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This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior track & field athlete Adelyn Alvis. Last winter, Alvis qualified for the 3A State Indoor Track & Field championships at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem. She finished 4th in the 3A State Championships in the 500 meter dash at 1:18.18. She was also a member of the 4×400 relay team that finished 4th at 4:13.05. Unlike many athletes who focus either on running or field events, Alvis specialized in both. She qualified for the state championships in the long jump and finished tied for 5th in the state at 17-feet, 6-inches. Since the outdoor season started last month, Alvis has already qualified for the Mideast Regionals in several events. On March 26, Alvis qualified for the 800 meters, finishing at 2:25.00, beating the minimum regional standard by five seconds. Alvis also nearly qualified for the triple jump, winning a meet with Cedar Ridge, Person and Walter Williams at Auman Stadium. Last week during another meet at Auman Stadium, Alvis qualified for regionals in the 300 meter hurdles, finishing at 47.14 seconds. Adelyn has also been a member of the Orange women’s tennis team for the past two years under head coach Justin Webb. Last season, she was a starter when Orange defeated Northern Nash in the opening round of the 3A State Dual Team playoffs. Alvis will continue her junior season on April 23 with a trio-meet at Western Alamance.

Orange Panther of the Week: Adelyn Alvis

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior track & field athlete Adelyn Alvis. Last winter, Alvis qualified for the 3A State Indoor Track & Field championships at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem. She finished 4th in the 3A State Championships in the 500 meter dash at 1:18.18.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore soccer forward Kate Finnegan. On Wednesday night, Finnegan scored a goal as the Red Wolves defeated Walter Williams 5-2 at Red Wolves Stadium. This season, Finnegan has become the starting striker for head coach Sam Semerzier and leads the team with 16 goals and 42 points in nine games. She had a string of three consecutive games with four goals each, starting with a 9-6 win over Northwood on March 3 in Hillsborough. She followed that with four goals against Durham School of the Arts on March 6. Finnegan scored four goals against Southern Nash in Wilson. Finnegan is a three-sport athlete who rarely goes home early after classes end. In the fall, she runs cross country and was a member of the Red Wolves women’s cross country team that won the Mideast Regional championship. Finnegan is also a starting forward for the Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team under head coach Megan Skouby, where she has played regularly since her freshman year. Her brother, Quinn, has signed to play Division I baseball at Wagner College. Finnegan is one of the best athletes at Cedar Ridge and has made soccer her top sport. This Monday night, Cedar Ridge will face Orange in the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby at Panther Soccer Field.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Kate Finnegan

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is sophomore soccer forward Kate Finnegan. On Wednesday night, Finnegan scored a goal as the Red Wolves defeated Walter Williams 5-2 at Red Wolves Stadium. This season, Finnegan has become the starting striker for head coach Sam Semerzier and leads the team with 16 goals and 42 points in nine games.

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The race is on in the Central Conference baseball standings.

For second place, that is.

After tying Orange for first place last year, Southern Alamance has basically secured the outright Central Conference regular season championship roughly 55% through the regular season.

On Tuesday night, it was Mark King who practically beat Orange single handily.

King laced a grand slam to break open a scoreless game in the sixth inning. On the mound, King threw a two-hit shutout to propel the Patriots (13-2, 7-0 in the Central Conference) defeated Orange 4-0 in Hillsborough.

Orange, which has either won outright or claimed a share of four consecutive conference championships, fell to 2-3 in the Central Conference. They’re 9-7 overall.

Orange, Person and Eastern Alamance are all tied in the loss column for second place with three conference losses each. Southern Alamance has already swept the season series from Person and Eastern Alamance and now controls the tiebreaker against Orange, as well.

King’s otherworldly performance overshadowed a great effort from junior Ryan Sawyer, who kept the Patriots off balance most of the night. Sawyer struck out nine in five-and-two-thirds innings.

