Photo by Bernard Thomas

No intricate Xs and Os. No pep talks. No diagnosing hours of game tape.

Orange simply outmanned Cedar Ridge to retain the victory bell at Auman Stadium on Thursday night. One only need look at the Panthers’ rushing personnel, in addition to rushing yards, to understand why Orange continues to have the upper hand against its crosstown rivals on the gridiron.

In its fourth game under the double wing alignment installed by offensive coordinator Marty Scotten after a season-opening loss to Southern Durham, the Panthers had no less than 13 players receive carries against the Red Wolves. Cedar Ridge had two.

Naturally, five different Panthers scored touchdowns in Orange’s 36-6 win on Senior Night. The Panthers scored 21 points off turnovers and piled up 257 rushing yards to improve to 3-2. Senior wingback Elliott Woods, in his final game in Hillsborough, and freshman Nate Sorrells each had 58 yards rushing to pace an Orange attack that completed only one pass.

It was Cedar Ridge’s first trip to Auman Stadium since 2015.

“Coach Scotten said I was going to get the next run, so I’m glad the clock ran out,” said Orange Coach Van Smith. “For years, our model has been defense. We want to play really good defense and play good offense and establish ball control. Control the clock and control the pace of the game. That hasn’t changed since we’ve been here.”

Orange didn’t allow a first down until Cedar Ridge’s final drive of the first half. By that point, the Panthers were comfortably ahead 29-0.

The Panthers also had notable senior contributors who made big plays. Cornerback Daniel Champion suffered a separated shoulder in the first quarter against Southern Durham on March 5. Champion didn’t return to practice until this week, where he was allowed to practice only without contact.

He was cleared to play on Thursday night, though he was cautioned that he would endure some pain. Champion wound up making two interceptions, the first two of his career, both in the third quarter.

Champion’s first pick led to another senior night success story. On 4th-and-7 from the Cedar Ridge 13-yard line, backup quarterback Wynston Brown found tight end Will Crabtree, who hauled in the first varsity touchdown of his career. Crabtree, who was on the Homecoming Court during halftime, is a volunteer firefighter with the Cedar Grove Department and plans to become a fireman in Durham after graduating from Appalachian State.

“I think we’re better in some positions than last year,” Smith said. “We have more depth in other positions than last year. We’re a little better off than we were last year.”

Cedar Ridge, which lost its top ball carrier when running back Isaiah McCambry transferred to Walter Williams last fall, received its only touchdown from Aiden Seagroves on its final drive of the game.

Orange’s Elijah Danley made his team-leading third interception of the year on the second play from scrimmage. After Woods converted a 3rd-and-10 with an 11-yard carry, Jackson Wood scored his first varsity touchdown with 8:30 remaining in the first quarter.

Orange’s Nate Hecht and Brandon Worsham sacked Cedar Ridge quarterback Elijah Whitaker for a safety on the next Red Wolves possession. After the free kick, senior Eric Brooks notched his team-leading fourth touchdown of the year with a 4-yard carry. Darius Satterfield’s extra point pushed Orange’s lead to 15-0.

Orange overcame three penalties on its next drive to score again. After Woods ran for nine yards on a 3rd-and-8, J.J. Torres crossed the goal line on a six-yard scamper.

After Woods recovered a fumble with 4:03 remaining in the first half, Brown replaced Jayce Hodges at quarterback. After Hecht started the drive with a 15-yard carry, Brown scored his first varsity touchdown on 4th-and-goal on a 5-yard keeper.

Cedar Ridge quarterback Elijah Whitaker went 10-of-19 for 91 yards.

At the end of an eventful Thursday across the sports landscape, Orange season-ending matchup grew larger in magnitude. Chapel Hill upset Southern Durham, creating a three-way tie for first place in the Big 8 Conference. The Tigers, who didn’t field a football team two years ago, can clinch a share of the conference title with a victory over Orange next week.

It would be the first time since 2008 that Chapel Hill has won a share of a conference title in football.

Cedar Ridge is scheduled to have its senior night game next Friday against Vance County.

