This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior wrestler Braden Crawford. This winter, Crawford won his third Central Conference Tournament championship. In January at Williams High School, Crawford pinned James Farmer of Person in the championship match to claim the 138-pounds title. He finished undefeated against conference opponents in his career during a time when Cedar Ridge and Person fielded some of their best teams in their respective histories. A starter since his freshman year, Crawford qualified for the state championships three times. He finished this season 28-7 and won over 100 matches in his career. In his junior season, Crawford finished 33-6 and wound up beating Takota Tala of Parkwood in Greensboro during the consolation round. In 2024, he finished fourth in the Mideast Regionals at 126-pounds. In his sophomore year, Crawford finished 2nd in the Mideast Regionals at Cedar Ridge High School, beating Ethan Croom of West Johnston to reach the final at 126 pounds. He won two matches at the 2023 State Championships, beating Matthew Mehaffey of Pisgah 7-5 in overtime. He also scored a major decision Styler Oxford of West Carteret. Crawford will continue his wrestling career at Ferrum College in Virginia, which is transitioning to Division II and will compete in Conference Carolinas. He will be coached by former Orange star Braden Homsey, who is an assistant with Ferrum.

Orange Panther of the Week: Braden Crawford

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior wrestler Braden Crawford. This winter, Crawford won his third Central Conference Tournament championship. In January at Williams High School, Crawford pinned James Farmer of Person in the championship match to claim the 138-pounds title.

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The clever way of putting the new conference realignment plan for Cedar Ridge and Orange would be:

tired: trips to Alamance County.

Wired: trips to Granville County.

But that isn’t the truth. The fact is most, though certainly not all, of the athletes and coaches across both schools aren’t tired of the rivalries that have built up over the past four years in the Central Conference, predominantly comprised of teams from Alamance County.

The days of the Central Conference will end in May.

On Wednesday, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association released its final conference realignment plan. Orange and Cedar Ridge will remain in a conference together, both categorized as 5A teams. The new league, which hasn’t been named, will also include J.F. Webb, South Granville, Durham School of the Arts, Seaforth and Carrboro.

Cedar Ridge and Orange have been conference rivals in various leagues since 2012, when Cedar Ridge returned to the 3A ranks after being a 2A squad and the Hillsborough teams were placed in the old Big 8 Conference.

For the first time since 2012, Cedar Ridge will be in a split classification conference. Carrboro will be a 4A team in the new league, while the other six teams will be 5A squads. The last time Orange was in a split league was in the 2008-2009 academic year, when they were in the 2A/1A Mid-State Conference.

Under the new arrangement, Person will maintain its rivalries with the Alamance County schools. The Rockets will play in a three classification league with Walter Williams, Eastern Alamance, Southern Alamance, Southeast Alamance, Graham, Cummings and Western Alamance.

The realignment committee had a tall task of trying to maintain conference rivalries as the NCHSAA expanded from a four classification system, which dates back to 1960, to eight classifications in order to rectify the demands of one of the fastest growing states in the country.

The second draft of conference alignment was released in January. It proposed Orange and Cedar Ridge with South Granville, Webb, Seaforth, and DSA in a league comprised only of 5A schools. Orange principal Jason Johnson and athletic director Jason Knapp both made personal appeals to the realignment committee in Chapel Hill last month, asking that Orange remain with their current conference rivals.

“My reservation about going into a new conference is we’re killing our rivalries with Alamance County,” Johnson said last month during a basketball doubleheader. “We have longstanding rivalries. Eastern Alamance, Western Alamance, Williams. Those have been some of our biggest rivals. The community expects us to play those teams.”

The only change in the third and final draft was the addition of Carrboro, which originally was slated to be in a league with schools from Chatham and Randolph Counties.

Once that draft was issued, Johnson and Knapp sensed the direction things were going and didn’t bother making another appeal.

It’s widely believed the impetus to keep the Alamance County schools together was financial. With seven of the eight schools within Alamance County, it simply keeps schools from traveling long distances for league games.

The creation of the Central Conference in 2021 reinvigorated local rivalries with Eastern Alamance and Person, which had been put on the backburner for years. It created a dichotomy.

