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This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior volleyball setter Rachel Alverson. This season, Alverson surpassed 1,000 career assists. Last week, Cedar Ridge helped the Red Wolves upset crosstown rival Orange to win the Central Carolina Conference Tournament at Panther Gymnasium. Against the Lady Panthers, Alverson had a season-high 54 assists. It was the fourth straight year that Cedar Ridge won a conference regular season and/or tournament championship. This year, Alverson finished with over 900 assists. She had 40 or more assists in a game nine times in 2023 for a Cedar Ridge team that finished 17-9. Alverson is a two-sport athlete at Cedar Ridge. She also plays women’s soccer. Alverson’s final win as a Red Wolves volleyball player may go down as her greatest game ever. On Tuesday night at Red Rams Gymnasium, Cedar Ridge defeated Franklinton, The Big East Champions, 3-2 in the second round of the 3A State Playoffs. Alverson finished with 46 assists as the Red Wolves advanced to the Round of 16 in the 3A State Playoffs for the fourth straight year. A trademark of Cedar Ridge teams in 2023 will be Alverson setting up her middle blocker and friend Addie Reid for thunderous kills that always electrified Red Wolves Gymnasium. Alverson will resume her soccer career in February.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Rachel Alverson

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This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior women’s tennis player Shannon Sollars. This season, Orange had its fifth straight winning season and Sollars had the most overall wins of any player on the team. Sollars played at #2 singles  and had a record of 12-1. She also qualified for the Mideast Regionals as a doubles player with her sister, Erinn. Shannon and Erinn finished with a 14-3 record. Last year, Erinn and Shannon qualified for the 3A State Doubles championship. Orange also qualified for the 3A State Dual Team Playoffs this year. Last week, in its opening round match against Cedar Ridge, Erinn and Shannon Sollars defeated Cameron Mayhew and Adeline Cummings 9-8, winning the tiebreaker 7-5  as the Lady Panthers were narrowly defeated by the Red Wolves. In the 3A Mideast Regionals, the Sollars sisters defeated a team from Harnett Central to advance to the second round. Shannon has been a member of the varsity team since her freshman year. During that time, Orange advanced to the second round of the State Team Tournament in 2021 and 2022. As a sophomore, she was a starter on the 2022 team that won the Central Carolina Conference Championship, the first tennis team in Orange High history to win a conference title.

Orange Panther of the Week: Shannon Sollars

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It’s not just that the Orange volleyball team is winning state playoff matches. It’s that they’re dominating them.

Now, for the first time in 17 years, the Lady Panthers are in the state quarterfinals behind another strong performance from its finishers.

Senior Ella Wimsatt piled up 18 kills and 15 digs, her 18th double-double of the season, as the Lady Panthers defeated Union Pines 3-0 on scores of 25-9, 25-14, 25-16 in the third round of the 3A State Playoffs. Orange will face J.H. Rose, the defending 3A Eastern Regional champions, on Saturday (today) inside Panther Gymnasium at 3PM.

Facing the top 3A seed from the 4A/3A Sandhills Conference, Orange only trailed once when the Vikings scored the opening point. Orange racked up eight aces against the Vikings, including five in the opening set.

Orange’s new tandem setter combination of freshman Sawyer White and sophomore Katie Silcott produced its best game yet since head coach Hope Heverly shifted to the new alignment. Silcott had 20 assists, nine digs, three kills and two aces. White registered 17 assists, seven digs, two kills and an ace on match point.

“I think they’re starting to enjoy making it a little further than they have in the playoffs before,” Heverly said. “They’re pushing themselves and really holding themselves accountable. They definitely had more of a drive tonight.”

Unlike the second round win over Northern Nash, the Lady Panthers didn’t have a hiccup early, mainly because of better serving. Wimsatt, senior libero Sadye Porter, Josie Crawford, Silcott and Abby Silinski all had aces in the opening set. Orange opened with a 5-1 run, capped by an ace from Porter and a spike from Wilkerson, who wound up with seven kills and a block.

Leading 16-7, Orange ran off eight straight points with Wimatt serving late in the set. Sophomore Aubrey Jordan, who finished with eight kills, scored on set point with a crosscourt spike that stayed inside the right sideline to put Orange up a frame.

“I think our seniors know that at any moment, this could be their last game,” Heverly said. “I noticed an increased sense of urgency. No matter when the end may come, we want to go out with our heads high.”

Orange took control of the second set with a 9-2 run that started when Wimsatt earned a side out with a light palm thrust at the net. Wimsatt scored off another kill to make it 9-5, which turned into five straight Orange points, ending with a point from sophomore Mariah Poole. The Lady Panthers built a 21-12 lead following another kill from Wimsatt. White’s first kill of the match came on set point, assisted by Wimsatt.

The Vikings managed to tie the third set three times early, but Orange’s outside hitters took control to build a 7-1 run. Wilkerson had consecutive kills and a block during the run. After the Vikings were called for a double hit, Orange took a 12-6 lead..

Union Pines best run of the match came when they scored five of six points to reduce Orange’s lead to 15-14, but Orange immediately reeled off five straight points. Senior Josie Crawford had an ace, followed by a kill from Wimsatt, which led to the Vikings calling a timeout. Afterwards, Wimsatt put up two more points before White’s ace ended the match.

Now, Orange prepares to face one of the most established named in North Carolina volleyball. J.H. Rose last journeyed to Hillsborough in 2021, where they lost to Cedar Ridge 3-0 in the 3A Eastern Regional Championship match. Last year, the Rampants turned the tables, beating the Red Wolves to advance to the state championship match.

Though Orange will be the home team on Saturday, there is a sense that the Lady Panthers may be an underdog to a Rose team that has been to the Final Four each of the past three years.

Though Heverly has been with Orange as head coach just five months, she isn’t surprised that her team is playing for a spot in the regional championship game on Saturday.

“I could always see the potential in them,” Heverly said. “I told them several times that we’re a whole different team than we were at the beginning of this season. I’m hoping that by the time our season ends, we’re still stronger than the way we’ve been going. It will be a great matchup with Rose. I know our girls will come out ready.”

For the first time since 2005, the Orange volleyball team has advanced to the 3A State Quarterfinals. On Thursday night, the Lady Panthers impressively defeated Union Pines 3-0 in Hillsborough on scores of 25-9, 25-14, 25-16. Senior Ella Wimsatt finished with 16 kills and 12 digs, her 18th double-double of the season. Liberal Sadye Porter had 12 digs, two assists and one ace. Orange has won 25 matches, the most in 18 years. It wasn’t just Orange’s third straight playoff win, but the Lady Panthers were dominant. They only trailed once the entire match, which came after the first point of the match. Orange has swept all three of its state playoff opponents, Swansboro, Northern Nash and Union Pines. It’s particularly gratifying for Wimsatt, who has been a varsity performer the past four years. Before Tuesday, Wimsatt hadn’t advanced past the second round of the state playoffs. Now, Orange will host J.H. Rose on Saturday. The winner will advance to the 3A Eastern Regional championship game on October 31. Orange, the Central Carolina Conference regular season champions, will face the Rampants at 3PM on Saturday.

Orange volleyball’s Ella Wimsatt & Sadye Porter discuss playoff win over Union Pines

For the first time since 2005, the Orange volleyball team has advanced to the 3A State Quarterfinals. On Thursday night, the Lady Panthers impressively defeated Union Pines 3-0 in Hillsborough on scores of 25-9, 25-14, 25-16. Senior Ella Wimsatt finished with 16 kills and 12 digs, her 18th double-double of the season.