ORANGE 36, CEDAR RIDGE 6

CR—0 0 0 6-6

OR–15 14 7 0-36

ORA–Jackson Wood 15 run (kick failed0

ORA–SAFETY, quarterback tackled in end zone

ORA–Eric Brooks 4 run (Darius Satterfield kick)

ORA–J.J. Torres 6 run (Satterfield kick)

ORA–Wynston Brown 5 run (Satterfield kick)

ORA–Will Crabtree 13 pass from Brown (Satterfield kick)

CR–Aiden Seagroves 3 run (kick failed)

RUSHING–CEDAR RIDGE 21-45 (Elijah Whitaker 14-37, Seagroves 7-8 TD)

ORANGE-48-257 (Nate Sorrells 7-58, Elliott Woods 7-58, Torres 7-49, Brown 3-19, Wood 5-18 TD, Ronald Cooper 3-18, Brooks 6-17 TD, Nate Hecht 3-17, Jabari Albright 1-7, Connor Ray 2-1, Zahmir Watkins 2-0, Jayce Hodges 2-(-5).

PASSING-CEDAR RIDGE (Whitaker 10-19 81 3 INT) ORANGE (Brown 1-2 13 TD)

RECEIVING-CEDAR RIDGE (A.J. Richmond 4-26, Desi Raspberry 2-31, Mitchell Bonner 2-16, Johntez Raspberry 2-8.)

ORANGE (Crabtree 1-13 TD)

Orange seniors Daniel Champion and Will Crabtree both went extra lengths to win on their senior night over Cedar Ridge on Thursday night. Champion, a cornerback, made two interceptions, both in the third quarter. Champion had not played since the season opener against Southern Durham on March 5. Instead of sitting out the final two games, Champion practiced with some pain in his shoulder this week, and returned for what turned out to be a special night. Crabtree made the first touchdown catch of his career off a pass from backup quarterback Wynston Brown. Instead of waiting for graduation, Crabtree has already started his professional career. He currently serves with the Cedar Grove Fire Department. After attending Appalachian State, Crabtree plans to work in Durham as a fireman. Champion and Crabtree will look to clinch Orange’s first winning season since 2017 next week when they travel to Chapel Hill.

Orange wingback J.J. Torres scored a touchdown on his senior night. Torres opened the second quarter with a six-yard touchdown run as the Panthers defeated Cedar Ridge 36-6 in the final game of the abbreviated year at Auman Stadium. It was his second career touchdown. Torres was one of 13 Panthers to carry the ball in Marty Scotten’s new double wing offense. Torres finished with 49 yards on seven carries. In addition to playing football at Orange, Torres is a member of the outreach group called Fathers on the Move, which prepares young people for life outside of high school. In August, Torres will leave Hillsborough to become a student at UNC-Charlotte. Torres has one game, at least, remaining in his high school career when Orange travels to Chapel Hill next week.

Joey Berini: The former Orange High shortstop had his first college base hit for #11 East Carolina in its 11-10 win over North Carolina at Clarke-LeClair Field in Greenville on Tuesday night. Berini pinch-hit for Zach Agnos to lead off the 7th inning, when the Tar Heels were ahead 10-6. Berini reached on a single to left field. He advanced to second on a wild pitch with two out, but the inning ended after a flyout to centerfield. The Pirates rallied with five runs in the 8th and 9th innings to improve to 18-5.

Cooper Porter: On Saturday, Porter had the biggest day of his young college career in Pensacola State Junior College’s 15-5 win over Chipola College. Porter went 2-for-3 with 5 RBIs with a home run in the second game of a doubleheader. Chipola won the opening game 10-5. Porter went 1-for-3 in the opener. Last Thursday, Pensacola State defeated Chipola 8-4, where Porter went 1-for-4. Pensacola State Junior College’s baseball team defeated Tallahassee Community College 6-2 on Tuesday. Porter went 1-for-3 for the Pirates. He has increased his batting average to .250 and is now on a four-game hitting streak. Pensacola State is 14-13 overall, 4-2 in the Panhandle Conference.

