In the first three years of the Central Conference, there’s been a clear front runner in volleyball.

In 2021, Cedar Ridge won 14 consecutive league matches en route to the state championship. A year later, they won 62 consecutive sets in clinching another league regular season and conference tournament title. Last year, Orange won 29 straight sets during an undefeated run to its first conference title since 2005.

This year, it’s different. While Orange and Cedar Ridge remain formidable opponents, there’s no dominant team this year because the Alamance County schools are making some noise.

Last week, Western Alamance upset Orange, which put Cedar Ridge in the lead by two games at the midway point of the conference season.

On Tuesday night, Southern Alamance pulled its own upset, beating the Red Wolves 3-1 in Graham on scores of 16-25, 25-23, 25-21 and 25-23. Cedar Ridge falls to 10-4 overall, 7-1 in the Central Conference. The Red Wolves are now one game ahead of Orange, who swept Williams on Tuesday night in Hillsborough.

Orange (8-7, 6-2) is now tied with Western Alamance for second place. If that wasn’t dramatic enough, Cedar Ridge and Orange will meet tonight at Red Wolves Gymnasium. The match was moved from Thursday to Wednesday because of rain in the forecast, which led to Cedar Ridge’s Homecoming football game being shifted to Thursday night.

Cedar Ridge suffered just its second loss to an Alamance County team in the four years of the Central Conference.

Cedar Ridge closed out the opening set against the Patriors with a 4-1 run. Kayla Stoll ended a long rally with a kill set up by Mia Marty on set point.

There were 13 consecutive points with a side out in the 2nd set as neither team could gain momentum. Kayedance Wright delivered three straight aces during a 6-0 Patriots run. The Red Wolves evened things up following an unassisted kill by Stoll in the midst of a 7-0 spurt. Ellamarie Perel had four kills in the set. A kill by Stoll gave Cedar Ridge a 19-17 lead, but the Patriots scored five of the next six points, starting with an ace from junior Roslyn Taylor. Cedar Ridge led 23-22, the Patriots closed out the set with three straight points, ending with a kill by Poppie Shanklin.

The third set was tied 11-11 when Lexie Crawford spiked down a point off a feed from setter Ava Duggins. The Patriots didn’t trail again in the set, leading by as much as 21-16 after an ace from Duggins.

In the fourth, Stoll scored a kill, followed by an ace from Marty to put the Red Wolves ahead 15-14. Southern evened things up with a kill from Taylor, which started a 4-0 Patriots run. Sydnee Tapper delivered an ace to get the Red Wolves within one at 23-22, but the Patriots scored off a spike from Duggins. Taylor scored on match point leading to a big Patriots celebration.

ORANGE 3, WALTER WILLIAMS 0: Orange kept its chances alive to win the Central Conference title by crushing over the Bulldogs on scores of 25-12, 25-14 and 25-13.

Sophomore Sawyer White had eight kills, seven digs and eleven assists. Junior Ava Wilkerson finished with nine kills as the Panthers led for nearly the entire match. Junior Katie Silcott finished with 18 assists.

Orange finished the first set with five of the last six points, which included an ace from White. Wilkerson and White had kills to close out the first set.

The Panthers scored seven straight points to take a 7-2 lead in the second set. Mariah Poole had a block and Addison Guentensberger added an ace. Wilkerson closed out the set with a powerful spike along the near post.

Orange scored the opening seven points of the third set, which included three straight kills from Wilkerson. Silcott closed out the match with a kill assisted from Wilkerson.

“I like what you’re doing here. Keep it up.”

The words from Western Alamance head coach Jeff Snuffer to Orange head coach DeVante Pettiford following the postgame handshake served as a boost of confidence. Following a dismal performance on September 23 against Montgomery Central, a 46-6 loss at Wolves Den Stadium in Troy, Pettiford wanted to see more fight from his team in its Central Conference opener at Auman Stadium last Friday.

Orange hasn’t defeated an Alamance County team in league play since the Central Conference formed in 2021. While they’re still waiting for that elusive victory, Pettiford could only walk off the field proud of his team that played without its top two skill players, both of whom were injured against Montgomery Central.

It was the Warriors who had the deeper team, nearly twice as many players as the Panthers. In the end, the Warriors successfully made it a battle of manpower in a 24-7 victory, its third straight over the Panthers. Snuffer continued to run fullback Jordan Hall and H-back Esaiah Slade against a depleted Orange defensive front. While linebackers Deandre Brown and Nahjour Kenion, among others, were limping at the end as the clock drifted away, they refused to go down.

