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The Orange volleyball team is halfway to its first regular season championship in volleyball since 2005. On Tuesday night, Orange swept Eastern Alamance for its tenth straight win at Panther Gymnasium on scores of 25-14, 25-12 and 25-13. The Lady Panthers have now won 32 consecutive sets dating back to August 21, when they dropped the 2nd set to Seaforth in Pittsboro. Sophomore middle blocker Ava Wilkerson had seven kills, three aces and a block to win set point in the 2nd. Freshman Sawyer White made her first career start and finished with a career-high 14 assists. She also had three digs. Orange is now 5-0 in the Central Carolina Conference and are in sole possession of first place. The Lady Panthers are currently ranked #1 in the 3A East RPI rankings, ahead of defending 3A Eastern Regional Champion J.H. Rose. Sophomore Aubrey Jordan had 12 kills for the Lady Panthers. The match against Eastern Alamance kicked off a three-game homestead for Orange. They will face Falls Lake, the #1 ranked team in the 1A East RPI rankings, on Wednesday night in Hillsborough. On Thursday, Orange will host Western Alamance in a rematch from last month. Orange swept the Warriors in Elon on August 29.

Orange volleyball’s Ava Wilkerson and Sawyer White discuss win over Eastern Alamance

The Orange volleyball team is halfway to its first regular season championship in volleyball since 2005. On Tuesday night, Orange swept Eastern Alamance for its tenth straight win at Panther Gymnasium on scores of 25-14, 25-12 and 25-13. The Lady Panthers have now won 32 consecutive sets dating back to August 21, when they dropped the 2nd set to Seaforth in Pittsboro.

After a frustrating month, the Orange men’s soccer team returned to the win column on Monday night. The Panthers defeated Person 4-1 at Orange Soccer Park. Sophomore Dallas Johnson scored his first varsity goal on a penalty kick in the first half. Another sophomore Daniel Romero, notched the game-winning goal for the Panthers, who earned its second win of the season. Junior Angel Chavez also scored in the first half, while senior Emmanuel Mil Cruz added a goal off a header on a gorgeous cross in the second half. Mil Cruz’s goal came off an assist from sophomore Yore Tapia Mendez. Mil Cruz leads Orange with three goals, including the game-winner in the Panthers’ season-opening victory over Durham School of the Arts. Orange lost plenty of players from last year’s team that reached the 3A State playoffs for the first time since 2017. Senior goalkeeper Finn Kelly made two saves to earn his second win of the season. Orange will return to action on Wednesday night when they face Southern Alamance at Redmond Stadium in Graham.

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It was time that the Orange men’s soccer team found its scoring punch after a frustrating month. The Panthers struck early on Monday night for its first Central Carolina Conference win of the season against Person.

Daniel Romero scored his first goal of the season in the fifth minute, which turned out to be the game-winner, as Orange defeated the Rockets 4-1 at Orange Soccer Park. Sophomore Dallas Johnson added his first tally of the season on a penalty kick in the 11th minute for insurance.

Orange won for the first time since its season opener at Durham School of the Arts on August 17 in the Bull City. Romero lead the Panthers with five shots. The Panthers (2-5-1, 1-2 in the Central Carolina Conference), fired 17 shots against Person goalkeeper Jared Viveros, who was under constant siege in the second half. Orange had eleven corner kicks.

“I think we were watching each other a little bit more,” said Orange coach Palmer Bowman. “I think we needed to follow up things a little bit more and put in a little more effort to make sure that effort was rewarded.”

After Person netted a goal to reduce Orange’s lead to 2-1, the Panthers’ Angel Chavez knotted an equalizer in the 34th minute. In the second half, the Panthers had a litany of crosses that yielded plenty of chances but not enough scoring. Finally, Emmanuel Mil Cruz scored on the closing goal on a header in the 55th minute. Mil Cruz now leads Orange with three goals this season.

Angel Arroyo-Cruz, Yore Tapia-Mendez and Romero also had assists for the Panthers.

“I think Dallas Johnson, Yurem Tapia-Mendez played pretty well,” Bowman said. “Those are some younger guys who are really stepping up and taking leadership roles.”

Finn Kelly earned the win as Orange goalkeeper. Backup Eben Petrifies replaced Kelly in net late in the game. Kelly earned his second win of the season.

Orange will travel to Hanford Stadium to face Southern Alamance in Graham on Wednesday.

“I want to be more focused and consistent,” Bowman said about the rest of the regular season. “I want to be more focused going into everything and maintain that focus throughout. If we do that, I think we’ll be OK. But we haven’t done that and here we are.”

Cedar Ridge 3, Eastern Alamance 1: The Cedar Ridge men’s soccer team not only grabbed a road win on Monday night. They set up potentially the biggest soccer match at Red Wolves Stadium in years this Wednesday night.

