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It would be inaccurate to say the Orange-Cedar Ridge girls game was just as physical as the Army-Navy football game it coincided with on Saturday afternoon.

But only slightly inaccurate.

Players hit the floor with reckless abandon so often, one may have wondered if the officials would throw a flag for targeting. In the third quarter, Cedar Ridge’s leading scorer, Carrie Davis,  had to go under concussion protocol following a midcourt collision for a loose ball.

In the end, Orange won 42-34 after holding the Red Wolves scoreless in the final 4:44. The Panthers (5-0, 1-0 in the Big 8) are off to their best start ever under head coach B.J. Condron, now in his fourth season.

Kaylen Campbell led Orange with ten points, while Lauren Cates and Icez Barnett added seven. Davis led Cedar Ridge (3-3, 0-1) with ten points.

Davis hit a three-pointer to give Cedar Ridge a 34-32 lead with 4:44 remaining, the seventh lead change of the second half. Barnett’s lay-up with 2:47 remaining put Orange ahead for good.

The two teams have now split the last six meetings.

“We knew coming in that this was going to be a battle,” said Condron. “It’s like that anytime Orange and Cedar Ridge play. I think we managed the game well in the end by hitting free throws.”

Clinging to a 35-34 lead with 2:14 remaining, the Panthers went 7-of11 from the foul line down the stretch.

Free throws turned out to be Cedar Ridge’s undoing. The Red Wolves went 5-from-20 from the foul line.

“That was the difference in the game,” said Cedar Ridge Coach Felton Page. “You’re not going to win too many ballgames like that.”

Orange jumped out to a 12-4 lead after two early field goals from Bethlyn Early and a three-pointer from Campbell.

The lead would extend to 17-5 before Cedar Ridge mounted a charge. Guard Taylin Jean scored all five of her points during a 13-4 Red Wolves run to close out the second quarter, narrowing Orange’s lead to 21-18 at the half.

Cedar Ridge’s Jasmin Lee scored her only field goal of the day to give the Red Wolves it’s first lead of the day with 1:36 remaining in the third quarter, while Miracle Page knocked in a three-pointer in the waning second to put the Red Wolves ahead going into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter had five lead changes and two ties. After Campbell started the stanza with a trey to put Orange ahead 30-28, Davis tied the game with a one-handed runner. Barnett and Cates had key steals during the Cedar Ridge dry spell that ended the game.

Orange’s Mia Davidson and Early finished with seven rebounds. Campbell and Barnett each had three steals.

Orange has three games this week. They face Southern Alamance at home on Tuesday at 5:30, followed by a road trip against East Chapel Hill on Wednesday, also at 5:30. They continue conference play with another home game against Northern Vance on Friday at 6.

Cedar Ridge hosts Northern Vance on Tuesday at 6, then travels to Southern Durham on Friday at 7.

ORANGE–Grace Dively 5, Kaylen Campbell 10, Icez Barnett 7, Lauren Cates 7, Mia Davidson 2, Bethlyn Early 6, Adalyn Fleming 2, Janea Myers 1, Mary Beth Dobbins 2.

CEDAR RIDGE–Yolanda Simpson 4, Miracle Page 6, Carrie Davis 10, Taylin Jean 5, Madison Wardlow 4, Natalia Garay 1, Jacori Walton 1, Jasmyn Lee 2, Abby Lloyd 1.

For the first time in his four year tenure, B.J. Condron has led Orange to a 5-0 start after beating crosstown rival Cedar Ridge 42-34 on Saturday at Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Orange Girls Coach B.J. Condron Discusses the Panthers 42-34 Win Over Cedar Ridge

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Coming off its first conference win of the season, the Orange wrestling team maintained an undefeated record after winning all five matches at the Jim Coggins Hall of Fame Classic held at Southwest Guilford High School in High Point on Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers defeated Rockingham County 66-15; shut out Ronald Reagan 77-0; also whitewashed Eastern Guilford 78-0; topped North Davidson 69-9 and held off Southwest Guilford 45-26.