Bailey Lucas: The Division III Meredith volleyball team split a doubleheader against Greensboro College on Saturday. Inside Hanes Gym in Greensboro, the Avenging Angels won the first match in five sets 25-22, 20-25, 25-21, 18-25, 16-14. Lucas started and finished with 31 assists, three kills and 12 digs. Greensboro won the final match 3-1 on scores of 25-19, 25-17, 25-27 and 25-23. Lucas also started the second match for the Avenging Angels and registered two kills, 19 assists and four digs. Meredith is 5-4 overall, 3-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference. They host Methodist on Saturday in its final two home matches of the regular season.

Grace Andrews: Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute swept a doubleheader from Catawba Valley Community College on Tuesday in Lenoir. Caldwell took the first game 5-1 and captured the nightcap 7-2. Playing shortstop for Catawba, Andrews went 2-for-3 with a walk in the opener. In the nightcap, Andrews finished 1-for-4 with a run scored. Andrews, who extended her hitting streak to five games, leads Catawba Valley with a .486 batting average. She also leads the team with 35 hits. Catawba Valley is 15-7. Caldwell Community College now leads Catawba Valley by two games for first place in the Western Division of Region 10 in the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Ivy Garner: Garner spent her freshman year at Cedar Ridge, where she was a part of the Red Wolves’ tennis and soccer teams. She transferred to Eno River Academy at the beginning of the 2018 academic year. Garner hasn’t played high school sports since, but has played with the North Carolina Courage’s U-17 team. Garner recently announced her commitment to play at N.C. State.

Kayla Hodges: Wake Forest defeated Elon 3-0 in women’s soccer on Sunday at Spry Stadium in Winston-Salem. Hodges, who was named the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Week last week, had one of nine shots fired by the Phoenix. On Thursday, South Carolina defeated the Phoenix 3-0 at Rudd Field. Hodges started as a wingback. The Phoenix are 2-3 overall, 1-1 in the CAA. Elon will travel to the College of Charleston on Saturday.

Brittany Daley: The Division III Greensboro College women’s soccer program shut out Meredith 1-0 on Saturday at Meredith Athletic Field in Raleigh. Former Cedar Ridge center back Brittany Daley helped Pride goalkeeper Lauren Rodriguez secure the shutout as Greensboro improved to 4-1-1 in the USA South Athletic Conference. This was also the regular season finale for Greensboro. The Pride will host one of the USA South Division semifinals on Saturday.

Jordan Rogers: Methodist defeated Division III William Peace women’s soccer team on March 24. Rogers, who graduated from Orange, started at wingback for the Pacers. Peace is 3-5 overall, 2-4 in the USA South Athletic Conference. The Pacers wrap up the regular season against Mary Baldwin University on Friday. If Rogers plays, it will be her 40th game for Peace.

Ever since pitcher Rivers Andrews’ graduated from Cedar Ridge in 2018, the softball’s team best defense has been a strong offense.

After a lapse against Orange, the vintage Red Wolves offense was back in living burgundy and grey at East Chapel Hill Monday afternoon.

The Red Wolves piled up a whopping 22 hits, keyed by two home runs from senior shortstop Ava Lowry, in an 18-5 win over the Wildcats at East Chapel Hill Softball Stadium. It was Cedar Ridge’s five straight victory over the Wildcats and its third consecutive win at East Chapel Hill.

Lowry, junior Takia Nichols and senior catcher ShiLi Quade each had four hits for the Red Wolves, who are 2-2 in the Big 8 Conference. Cedar Ridge had ten extra base hits. Nichols and Alexandria Matthews each had two doubles.

Sophomore Hayley King earned her second win of the season inside the circle for the Red Wolves. King threw two shutout innings. She surrendered one hit with one strikeout before Matthews threw the final three innings.

