Ella Wimsatt: The Lenoir-Rhyne volleyball team has matched its best start ever at 10-0. Ella Wimsatt, the Captain of Orange’s 2023 Eastern Regional championship team, has already broken into the Bears’ regular rotation. On Tuesday, the Bears started its South Atlantic Conference schedule with a sweep of Newberry at Shuford Arena in Hickory. Wimsatt had nine digs and played in all three sets. Last weekend, the Bears won all four of its matches in the Mount Olive Invitational at Kornegay Arena, including handing Shaw University its first loss of the season. Lenoir-Rhyne swept Shaw 3-0. Wimsatt finished with a kill and seven digs. In her first weekend as a college player, Wimsatt played regularly as the Bears won all of its matches in the Fairmont State Volleyball Classic at Joe Retton Arena in Fairmont, WV. Wimsatt’s first game came in a sweep of Virginia Union, where she had a kill and three digs. On September 7 against Slippery Rock, Wimsatt had six kills, two aces and 19 digs. On Saturday, Lenoir-Rhyne will host a conference doubleheader against Mars Hill and UNC Pembroke.

Lottie Scully: The Binghamton Bearcats won the Rutgers Invitational at College Ave Gym in New Brunswick, NJ last week. Binghamton swept both of its matches, starting with a victory over Rutgers. Scully, the starting setter, finished with 23 assists and four digs. On September 13, Binghamton defeated VCU. Scully registered 21 assists and two digs. On Wednesday, Cornell defeated Binghamton 3-1. Scully finished with 28 assists, eight digs and one ace. Binghamton is 7-4 and will start play in the Rose Hill Classic in the Bronx, NY today against Fordham. They will face West Virginia on Saturday.

Cameron Lloyd: The Bucknell volleyball team has won eight in a row. Lloyd has overcome an oblique injury to continue with regular appearances for the Bison. She had eleven digs, one kill and two aces in a sweep of Niagara at the Gallagher Center in New York last Saturday. It was the last of three wins for Bucknell in the Western New York Invitational. Last Friday, Bucknell defeated Canisius 3-2 at the Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo. Lloyd had eleven digs, two kills and three aces. Also last Saturday, the Bison swept Youngstown State. Lloyd finished with seven kills, ten digs and two aces. The Bison will try to continue its winning streak against Holy Cross later tonight in its Patriot League opener.

Cameron Lanier:  The Elon volleyball team won two of three matches in the Mercer Invitational in Macon GA last weekend. On Saturday, the Phoenix defeated Southern Miss 3-2 at Hawkins Arena. Lanier had 15 kills and four digs. She also had a block on match point. Last Friday, the Phoenix defeated Presbyterian 3-2. Lanier finished with 13 kills and four digs. Mercer swept the Phoenix last Friday. So far this season, Lanier has 73 kills over 27 sets. Elon is 6-5 and will face the College of Charleston to start Coastal Athletic Association play on Saturday.

Anaya Carter: Division II UNC Pembroke dropped its Conference Carolinas opener to North Greenville 3-0 at Hayes Gymnasium in Tigerville, SC on Wednesday. Carter played in two sets and finished with two digs. UNCP went all the way to Alaska for the Denali State Ice Block Classic in Fairbanks, AK on September 12-14. In four matches, the Braves only win came against Felician 3-1. Carter started and had eight digs and an ace. UNC Pembroke is 2-6.

Julie Altieri: The Division III Salisbury Gulls dropped two of three matches in the Randolph-Macon Tournament in Ashland, VA last weekend. The Gulls only victory came against Randolph-Macon by a 3-1 score. Altieri had her fifth double-double of the season with 24 assists and eleven digs with three kills. Against Washington & Lee, Altieri had 38 assists, ten digs, four kills and four aces. Salisbury is 8-2 and will open Coast-to-Coast Conference action against Mary Washington on Friday (today) at the Maggs Physical Activities Center in Maryland. So far in her sophomore season, Altieri had 302 assists over ten matches with 84 digs and 40 kills.

Melissa Benkowitz: Franklin & Marshall is 9-1 and have won eight in a row. Last Saturday, the Diplomats swept a doubleheader by beating Clarkson and Montclair State. In a sweep of Clarkson, Benkowitz started the match with three consecutive aces. She finished with four kills, eleven digs and five aces. Franklin & Marshall also swept Montclair State at the Mayser Center in Lancaster, PA. Benkowitz led the Diplomats with eleven kills and a team-best ten digs.

