This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is women’s soccer striker Katie Paulakonis. The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team is off to its best start since 2009, at least. On Monday night, the Red Wolves improved to 4-0 with a 4-2 win over Franklinton at Red Wolves Stadium. Paulakonis scored all four of the goals for the Red Wolves. In Cedar Ridge’s past two games, she has scored six goals. This is Katie’s first season at Cedar Ridge. She spent the past ten years playing with Dash United out of Clayton while she was home schooled. Her arrival at Cedar Ridge corresponded with the arrival of new women’s soccer coach Sam Samerzier. On Wednesday night, Paulakonis had another four goal game as Cedar Ridge defeated Person 9-0 to win its Central Conference opener at Red Wolves Stadium. Paulakonis has scored ten goals in the past three games. She added two more goals in Cedar Ridge’s 9-0 win over Northern Durham lsat week in the Red Wolves first-ever game at the new Northern Durham High School Stadium. On Monday night, the Red Wolves will face Eno River Academy at Red Wolves Stadium, its final game before spring break. Paired with junior striker Fleury Nicholson, Paulakonis can help Cedar Ridge reach the state playoffs for the first time since 2019. 

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Katie Paulakonis

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The Orange softball team has won four in a row after Wednesday night’s 9-2 victory over Roxboro Community School in Person County. Sophomore Katie Carden hit the first home run of her varsity career with a two-run blast in the first inning. Last week, the Panthers rallied past the Bulldogs 7-6. With RCS leading 6-5, Carden tied the game with a double to centerfield, scoring Allie Carden. Addison Guentensberger laced a walkoff single to centerfield, scoring Carden. On Wednesday night, the Lady Panthers scored six runs in the third inning. Mia Leathers had the big blast with a grand slam, her first home run of the year. Caden Robinson added an RBI single in the third inning. In the circle, Robinson threw a complete game two-hitter, striking out six. Robinson is now 4-1 this season. She has been a member of Orange’s varsity since her freshman year, when the Lady Panthers won the Big 8 Conference championship. Last week, Orange won three games over the course of four days with win over RCS, West Johnston and Eden Morehead. Orange will start its Central Conference slate against defending league champion Western Alamance in Hillsborough on Tuesday night. Last year, Western Alamance won the 3A Eastern Regional championship behind pitcher Taylor Apple, who now plays at East Carolina. 

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Cedar Ridge showed its experience in beating Walter Williams to win its Central Conference opener on Tuesday night. Senior Mason Cates earned the win, throwing four innings and surrendering one run as the Red Wolves held on to beat the Bulldogs 7-6 in Burlington. Cates drove in two runs, starting with a triple in the first inning that plated Ian McGuffey. As Cates pulled into third, he wound up scoring off an error. Junior Quinn Finnegan, starting his third season on the varsity, started the game in right field. After the Bulldogs climbed to a 7-5 lead, Finnegan was called into a closer role by head coach Bryson Massey and got the final two outs. It was the first career save for Finnegan. Cates also drove in a run in the fourth, knocking in Landon Dalehite with a single to left field. It was the Red Wolves first win of the year after previously scheduled games against Northern Guilford and Carrboro were rained out. Cedar Ridge has one of the most experienced teams in the Central Conference returning from a squad that finished 2nd in the league last year. The Red Wolves will host Jordan-Matthews in Hillsborough tonight (Wednesday), then face Williams in the second game of a two-game series on Friday in Hillsborough. 

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BURLINGTON–For a team with high expectations, there’s a time when seniors need to take control.

For Mason Cates, that time was Tuesday night in Burlington.

Cates drove in two runs, scored two runs, and earned the first win of the season for the Cedar Ridge baseball team against Walter Williams. After building a 6-1 lead, the Red Wolves wore their fingernails down to the bone in holding on for a 7-6 win in its Central Conference opener.

Junior Quinn Finnegan came on in relief and nailed down the final two outs for his first save. Cedar Ridge lost 10-0 to the Bulldogs last year in Burlington, but never trailed on Tuesday night.

Cedar Ridge (1-2) was supposed to have four nonconference games to prepare for its conference opener, but only two of those were played after contests at Carrboro and Northern Guilford were rained out. In a wide-open Central Conference, the Red Wolves had little time to prepare for a veteran Williams team that returned seven starters, including 2023 league Pitcher of the Year Tate Jones.

“It seems like every year we’re struggling to get in games because of an umpire shortage,” said Cedar Ridge coach Bryson Massey. “We scheduled out schedule tough to challenge our guys. I thought it would prepare our guys once we got here. We played two quality teams and I think it prepared us well for the end of the game tonight.”

Cedar Ridge led 6-1 going into the bottom of the sixth inning before Williams catcher Dan Mahan, who has committed to play football at Appalachian State, belted a solo homer over the left field wall onto adjacent Memorial Stadium. Jones legged out an infield single that narrowly beat a throw from Cates, who moved over to second base after being replaced as pitcher by sophomore Nick Aitkin. Williams’ Vince Coker lined a triple over the head of centerfielder Landon Dalehite to score Jones and cut the Red Wolf lead to 6-3.

