Even on his first day after his high school career ended, Payton Wilson is still getting accolades.

Wilson was named to the Associated Press first-team All-State football squad on Wednesday. Wilson is the first Panther to achieve this recognition since defensive lineman J.R. Bolden in 1987, who went on to play for Mack Brown at UNC in the early 90s, which triggered the most successful period in modern Tar Heel football history.

Wilson made the team as a linebacker, but easily could have been designated under the athlete category. He played four different positions in his senior year, including starting at quarterback in three games. In his opening game of the season against Northern Nash, Wilson accounted for 393 all purpose yards, including 244 off punt returns. He also made five catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

After starting quarterback Rodney Brooks suffered a torn ACL in Orange’s fourth game against Riverside, Wilson alternated with Brandon Huss at quarterback. Wilson led Orange in receptions (15), touchdowns (10), tackles (103), and tackles for loss (21).

19 media members vote for the Associated Press All-State team. Wilson, who was named Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year earlier this month, received eight votes. He was the only player from the Big 8 Conference to be named to the All-State team and one of four from the Triangle. Javon Terry, a defensive back from the 4-AA state champions Wake Forest, made the squad. Peyton Winstead of Leesville Road made the team as an offfensive lineman. Kick returner Jordyn Adams of Green Hope earned a spot as a kick returner.

Wilson was named to the All-State team one day after officially signing with N.C. State to conclude a heated recruiting battle between the Wolfpack, UNC, Clemson, Ohio State and several other schools.

D.H. Conley quarterback Holton Ahlers was named the North Carolina Offensive Player of the Year. Shelby linebacker Dax Hollifield was the Defensive Player of the Year.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is 195-pound wrestler Braden Homsey, who captured the championship at the Eastern Alamance Eagle Classic. It was Braden’s 2nd individual championship this season following his victory at the Jim King Invitational earlier this month. Braden is 16-0 with six pins this season after a forfeit victory against Cedar Ridge on Wednesday night. Homsey is now focused on the Tiger Holiday Classic, which starts Friday morning at Chapel Hill High.

Orange Panther of the Week: Braden Homsey

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is 195-pound wrestler Braden Homsey, who captured the championship at the Eastern Alamance Eagle Classic. It was Braden’s 2nd individual championship this season following his victory at the Jim King Invitational earlier this month. Braden is 16-0 with six pins this season after a forfeit victory against Cedar Ridge on Wednesday night.

For the second consecutive conference match, the Orange wrestling team posted a shutout. This time, it was against a crosstown rival.

Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 81-0 at Red Wolves Gymnasium on Wednesday night. Cedar Ridge forfeited eight matches, essentially giving Orange the victory before the buses rolled up to the school. Of the six matches contested, Orange won five by pin.

The only contest of the match that went the distance was at 120, where Noah Davis defeated Darius McLeod 6-3. Davis is now 6-4 this season.

At 113, Mitchell Askew pinned Debra Urban in 1:01. Askew improved to 11-3 with his seventh pin of the season.

Bailey Hawkins scored his 13th consecutive win by pinning Diana Pritchard in 1:35. Hawkins is now 14-1 on the season and hasn’t lost since the opening dual meet of the season on November 18 at OHS.

CT Lopeman earned his fifth pinfall of the season by finishing off Keegan Huntington in 1:06.

At 152, Mario Manduiano pinned Wyatt Robinson in 1:47. It was Manduiano’s fifth pin of the year.

Avery Jenkins improved to 12-2 by pinning Cutter Tate in 1:17. Jenkins is now 12-2 with six pins.

Josiah Ramirez (182), Braden Homsey (195), Jacob McBroom (220), Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion Daylan Alston (285), Stephen Buck (106), Noah Davis (120), Levi Anderson (145), and Trey Jones (170) all won by forfeit. Ramiriez is now 15-0 this season with two individual championships. Homsey, also a senior, improved to 14-0, also with two individual championships.

Orange is now 9-0 overall, 3-0 in the Big 8 Conference.

Photo by Tracey Owens Wilson

If you remember your final day of high school, you probably recall a variety of emotions. Joy. Sadness. Finality. A sense of accomplishment. For Payton Wilson, there was only relief. It was the end of a long, emotionally taxing four months which featured an intense recruiting battle between the two largest public universities in North Carolina, and relentless attacks from those who should know better on social media. Not to mention Wilson tore his ACL six weeks ago, ending his hopes of leading Orange to a state football championship. On Wednesday, the most decorated Orange High football player in history officially signed with N.C. State, concluding a career where he was named the Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year twice, an Army All-American and the 4th-ranked player in North Carolina.