“We have a lot of things to improve on, but I felt like we were the more physical team,” Pettiford said. “I felt like we fought, we kept getting after it. We saw some things go our way on offense, we just have to get out of our own way. Whenever we have a chance to make the big play, that’s when we start to drop the ball. In terms of effort, it was like night and day compared to last week.”

James Newton, a wide receiver who has committed to Gardner-Webb, finished with 61 yard receiving and a touchdown. Warriors sophomore quarterback Ethan Oakley threw for a career-high 15 completions for 230 yards.

Orange did get a glimpse of its future when freshman wide receiver Owen Phillips caught an 81-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kyse Devore, who was making his first career start in place of injured senior Hank Nunnery. The score tied the game at 7-7 with 1:32 remaining in the first quarter.

As has been the case for much of this year, it was 3rd downs that proved to be Orange’s downfall. Western Alamance overcame two holding penalties on its opening scoring drive. On 3rd-and-16 from the Warriors 38-yard line, Oakley found senior Will Clinkscales for a 35-yard gain to the Orange 27-yard line. On 2nd-and-10 from the Panther 13-yard line, Oakley hit Newton in the left corner of the end zone for the opening score.

The Panthers were 0-for-9 on 3rd down conversions. The Warriors were 6-for-12.

“We just have to focus more when it’s time to get off the field,” Pettiford said. “That’s something that we as coaches have to do a better job of communicating. They have a Division I receiver over there (Newton). He’s the real deal.”

Following Phillips touchdown, the game remain tied until there was 1:54 remaining in the first half. Oakley engineered an eight-play, 47-yard drive, where the biggest play came on a 3rd-and-6 when he found Clinkscales again for eight yards. On the next play, running back Collin Moylan took advantage of an extra tug from his left tackle to get around end and run into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Camden Oliveira’s extra point put the Warriors ahead 14-7.

The Warriors exercised the clock perfectly in the final drive of the first half. Oakley hit Colten Hill for 16 yards on 3rd-and-10, leading to a 43-yard field goal from Oliveira that cleared the uprights by plenty.

Western Alamance’s Elijah Slade scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half from four yards out with 8:57 remaining in the third quarter, the game’s final score.

Orange crossed the 50-yard line once in the second half, but the drive stalled when Deandre Brown was thrown for a loss on 4th-and-9 from the Warriors 37-yard line.

WESTERN ALAMANCE 24, ORANGE 7

WA-7   10    7    0-24

OR-7     0     0     0-7

WA–James Newton 13 pass from Ethan Oakley (Nathan Oliveira kick)

OR-Owen Phillips 81 pass from Kyse Devore (Will Cooper kick)

WA–Collin Moyland 11 run (Oliveira kick)

WA–Esaiah Slade 4 run (Oliveria kick)

RUSHING–WESTERN ALAMANCE 34-150 2 TD (Jordan Hall 16-70, Oakley 8-39, Newton 3-12, Moylan 2-11 TD, E. Slade 2-9 TD, Asaiah Slade 2-5, Riley Poteat 1-4)

ORANGE: 20-19 (Deandre Brown 8-35, Kayden Bradsher 2-5, Garrett Sawyer 2-0, team 1-(-9), Devore 7-(-12)

PASSING: WESTERN ALAMANCE (Oakley 15-23 233 TD) ORANGE (Devore 8-19 147, TD INT)

RECEIVING: WESTERN ALAMANCE (Newton 4-61 TD, Hamilton Plunkett 4-52, Will Clinkscales 3-46, Colten Hill 2-56, E. Slade 2-15)

ORANGE: (Phillips 2-92 TD, Brown 2-34, Kingston Purefoy Farrington 2-11, Hunter Albert 1-6, Jayden Medley 1-4)

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is men’s cross country runner Myles Jermyn. On September 10, Orange won its first meet of the season against Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance at Orange High School. Jermyn finished first at 17:32.00. Last season, Jermyn was a part of the Orange men’s cross country team that finished at Mideast Regional champions. In the 3A State Championships, they came in second place, only behind Croatan. Jermyn, a junior, has run on two Central Conference championship teams. In the Mideast Regionals last October, Jermyn finished eighth in the region as the Panthers won the team championship by 22 points over Northern Nash. Jermyn finished second in the conference championship last year at Lake Cammack Course in Burlington. Myles’ father, Kevin, is the men’s and women’s cross country coach at Duke University. His younger sister, Reilly, has started running for the Orange women’s team and finished 2nd in the opening conference meet two weeks ago. Last spring, Myles finished third in the 1,600 meters during the Mideast Regional Outdoor Track & Field championships at UNC Pembroke. He finished second in the region at 3,200 meters. During the 3A State Championships at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, Jermyn finished 10th in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

Orange Panther of the Week: Myles Jermyn

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is men’s cross country runner Myles Jermyn. On September 10, Orange won its first meet of the season against Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance at Orange High School. Jermyn finished first at 17:32.00. Last season, Jermyn was a part of the Orange men’s cross country team that finished at Mideast Regional champions.