Allie Wilkerson: Division III Averett University defeated won its Old Dominion Athletic Conference opener by sweeping Guilford College at the Stuart James Grant Center in Danville, VA on Wednesday. Wilkerson, a sophomore, tied for the team lead with ten kills. Averett is 4-7 overall. Wilkerson is second on the team with 74 kills.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior centerback for the men’s soccer team Salomon Hernandez. The Captain of the team, Hernandez has provided experience for a Cedar Ridge team that was filled with adversity over the first month of the season. Because of repairs at the track inside Red Wolves Stadium, Cedar Ridge has opened the year with seven consecutive road games. On top of that, they lost its leading scorer from last year when Dominic McNerney transferred to Western Alamance–two days before the season opener against Carrboro. Hernandez has provided leadership in the midst of it all. Last week, he had an assist in the Red Wolves 8-0 win at Person. Last year, Hernandez scored one of the most memorable goals in team history when his header off a corner kick with 4:17 remaining in regulation to defeat Western Alamance. It was the first time that the Red Wolves defeated the Warriors since they became Central Conference rivals in 2021. Hernandez helped Cedar Ridge host a state playoff game last year for the first time since 2015. Hernandez works out with Wake FC during his time away from Cedar Ridge and he will end his career as a player who helped Cedar Ridge reach new heights. The Red Wolves will travel to Orange tonight for the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Salomon Hernandez

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior centerback for the men’s soccer team Salomon Hernandez. The Captain of the team, Hernandez has provided experience for a Cedar Ridge team that was filled with adversity over the first month of the season.

The most accomplished runner in Orange’s cross country history has moved on to his Mormon mission, but the bulk of last year’s Mideast Regional championship team remains.

In its first Central Conference meet of the season last week, the Orange men’s cross country team maintained its dominance by posting the top three finishers to take first place against Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance at Orange High. Junior Myles Jermyn, the son of Duke University cross country coach Kevin Jermyn, finished in first place with a time of 17:32.00. His teammate, junior Lucas Van Mater, finished second at 17:55. Sophomore Grant Schmid of Orange High came in third at 18:20.00.

Schmid is the younger brother of Gabriel Schmid, who won the 2022 and 2023 3A Men’s Individual State Championship. Schmid is just the second cross country runner from Orange High to win a state championship in cross country. Schmid, who volunteered for the Efland Fire Department, will run for N.C. State’s men cross country team after his two-year Mormon mission concludes.

Orange won the team meet with 27 points. Cedar Ridge finished second with 40 points while Western Alamance came in third with 59 points.

Cedar Ridge’s top finisher was John Ngunjiri, a junior who clocked in at 18:46.10. The Red Wolves had the 4th, 5th and sixth place finishes. Behind Ngunjiri was Henry Alexander (18:46.10), who finished just ahead of teammate Nathan Walters (18:46.70).

Orange’s Grady Thomas finished 10th at 22;06.00.

In the women’s meet, Cedar Ridge senior Naomi Dyreng continued a strong start to the season with a first place finish. It was enough to lead Cedar Ridge to a team victory with 26 points. Western Alamance finished with 41 points while Orange had 68.

Orange’s Reilly Jermyn finished second overall at 21:10.

Ila Diaz and Isabella Taylor-Hall had strong finishes for Cedar Ridge to ensure the team victory. Diaz came in fourth at 23:42, while Taylor-Hall registered a 5th place finish at 23:46. Gracie Whitaker of Cedar Ridge finished 7th (24:27), while sophomore Kate Finnegan finished 9th (24:48).

Cedar Ridge and Orange were both supposed to run in a meet at Red Wolf Course on Monday, but it was rained out. The annual Orange County Meet, featuring East Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill and Eno River Academy, was also rained out on Wednesday.

Women’s tennis: Cedar Ridge 8, Person 1: Only four matches took place when Cedar Ridge defeated the Rockets in Roxboro on September 11. Cedar Ridge’s Jasmin Brown got the start at #1 singles and defeated Annie Adcock 6-0, 6-2. Terra Proctor of Cedar Ridge defeated Lehra Pastrana 6-0, 6-0. Caroline Hall of Cedar Ridge defeated Makada Fife 6-0, 6-0.