In a game Orange needed badly in order to stay alive in the conference championship chase, it appeared that Sawyer was set to send the game into the bottom of the sixth inning scoreless. He struck out Eli Gilley and Ethan Mann. On a 1-1 pitch, Southern’s Camden Whittemore, who had struck out twice, got brushed across the elbow on a fastball. In was a small spark that ignited an inferno.

As Sawyer neared the 105 pitches allowed by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, he walked Lance Siegner. Orange coach Jason Knapp opted to replace Ryan Sawyer with centerfielder Garrett Sawyer. Southern shortstop Johnny Rojas got hit by a pitch on the lead shoulder to load the bases.

King ran the count up to 3-0 before he took strike one. Sawyer offered a fastball that King aimed at the infamous left field porch at Panther Field, a nightmare for right handed pitchers that Orange has lived by in the past.

On Tuesday, they died by it.

Left fielder Eli Horton chased after it in vain as it sailed over the fence. In the celebration behind home plate, Southern players put an oversized blue hat on King as he ran to the dugout

King got stronger as the game went on. In the opening four innings, he struck out two Orange batters and allowed three hits. In the final three innings, he struck out six, didn’t give up a hit and conceded only two baserunners.

In each of the first two innings, Orange placed its leadoff batter at second base with no outs. Kayden Bradsher, in the first, reached on a dropped ball but advanced to further.

In the second, senior Dominic O”Keefe reached on an infield single, then took second off an errant pickoff throw. O’Keefe reached third after an error by Whittemore. Cam Brown tried to squeeze O’Keefe in with a bunt, but the ball rolled right to King, who underhanded it to Sieger to tag out O’Keefe at the plate.

O’Keefe was the only Panther batter to reach third base all night.

Western Alamance 6, Cedar Ridge 5: Cooper Marks hit two home runs, including the game-winning blast to lead off the top of the seventh inning, as the Warriors edged the Red Wolves in a back-and-forth game on Tuesday night in Hillsborough.

It was Marks’ first two home runs of the year. It doubled the total amount of home runs hit by the Warriors this season. The only other home run hit by a Western Alamance player this year was Gavin Davis, who delivered a dinger in a 13-3 win over Western Guilford on February 26. If that wasn’t enough, Marks also earned the win, closing out the game after relieving Bryce Runner in the sixth inning. Marks struck out three.

After Marks led off the game with a solo homer, Cedar Ridge scored three runs in the second. Jesus Velazquez drove in Aidan Ryan with an RBI single up the middle. Carter Warren laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring in Dominic Sena to put the Red Wolves ahead 2-1. Quinn Finnegan drove in Velazquez after reaching on an error by Jackson Rippy.

Cedar Ridge will travel to Western Alamance on Thursday.

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team made a successful return to the pitch after spring break with a 5-2 win over Walter Williams on Wednesday night at Red Wolves Stadium. Fleury Nicholson scored two goals and added an assist. Sophomore Kate Finnegan, Cedar Ridge’s leading scorer, added a goal in the 10th minute when she took a through pass from Nicholson and tucked into the right corner of the net off a breakaway. Senior co-Captain Anna Peterson came up with a key defensive play in the final five minutes as she blocked a shot at the goal line that went off her face, but kept the ball out of the net. It was Cedar Ridge’s second straight win over the Bulldogs after losing to Williams five straight times between 2021-2024. Finnegan has now scored 16 goals this season. In 2024, the Red Wolves won a state playoff game behind a stellar season from junior Katie Paulakonis. Shortly after announcing her commitment to Division I Bellarmine, Paulakonis underwent a medical procedure and opted not to play this year. Finnegan has stepped in at striker and the Red Wolves are now 5-3-1 overall, 2-1 in the Central Conference. On Thursday night, Cedar Ridge will face Eastern Alamance in Hillsborough. On Monday night, they will travel to Orange for the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby.

Cedar Ridge women soccer’s Fleury Nicholson, Kate Finnegan & Anna Peterson discuss win vs. Williams

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team made a successful return to the pitch after spring break with a 5-2 win over Walter Williams on Wednesday night at Red Wolves Stadium. Fleury Nicholson scored two goals and added an assist.

