There was once a time, not that long ago, that Icez Barnett thought basketball wasn’t going to be her future. Fortunately, she preserved. On Friday afternoon, the hard work she displayed for Barnett as she signed with Chowan University during a ceremony at Orange High Gymnasium. In addition, she was named the Big 8 Co-Player of the Year. Through three years at Orange, Barnett won 55 games at Orange. This season, she was the co-captain of a team that went 19-7 and finished 2nd in the Big 8 Conference. She helped Orange host four state playoff games over the past three years. In all, she helped Orange win 55 games, win the 2017 Big 8 Conference regular season and postseason championships. At Chowan, she will major in Graphic Design.

The first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week for the spring sports season is softball freshman 3rd baseman Takia Nichols. In her first game at the varsity level, Nichols had four RBIs as Cedar Ridge rallied from a 6-0 deficit to defeat Bartlett Yancey 19-7. In her first varsity at-bat, Nichols had a two-run double as Cedar Ridge scored 13 runs in the 2nd inning against the Lady Bucs. Later that inning, Nichols had a two-run single. On Tuesday, Nichols had her first varsity home run as she went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI and four runs scored in an 18-15 win over Cardinal Gibbons. Nichols played regularly during basketball season for Felton Page’s Red Wolves. Cedar Ridge is 3-0 as they prepare for Rockingham County on Monday night in Hillsborough.

After two rainouts in the opening week of the season, the Cedar Ridge softball team got two games in this week. On Tuesday, they defeated Cardinal Gibbons 18-15 in Raleigh. After trailing 12-8 at the end of four innings, Cedar Ridge scored ten runs in the final three innings. Taylor Ruhl went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run. On Thursday night, things were most less dramatic as the Red Wolves routed the Crusaders 13-2 in five innings in Hillsborough. On Thursday, Ruhl went 3-for-4 with two doubles. Cedar Ridge is 3-0 as they head into Monday’s home game against Rockingham County. Then they host Northwood in their first Big 8 Conference series of the year on Tuesday.

As reliable as ever, Cedar Ridge senior pitcher Phillip Berger delivered the goods in the Red Wolves’ season-opening win over Oxford Prep on Thursday night. Berger threw a five inning no-hitter, striking out ten as the Red Wolves defeated the Griffins 10-0. Berger earned the 18th win of his high school career. In turn, new Cedar Ridge head coach Mitchell Frazier won his first game in Hillsborough. In each of the last two seasons, Berger has won eight games. Cedar Ridge is scheduled to return to action on Wednesday to face Carlisle of Martinsville, VA at Red Wolves Territory.