For the second straight game, junior co-Captain Dominic McNerney scored the game-winning goal as the Red Wolves defeated Eastern Alamance at the John Kirby Sports Complex in Mebane. Senior co-Captain Illah Babchenko assisted on two goals as the Red Wolves improved to 7-1-2, 3-0-1 in the CCC.

Cedar Ridge is now in sole possession of second place in the conference. The only team ahead of them is Western Alamance. On Wednesday night, the Warriors will visit Red Wolves Stadium with first place on the line.

Jonam Juarez scored his second goal in as many games, assisted by Gael Arturo Nunez. Solomon Hernandez finished the scoring with an insurance tally in the second half.

Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Eric Galunas finished with six saves to earn his seventh win of the season.

Cedar Ridge has won in its last three trips to Eastern Alamance.

The Red Wolves last winning season came in 2016, when they finished 10-6-4. Since then, they haven’t had more than eight wins in a regular season.

After the matchup against Western Alamance on Wednesday, the Red Wolves will travel to Burlington to face Walter Williams next Monday.

Cedar Ridge is 4-1-2 on the road this year. Its only road loss came against East Chapel Hill two weeks ago.

Photo courtesy of Elon University Athletics 

Cameron Lanier: Lanier was named the Coastal Athletic Association Rookie of the Week on Monday, becoming the first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf to earn a Division I Conference honor. In Elon’s CAA opener against Hofstra on Saturday, Lanier had a double-double with 13 kills and 14 digs, along with four digs and two aces. Hofstra swept the match against the Phoenix on scores of 35-33, 25-20, and 25-21 at the Mack Physical Education Center in Hempstead, N.Y. On Sunday, Hofstra defeated Elon 3-1 (25-17, 18-25, 25-21, 25-11). Lanier had 12 kills, four digs and two aces. Elon is 3-8, 0-2 in CAA.

Lottie Scully: The Binghamton Bearcats had two five-set thrillers in the UConn Dog Pound Challenge at Gampel Arena in Storrs, CT on Saturday. Brown University defeated Binghamton 3-2 (25-20, 19-25, 22-25, 25-18 and 15-12). The Bears improved to 8-0. Scully had 41 assists, 16 digs, three kills, and one ace. Later that day, Connecticut defeated Binghamton in five sets (26-28, 25-23, 15-25, 25-18 and 15-6). Scully, the Bearcats starting setter, finished with 39 assists, eleven digs, and two kills. On Sunday, Michigan State defeated Binghamton 3-1 (25-12, 23-25, 25-15 and 25-19). Scully had 24 assists, eight digs and two kills. Binghamton is 6-7 and will face Colgate on Tuesday.

Cameron Lloyd: Bucknell got underway with its Patriot League schedule on Friday. Army swept the Bison at Davis Gym in Lewisburg, PA on Friday on scores of 25-21, 25-22 and 25-23. Lloyd had seven kills and eleven digs. On Saturday, Colgate defeated Bucknell 3-1 (25-11, 25-22, 22-25 and 25-21). Lloyd led the team with eleven kills, along with eleven digs and two aces. Bucknell is 4-7 overall, 0-2 in the Patriot League. The Bison will host cross-state rival Lehigh on Friday.

Grace Young: UNC Asheville split two matches in the Spartan Tri-Match at UNC Greensboro on Saturday. The Bulldogs defeated UNC Greensboro 3-2 (27-25, 23-25, 17-25, 25-17 and 15-9) Young played two sets and had one ace with four digs. Earlier in the day, Charlotte defeated UNC Asheville is another five set match (25-12, 30-32, 25-20, 15-25 and 15-13). Young played one set. The Bulldogs are 6-7 and starts its Big South Conference slate against USC Upstate on Saturday in Spartanburg, SC.

Anaya Carter: The Division II UNC Pembroke Braves won both matches of a tri-match on Saturday. The Braves defeated Chowan 3-1 at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court in Pembroke (25-21, 22-25, 25-14 and 29-27). Carter played all four sets and had three kills, seven digs and two aces. Pembroke defeated Winston-Salem State 3-1 (25-21, 25-23, 26-28 and 25-18). Carter was second on the team with 14 kills, along with eight digs. She had one ace. UNC Pembroke is 6-5, 1-0 in Conference Carolinas.