Cedar Ridge is the two-time defending Big 8 Champions, but they started 1-2 after a wild 17-16 loss to Northwood in eight innings in Pittsboro on March 17. In that game, the Red Wolves trailed 11-4 going into the fifth inning, only to tie the game with seven runs in the fifth inning. Cedar Ridge scored five in the top of the seventh to take a 14-12 lead, and actually had the Chargers down to its last out before Zoe Hatsidakis doubled home Carlee Harris for the game-tying run.

With only the first seven games being counted in the Big 8 Conference standings, it’s fair to say Cedar Ridge’s playoff fortunes were on the line against East Chapel Hill on Monday.

“I think it was hard for us at first today,” Lowry said. “Just trying to adjust to the slower pitching and just trying to get our confidence back from the Orange game. But for the most part, we came out strong.”

Quade opened the scoring with a line drive to center, then stole second and took third base on a throwing error. Nichols’ earned her first RBI of the day with a groundout to pitcher Helena Harrison, which allowed Quade to score.

The Red Wolves broke the game open with five runs in the second inning. Marlee Rakouskas drew a leadoff walk, leading to Matthews doubling on a ground ball to left, leading to Rakouskas scoring from first. After Quade was hit by a pitch, Nichols double to left, bringing in Matthews. Lowry then launched a three-run homer over the white, plastic, four-foot wall at East Softballs stadium to put the Red Wolves ahead 6-0, and that was just the beginning.

In the third, Matthews, Anaya Carter and Quade loaded the bases with consecutive singles. Nichols doubled with a liner to center to clear the bases. Lowry took a 1-0 fastball over the centerfield plastic to extend Cedar Ridge’s lead to 11-0.

Nichols wound up 4-for-5 with six RBIs and four runs scored, including two doubles. Quade finished 4-for-4 with five runs scored, including a double and a triple. Matthews came away 3-for-4 with two runs scored with two doubles. Junior Olivia Aitkin was 2-for-5.

East Chapel Hill Sydney Lang was 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in the third inning.

Through four games, Nichols is hitting .750 with eleven RBIs. She has two home runs, even though she’s been walked in five of her 17 plate appearances.

Lowry increased her average to .538, which includes going 3-for-4 with 4 RBIs in the Northwood loss. Her two home runs on Monday were the first of her high school career.

The Red Wolves will be off for the rest of spring break. They will return to action against Southern Durham next Tuesday in Hillsborough, which may be tentative since the Spartans have already canceled a game against Orange this week.

While the first week of the season was disappointing, Cedar Ridge isn’t folding its hand regarding making the playoffs for a fourth straight season.

“I think we can still play Northwood again and win,” Lowry said. “I think our upcoming games are ones we can win.

Cedar Ridge shortstop Ava Lowry helped bring the power back for the Red Wolves softball team on Monday afternoon. Lowry hit two home runs, finished 4-for-5 at the plate and finished with six RBIs as Cedar Ridge defeated East Chapel Hill 18-5 at Wildcat Softball Stadium. The Red Wolves laced 22 hits against the Wildcats. Lowry has committed to play softball at North Carolina Wesleyan, where she is looking at a career in athletic training. While Lowry’s final year as a Cedar Ridge softball player will be cut short, she’s making the most of it so far. She’s hitting .538 with seven hits and ten RBIs. Against Northwood, Lowry went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and a double. Cedar Ridge will get the rest of the week off and prepare for Northern Durham next Tuesday in the first game after spring break. The Red Wolves are 2-2 in the Big 8 Conference.

Two Orange lacrosse seniors responsible for the most successful season in school history have been honored accordingly.

Orange longstick midfielder Duncan Grant has been named the Conference 9 Player of the Year. Grant’s classmate, Ryan Merrill, was named the Conference 9 co-Offensive Player of the Year. Merrill shared the award with Cedar Ridge’s Roman Oguntoyinbo.

Grant is Orange’s first-ever Conference Player of the Year.

Orange sophomore Jake Wimsatt was named the Conference 9 co-Defensive Player of the Year. Wimsatt shared the honor with Cedar Ridge long stick midfielder Dov Bearmann.

