line. Williams’ Kameron Rogers had a touchdown called back on a holding penalty, but Richmond galloped up the middle on 3rd-and-goal from the Orange 18 and ran through untouched. The extra point was blocked.

Williams went 58 yards on just three plays on its next drive. Mahan, who is the starting catcher for the Bulldogs baseball team, threw to Bron Rogers for 15 yards to cross into Panther territory. Then Mahan scored on a keeper from 35 yards out. The extra point by Cole Brinskelle put Williams ahead 13-3.

After the Panthers failed to get a first down on its subsequent drive, Mahan hit Andrew Cruz for 21 yards. On the next play, Mahan found Richmond for a 21-yard touchdown pass.

Orange defensive back Hunter Frazier picked off a pass from Mahan at the Orange goal line and returned it 20 yards to open the second quarter. Williams led 20-3 at halftime.

It remained 20-3 going into the third quarter after Orange cornerback Dominic O’Keefe picked off a pass from Mahan after the Bulldogs drove down to the Orange 23-yard line.

After a short Orange punt led to Williams setting up at the Panther 38-yard line, Richmond roared up the middle for a 27-yard touchdown.

Suddenly, the game turned into a track meet on a muddy field. Devore found Kingston-Farrington for a 39-yard strike from Devore. Cooper’s extra point narrowed Williams lead to 27-10.

It took only two plays on the next Williams drive to change the score again. Mahan hit Bron Rogers for 15 yards, which led to Kristopher Rogers scoring on a handoff up the middle from 46 yards.

To open the fourth quarter, Richmond broke free for a 68 yard touchdown on a one-play Williams touchdown drive. The extra point missed wide left and kept the score at 40-10.

Orange found rare good fortune on 3rd down when Devore hit Purefoy-Farrington on a 75-yard strike for a touchdown.

It appeared Orange would punt on its next drive, but the Bulldogs were hit with a personal foul after an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-14. Once again, Devore found Purefoy-Farrington, who made the catch and ran in uncontested after Williams’ defensive back gambled and lost on an interception attempt.

Kristopher Rogers scored his second touchdown on a 26-yard run. Earlier in the drive, he ran for 29 yards to cross into Panther real estate.

Orange will host Cedar Ridge for Homecoming this Friday night at Auman Stadium.

WILLIAMS 47, ORANGE 23

ORA–3  0   7  13-23

WIL–20  0  7 20-47

ORA–Will Cooper 24 FG

WIL–Amarion Richmond 18 run (kick blocked)

WIL–Dan Mahan 35 run (Cole Brinskelle kick)

WIL–Richmond 21 pass from Mahan (Brinskelle kick)

WIL–Richmond 27 run (Brinskelle kick)

ORA–Kingston Purefoy-Farrington 39 pass from Kyse Devore (Cooper kick)

WIL–Kristopher Rogers 46 run (Brinkselle kick)

WIL–Richmond 68 run (kick failed)

ORA–Purefoy-Farrington 75 pass from Devore (kick failed)

ORA–Purefoy-Farrington 75 pass from Devore (Cooper kick)

WIL–K. Rogers 26 run (Brinskelle kick)

RUSHING: ORANGE 24-24 (Deandre Brown 7-18, Purefoy-Farrington 1-12, Kayden Bradsher 8-11, Devote 6-(-2), team 1-(-2), Hunter Frazier 1-(-15))

WILLIAMS: 43-445 (Richmond 21-230 3 TDs, K. Rogers 11-158 2 TDs, Mahan 3-40 TD, Ahmar Watkins 5-12, Kyrian Fuller 2-6, William Overby 1-(-1)

PASSING: ORANGE (Devore 12-26 226 yards 3 TD 2 INT)
WILLIAMS (Mahan 11-16 113 yards TD 2 INT)

RECEIVING: ORANGE (Purefoy-Farrington 6-219 3 TD, Hunter Albert 3-(-2), Jayden Medley 2-9, Bradsher 1-0)

WILLIAMS (Fuller 3-2, Andrews Cruz 2-29, Bron Rogers 2-26, Overby 2-21, Richmond 1-21, Braeden Vetter 1-15)

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.