Payton Wilson signs with N.C. State.

A long and winding road ended for Payton Wilson on Wednesday. The most decorated football player in Orange High history officially signed with N.C. State, ending a tense recruiting battle between State and archrival UNC.

While she played only two full years at Orange, Kayla Hodges left her mark in Hillsborough. As a freshman, she kicked the game-winning penalty in Orange’s victory over Chapel Hill, the first-ever victory for the Panthers over the Tigers in the 27-year history of the program. In 2015, Orange went 15-4-2 and defeated Cleveland 4-0 in the 3A state playoffs. In her career, Hodges scored 30 goals, 17 during her freshman season. On Wednesday, Hodges officially signed with Elon and will enroll next month.

Orange Midfielder Kayla Hodges Officially Signs with Elon

While she played only two full years at Orange, Kayla Hodges left her mark in Hillsborough. As a freshman, she kicked the game-winning penalty in Orange’s victory over Chapel Hill, the first-ever victory for the Panthers over the Tigers in the 27-year history of the program.

Since Friday’s loss to Hillside, the word that Orange Coach Greg Motley has focused on is “toughness.”

It’s a good thing for Orange that they displayed exactly that on Tuesday night, because without it Cedar Ridge would have pulled an upset.

Mitch Portman scored 22 points as the Panthers defeated the Red Wolves 76-56 at Jim King Gymnasium. Eli Haithcock added ten as Orange defeated the Red Wolves for the sixth consecutive time.

Khalil Barnett had 16 to lead the Red Wolves, who placed three players in double figures. Terrence Crawford added 13 while Mekai Collins finished with ten.

“They’re a team that never quits,” said Orange coach Greg Motley. “We knew they were going to keep running. I thought our kids did a good job responding to the runs. Every time they made a run, I thought we did a good job of responding.”

Collins and Crawford hit 3-pointers to open the game to push the Red Wolves to a 6-2 lead early, but Orange quickly found its footing after a slow start. Orange ended the first quarter with a 20-4 run, ending with Portman scoring a three-pointer at the first quarter buzzer following an odd sequence where Cedar Ridge was signaled possession, yet Orange was given the ball after a rebound went out of bounds off of Haithcock.

Orange’s Morgan Paschall scored all nine of his points in the second quarter, while Mekai Holt and Zyon Pettiford added four points each. Crawford finished with seven points in the second quarter, coming away with ten points in the first half, but Orange led 45-28 at the half.

Paschall’s nine points is a season-high. Motley would like to see him develop ball skills as the season continues.

“You break down a lot of stuff with crossover dribbles,” said Motley. “Started out this season, we knew he had to handle the ball more and better. He has to have the confidence to do it.”

The Red Wolves controlled the pace in the third quarter behind the three guard lineup of Collins, Barnett and Crawford. Cedar Ridge narrowed the gap to 46-34 behind a three-pointer from Crawford. It could have been even closer, but Cedar Ridge missed three cracks from point blank range after a series of offensive rebounds. Portman finally got a defensive rebound and took it coast-to-coast to push Orange’s lead to 48-34. In the latter stages of the third quarter, Cedar Ridge trailed 52-41 following a 3-pointer from Eddie Altieri, but Holt made a steal leading to a Portman lay-in. On the subsequent inbounds, Holt tapped the pass, leading to another Portman lay-up, and Orange led 56-41 despite treading water for much of the quarter.

“We feel like we gave up too many offensive rebounds against Hillside,” said Motley. “Our free throw percentage was way too low. We have some key things to focus on now.”

Orange faces Lee County on Wednesday night, followed by another road trip to South Granville on Friday. Cedar Ridge travels to Southern Vance on Thursday.

CEDAR RIDGE: Khalil Barnett 16, Terrence Crawford 15, Mekai Collins 10, Eddie Altieri 9, John Vaughn 3, Andrew Altieri 3.

ORANGE: Marquis Phelps 6, Mitch Portman 22, Kendall Whitted 5, Morgan Paschall 9, Joey McMullin 8, Mekai Holt 5, Eli Haithcock 10, Matt Atherton 2, Zyon Pettiford 4, Jason Franklin 1, Marvante Beasley 2.

Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 76-56 in the Men’s Game at Jim King Gymnasium on Tuesday night. Coming off a disappointing loss to Hillside, Orange Guard Mitch Portman responded with 22 points in front of a full house at OHs that included Keegan and Connor Crabtree, Bruce Wilson and Mia Davidson. The Panthers improved to 5-2 with its sixth straight win over the Red Wolves.