It was a long wait for the Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team to play its first home game of the season. The Red Wolves started its season on August 14. On Monday night, Cedar Ridge finally saw the inside of Red Wolves Stadium and defeated Eastern Alamance 9-0. Senior Salomon Hernandez scored the game-winning goals in the 20th minute off an assist from Niko James. Later, James would add another goal. Hernandez’s younger brother, Rodrigo Arellano, added two goals and had two assists. Arellano, a freshman, turned 14 years old on Monday on the night where he achieved his first brace as a Red Wolf. Junior goalkeeper Erik Galunas earned the win in net after playing the first half. Senior Ben Miller played the opening 20 minutes of the second half. Alex Rosales, Sawyer Smith, Arturo Hernandez and Sawyer Smith also scored goals. Cedar Ridge coach Chauncey Brummell was forced to start younger players during the early portion of the season after the transfer of midfielder Dominic McNerney, who left for Western Alamance. The Red Wolves have won consecutive games for the first time this year. They are 3-3-2, 2-o in the Central Conference. Cedar Ridge will travel to Primm Stadium to face Western Alamance, the defending conference champions, on Wednesday night.

Cedar Ridge men’s soccer’s James, Hernandez, Arellano & Galunas talk 1st home win

It was a long wait for the Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team to play its first home game of the season. The Red Wolves started its season on August 14. On Monday night, Cedar Ridge finally saw the inside of Red Wolves Stadium and defeated Eastern Alamance 9-0.

Five weeks of relentless travel to start the season has ended–at least for one night–for the Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team.

The track around Red Wolves Stadium was one of many renovation projects around Cedar Ridge and Orange High Schools this summer. It kept Cedar Ridge men’s soccer on the road for its opening seven games, where they journeyed from Henderson to Cary to Efland.

On Monday night, they finally played its first home game and made the wait worth their while.

Senior Salomon Hernandez scored two goals while Rodrigo Arellano added two goals and two assists as the Red Wolves defeated Eastern Alamance 9-0 in Hillsborough. Alex Rosales, Miko James, Arturo Hernandez and Sawyer Smith added goals as the Red Wolves improved to 3-3-2 overall while staying in first place in the Central Conference with a 2-0 mark.

“It was worth the wait, oh my gosh,” Cedar Ridge coach Chauncey Brummell, who took the Red Wolves to a second-place finish in the Central Conference last year. “Anytime you have a young team, it’s going to take them some time to gel and learn how to work together as a team. We’re not the only young team in the conference so there’s really no excuse.”

Junior Erik Galunas earned the victory in net as he played in the opening 40 minutes. Senior Ben Miller started the second half and played the final 17 minutes until the final goal of the game scored by Arellano, who fired it in from 20 yards off a free kick.

Salomon Hernandez, who battled his way back from injury, scored the opening goal off a corner kick fired in by James with 21:27 remaining in the first half. Rosales added insurance when Arellano fired a shot from 28 yards, which was knocked down by an Eagles defender. Rosales took possession off the rebound, dribbled into the penalty area and fired it in from eleven yards along the near post.

Arturo Hernandez added a third goal with 9:15 remaining in the first half when he collected a pass from Arellano and shot it in from 12 yards away.

Arellano, a freshman, turned 14 on Monday.

Cedar Ridge’s home stand will be short-lived. On Wednesday, they will travel to Elon to face Western Alamance at Primm Stadium. The Warriors are atop the Central Conference after former Red Wolf Dominic McNerney, who led Cedar Ridge in scoring last year, transferred to Western Alamance last month.

“The constant travel has been tough,” Brummell said. “Being on the bus for 45 minutes to one hour is a lot. For me, as an adult, it’s a lot. I can only imagine what it’s like for those kids not being able to play a home game for a month. To finally play on their home field and have a decent crowd tonight, it was great for the kids. And to get a win was even better.”

The Red Wolves will host Walter Williams next Monday.

”

Orange 9, Person 0: Another multigoal game from junior Yurem Tapia Mendez led Orange to a 9-0 victory at Rockets Stadium in Roxboro on Monday night. Mendez finished with two goals, his four multi-goal games this season as the Panthers improved to 7-3 overall, 2-1 in the Central Conference. Mendez has eleven goals overall.