Senior Charley Fitzpatrick scored four pinfall victories, improving his record to 14-1 with twelve pins. He pinned Rockingham’s Steven Washburn in 4:47, finished off Eastern Guilford’s Dalton Stanley in 1:05; pinned North Davidson’s Cameron Fisher in 2:32 and polished off Southwest Guilford’s Luiz Velez in :22.

Also earning four victories on the day was Avery Jenkins at 145 pounds. Jenkins is now 11-3 with ten pins. He pinned Rockingham’s Lawrence Mitchell in 3:41; pinned Eastern Guilford’s Darius Alston in 1:03; pinned North Davidson’s Gabriel Blackman in 1:58 and scored a major decision against Southwest Guilford’s Kevin Arango 13-0.

At 106, Mitchell Askew was the only grappler in the entire meet to earn five wins. After two forfeits, he defeated Eastern Guilford’s Tyree Harris 10-5; pinned North Davidison’s Logan Qualkenbush in 2:22 and got a technical fall over Southwest Guilford’s Tristen Dean 16-0. Askew is 14-2 on the season.

Josiah Ramirez, coming off his Jim King Invitational Championship at 170 pounds, also picked up four individual wins to remain undefeated at 16-0. After a forfeit win against Reagan, he pinned Eastern Guilford’s Isaiah Manning in 1:35; North Davidson’s Shawn Tibet in 1:25 and Southwest Guilford’s Alex Thompson also in 1:25.

Heavyweight Daylen Alston also earned four victories, three by pinfall. He pinned Eastern Guilford’s C.J. Newman in 2:45; North Davidson’s Desmon Hall in 1:14 and Southwest Guilford’s John Oxce in 2:37.

After winning the 220-pound championship at the Jim King Invitational, junior Payton Wilson earned four victories: forfeits over Rockingham and Eastern Guilford. He pinned Southwest Guilford’s Tyler Chambers in 2:02 and earned a major decision over Reagan’s Robert Sprinkle 15-1. Wilson, who began wrestling practice two weeks ago, is 9-0.

At 138 pounds, Levi Anderson picked up four wins, including three pins. Anderson is now 11-4 and is on a five match winning streak.

Junior Bailey Hawkins picked up three wins, including a pin of Reagan’s Rhett Steelman in :28. That ties Hawkins’ fastest pin of the season.

Orange is now 13-0 overall, 1-0 in the Big 8. They face a crucial Big 8 Conference match against Northwood on Wednesday in Jim King Gymnasium. Last year in Pittsboro, Northwood led Orange 36-34 going into the final match at 170, where then-sophomore Jamar Davis won 14-4 to give the Panthers a 38-36 victory.

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Anyone watching Orange and Carrboro’s pregame warm-ups knew the Jaguars were in for an uphill battle.

Orange starting guards, both freshmen, appeared to be nearly as tall as Carrboro’s starting center Neel Mahadevan. From the moment Orange center Logan Vosburg tossed in a 3-pointer just :36 into the game, the result was all but determined.

Vosburg scored 22 points, even without playing the fourth quarter, as Orange climbed back to .500 with an 87-46 victory over the Jaguars. Connor Crabtree, who also sat out the fourth quarter, finished with 16. Freshman Joey McMillin added 13 while Mitch Portman scored 12.

Orange surged out to a 33-14 lead at the end of the first quarter and was never challenged. Coach Greg Motley used most of the game to let four football players, all of whom joined the team last week after Orange’s playoff lost to Havelock, continue to gain basketbal conditioning. Morgan Paschall, Devondrez Moore, Ryan Sellers and Kendall Whitted received the most minutes they’ve played this season.

Sellers came out strongest with seven points in the fourth quarter, which was played with a running clock after the deficit exceeded 40 points.

The Panthers travel to Cedar Ridge on Saturday for its Big 8 Conference opener at 3:30.