The Panthers, who captured the Conference 9 Championship, had eight players make first-team All-Conference 9. In addition to Grant, Merrill and Wimsatt, also honored were freshman midfielder Connor Kruse, senior attacker Caleb Davis, midfielder Cy Horner, senior Leif Mahaney, and defenseman Griffin Metheny.

Orange’s nine seniors were responsible for the deepest run in school history. The Panthers reached the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3A/2A/1A State Quarterfinals, upsetting Northwood in the second round. Last Monday, Orange lost to eventual Eastern Regional Champion East Chapel Hill at Auman Stadium, but the Panthers led late in the third quarter. Orange’s Conference 9 Championship was the school’s first outright conference title in any sport since February 2019.

“This was a great year for our conference,” said Orange Lacrosse Coach Chandler Zirkle. “There were many deserving players as voted on by our conference coaches.”

Grant scored 15 goals and three assists, including a vital hat trick in the win over Northwood, which came only one week after the Chargers romped past the Panthers by eleven goals. Grant was second on the team with 49 ground balls and led the squad with 32 takeaways.

Merrill led Orange with 29 goals and 15 assists. He scored six goals in a 10-6 win over Cedar Ridge on February 24, which essentially ensured the conference championship. Merrill had a hat trick in the victory over Northwood and was the go-to option on offense throughout the year. Merrill added four goals against East Chapel Hill in the state playoffs, his final game at Orange. He also assisted on two goals against the Wildcats.

“Roman Oguntoyinbo and Ryan Merril both had exceptional years scoring the ball for both Cedar Ridge and Orange,” Zirkle said. “Roman lead the conference in scoring during the regular season while Ryan Merrill was the leading scorer on the conferences top team who often came out mid way through games to give JV players the chance to play.”

Davis, a senior attacker, was second on the team with 22 goals and 20 assists. He finished with five points against Northwood, including a hat trick. He finished with seven points against Vance Charter School in Henderson on March 4, which officially secured the Conference 9 title for the Panthers. Davis also scored seven points in a 19-7 win over Carrboro on March 2.

Horner scored Orange’s opening goal against East Chapel Hill last Monday. He ended the year with five goals and nine assists. He scored four points against Carrboro, and assisted on Connor Kruse’s game-winning goal against Northwood.

Speaking of Kruse, he was one of only two freshman to make the All-Conference 9 first-team. Kruse, who played at Stanford Middle School last year, finished third on the squad with 19 goals. He also had 32 points. Kruse had three hat tricks, including two in back-to-back games against Northern Durham and Carrboro. Kruse was a regular feature on Orange’s top unit in the state playoffs and figures to be a prominent player for years to come.

Mahaney ended the year with 44 ground balls, third on the team. He was also a reliable defensive midfielder with 12 takeaways, tied with Davis for second-highest on the team behind Grant.

Metheny was a strong long stick defenseman for an Orange team that allowed five goals or less four times. As Orange struggled struggled throughout the year to find a steady goalkeeper because of injuries and football defections, Metheny was one of the pillars of the Panthers’ defense.

Wimsatt was Orange’s face-off ace. In the regular season, Wimsatt won 71% of his face-offs, with 81 victories in all. He controlled the face-off circle against East Chapel Hill, where he won a majority of his attempts. Wimsatt led Orange with 86 ground balls. He also developed into a scoring threat at the year wore on, ending the season with eleven goals.

Sophomore Braden Hunt and senior Tristan Watson were named honorable mention All-Conference.

Marvin Jones: A former Cedar Ridge track and field star, Jones finished second for North Carolina Central at the Raleigh Relays at N.C. State University on Saturday. Jones had a jump of 2.05 meters in the high jump. Virginia’s Brenton Foster captured the high jump championship. It was Jones’ first event since the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in February 2020, where he came in 3rd in the high jump. Jones’ personal best is 2.10 meters.

Bryse Wilson: Wilson was optioned by the Atlanta Braves to an alternate training site on Friday. The move came after Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said the Braves wouldn’t use a fifth starter for the first few weeks of the season. Wilson was in contention to be the fifth man in the rotation. So far in spring training, Wilson is 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in four appearances with three starts. He has struck out nine batters in 13.2 innings.