The Cedar Ridge volleyball seniors were honored on September 16 in a victory over Roxboro Community School. Charlotte Lowry, Ellie Miller, Alleah Fredrick and Leah Pritchard took part in a ceremony before the opening serve against the Bulldogs. Lowry is a starting middle blocker who is also an All-Central Conference player in softball. She is in her second year playing volleyball. This season, she has 17 blocks and 19 kills. Ellie Miller is one of the best defensive players on the team. She has 107 digs over 54 sets this season. Miller has also registered 20 aces. Fredrick is in her first year on the varsity. She has eight kills over 22 sets and played regularly in the Red Wolves win at Orange earlier this month. Pritchard had three aces to conclude the Orange win. Cedar Ridge is fighting for its fourth conference championship in five years. Currently, they are tied for first place with Orange and Western Alamance with four conference games remaining. The Red Wolves will continue the stretch run with a road trip to Eastern Alamance on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Cedar Ridge will host Western Alamance in a crucial matchup in the conference standings. Last year, the Red Wolves won the Central Conference Tournament with a win at Orange.

Cedar Ridge volleyball seniors Lowry, Miller, Fredrick & Pritchard discuss Senior Night

The Cedar Ridge volleyball seniors were honored on September 16 in a victory over Roxboro Community School. Charlotte Lowry, Ellie Miller, Alleah Fredrick and Leah Pritchard took part in a ceremony before the opening serve against the Bulldogs. Lowry is a starting middle blocker who is also an All-Central Conference player in softball.

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.

It has been a long wait for the Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team to play matches on its own campus this year. A renovation project at Red Wolf Tennis Courts cut into its season. However, Cedar Ridge has played inspired under first-year head coach Al Caltabiano. Last week, the Red Wolves defeated Western Alamance and Eastern Alamance in Hillsborough. Junior Caroline Hall earned wins in two matches against the Warriors on Wednesday. Hall defeated Summer Kernodle at #6 singles 6-2, 6-2. Later, she joined teammate Madeline Galindo-Woodring to defeat Kernodle and Abigail Stimpson 8-4. On Monday, the Red Wolves defeated Eastern Alamance 7-2. Hall teamed with Galindo-Woodring to win at #3 doubles 8-1. This season, Hall has won 10 overall matches. Cedar Ridge stands to make the 3A State Playoffs for the third straight year. Currently, they are 7-4 overall, 6-3 in the Central Conference. The Red Wolves took crosstown rival Orange to the limit in a match on September 18. Orange prevailed 5-4, but three of the six singles matches went to third set, 10-point tiebreakers. One of those matches was at #6 singles, where Hall defeated Orange’s Casey Robinson 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 1o-4. Cedar Ridge will face Walter Williams in its final conference match in Hillsborough on Monday. The Red Wolves face Durham School of the Arts on Wednesday, then complete the regular season against East Chapel Hill on Thursday.

Cedar Ridge women’s tennis player Caroline Hall discusses 2024 season

It has been a long wait for the Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team to play matches on its own campus this year. A renovation project at Red Wolf Tennis Courts cut into its season. However, Cedar Ridge has played inspired under first-year head coach Al Caltabiano.

The race for the Central Conference volleyball championship dramatically changed this week. Orange is now tied with Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance after a dramatic win by the Lady Panthers over Cedar Ridge in five sets on Wednesday night. Orange came back down two sets for the victory. Orange’s Aubrey Jordan had a season-high 23 kills, including five in the final set. Jordan sparked Orange’s comeback with six kills in the fourth set, which Orange claimed 25-22. Orange middle blocker Mariah Poole had a crucial ace that put Orange tied the fifth set 3-3. Poole finished with three aces and two blocks as Orange improved to 9-7. Junior Ava Wilkerson led all players with 27 kills. Her presence was also felt defensively with ten digs. Orange showed grit after they lost the second set 30-28. Cedar Ridge fought off three Orange set points to go ahead two-sets-to-nothing. Orange, Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance are now tied for first place with a 7-2 conference record. Orange will host Person in Hillsborough on Tuesday night. Cedar Ridge will travel to Eastern Alamance on Tuesday, then face Western Alamance in what could be a battle for first place on Wednesday night in Hillsborough. Also on Wednesday night, Orange will host Carrboro in a rematch of last year’s 3A Eastern Regional championship match.

Orange volleyball’s Aubrey Jordan & Mariah Poole discuss win over Cedar Ridge

The race for the Central Conference volleyball championship dramatically changed this week. Orange is now tied with Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance after a dramatic win by the Lady Panthers over Cedar Ridge in five sets on Wednesday night. Orange came back down two sets for the victory.

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Orange volleyball’s conference championship hopes were dangling from a thread on Wednesday night.

They were down two sets after dropping a draining, emotional 2nd game to crosstown rival Cedar Ridge 30-28, where Orange had led most of the way and had three set points, but couldn’t cash any of them in.

Instead of laying into her team between sets, Orange coach Hope Heverly found the right words.

She said nothing.