The Red Wolves earned a crucial insurance run in the seventh. Kevin Jones walked. After Carter Warren came on as a pinch-runner for Jones, Finnegan moved Warren to second on a sacrifice bunt. Warren raced to third after a wild pitch and eventually scored off another wild pitch with Aitkin at bat to put the Red Wolf lead to 7-3.

That turned to be crucial after the Bulldogs sent nine batters to the plate in the seventh inning. With one out, Aidan Pulliam walked. Dylan Brooks sliced a soft liner into right field. Trace Hicks walked to load the bases. James Cooper grounded a ball to shortstop that was booted into centerfield, scoring Pulliam and Brooks.

Finnegan was summoned from right field to take over as pitcher. Mahan lifted a soft pop-up to centerfield to load the bases once again. Jones grounded a ball back to Finnegan, who threw to catcher David Schoof to retire Charles Smith, running for Hicks. Coker was hit by a pitch, scoring Cooper to trim the Cedar Ridge lead to 7-6. Angel Mora grounded out to Aitkin at second base for the final out.

Cedar Ridge scored in each of its first four at bats with Cates doing the most damage. After Ian McGuffey drew a walk in the first, Cates lined an 0-1 fastball to the gap in right centerfield, the deepest part of the park. McGuffey scored from first as Cates pulled up for a stand-up triple. The cutoff throw went to third base and wound up against the fence, leading Cates to score, as well.

Mahan scored the opening run for the Bulldogs in the first. He led off with a single to right field, stole second and third bases, then scored off a single from Coker to right.

The difference between the two teams was fielding. The Bulldogs committed three errors, leading to three unearned Red Wolf runs. Finnegan sent an opposite field single to left field to lead off the second. Grant McGuffey walked. After Schoof bunted Finnegan and McGuffey up 90 feet each, Aitkin sent a roller up the middle. Mora chased down the ball behind second base, but threw it away trying to nab Aitkin. Finnegan scored off the hit and McGuffey came in off the error.

In the third, Finnegan sent a fly ball to centerfield that appeared to end the inning. But the ball was dropped, leading to Cates scoring after he drew a walk earlier. That increased the Red Wolf lead to 5-1.

Aitkin was hit by a pitch to begin the fourth, followed by a walk to leadoff batter Landon Dalehite, which led to Trace Hicks being replaced as pitcher by Nathan Billings. Cates lined a single to left field to score Dalehite and the Red Wolves led 6-1.

While the Red Wolves return eight starters, they also started two freshmen in the field against the Bulldogs. But their most experienced pitchers paved the way to victory in its conference opener.

Photo by Jacques Morin 

Even missing the first nine games of the year wasn’t enough to keep Coleman Cloer from earning the first individual accolade of his Orange career.

On Monday morning, Cloer was named the Central Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year following a poll of the league’s coaches. Cloer, a sophomore, helped Orange win its first regular season conference championship since 2017 this winter. Last month, Orange won the Central Conference Tournament at Person High School in Roxboro, its first conference tournament title since 2016. Cloer was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after he scored 36 points in the championship game against Eastern Alamance.

Cloer finished the season with 463 total points, an average of 25.7 per game. The biggest question is what would he have averaged if he had played in the opening nine games of the season, which were designed for him to play in showcase games against the likes of Highland (out of Warranton, VA), Forsyth Country Day and Caldwell Academy. But five days before the season-opener against Hillside, Cloer suffered a fluky ankle injury in practice. Instead of opening the year on November 17 against the Hornets, Cloer didn’t start until December 14 against Southern Alamance.

His presence was immediately felt. Though he needed time to get his basketball legs, Cloer led a minor miracle comeback against the Patriots in the Central Conference opener. Trailing 60-55 with 28 seconds remaining in regulation, Cloer and classmate Kai Wade triggered a comeback in the waning moments. After Wade stripped and stole an inbounds pass for a lay-in, Cloer tied the game with two free throws with :5.8 seconds remaining. Orange went on to win in overtime 72-68. Cloer scored 29 in his first game.

Cloer’s presence was enough for Orange to be invited into the John Wall Invitational at Raleigh Brough High School for the first time in school history after Christmas. Though the Panthers lost to Northwood, Jordan and Millbrook, they emerged from Raleigh tighter, more seasoned and better adjusted to their individual roles.

2024 started with dominant wins over Western Alamance, Walter Willams and Cedar Ridge. In 13 wins against Central Conference opponents, Orange didn’t trail in nine of those games.

Cloer had his career high of 39 points against Southern Alamance on February 9, the night that Orange captured the Central Conference regular season title. A week later against Eastern Alamance, Cloer finished with 31 points in Mebane as the Panthers closed out the regular season with a win over the Eagles.