Person’s only victory came in the lone doubles match where Adcock and Pastrana won 8-6.

Cedar Ridge 8, Northwood 1: The Red Wolves continues its long road swing to open the season with an 8-1 victory over Northwood in Pittsboro on September 12. The Red Wolves won five of the six singles matches, led by senior Adeline Cummings winning at #1 6-3, 6-1. Ella Caltabiano rolled at #2 singles 6-0, 6-0. Brown, Proctor and Madeline Galindo-Woodring also won its singles matches.

Cedar Ridge won all three doubles matches. Cummings and Brown teamed to win 8-2 at #1 doubles. Caltabiano and Lily Golden won at #2 doubles 8-2. At #3 doubles, Hall and Galindo-Woodring won 8-2.

Cedar Ridge improved to 5-3 overall.

Women’s golf: The first Central Conference golf meet was held on September 9 at Occoneechee Golf Course in Hillsborough. Orange finished 4th in the 7-team event with 146 strokes. Cedar Ridge had 177.

Southern Alamance finished first with 118. Walter Williams finished second at 135.

Shannon Murphy of Orange was the top individual finisher among the players from Hillsborough. She finished with a 47 over the first nine holes, then carded a 48 on the back nine. Orange’s Gianni Burnette finished with a 51 on the front nine and a 48 on the back nine. Kayla Pope of Orange finished 12th overall with a 55 followed by a 50.

Cedar Ridge’s Laci Sykes finished 16th overall and was the top finisher for the Red Wolves. She edged her teammates in golf and softball, Victoria Matthews.

Bryse Wilson: For the third time in his Major League career, Wilson will be going to the Major League Baseball postseason. On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Brewers clinched its third straight National League Central division championship when the Oakland A’s defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-3 at Wrigley Field. It’s the first time in 42 years that the Brewers have won consecutive division championships. Wilson landed on the injured list on September 3 with a strained oblique muscle. Last week, Wilson threw a bullpen session and has a chance to return before the end of the regular season. This season, Wilson is 5-4 with a 4.04 ERA. He has appeared in 34 games, starting nine for the Brewers. He has 82 strikeouts with 31 walks.

Payton Wilson: Last week, Bryse’s younger brother became the first Orange Panther to play in an NFL game since Alvis Whitted played for the Oakland Raiders in 2006. Payton suited up for the Pittsburgh Steelers in its season opener. Wilson, a linebacker, finished with three tackles as the Steelers defeated the Atlanta Falcons 18-10 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Wilson also played regularly for the Steelers in its 13-6 victory over the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium. Wilson will play in his first regular season game at Acrisure Stadium against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

Trenton Gill: Despite having the largest punting average in the NFL preseason, Gill was released by the Denver Broncos last month. Gill averaged 48.6 yards per punt, the highest among all punters before getting released. Gill has reportedly worked out for the New Orleans Saints and the Cleveland Browns over the past two weeks.

Darius Satterfield: The former Orange High punter boomed a 69-yard punt for Elizabeth City State against Chowan on September 7. Overall, Satterfield averaged 46 yards on four punts as the Vikings defeated Chowan 12-7 at Roebuck Stadium in Elizabeth City. He also had a 54-yard punt in the second quarter. One punt was downed inside the 20-yard line. Last Saturday, ECSU shutout Erskine 20-0 at J.W. Babb Stadium in Greenwood, SC. Satterfield averaged 36 yards over five punts with a long of 52 yards. Two punts were downed inside the 20-yard line. The Vikings are 2-1.

Ivy Garner: For the first time ever, the Liberty women’s soccer team is nationally ranked at #24 in the country. The Flames are 8-0-2 overall. Last week, Liberty defeated George Mason 6-0 at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, VA. Garner scored his second goal of the season in the 8th minute. She also assisted on a goal by Avenley Monteith. On September 8, the Flames played to a 1-1 tie with West Virginia. Garner, who played her freshman year at Cedar Ridge, played 61 minutes as a forward. Liberty defeated #21 Virginia Tech 2-1 on September 5 at Thompson Field in Blacksburg, VA. Garner assisted on the game-winning goals in the 51st minute scored by Halle Engle. Overall, Garner has started all ten of Liberty’s games. She has scored two goals with three assists. She is second on the team with 27 shots.