In regards to football, the timing couldn’t have been worse. After Payton Wilson graduated in 2017, the talent level around Orange football hasn’t been at the level of its peak in the 2010s under Pat Moser. At another time, an Orange-Eastern Alamance conference rivalry would have resulted in sellout crowds in Hillsborough and Mebane, particularly since they traditionally close the regular season against each other.

Even with Orange going seven straight years without a winning season, the attendance figures for conference football games against Alamance and Person County schools were strong. It was something athletic officials around Orange and Cedar Ridge were reluctant to part with.

For other sports, the Central Conference led to unprecedented success for the two Hillsborough schools in various sports. In the opening fall of the league back in 2021, Cedar Ridge volleyball survived a buzz saw of a schedule that included powerhouse teams from Northwood, Orange and Person and rode on to the 2021 3A state championship.

Orange volleyball won the 3A Eastern regional title in 2023. The Panthers’ men’s cross country team captured the state championship in November and has won three straight regional titles. The men’s swimming team won its first regional championship in February. The lacrosse team took the 3A/2A/1A Eastern Regional championship for the first time last May.

Orange won nine conference championships last academic year and has won the award for the top athletic program in the league each of the last two years.

Now, Orange and Cedar Ridge will be put together against schools they haven’t shared a league with in many years and, in a few cases, ever.

J.F. Webb was in the Big 8 Conference with Orange and Cedar Ridge back in from 2013-to-2017. When Carrboro High opened in 2007, they were in a 2A/1A league with Orange. Durham School of the Arts, which traces its heritage to the original Durham High School, was in a league with Orange in the late 2000s.

DSA hasn’t fielded a football teams since its final days as Durham High School in the mid-1990s.

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The Orange baseball team is off to a 3-1 start. Last week, the Panthers earned its first win of the season with a 9-5 victory over Chapel Hill at Panther Field. Orange scored four runs in the first inning, starting with a single by sophomore Kayden Bradsher, who later scored off a base hit by Oliver Van Tiem. Bradsher would finish 3-for-4 with three runs scored. It’s the second year in a row that Bradsher has been at the top of the Panther line-up following a solid freshman season in 2024, when Orange won a share of the Central Conference championship and reached the third round of the 3A State Playoffs. Senior Garrett Sawyer earned his first win of the year. In his first career start, Sawyer struck out four over four innings. After a shaky first inning, Sawyer didn’t allow another run in his final three innings of work. Sawyer also helped his own cause at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double. Sawyer had an RBI single in the fourth inning to score Van Tiem as the Panthers added four more runs in the frame. Van Tiem, a sophomore, finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Orange will face Millbrook in Hillsborough on Friday night. Last year, the Wildcats defeated the Panthers in Raleigh.

Orange baseball’s Kayden Bradsher and Garrett Sawyer discuss win over Chapel Hill

The Orange baseball team is off to a 3-1 start. Last week, the Panthers earned its first win of the season with a 9-5 victory over Chapel Hill at Panther Field. Orange scored four runs in the first inning, starting with a single by sophomore Kayden Bradsher, who later scored off a base hit by Oliver Van Tiem.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore swimmer Christopher Seawell. This season, Seawell won the Central Conference championship in the 100 yard backstroke at the Orange County SportsPlex in Hillsborough. As a freshman, Seawell won the conference championship in the 50 meter freestyle. Also in 2024, Seawell teamed with Nikhil Agans, Phillip Cauwels and Jacob Olmstead to win the 200 yard freestyle relay championship. This season, Seawell finished 2nd in the 50 yard freestyle. He qualified for the 3A State Championships after finishing third in the Central Regionals with a time of 1:00.02 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center on February 1. Also at regionals, he finished 6th in the 100 yard freestyle at 51.39 seconds. Seawell finished 14th in the 100 yard freestyle at the State Championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary. In the 100 yard backstroke, Seawell finished 17th at 1:00.02. Seawell’s performance helped Cedar Ridge swimming to a strong all-around year. Cedar Ridge finished 2nd in the Central Conference behind the leadership from Seawell, senior Phillip Cauwels and freshman J.E. Sandor. Through early morning workouts at the SportsPlex, Seawell continued to improve through his sophomore season. Next year, he will be among the leaders of a Cedar Ridge swimming team that will look to take a step forward in a brand new league.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Christopher Seawell

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore swimmer Christopher Seawell. This season, Seawell won the Central Conference championship in the 100 yard backstroke at the Orange County SportsPlex in Hillsborough. As a freshman, Seawell won the conference championship in the 50 meter freestyle.