Orange Guard Mitch Portman Discusses 22 Point Game in Cedar Ridge Win

Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 76-56 in the Men’s Game at Jim King Gymnasium on Tuesday night. Coming off a disappointing loss to Hillside, Orange Guard Mitch Portman responded with 22 points in front of a full house at OHs that included Keegan and Connor Crabtree, Bruce Wilson and Mia Davidson.

Any victory for Cedar Ridge over Orange is precious, especially when its in the Panthers gym.

That’s why the smiles on Cedar Ridge’s seniors were a little wider after the Red Wolves defeated the Panthers 46-39 on Tuesday night. Yolanda Simpson, who earned her first win over Orange as a varsity member of the Red Wolves, led Cedar Ridge with 15 points. Madison Wardlow added ten, including two huge baskets in the fourth quarter.

“I guess this was a redemption game for Yolanda,” said Cedar Ridge Coach Felton Page. “She’s been coming off the bench and she played well tonight. We’re starting to come together. We haven’t had a full team all season long, but we’re starting to come together.”

Orange senior Janea Myers paced Orange with 13 points, but the Panthers were held to only two 3-pointers. Sophomore Lauren Cates added 12.

Cedar Ridge (7-5, 2-2) had lost seven of its last eight against the Panthers, with its last victory coming on January 5, 2016, a 46-45 win at OHS.

So how big it is for Cedar Ridge to beat its crosstown rival. It depends on who you ask.

”It’s big for the kids, but it’s just another game for us,” said Page. “It’s a conference game, so it’s important for us to get the win.”

However, Simpson and Wardlow have another opinion.

“Definitely not,” said Simpson. “This is the first time we’ve beaten Orange in two years so it’s really exciting, especially since I’m a senior.”

Both teams played without starters. Cedar Ridge forward Grace Davies was sidelined with the flu. Orange’s leading scorer, Icez Barnett, suffered a right foot injury against Hillside on Friday.

Orange (3-4, 1-3) ended the third quarter with a 31-29 lead, but the fourth quarter was dominated by the Red Wolves. On the opening possession, Simpson scored in the paint off a pretty feed from Taylin Jean to tie the game 31-31, then Catharine Coyle lay-in a pass from Simpson to give Cedar Ridge the lead. it was Coyle’s only points of the game.

Orange didn’t score in the opening 5:57 of the fourth quarter, turning the ball over on six consecutive possessions without attempting a shot. In the meantime, Wardlow returned to the game after suffering an injury to her stomach late in the third quarter. The rest proved vital as she immediately hit a three-pointer, then stole the ball from Myers and scored a lay-up on a breakaway to extend Cedar Ridge’s lead to 39-31, capping a 10-0 run.

”That was huge,” said Page. “She told me on the bench ‘Coach, I’m ready to go.’ And I said ‘No, you’re not because you’re still holding you’re stomach. Thenafter a while, she stopped holding her stomach. I guess she read my mind because once she got in the game, she made things happen. We need to get that from her and Logan Woody because they bring that spark for us.”

The Red Wolves made the run despite Jean and guard Logan Woody playing with four fouls most of the way.

Cedar Ridge travels to Southern Vance on Thursday. Orange will face Lee County in Sanford on Wednesday before traveling to South Granville on Friday.

CEDAR RIDGE 46, ORANGE 39

CR:  8    9    12     17-46

OHS: 13   2   16     8-39

CEDAR RIDGE: Yolanda Simpson 15, Natalia Garay 4, Logan Woody 5, Madison Wardlow 10, Tori Dalehite 4, Catharine Coyle 2, Taylin Jean 6.

ORANGE: Grace Dively 3, Nyshyra Wilkins 2, Kate Burgess 4, Janea Myers 13, Lauren Cates 12, Xandria Moore 2, Grace Andrews 2.

This winter’s first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is women’s basketball center Yolanda Simpson. Last week, Simpson led the Red Wolves to a victory over Northwood. On Tuesday night, Simpson paced the Red Wolves with 17 points as Cedar Ridge defeated Orange 46-39, its first victory over the Panthers in nearly two years. When Yolanda isn’t playing basketball, she’s participating in performances at Cedar Ridge High, including last in the production of “Madrigal.” Joining Yolanda in this interview is point guard Madison Wardlow.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Yolanda Simpson

This winter’s first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is women’s basketball center Yolanda Simpson. Last week, Simpson led the Red Wolves to a victory over Northwood. On Tuesday night, Simpson paced the Red Wolves with 17 points as Cedar Ridge defeated Orange 46-39, its first victory over the Panthers in nearly two years.