Cloer became the first sophomore to surpass 1,000 career points when he put up 38 points against Curritcuk County in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs, a 86-69 Panther win. Cloer earned his 1,000th point by sinking a 25-footer, generating a huge roar from the Orange student section. It was the first state playoff win for Orange since 2017, when they defeated Triton in the 3rd round.

Cloer is on pace to become the first 2,000 point scorer in school history. The all-time school scoring record is believed to be held by Eric English, who went on to play at the University of Richmond under head coach Dick Tarrant.

Last summer, Cloer received scholarship offers from N.C. State, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Iowa, Appalachian State, and Mississippi State. This year, Cloer has attracted offers from Georgetown and Illinois. He is considered the #1 prospect in North Carolina for the Class of 2026.

Cloer’s older brother, Garrett, was the quarterback of some of the most successful Orange football teams in school history. Cloer played alongside running backs Tay Jones, Patrick Pettiford and linebacker/wide receiver Bryce Wilson. During Cloer’s years as staters, Orange won 10-games in three consecutive seasons under head coach Pat Moser. Garrett Cloer went on to play football at Cornell.

W0men’s soccer: Cedar Ridge 4, Franklinton 2: The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team is off to its best start in at least 15 years.

Through there were some nervous moments late, the Red Wolves managed to defeat Franklinton 4-2 at Red Wolves Stadium on Monday night. Junior Katie Paulakonis, playing her first season for the Red Wolves, scored four goals as Cedar Ridge held off a late charge from Franklinton to improve to 4-0.

Cedar Ridge hasn’t started the season 4-0 since 2010, which is how far records date back online. Under new head coach Sam Semerzier, the Red Wolves have started the season outscoring its opposition 17-6.

Paulokonis scored two goals in the first half, then added a third in the second half. Franklinton had a chance to chip into the lead after the Red Wolves were called for a handball in the penalty area. Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Ellamarie Perel made a diving save on the penalty kick, leading to being mobbed by her teammates. Perel is in her first year as a starter after Addie Reid stood between the posts the past three years.

Franklinton narrowed the lead to 3-2, but Paulakonis added insurance in the 77th minute to sew up the win for the Red Wolves. Freshman Kate Finnegan nearly added another goal late.

Cedar Ridge will play its Central Conference opener against Person in Hillsborough on Wednesday.

Orange 5, Eno River Academy 0: In the first-ever women’s soccer matchup between the Lady Panthers and the Bobcats, senior Ella Wimsatt notched her second consecutive hat trick as Orange improved to 2-1.

Wimsatt, who finished with six goals last season, already has six goals this season. She scored six goals in all of 2023. Wimsatt notched her first career hat trick in a win over Person in Roxboro last week.

In front of a large crowd at Orange Soccer Field, Ellianna Sullivan Gaddy and Kyla Mehl added goals for Orange.

Makayla Davis earned the win as Orange goalkeeper. Lexie Stephens played in net for the second half to complete Orange’s second clean sheet of the season.

Sullivan Gaddy, Evelyn Gover, Cora Bailey, Caroline Cathey and Kaylen Crayton all assisted on goals for Orange.

On the back line, senior Lily Crayton and Channing Manning helped Orange earned the victory. The Lady Panthers will host Durham School of the Arts on Thursday night in Hillsborough. Orange has reached the 3A State Playoffs each of the last two years. They are 1-0 in the Central Conference and will continue conference play against Western Alamance in Elon next Monday.

Men’s Tennis: Cedar Ridge 7, Orange 2: The Cedar Ridge men’s tennis team, under new head coach Mike Rogers, earned two wins each from Fionn Kuo and Lev Bearman to defeat crosstown rival Orange to remain undefeated in the Central Conference.

Kuo, in his first season as the Red Wolves top starter, defeated Porter Pelphrey 6-1, 6-0, the first of five singles wins for Cedar Ridge. Later, Kuo would team with Leo Filley to defeat Pelphrey and Cameron Foster in the #1 doubles match 8-2.

Filey defeated Orange’s Quincy Stanley 7-5, 6-2 at #3 singles.

Bearman won at #2 singles over Orange’s Cameron Foster 6-3, 7-0. Bearman won at #2 doubles, teaming with Griffin Thomas to defeat Stanley and Jackson Coleman 8-2.

Joe Garbee defeated Orange’s Ryan Jouannet 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 at #4 singles.

In the only singles match to go three sets, Orange’s Jackson Coleman defeated Landon Rogers 3-6, 6-1, 10-4 (10 point tiebreaker). Thomas, at #6 singles for the Red Wolves, defeated Zachary Cole 6-2, 6-4.

Orange claimed its only doubles win when Jouannet and Race McAuley defeated Landon Rogers and Colin Fulcher 8-6.

Cedar Ridge (3-1) started the season with a 9-0 victory over Southern Alamance in Hillsborough. They rolled past Person 9-0 in its second conference match.

Orange (3-3, 2-2) earned two conference wins last week. They defeated Eastern Alamance in Hillsborough. On Friday, they edged Walter Williams 5-4 with Foster winning two matches to earn the victory. Western Alamance handed orange its only other conference loss on March 4.