ORANGE-Marquis Phelps 3, Mitch Portman 12, Connor Crabtree 16, Logan Vosburg 22, Joel McMillin 13, Eli Haithcock 5, Kendall Whitted 2, Morgan Paschall 5, Ryan Sellers 8, Treshon Richardson 2.

CARRBORO-Jake Melville 3, That Htoo 6, Cole Phillips 16, Zach Anderson 5, Neel Mahadevan 6, Shamel Partridge 5, Jared Porter 2, Caleb Jones 3,

In a cold gym on a brisk night in Carrboro, Kaylen Campbell burned up the nets for Orange’s first 4-0 start under head coach B.J. Condron.

Campbell scored a career-high 25 points as the Panthers pulled away from the short-handed Jaguars 49-36 at Jaguars Gymnasium. Campbell scored 17 of Orange’s 25 points in the first half.

“She’s a leader for us,” said Condron. “We look to her for offense, but she came through tonight on defense for us, too.”

Sophomore Lauren Cates also registered a career-high with eleven points, including a trio of 3-pointers. She had nine points in the third quarter when Orange extended its advantage to 44-31.

“That was big for her,” said Condron. “She’s been struggling a little bit. She came in early to practice on Wednesday and took about 300 shots. And it showed today.”

Orange had to play most of the first half without Center Bethany Early, who was saddled with two early fouls and missed the second quarter. She finished scoreless with six rebounds.

“She’s a presence in the paint,” said Condron. “She rebounds, she scores some for us. I feel like we’re deep in the post. Some other players got some opportunities, but I feel like we need to have Beth in the game. She’s our tallest player, our longest player, and one of our best athletes.”

Carrboro, playing without starting point guard Deja Tucker and backup center Cameron Farrar, received 20 points from Grace Nanney. The Jaguars suited up only nine players, but still crept their way back late in the game by holding Orange scoreless for the first 5:16 of the fourth quarter.

Enyah Holt scored a field goal with 2;45 remaining that ended the Jaguars run and essentially ended the game. Holt finished with six rebounds.

The Orange girls have opened the season with wins over East Chapel Hill, Northern Durham and Southern Alamance. They travel to Cedar Ridge Saturday afternoon at 2PM for its Big 8 opener.

ORANGE–Grace Dively 2, Kaylen Campbell 25, Mia Davidson 4, Nashyra Wilkins 2, Icez Barnett 3, Lauren Coats 11, Enyah Holt 2.

CARRBORO–Gabrielle Adams 2, Brooke Fields 5, Grace Nanney 20, Myasia Jarerett 9.

With its sights set on a 14th consecutive conference championship, the Orange wrestling team made quick work of Cedar Ridge.

The Panthers, coming off its second consecutive team championship at the Jim King Invitational Tournament last Saturday, defeated the Red Wolves 75-6 at Cedar Ridge High on Thursday night.

At 126, Orange’s Mitchell Lopeman scored the first of nine Panther pins, defeating Cedar Ridge’s Alexander Morones in 1:00. Lopeman improved to 5-2 with his third pin of the season.

In the next match, Panthers junior Bailey Hawkins improved to 9-1 on the season by pinning Cedar Ridge’s Brody Young in 1:21. It was Hawkins’ eighth pin of the season.

Orange’s Charlie Fitzpatrick pinned Cedar Ridge’s Andrew Chrisco in 1:51. Fitzpatrick, coming off a 3rd place finish at the JKO, is now 10-1. He started the season with six straight victories by pinfall.

At 170, Josiah Ramirez maintained his undefeated record with his eleventh straight win of the season, pinning Seth McKee in 2:55. Ramirez now has eight pins this season.

Braden Homsey (182), Avery Jenkins (145), Jamar Davis (195), Daylan Alston (285) and Noah Davis (106) also notched pins for Orange, who improved to 8-0, 1-0 in the Big 8.

Payton Wilson, coming off his 220 pound championship at the JKO, earned a forfeit victory. At 113, Mitchell Askew earned a 6-4 decision over Darius McLeod.

