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The Orange Panthers undefeated run through the Big 8 Conference has resulted in honors for its top defensive player and its outgoing head coach.

One day after receiving his 11th scholarship offer from Virginia Tech, Orange junior linebacker Payton Wilson has been named the Big 8 Defensive Player of the Year.

Additionally, Orange Coach Pat Moser earned Big 8 Coach of the Year honors in an email released by conference officials Wednesday morning.

Wilson, who has also received offers from UNC, N.C. State, Duke, Penn State, Appalachian State, East Carolina, Maryland, Wake Forest, Virginia, and Vanderbilt, led the Panthers defense with 127 tackles, 39 tackles for loss. He also registered 13 sacks, second only to Ryan Sellers’ total of 15.

Wilson also had five punt returns for touchdowns. He didn’t start returning punts until the 3rd week of the season, when he scored on the first punt return he ever had in a varsity game against Riverside. In Orange’s 49-7 win over Southern Durham, Wilson broke the game open with two punt return touchdowns.

While the Big 8 doesn’t name players for specific positions, Wilson could have just as likely earned an all-conference spot on offense, as well. Playing wingback and wide receiver, Wilson finished with 756 rushing yards, as well as 13 receptions for 305 yards. He had a total of 16 touchdowns (six rushing, four receiving, five punt returns and an interception return against Cedar Ridge).

This was Wilson’s first full season at the varsity level. He suffered a broken ankle on the first day of practice during his sophomore season, forcing him to sit out eight games.

Moser guided the Panthers to its 5th consecutive 10-win season, which ended Friday in the 2nd round of the 3-A state playoffs. Dating back to Orange’s opening in 1963, the school had only one 10-win season before Moser joined the Panthers in 2008.

The Panthers had its first undefeated regular season since 1978 behind a defense that yielded just five touchdowns in a 12-1 season. Going into its final game of the season against Havelock, Orange held 10 of its 12 opponents to under 100 yards total offense. Even in defeat against the Rams, Orange held Havelock to a season-low 14 points on 293 yards.

Moser, who announced plans to retire before the end of the season, ends his career at Orange with a record of 58-26. He guided Orange to two consecutive Big 8 Championships (in 2015, Orange was awarded the outright championship after Southern Durham forfeited its last game due to use of an ineligible player). In 2014, he guided Orange to a 13-2 season, the most wins in a season in school history.

By Alexandria Hopkins
Last Tuesday not only saw the start towards the five-day long weekend for Thanksgiving at Orange, but another victory for their sports team.
Orange played and later won between three competing teams from out of Orange County – Southern Alamance from Graham, Walter Williams from Burlington, and Northern Durham from Durham – on Tuesday night before students were off for Thanksgiving break.

The team first went against Northern Durham. Orange treated this Durham team the toughest of the night, with an abundance of takedowns and pins, though leading to some caution points, even if very few. Northern, however, were able to take a stand in some of the matches, earning takedowns, reversals and pinning down some of Orange’s wrestlers. However, this was no match for the Durham wrestling team, eventually winning with 48 – 24.
Next was Orange against Walter Williams High School from near-by Burlington. This was partially due to more members in Orange’s team than the smaller amount of Williams, though the matches played were fair, with some near falls and takedowns filling out the tense atmosphere of the game. Williams also were able to score a few takedowns, though very few as the rest was filled with penalty points and eventual defeat from Orange’s rougher players. However, Orange yet again won, and winning in an absolute landslide with 73 – 6.
Finally rounding out the night was Southern Alamance. Alamance played against some members of the wrestling teams who had not previously played against Durham or Williams; however, the match was cluttered, with these members playing Alamance while other wrestlers from Orange also matched against Walter Williams players. Still, when collected, both sides were tough to beat, with Orange having the most takedowns of the night and very few certified pin downs. Both sides, however, also had many near falls and escapes between each side. Although both sides played strong, Orange again came out strong with the closest scoring of the night at 46 – 35.
As far as any impressive wrestlers roughing up the competitors on Tuesday’s match, there were some few that should be mentioned for their standout performance. From Northern Durham’s match, notable players include Joey Petrucelli, who went for the fastest pin down of the match at just 1:25 in; Bailey Hawkins was also a extraordinary player who pinned down his opponent at with 1:05. However, the most impressive match was Williams: not only because half of the match was filled with defeats due to few wrestlers to fight, Orange should great times of pin downs and lots of takedowns that showed the overwhelming power of the Panthers wrestling match. Southern Alamance, as aforementioned, were also very rigid in tackling down the competition, including Josiah Ramirez and Charlie Wilechase.
The next game for Orange Wrestling is a Jim King/Orange Invitational, next Friday and Saturday on December 2nd and 3rd, with 21 team invited to play against Orange.

Ever notice the term “putting up video game numbers” is almost exclusively used in context of offense?

Whether its MLB ’16, FIFA, Madden 2016 or NHL ’16, it’s offense that people gravitate towards. Regardless of what sport you enjoy, you can bet there has been some rule change over the years to benefit the offense. And almost never one to help the defense. Whether it’s lowering the pitcher’s mound in baseball before the 1969 season, the NBA adding the 3-point line after mergining with the American Basketball Association or the myriad of rules instituted by Gary Bettman on the ice, the defense hardly ever gets a bone tossed its way.

Of course, it’s a long way to professional sports from where the Orange Panthers are now, but it doesn’t make their defensive accomplishments this year any less remarkable.

Orange is 12-0 and won the Big 8 Championship. That’s despite having a giveaway/takeaway turnover ratio of -5 during the regular season. The Panthers made six turnovers in its August 26th 21-13 over Northern and basically stayed in the turnover hole all season. And it didn’t matter.