From the moment he made his debut as a varsity member of the Orange baseball team, Garrett Sawyer has understood what pressure is. In 2023, he stepped up to the plate with the bases-loaded and Triton leading Orange 8-4 in the bottom of the 10th inning. Sawyer drew a walk, leading to a run scoring. It was his first varsity at-bat. The Panthers would go on to win 9-8 in an improbable comeback. On Wednesday night, Sawyer formally signed with Ferrum College with his stepfather Andrew, his mother Ashley and brother Silas. Sawyer has been a member of the varsity for two years on the baseball team. He hit .297 in his junior season. On the mound, he made 12 appearances and earned a win in relief over Topsail. Sawyer finished with a 2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 31 strikeouts and 15 walks. Sawyer also played football for two seasons. In the season-opener last year, he threw a 76-yard touchdown pass to Kingston Purefoy-Farrington against Southeast Alamance. Swayer made 76 tackles with three sacks in 2024. In his junior season, he finished with 48 tackles with four sacks and an interception. Sawyer will join former Orange wrestlers Braden Homsey and Braden Crawford in going to Ferrum, which is in the process of transitioning from Division III to Division II. They will join Conference Carolinas.

Orange baseball’s Garrett Sawyer formally signs with Ferrum College baseball

From the moment he made his debut as a varsity member of the Orange baseball team, Garrett Sawyer has understood what pressure is. In 2023, he stepped up to the plate with the bases-loaded and Triton leading Orange 8-4 in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Carson Bradsher: Last Saturday, the Division III Averett University softball team swept Meredith University in a doubleheader at Meredith Softball Complex in Raleigh. Bradsher factored in heavily as the Cougars came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Avenging Angels. In the 3rd inning, Bradsher had an RBI double to score Hannah Jones. In the seventh, Bradsher reached an infield single and scored the game-tying run off a bases-loaded double by Kadence Woodlief. Averett completed the sweep with a 12-3 win in six innings. Bradsher went 2-for-3 with an RBI single during a seven-run 2nd inning. She also had a stolen base. On Tuesday, Christopher Newport University swept Averett in a doubleheader at Captains Park in Newport News, VA. Bradsher went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in the opener, which Newport won 6-1.

Mary Moss Wirt: On March 2, Wirt started for the Elon softball team against UNC Greensboro in the second game of a doubleheader at UNCG Softball Stadium. Starting at catcher, Wirt drew three walks. UNC Greensboro defeated the Phoenix 16-4 in five innings. Last Saturday, Wirt went 1-for-4 as Sacred Heart defeated Elon 4-1 at Hunt Softball Park in Elon. The Phoenix are 7-11.

Takia Nichols: On Tuesday, Nichols had an RBI single for North Carolina Central against Gardner-Webb. The Runnin’ Bulldogs wound up winning in five innings.

Ava Lowry: North Carolina Wesleyan dominated Valley Forge 25-1 in five innings at North Myrtle Beach Softball Complex during the FastPitch Dreams Spring Classic on Monday. Lowry, starting at shortstop, drew a walk and scored a run. Also last weekend, Waynesburg defeated Wesleyan 4-1 Monday. Lowry finished went 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly RBI. N.C. Wesleyan is 3-5 and will play at Walnut Creek Park in Raleigh. They will open with Oberlin on Friday afternoon.

Brianne Foster: The former Orange catcher went 1-for-2 for Wake Tech’s softball team on Tuesday. Louisburg defeated the Eagles 11-1 in the opening game of a doubleheader. Foster started at catcher. Last weekend at Brunswick Community College, Foster went 1-for-3 in the second game of a doubleheader. The Dolphins defeated the Eagles 5-3 in the back end of a doubleheader. Foster also played second base in the opening game of the twin bill.

Olivia Aitkin: As Amherst softball prepares to start its season on March 16, Aitkin was recently the subject of a behind the microphone segment from the university.  