Emerson Talley: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne women’s soccer team is off to a 2-0-2 start. Talley scored on a penalty kick in the Bears’ 3-2 win over #24 Florida Tech at the Moretz Sports-Athletic Complex in Hickory on Tuesday. Talley started at forward and played all 90 minutes. Lenoir-Rhyne played to a 1-1 tie against Lincoln Memorial in Harrogate, TN on Saturday. Talley played 69 minutes and had one shot on goal. On September 12, the Bears played to another 1-1 tie against Lee University in Cleveland, TN. Talley, the all-time leading goal scorer in Cedar Ridge history, played 69 minutes and fired two shots. Lenoir-Rhyne opened its season with a 4-1 win over UNC Pembroke at Lumbee River EMC Stadium in Pembroke on September 8. Talley had her first career two-goal game, including the opener in the 19th minute. Talley also scored in the 49th minute off an assist from Nicole Auger. Lenoir-Rhyne will host Emory & Henry on Saturday night.

Photo by Kim Petrdies

Orange 3, Walter Williams 2: The rain was enough to stop most outdoor sporting events on Monday. But it wasn’t enough to stop Yurim Tapia Mendez.

Orange’s striker had his first career hat trick to lead the Panthers past Walter Williams 3-2 at Springwood Park in Burlington. It was the Panthers second straight win over the Bulldogs and continued Orange’s best start in over a decade. They improved to 6-3, 1-1 in the Central Conference, beating a perennial power that won consecutive league titles in 2021 and 2022.

Mendez now has nine goals through the opening nine games of the season. He started the year by scoring the game-winning goal in Orange’s first-ever victory over Carrboro. In all, Mendez has three game-winning goals this season.

Mendez’s first came off a corner kick that was assisted by senior Joseph Lopez. His second goal was assisted by Brendan McDonald, which put Orange ahead 2-0 in the first half. Mendez completed the hat trick with a tally off a penalty kick.

Lucas Stroud scored in the first half for the Bulldogs, who fell to 6-4-1 overall, 1-1 in the Central Conference. With Orange leading 3-1, sophomore Aurelio Figueroa added a goal for the Bulldogs off an assist from Daniel Angel.

Orange sophomore goalkeeper Hector Garrido made four saves. Orange’s backline of Eben Petrides, Dallas Johnson, Logan Edwards and Jay Parker kept the Bulldogs from tallying a game-tying goal amidst a driving rain onto the turf field in Burlington.

Orange will face Cedar Ridge in the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby on Thursday night at Panther Soccer Field.

Cedar Ridge 8, Person 0: Sophomore Niko James had his first career hat trick as the Red Wolves won its Central Conference opener in Roxboro last Wednesday.

James, who leads the Red Wolves with seven goals, notched the game-winner as Cedar Ridge improved to 2-3-2 overall. James also had the game-winning goal in the Red Wolves other win on the season against Eno River Academy on September 3.

Freshman Alex Rosales added two goals. He now has three on the season. In a testament to the Red Wolves youth after losing rising senior Dominic McNerney at the last minute, all of Cedar Ridge’s goals were scored by freshmen or sophomores.

Freshman Rodrigo Arellano added his second varsity goal for the Red Wolves. Sophomore Andy Tarija had a goal and an assist. Sawyer Smith, a sophomore, added his first varsity goal. Senior Edwin Huerta, who also wrestles for the Red Wolves, had two assists. Noah Koehler had an assist, as did senior Salomon Hernandez.

Goalkeeper Erik Galunas earned the clean sheet.

Western Alamance 2, Orange 0: Orange tested itself against the very best that the Central Conference had to offer last week and stood toe-to-toe with them. On a night of close calls, Orange couldn’t find one to go its way as they fell to the defending Central Conference champions in its league opener.

Following a scoreless first half, the Warriors earned a penalty kick on a borderline call on the edge of the Orange box with 19:47 remaining in regulation. Noah Barnett opted to go straightaway against Orange goalkeeper Hector Garrido, who made the save. Barnett led the Warrior charge on the rebound and chested the ball into an empty net.