The Cedar Ridge softball team continues its best start since 2019 after beating Roxboro Community School on March 27. The Red Wolves scored six runs in the sixth inning to take a 10-4 lead. After the Bulldogs scored five runs in the top of the seventh and had the tying run at third base, pitcher Charlotte Lowry struck out McKenzie Cobb to secure the win. Cedar Ridge centerfielder Madeline Galindo-Woodring made a game-changing double play in the 7th when she caught a line drive hit by Leah Griffin, then got up and fired a laser to home plate and retire Leah Cook. Catcher Reagan Simmons laid down the tag. Senior Kimber Shambley went 2-for-3 and scored a run in the sixth inning. Lowry threw 151 pitches to earn the win, striking out three. Galindo-Woodring also scored a run and reached on an error in the seventh inning. On Wednesday night, Cedar Ridge returned from spring break and dominated Southern Alamance 12-2 in Graham to claim its fourth straight victory. Brittany Goddard went 3-for-4 with three RBI as the Red Wolves scored eleven unanswered runs to claim a run-rule victory. Cedar Ridge is 9-5 and in second place in the Central Conference. They will travel to Falls Lake on Thursday afternoon.

Cedar Ridge softball’s Charlotte Lowry, Kimber Shambley & Madeline Galindo-Woodring talk RCS win

The Cedar Ridge softball team continues its best start since 2019 after beating Roxboro Community School on March 27. The Red Wolves scored six runs in the sixth inning to take a 10-4 lead. After the Bulldogs scored five runs in the top of the seventh and had the tying run at third base, pitcher Charlotte Lowry struck out McKenzie Cobb to secure the win.

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After winning a game in the state playoffs and being one of only three teams in the state to beat Person this season, the Orange men’s basketball team had three players named to the All-Central Conference team.

Junior point guard Kai Wade, senior shooting guard Xandrell Pennix and senior forward Freddy Sneed were honored following a 19-9 season, the most wins for Orange men’s basketball since the 2016-2017 season.

Pennix surpassed 1,000 career points in Orange’s 70-45 win over Southern Alamance in the quarterfinals of the Central Conference Tournament on February 17 in Hillsborough. Pennix’s brightest moment came in the Panthers’ memorable 67-65 win at Person on January 9. The Rockets led 28-9 early in the second quarter but the Panthers stormed back to win. With Wade in foul trouble, Pennix led the Panthers with 19 points. In his final game in Hillsborough, Pennix truly saved his best for last. He finished with a season-high 23 points in a win over C.B. Aycock in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs. He added six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Against Chapel Hill on December 10, Pennix scored 17 points as the Panthers defeated the Tigers 65-58. It was Orange’s first win over Chapel Hill since 2019. He had a string of six consecutive games in double-figures during January.

In his third straight year as Orange’s starting point guard, Wade immediately set the tone for the season when he scored a career-high 30 points in a win over Voyager Academy on November 15. He opened the season with ten consecutive games in double-figures. He scored 18 points against Mt. Zion Christian Academy on November 22, a 60-56 Orange win. Against Western Alamance on January 24, Wade scored 23 points as the Panthers won for the fourth straight time in Elon. The following game, Wade scored 21 points in a win over Walter Williams in Hillsborough, which was the Panthers sixth straight victory over the Bulldogs.

Despite being in foul trouble for most of the game, Wade tied his season-high with seven assists in the win over Person. He also had seven assists against the Ivahoe Knights from Australia in a special game played at Northeast Guilford High School on December 23.

Wade led the team with 14.9 points per game. In eleven of Orange’s last 12 games, Wade scored in double-figures. That included 19 points against Southern Alamance on February 7 in Graham. In the state playoff win over C.B. Aycock, Wade scored 16 points. Wade also led the team with 3.7 assists per game despite the Panthers losing leading scorer Coleman Cloer, who transferred to Caldwell Academy last summer. He also led the team with 3.7 steals per game.

Sneed was the defensive spark plug for an Orange team that made midcoast turnovers in trademark. Sneed averaged a career-best 10.3 points per game in his fourth year at the varsity level.