Landon Riley: The Liberty baseball team won its 13th straight game with a 5-2 win over Bellarmine on Friday. Riley threw one-and-two-third innings, once again not allowing a run. He walked one and struck out one. Liberty’s winning streak ended with an 8-7 loss to the Knights on Saturday, but the Flames captured the series with a 5-1 victory on Sunday at Knights Field in Louisville, KY. Liberty will make another trip to the Triangle on Tuesday. They face Duke at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.

Joey Berini: #8 East Carolina defeated Elon 15-0 at Latham Park on Friday. Berini came in as a reserve shortstop and went 0-for-2. The Pirates are 17-5.

Phillip Berger: Berger took a no decision as Division III William Peace defeated Averett University 4-3 at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary on Saturday. Berger worked seven innings and surrendered ten hits, but only two runs. He struck out five and walked two. This season, Berger is 2-2 with a 3.82 ERA in eight appearances. The Pacers have won four in a row after sweeping the weekend series from Averett.

Mia Davidson: Davidson is now eighth in career home runs in Southeastern Conference history. On Sunday, Davidson hit a solo homer in the sixth inning against #12 Arkansas, giving her 60 career dingers. Davidson is already the all-time home run hitter in Mississippi State history. Arkansas swept the weekend series against Mississippi State. On Saturday, Arkansas held off the Bulldogs 8-7. where Davidson hit another home run. She went 0-for-3 in a 2-0 loss on Friday. Through 29 games, Davidson is hitting .337 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs. She’s tied for the team lead with 30 hits and leads the squad with seven doubles.

Montana Davidson: Montana started all three games against the Razorbacks at third base. She went 1-for-4 on Saturday. Montana has started all 28 games for Mississippi State and is hitting .287.

Jaden Hurdle: Patrick Henry Community College’s softball team swept a doubleheader against Surry Community College in Dobson on Friday. Hurdle went a combined 5-for-7 with four RBIS and four runs scored. In the second game, Hurdle drilled a 2-run homer in the Patriots’ 15-10 win. Hurdle finished the day 3-for-5 with four RBIs and three runs scored. She also doubled. Hurdle even pitched one inning, where she surrendered three runs (two earned) off two hits. She walked one and struck out one.

In the opening game, PHCC won 10-3. Hurdle finished 2-for-2 with one run scored and two walks. Patrick Henry is in 3rd place in Region 10’s West Division with a 4-4 conference record. The Patriots are 8-10 overall. Hurdle is hitting .447 with 21 hits, both the second-best marks on the team. Hurdle leads the Patriots with eleven extra base hits. She also has three home runs and 15 RBIs.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team’s weekend series against Caldwell Community College was postponed by rain. It will be played today. Last Wednesday, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from the Montreat JV on scores of 11-0 and 9-0 in Hickory. In the opener, Andrews had an RBI single and finished 1-for-3 with a run scored. In the nightcap, Andrews also went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. In Division II of Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association, Andrew is tied for 3rd with 25 RBIs. She’s seventh with a .492 batting average. Andrews also has four RBIs. The Red Hawks are tied with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute for 1st place in Region 10’s Western Division with a 6-2 record.

Adam Chnupa: #20 Richmond defeated Elon 31-17 at Robins Stadium on Saturday in Colonial Athletic Association football action. Chnupa finished with a tackle for the Phoenix, who are 1-5 overall, 0-4 in the CAA.

Dylan Boyer: The former Orange High midfielder played as a reserve for the Division II Queen’s College men’s lacrosse team last week. Queen’s defeated Coker University 12-8 at Queen’s Sports Complex in Charlotte. On Saturday, the Royals defeated Tusculum University 12-8 to improve to 5-3 overall, 5-1 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team drilled Averett 26-3 at Campbell Stadium in Danville, VA on Saturday. Jones scooped up a ground ball for the Falcons, who have won five in a row and are 6-1 overall, 3-0 in the USA South Athletic Conference.