“I talked to my assistant coach and we turned around and saw the players talking to each other,” Heverly said. “They didn’t turn to go water. We saw in their eyes and their demeanor that we were going to win this next set.”

And they did, along with the fourth and fifth sets in front of a loud house at Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Now, instead of being out of the conference championship race, Orange is tied with Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance for first place in the Central Conference with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Junior outside hitter Aubrey Jordan finished with 20 kills, including four in the fifth set, as Orange rallied to defeat Cedar Ridge 3-2 on scores of 20-25, 28-30, 25-15, 25-22, 15-10. Jordan finished with 20 kills, a season-high, while junior Ava Wilkerson registered a career-high 27 kills.

The last time that Orange won a five-set match after dropping the first two games was October 18, 2022, when they defeated Western Alamance.

Cedar Ridge had spent the month of September building a two-game lead in the Central Conference, only to have it all washed away within 48 hours. On Tuesday, Southern Alamance upset the Red Wolves in four sets while Orange swept Williams.

Junior Claire Hargett finished with 22 kills for the Red Wolves (10-5 overall, 7-2 in the Central Conference). It was Cedar Ridge’s fourth five-set match of the year, which have all been at home. They’re 1-3 in those matches.

Wilkerson, who has committed to play at UCF, has been Orange’s most consistent striker during a season where the Panthers have struggled to find consistency against one of the toughest schedules in the state. Jordan started to find her groove in the fourth set, finishing with four kills, and Orange found the form that put them three points away from a state championship last November.

“We knew they had it in them,” Heverly said. “We’ve seen little glimpses of it and they showed what they can do with heart and determination. So they came out and put the pieces together.”

Trailing two-sets-to-one, Orange built a 13-9 lead in the fourth set behind consecutive kills from Jordan. After Cedar Ridge’s Mia Marty delivered an ace, the Panthers pushed its lead to 21-13 with a 10-2 run. Sawyer White, who registered eight kills and ten assists, started the run with a kill, which was followed by consecutive points from Wilkerson and an ace from Mariah Poole. Wilkerson delivered three more kills to push Orange’s lead to 21-13. Cedar Ridge roared back with seven straight points to cut the Orange lead to 21-20, ending with a block from Hargett. Wilkerson delivered a block of her own to gain a side out for Orange. After Cedar Ridge was called for touching the net, Jordan spiked down an unassisted kill to force a fifth set.

It was Orange’s second five-set match this year. They lost to Western Alamance in Elon last Thursday.

Marty, who finished with five kills and 23 assists, scored on a flash attack to even the fifth set 5-5. That’s when Jordan found her groove, triggering a 5-1 Orange run where she scored on five straight Panther points. Wilkerson delivered an ace as Orange pushed its lead to 10-8. Cedar Ridge cut its deficit to 12-10 after Hargett slammed down a point, but Wilkerson finished the match with three straight kills, the final one unassisted.

Orange’s Katie Silcott has seven kills, 29 assists and three aces.

Cedar Ridge never trailed in the first set, playing confidently despite losing the night before. Calla Lundberg opened the match with a kill as the Red Wolves built an 11-5 lead after White was called for a lift. Another kill by Lundberg pushed the Cedar Ridge lead to 14-7, which would be its largest advantage of the match. Hargett scored set point as Cedar Ridge took the frame 25-20.

Orange led most of the second set, where they took the opening three points starting with a kill from Jordan. Emory Williams delivered an ace to even the second at 10-10, but Orange built a 15-12 lead following a spike from Silcott assisted by White. Cedar Ridge took its first lead of the second set with four straight points, led by a block from Charlotte Lowry to put the Red Wolves ahead 16-15. The remainder of the set was played at a torrent pace that included 13 ties and ten lead changes. Orange had three set points, the first coming when they led 24-23 but Silcott pushed a soft palm strike wide. After Marty flipped a quick strike to the heart of the Orange floor for Cedar Ridge’s first set point, Wilkerson erased it with a kill to force overtime. Silcott delivered a kill to make it 26-25, but Hargett delivered again, followed by a kill from Ellamarie Perel to give Cedar Ridge a 26-25 lead. Jordan delivered a point and had earned a third set point when an attack by Perel went long. But Orange set the subsequent serve into the next. Tied at 28-28, Orange had two attacks go over the end line and Cedar Ridge won the set 30-28.

Orange never trailed in the third set, jumping out to an 8-1 lead behind a block from Poole. Cedar Ridge reduced the deficit to 13-9 following an ace from Marty, but Orange went on a 7-3 run to build a 17-11 lead. Jordan scored set point with an assist from Silcott, which ended a run of seven straight sets that the Red Wolves had taken from Orange dating back to last year.