Orange appeared to tie the game with 15:50 remaining when Tapia got the ball in on the goal line, but Warriors goalkeeper Eamon Hipps trapped the ball on the chalk of the goal line.

McNerney, the transfer from Cedar Ridge, added an insurance goal with 12:57 remaining on a gorgeous lead pass from Franky Maya. McNerney now leads Western Alamance with eleven goals.

Not to be outdone, Garrido made another save on a penalty kick in the final minutes of the second half. Garrido, who started Orange men’s basketball season-opener last year, is in his first year as the Panthers starting goalkeeper.

MEBANE–The public address announcer inside Tal Jobe Gymnasium ripped off Michael Buffer and bellowed “Let’s get ready to rumble” to conclude pregame festivities for Orange vs. Eastern Alamance volleyball on Tuesday night.

Orange did most of the rumbling.

The Lady Panthers concluded the first half of its Central Conference schedule with a 3-0 sweep of the Eagles on scores of 25-11, 25-6 and 25-15. It was Orange’s (7-6, 5-1 in the Central Conference) sixth sweep of the year.

Junior Ava Wilkerson finished with 15 kills while outside hitter Aubrey Jordan came away with seven kills. Setter Katie Silcott finished with 27 assists, eleven digs and four kills.

Playing with blowing fans on both ends of the court, Orange didn’t leave any room for suspense early on. The roared out to a 6-1 lead after an ace from sophomore Addison Guentensberger and a kill from Milleka Purcell, who earned her first varsity start. After the Eagles got to within 7-5, Orange took control with an 8-1 run that started when Wilkerson slammed down a spike onto the light brown hardwood off an assist from Silcott. Mariah Poole delivered consecutive aces to put Orange ahead 15-6. Wilkerson had an unassisted kill on set point.

Wilkerson had eight kills in the second set, which started with Orange leading 13-2. It wouldn’t get any closer as Poole delivered two more aces. The Lady Panthers scored the final four points with Wilkerson scoring consecutive kills to close out the set.

Eastern Alamance’s Kayden Manning gave the Eagles its first lead of the night when she scored a block on the opening point of the third set. Orange would easily overcome that with a 7-1 run, which included an ace from Abby Silinski and a kill from Sawyer White. Orange led 16-13 before they closed out the match with nine consecutive points. Guentensberger served Orange out and White had back-to-back kills leading up to match point.

Orange will travel to Western Alamance for a crucial Central Conference match on Thursday night.

Cedar Ridge 3, Roxboro Community School 0: Cedar Ridge honored seniors Charlotte Lowry, Ellie Miller, Alleah Fredrick and Leah Pritchard before sweeping Roxboro Community School on Monday night. The Red Wolves won on scores of 25-19, 25-18 and 25-13 to improve to 9-3 overall.

Junior Ellamarie Perel finished with nine kills, while outside hitter Claire Hargett had eight kills and five digs. Setter Mia Marty finished with eleven digs, 18 assists and four aces.

With Hargett serving, Cedar Ridge scored eleven consecutive points in the opening set to take an 11-1 lead. Hargett had four aces in that run, while Perel had two kills assisted by Marty. Roxboro’s Delayna Welch had consecutive aces during a 5-0 Bulldog run, but Cedar Ridge reeled off seven straight points behind an ace from Miller and a block from Kayla Stoll. Cedar Ridge built its lead up to 23-14 and withstood a late charge by RCS, who got three aces from Welch. Perel scored set point off a feed from Marty.

Hargett had six kills in the second set, where the Red Wolves jumped out to a 5-2 lead. The Bulldogs came back to even the frame at 11-11 after two aces from Cecelia Fitzgerald. Marty delivered consecutive aces to start a 7-1 Red Wolf splurge. Hargett and Fredrick had kills to push the Red Wolves lead to 18-14. Marty scored back-to-back points, including an ace to make it 24-18. An attack by the Bulldogs went wide on set point.

The two teams split the opening ten points in the third set before Cedar Ridge went on a 6-0 run. Hargett scored a block, followed by consecutive aces by Miller that made it 11-5. Pritchard closed out the match with two aces.

Midway through the Central Conference slate, the Red Wolves are in first place at 6-0. They will host Person on Thursday night at Red Wolves Gymnasium.