Why? Defense.

They’ve given up 82 yards per game. They’ve yielded four touchdowns the whole season (Northern scored 13 points against Orange, but six of those came off a fumble return for a touchdown). On September 16th, Western Guilford scored a garbage time touchdown with 8:34 remaining in the fourth quarter.

It’s the only points Orange has given up in the second half all year.

On and on it goes. The Panthers have outscored opponents 179-12 in the second half.  10 of Orange’s 12 opponents have been held under 100 yards total offense, including Wilson Fike in Friday night’s 1st round 3A playoff game.

The Golden Demons had 92 yards, which by current standards isn’t a bad number. It’s the fifth-highest amount of yardage Orange has allowed this season. (Western Guilford’s 243 is the highest. Southern Durham had 123).

Linebacker Payton Wilson has made 106 tackles, 13 sacks and 39 tackles for loss. The defensive line of Stone Edwards, Noah Rogers and Ryan Sellers have their own personal competition to see who will have the most sacks by season’s end. Right now, Sellers is in the lead with 15, while Edwards has 13 and Rogers with 11. However, Rogers does have the most tackles for loss among the trio with 27.

Perhaps most impressive of all is Orange’s 24 consecutive quarters without giving up a touchdown, which ended Friday night when Fike quarterback Jaelynn Melton scored on a 40-yard zone read in the 2nd quarter.

To put that streak in proper context, Orange went six full games without giving up a touchdown. That’s half a regular season.

Of course, these numbers are easy to outline now because the Panthers will face the most dangerous offense yet in Havelock this Friday in the 2nd round of the 3A playoffs at Auman Stadium.

The 11-1 Rams average 42 points per game out of its spread offense run by quarterback Corey Cooper.

In 20 years, however, fans of Orange football can look back at the Big 8 Conference champions and talk about how the team put up video game numbers.

But not in the way it’s usually meant.

On this week’s edition of the Prep Sports Tonight podcast, we’re joined by Orange defensive end Stone Edwards. After Friday night’s victory over Fike, Stone has 61 tackles, 21 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. But there’s more to Stone than just football. There’s his educational background, where he took college classes taught by his parents at UNC when he was barely a teenager. Also joining the podcast is safety Keshawn Thompson, who was honored with the Extra Effort Award from WRAL television earlier this year. This show was taped on Thursday afternoon, the day before Orange’s victory over Fike.

The Prep Sports Tonight podcast is presented by Occoneechee Golf Club. Learn how you can give the golfer in your family the gift of a trip to Occoneechee Golf Course in Hillsborough this Christmas by going to their website, which can be found here.

To listen to the Orange-Fike game, go to Jeff Hamlin on Facebook. The link is there. Sorry for the confusion!

The Orange Panthers lost its season opener on Tuesday night to Leesville Road 76-65. Connor Crabtree had 28 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field. The Panthers seek its first win of the season on Saturday at Millsbrook High School against Rolesville. Tipoff is at 12:30.

Orange Coach Greg Motley Discusses Loss to Leesville Road

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It’s impossible to have a defense that’s yielded only three touchdowns all season without a good secondary. That’s what Orange safety Keshawn Thompson has delivered to the team this season. Thompson is not only excellent in coverage, but he’s a threat at the line of scrimmage to blitz. Thompson has made 17 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He was also named the Extra Effort Award Winner from WRAL’s Tom Suiter last month.

Orange Panther of the Week: Keshawn Thompson

Keshawn Thompson has been the anchor of the Orange secondary during its undefeated romp through the regular season. The senior safety has made 17 tackles for loss, two interception and two fumble recoveries this season. This video featured appearances by Kendall Whitted and Payton Wilson after Orange defeated Oxford Webb in its regular season finale.

The Orange Panthers has received the #2 Mideast Seed in the 3A state playoffs and will face 6-5 WIlson Fike from the Big East Conference.

The bracket can be found here.

It’s the first time that Orange has been in the 3-A bracket. For the past three years, the Panthers have been in the 3-AA playoffs. In 2013 and 2014, the Panthers made it to the 3rd round. Each time, the Panthers lost to eventual state champions: Southern Durham (2013) and Northern Guilford (2014)

The irony of being in the “smaller” playoff is Orange will likely face tougher competition, at least if you trust the Associated Press High School Football Polls.

Of the top ten teams ranked in 3A football, seven will compete in the 3A playoff. In fact, Orange may face Havelock, ranked 5th in the state, in the 2nd round.

Orange is #3 in the state. Also in the 3-A playoffs: Lenoir Hibriten, ranked #1 in the state; Southern Nash, who earned the #1 Mideast seed (#2 in the state); West Craven (#4); Havelock (#5); Rocky Mount (#7); and Canton Pisgah (#9).

The seeding was changed this year by the NCHSAA to reduce the possibility of conference opponents facing each other in the opening rounds of the playoffs. Teams were divided into Mideast and East and were matched up against each other. Orange received the #2 seed in the Mideast behind Southern Nash. Each squad finished 11-0. Southern Nash received the tiebreaker advantage because they were higher ranked on MaxPreps.

The 3-A State Championship game will be held on December 16th or 17th at a location to be determined.

All Orange playoff games can be heard here on HillsboroughSports.com

After receiving offers from Appalachian State, Lehigh and several other Division I schools, Orange forward Connor Crabtree officially signed with UNC-Asheville on Tuesday. He talked about his aspirations for the upcoming season and the future.

Connor Crabtree Talks Signing with UNC-Asheville

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