Jackson Berini: Currently, Berini is in his sophomore year at Gaston College in Dallas, North Carolina. Next year, he will move on to play at Wichita State of the American Athletic Conference. Through 12 games this year, Berini is hitting .261 with the Rhinos. Among the highlights of Berini’s season so far is going 1-for-3 with three runs scored in a 10-0 win over Hartford Community College on February 14. On February 9, Berini went 2-for-4 with a double in a 13-6 win over Catawba Valley Community College. Gaston is 15-6-1 overall, 3-3 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Jackson’s older brother, Joey, has joined the Orange baseball staff as an assistant coach.

Cross Clayton: Clayton made his college debut with Gaston College against Wake Technical Community College on February 25. Clayton threw two-thirds of an inning and allowed two runs off three hits. Gaston won 11-3. Clayton graduated from Orange last year and was the first Panther pitcher since Wilson to win 20 games in a career.

Wyatt Hedrick: The Wake Tech baseball team fell to the North Carolina Wesleyan junior varsity squad 6-5 on February 27. Hedrick made his debut for the Eagles and threw a perfect fourth inning, striking out the side. Wake Tech is 9-10 overall, 6-3 in Region X.

Bryse Wilson: So far in spring training, Wilson has thrown in two games for the Chicago White Sox. On Wednesday, he started against the Milwaukee Brewers, where he played the past two seasons. Wilson allowed one run off three hits in three innings. He also had three walks and three strikeouts. On February 26, Wilson threw two shutout innings against the San Diego Padres. He struck out one and allowed two hits.

The Cedar Ridge seniors that ended their wrestling careers at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro did more than just reach the 3A State Championships this year.

They were part of a group that started with Fernando Martinez and Kaden Tatro which transformed a program.

As sophomores, Ryan Rakouskas and Pierce Prescod were instrumental in Cedar Ridge winning the Central Conference Tournament at Orange High School. A year later, Cedar Ridge defeated crosstown rival Orange for the first time ever. The Panthers’ shadow within the local wrestling community loomed large not just across Hillsborough, but the entire region having won five state championships and 16 consecutive conference championships.

Together in 2023-2024, Rakouskas, Prescod, Tatro, Martinez and a freshman named Favio Jaramillo Esparza would help the Red Wolves march through the Central Conference undefeated to its first regular season championship as a 3A team. It was just the second conference regular season title in school history.

Between 2001-2022, there had only been four wrestlers in Cedar Ridge history that had won 100 matches. Since 2022, that number has doubled between Martinez, Tatro, Prescod and Rakouskas.

In all likelihood, Ezparza will join the group at the first event next November.

At the 3A State Championships, Rakouskas and Prescod ended their accomplished wrestling careers with the Red Wolves inside First Horizon Coliseum. Prescod, at 120 pounds, pinned Ethan Brownlee of South Johnston to reach the quarterfinals and win his 161st career match. He finished tied with Tatro for second place all-time in school history.

Kane Bryson of Pisgah defeated Prescod in the quarterfinals. Bryson would go on to claim the state championship with a 63-1 record for the season. Prescod ended the year 49-10. In the consolation round, Davey McKoy of Smoky Mountain won over Prescod.

Rakouskas came the closest to placing among the three Red Wolves who reached the state championships. At 150 pounds, Rakouskas, the Mideast Regional champion, pinned Eligah Brown of West Charlotte in 46 seconds. James Weaver of Northern Guilford defeated Rakouskas in the quarterfinals.

In the consolation round, Rakouskas defeated Brock Smith of Jacksonville in 2:40. It was Rakouskas’ 147th career win, putting him in 5th place all-time in school history. John Schulz of West Carteret defeated Rakouskas 20-9 to reach the consolation semifinals. Rakouskas ended the season 49-8.

Esparza, in his first state championship appearance at 113 pounds, lost a heartbreaking opening round match to Brayden Reid of Hibriten 12-10. Esparza led 10-9 with time running out before Reid earned a takedown with one second remaining in regulation for the margin of victory.

In the consolation round, Esparza scored a major decision over Bryson Wilhelm of West Rowan 15-3. It was Esparza’s 98th career win. Abrey Verhow of White Oak defeated Esparza in the next match. Esparza  has a career record of 98-45 going into his senior year.

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