Mendez scored the opening goal. Junior Logan Edwards added two goals, the first two of his varsity career. Edwards’ first tally of the night gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead. Sophomore Brendan McDonald also had a brace, including the ninth goal that ended the game in the second half. McDonald now has three goals this season.

Carson Condon and Demetrius Holmes each had goals in the first half as Orange took a 5-0 lead to halftime. Kace McAuley also scored for the Panthers.

Orange will host Southern Alamance in Hillsborough on Wednesday night.

Photo by Lehigh Athletics

Cameron Lloyd: The Bucknell Bison swept its opening two opponents to begin the Patriot League season over the weekend. The Bison opened with a sweep of Holy Cross at Davis Gymnasium in Lewisburg, PA. Lloyd led the Bison with ten kills. She also had four digs and one ace. On Saturday, the Bison defeated Army 3-1. Lloyd finished with nine kills, two aces, and six digs. It was Bucknell’s first home victory against Army since 2015. Bucknell improves to 10-1 overall and will host Lafayette and Lehigh next weekend at Davis Gymnasium.

Lottie Scully: The Binghamton volleyball team split its two matches in the Rose Hill Classic in the Bronx, NY. The Bearcats opened with a sweep of Fordham on Friday. Scully finished with 30 assists, her seventh straight match with 20 or more assists. She also finished with three kills, five digs and one ace. West Virginia defeated Binghamton 3-2 on Saturday. Scully finished with 37 assists, eight digs and two kills. Binghamton is 8-5 and will face Le Moyne in Syracuse, NY on Tuesday.

Cameron Lanier: The College of Charleston swept a doubleheader from Elon to open Coastal Athletic Association play over the weekend. On Saturday, the Cougars won 3-1 at the Schar Center. Lanier, an outside hitter for Elon, led the Phoenix with 14 kills. She also had five digs and one ace. The Cougars also had a four-set victory on Sunday. Lanier finished with 12 kills, which was tied for a team-high, along with six digs. Elon is 6-7 overall, 0-2 in the CAA and will travel to UNC Wilmington next weekend.

Ella Wimsatt: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne Bears are 12-0 after sweeping weekend matches at Shuford Arena in Hickory, one of which featured Wimsatt going against a former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf. On Saturday, the Bears defeated UNC Pembroke 3-2, winning the fifth set 15-7. Wimsatt played in four sets and had seven digs. Earlier on Saturday, the Bears swept Mars Hill. Wimsatt finished with five digs and an ace. The Bears will open South Atlantic Conference play against Anderson on Tuesday.

Julie Altieri: Division III Salisbury swept all three of its weekend matches to improve to 11-2. On Friday, the Sea Gulls defeated Mary Washington 3-0 at the Maggs Physical Activities Center in Salisbury, MD. Altieri finished with 37 assists and nine digs. She also had two kills, three aces. Only a sophomore, Altieri has already surpassed 1,000 career assists at Salisbury. On Saturday, the Gulls defeated St. Mary’s of Maryland 3-1. Altieri racked up 43 assists with 14 digs, four kills and two aces. In the last round of the tri-match, Salisbury swept Hollins 3-0 at the O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena in St. Mary’s City, MD. Altieri finished with 28 assists. The Sea Gulls will face Stockton and Gettysburg in Gettysburg, PA on Saturday.

Melissa Benkowitz: Franklin & Marshall faced the #1 ranked team in Division III in Juniata at Huntingdon, PA on Saturday. Juniata swept the Diplomats. Benkowitz finished with two kills and six digs. Later on Saturday, Franklin & Marshall defeated Muskingum 3-0. That improved the Diplomats record to 11-2. Benkowitz finished with two aces, one assist and two digs. Franklin & Marshall will face Lancaster Bible on Tuesday.

Allie Wilkerson: Division III Averett University dropped its opening matches in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference at the Stuart Grant James Center in Danville, VA. On Friday, Bridgewater defeated Averett 3-0 on scores of 26-24, 25-12 and 25-16. Wilkerson played two sets and finished with one dig. On Saturday, #25 Washington and Lee University swept the Cougars on scores of 25-16, 25-16 and 25-19. Wilkerson finished with four kills and two digs. Later on Saturday, Berea College knocked off the Cougars 3-1 on scores of 25-18, 25-22, 21-25 and 25-22. Wilkerson finished with one dig. Averett is 4-10 overall, 1-2 in the ODAC. They will face Ferrum College on Wednesday.

Addie Reid: Reid is on the roster at North Carolina Central University. The Eagles defeated the Charlotte 49ers on Saturday to improve to 2-9. Reid was a middle blocker for Cedar Ridge’s 2021 3A State Championship team.