On the positive side for Cedar Ridge, Colin Davis pinned Orange’s Zavi Hall in 3:57. Davis finished 3rd at 160 at the JKO on Saturday. He went 3-1 in the tournament, losing only to eventual champion, Middle Creek’s Skyler Hendricks.

On Saturday, Orange travels to Southern Guilford for the Southern Guilford Round Robin starting at 9AM. They face Northwood in a critical Big 8 conference match on Wednedsay at Orange.

Cedar Ridge travels to the Kernersville on Saturday for the Nick Sgroi Memorial Invitational, hosted by Bishop McGuiness High School. The meet starts at 9:30

Jordan Lloyd’s volleyball career started as a child in the White Cross Recreation Center, where her father Joel coached her. At the same time, Joel also played recreation basketball on the same 65-foot floor in the holds occasionally barred White Cross Rec League, where you had to present X-rays to get a free throw.

Now, Jordan’s success leading the Orange Panthers to a runner-up finish in the Big 8 Conference has led to a college scholarship. On Thursday, she officially signed with the Brevard Tornadoes.

Brevard is in the midst of a transition to a Division III college. They have been a Division II school in the South Atlantic Conference since 2008, but announced plans to move to D3 in 2015. When Jordan joins the Tornados next fall, Brevard will be in the USA South Athletic Conference, joining such schools as Greensboro College, Methodist University, William Peace University (in Raleigh), and North Carolina Wesleyan (Rocky Mount). Pfefiffer University will also join this fall.

Brevard, located in Transylvania County, has approximately 700 students.

Last week, Lloyd was named All-Big 8 Conference after leading Orange with 146 kills and 302 digs. Orange finished 11-10, second behind only Chapel Hill in the Big 8. Chapel Hill captured the 3A Eastern Regional championship.

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Lloyd made her commitment official on Thursday afternoon inside Jim King Gymnasium.

The Orange Boys and Girls Swimming suffered its first losses of the season on Tuesday, dropping their respective matches to Jordan at the Triangle SportsPlex in Hillsborough.

The Falcons captured the boys meet 166-120. Jordan won the girls meet 182-103.

The losses were a blip on the screen to what’s been a hot start for both squads. Both the boys and girl started 3-0 with wins over Eastern Guilford, Northern Durham and Eastern Alamance.

On Tuesday, four Orange swimmers set new school records. It was a strong day for Gabe Walker, who set the new Orange record in the 200-meter freestyle at 1:58.72.

The Orange relay team of Walker, Collin Montague, Noah Jimison and Ben Scott set school records in two relay events: the 200 and 400 freestyle.

In the 200 freestyle, Jimison set a new school record with a mark of 5:11.48. Last week against Northern Durham, Jimison swam the same event with a time of 5:19.60. Kyle Woodrum, Ethan George and Rohan Kasthuri also established personal bests in the 500 free.

Montague was set his own school record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:04.44.

In the girls event, Orange’s Carson Mclenddon established a personal best in the 200 intermediate at 2:51.14. Lauren Behringer had the top time in the 200 freestyle at 2:18.99.

In the 50-meter freestyle, Stephanie Nolte had the top time among Orange competitors at 26.94. She had a personal best in the 100 fly at 1:12.52, while Emmy Shopmyer had her best time to date at 1:24.16.

In the 100 freestyle, Riley Shopmyer set a new personal best with 1:08.82. Taylor Montague finished at 1:12.59.

On December 1st, Orange swept Eastern Alamance. The boys defeated the Eagles 251-77, while the girls prevailed 229-170. On November 29th, the Panthers took both meets from Northern Durham. The boys triumphed 164-105, while the girls won 167-110.

In the season opener, the Panthers won over Eastern Guilford.

Orange will gear up to face Cedar Ridge, Northwood and Eastern Alamance on Thursday at the Triangle Sportsplex in the final meet before holiday break. Action is set to begin at 4:30.