Sneed notched his career-high twice this season. He scored 21 points in a win over East Chapel Hill on December 17 in Hillsborough. Against Williams on January 28, he also scored 21 points.

In the win over Mt. Zion Christian Academy, Sneed had a crucial dunk that helped sew up the win over the Warriors. Sneed finished with nine points. He also had five steals.

After being more of a role player in his sophomore season, Sneed took on more of a scoring role this year. He started the season with 12 points in the victory over Voyager Academy. He scored in double-figures 14 times this year. Sneed had seven straight games in double-figures as the season wound down, including 14 points against Cedar Ridge on January 31 at Panther Gymnasium.

Against Southern Alamance in the Central Conference Tournament, he scored a career-high seven steals. Sneed had six assists in the win over Chapel Hill. He also had 17 points against the Ivanhoe Knights, which included a spectacular dunk in the second quarter.

Traditionally, the Hilltop Invitational has served as a midterm exam for Orange baseball.

The event rings in April and falls just after the Panthers have started its conference slate. For one majestic Wednesday night, it served as a reminder of how wonderful baseball can be.

Facing Heritage, the Panthers awakened from a dormant offensive showing to score three runs in the seventh inning to end the game into extra innings.

Just when Orange needed a miracle to extend the game beyond the 9th inning, Cam Brown provided one.

The wind had blows to right field all night. Brown, who stepped up to the plate 0-for-4, sent a fly ball to right field with two out and the Huskies leading 6-4. Heritage’s Ellie Droke ran toward the line and flashed his hands up in the air unable to find the ball. Then Droke looked over his left shoulder in time to find the ball disappear over the fence.

It was just the second home run hit over the right field fence at Orange in the last two years. The other was by Ryan Honeycutt, a walkoff blast against Cedar Ridge in the opening round of the state playoffs last year. Brown, after the first home run of his varsity career, was mobbed by his teammates with a water shower.

Unfortunately, the Panthers couldn’t complete the comeback. Heritage, which jumped out to a 1-0 lead and led almost the entire game, scored three runs in the tenth inning off four walks and two hit batters. Andrew Briganati was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Tyler Henderson to score the game-winning run. The Huskies would add two more runs and win 9-6 in ten innings.

Heritage starting pitcher Blake Tillery took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before Orange’s Wren Hash sent a single on a grounder to left field. Dominic O’Keefe stroked a double to the left field fence to score Hash and cut the Heritage lead to 2-1.

With Orange trailing 4-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers remarkably tied the game. Garrett Sawyer drew a walk to load the bases. Henry Hoffman, who leads the team in RBIs, lined a single to left field. Kayden Bradsher and O’Keefe scored. Sawyer reached third base as the relay throw from Heritage centerfielder Andrew Kilgore bounced through the infield and past the third base line. Sawyer raced for home plate and beat the throw from reliever Holden Kafes to the plate to even the game.

On Friday, Orange made quick work of Chatham Central 11-1 in five innings, the Panthers second run-rule win of the season.

Gary Miller scored the go-ahead run in the second after he reached on an error. O’Keefe sent a drooping liner to right field that got under the glove of right fielder Carter King to score Miller.

Orange pulled away with six runs in the third. After O’Keefe drew a bases-loaded walk, Eli Horton drilled a bases-loaded double that loaded between two outfielders for a bases-clearing double. Hash, Miller and O’Keefe all scored. Hoffman added an two-run single later in an inning where the Panthers sent eleven batters to the plate.

Orange would tack on four more runs in the fourth inning. D.J. Woods scored off a single by O’Keefe. Miller touched the plate after an RBI groundout by Horton. Kayden Bradsher lined a single to centerfield that scored O’Keefe.

Sawyer earned the win, throwing three-and-two-thirds innings. The game marked the return of Oliver Van Tiem after he was injured against Western Alamance on March 18. Van Tiem threw one-and-two-thirds innings before he was replaced. Sawyer allowed only one hit and struck out five.