The Orange men’s soccer team is off to its best start in 17 years. On Monday, the Panthers defeated Walter Williams 3-2 in Burlington. Junior Yurim Tapia Mendez scored a hat trick for Orange, who defeated the Bulldogs for the second time in two years. Instrumental in Orange’s success has been an experienced back line that includes Eben Petrides. On August 28, the Panthers defeated Eno River Academy in the first-ever meeting between the two teams at Orange Soccer Field. Joseph Lopez assisted on a goal for Orange. Issac Gallegos scored a goal in Orange’s 5-3 win over Durham School of the Arts on August 19. Lopez also assisted in Orange’s win over Williams. The Panthers are in pursuit of making the 3A State Playoffs for the third straight year. It would be the first time ever that Orange has made the state playoffs three straight years. This week, Orange’s game against Cedar Ridge was rained out. The opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby will be rescheduled for another date. In the meantime, Orange will hit the road to face Person in Roxboro on Monday. The Panthers will return home to face Southern Alamance on Wednesday night in Hillsborough. Orange is 6-3 overall, 1-1 in the Central Conference.

No Title

The Orange men’s soccer team is off to its best start in 17 years. On Monday, the Panthers defeated Walter Williams 3-2 in Burlington. Junior Yurim Tapia Mendez scored a hat trick for Orange, who defeated the Bulldogs for the second time in two years.

Cedar Ridge volleyball was due for good fortune in a five-set match.

Its first loss of the season came against East Chapel Hill, where they fell at home in five sets. The Red Wolves started this month by sweeping crosstown rival Orange, the defending 3A Eastern Regional champions at Panthers Gymnasium. The following night, Cedar Ridge faced Carrboro, the team that Orange defeated to win that Regional title.

Cedar Ridge led two-sets-to-nothing before Carrboro roared back to win in five sets, taking the fifth 15-7.

On Thursday night, the stakes were greater. Cedar Ridge faced a Person team that they had swept in its conference opener last month. But the Rockets arrived to Hillsborough healthier, wiser and determined to end its nine-match losing streak to the Red Wolves.

Cedar Ridge didn’t have momentum to start the fifth set. Person scored the opening three points, but it’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. Cedar Ridge’s Ellamarie Perel and Claire Hargett not only paved the way for a successful finish on Thursday night, but they greatly helped their long-term future.

Hargett finished with four kills in the final set as Cedar Ridge went on a 7-1 run in the final frame to pull out a 3-2 victory over Person. Cedar Ridge now leads Orange and Western Alamance by two games for first place in the Central Conference with a 7-0 league mark. The Red Wolves are 10-3 overall.

Also on Thursday night, Western Alamance defeated Orange 3-2 at Warriors Gymnasium. The Warriors and the Panthers are now tied for second place with a 5-2 league mark. Cedar Ridge hosts Orange next Thursday.

Person freshman Kylee Hayden had consecutive kills to open the fifth set, followed by another strike from Macey Bowes. Perel, who finished with 14 kills, ended the dry spell with a kill along the far post set up by junior Mia Marty. After a strike by Perel went long to vault Person ahead 4-1, the Red Wolves reeled off four straight points. Kayla Stoll scored a huge block. In the longest rally of the final set, Cedar Ridge libero Sydnee Tapper had a huge dig that led to Person sending an attack into the net. Marty put the Red Wolves ahead with an ace.

Hargett, who came away with 18 kills and 26 digs, put together two straight kills, one of which went off the face of Person’s libero to give Cedar Ridge an 8-5 lead. Person’s Kaylie Parker sent a light tap over the net off an assist from Kaiden Hawkins to cut the Rockets’ deficit to 8-76, but Calla Lundberg and Hargett had kills to start a 6-0 Red Wolf run. Tapper added on an ace. A kill by Perel put the Red Wolves ahead 14-7, but Person wasn’t done yet. Parker scored three straight kills, followed by an ace from Abby Sharlow. Hargett scored on match point off a feed from Marty.

Person’s last win over Cedar Ridge came on September 28, 2016 in Hillsborough.

Cedar Ridge won the opening set 25-20. Hargett had four kills. Marty had an ace on set point. Marty finished the set with ten assists, five digs and two aces. Person dominated the second set 25-11.

Cedar Ridge took control of the third set with six consecutive points to take a 12-5 lead. Hargett had consecutive aces during the run. Perel scored set point to give Cedar Ridge the frame at 25-19.

The Red Wolves led for much of the fourth set and appeared ready to put the match away when Marty scored on a block to give Cedar Ridge a 20-14 lead. But Person went on a 7-1 run to take a 22-21 lead, keyed by an ace from Sharlow. Junior Lilly Atkins scored Person’s final three points of the fourth, including set point.