Allie Wilkerson: Division III Averett University defeated the University of Lynchburg 3-1 on September 12 in a match that had two former Orange Panthers on opposite sides. Wilkerson was third on the squad with nine kills. She also had one assist, one ace and one dig. Wilkerson faced Ashlyn Davis, who graduated with Wilkerson from Orange in June. On Thursday, the Cougars defeated Virginia University of Lynchburg 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-11) at the Stuart James Grant Center in Danville, VA. Wilkerson registered two kills, one ace, one block and two digs. On Thursday, Averett defeated Pfeiffer 3-0. Wilkerson was second on the team with six kills. She also had two aces and two digs. The Cougars have won three in a row, are 6-4 overall, 1-0 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

Julie Altieri: The Division III Salisbury Seagulls split a tri-match against William Smith and Gettysburg on Saturday. The Seagulls opened the day with a 3-1 win over William Smith (25-23, 25-17, 15-25, and 25-20). Altieri was tied for the team lead with 14 assists. She also had seven digs and one ace. Gettysburg defeated Salisbury 3-1 (25-23, 24-26, 25-21 and 25-16). Altieri had 12 assists and six digs. Salisbury is 7-2. They will open play in the Hopkins Invitational on Friday against Mount Union.

Melissa Benkowitz: Division III Franklin & Marshall journeyed down to San Antonio for three matches over the weekend, going 2-1. The Diplomats defeated Whittier 3-1 (25-23, 19-25, 25-20 and 25-14). Benkowitz had 13 kills, eight digs, three aces and two assists. #12 Trinity (Texas) defeated Franklin & Marshall 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-21 and 25-19). Benkowitz finished with 13 kills, six aces, ten digs and one assist. The Diplomats defeated Pomona-Pitzer 3-2 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 8-25 and 15-13). Benkowitz had ten kills, five aces, and eight digs. The Diplomats are 6-4.

Ashlyn Davis: The Division III University of Lynchburg defeated Trinity (D.C) at Giles Gymnasium in Lynchburg on Saturday 3-0 (25-3, 25-4 and 25-4). Davis played two sets and finished with one kill. The Hornets are 3-4.

ELON–In 2000, when Florida State was at the peak of its powers winning nine straight ACC Championships, Bobby Bowden said “We already play in the toughest conference. The Florida Conference.”

He was referring to annual nonconference battles against Miami and Florida, who was still coached by Steve Spurrier.

While Orange High won six conference championships across the fall, winter and spring last academic year, and Cedar Ridge had numerous individual athletes make strong runs towards state crowns, football has been it’s own entity since the formation of the Central Carolina Conference in 2022.

It has been the Alamance Conference and it won’t be any different this year.

Though Western Alamance handed Orange a 27-9 loss at Primm Stadium on Friday night, the Panthers asked no quarter and gave none. They held Western Alamance quarterback Evan Kuehnel to a season-low 132 yards passing. Kuehnel started the season throwing for 491 yards in a loss to perennial power Reidsville.

Behind a strong pass rush, the Panthers defense forced six three-and-outs against a normally potent Warriors offense. However, Western’s defense directly generated points. Senior safety Josh Long had two interception returns for touchdowns. The Warriors (4-1, 1-0 in the CCC) also forced an Orange fumble for a safety late in the first half. All told, Western Alamance’s defense scored 16 points.

“That score says 27-9, but anybody watching knows our defense gave up two touchdowns tonight,” said Orange coach DeVante Pettiford. “This is an Alamance County powerhouse, a big, strong team. Bigger and faster than us and that’s a testament of this defense. But there’s three phases to football: offense, defense and special teams. I think we’re doing good on the defensive end, but we’ve got to pick up the others.”

It was a frustrating offensive night on both sidelines. Orange (2-2, 0-1 in the CCC) was held to three first downs and 91 yards. Late in the second quarter, punter, placekicker and safety Tyler Narold added “quarterback” to his resume, replacing starter Hank Nunnery after Orange failed to generate a first down in the opening 20 minutes.

Kuehnel, in his third year as starting quarterback, found top receiver James Newton twice on the Warriors first scoring drive. After a 23-yard pickup on the initial play of the Warriors second series, Kuehnel hit Newton again on 3rd-and-10 from the Orange 28-yard line. Senior running back Cam Cottn rushed up the middle for a 4-yard touchdown with 8:31 remaining in the first quarter.

With 5:20 remaining in the frame, Narold pinned the Warriors to the 14-yard line following a 36-yard punt. Kuehnel, also the Western punter, had one go off the side of his foot from the back of the end zone that wound out of bounds at his own 15-yard line. Orange was unable to move forward, but Narold kicked a season-long 34-yard field goal to reduce the Warriors lead to 6-3. The “scoring drive” was negative two yards.

Late in the first quarter, Long picked off a pass by Nunnery and returned it 34 yards for a touchdown. Camden Oliveria’s extra point put the Warriors ahead 13-3.

Orange’s defense put up another stand after Cotton reeled off a 45-yard run, his longest of the night. Oliveria’s 37-yard field goal banged off the bottom of the crossbar with 4:12 remaining in the first half. On the subsequent drive, the Panthers went backwards. An errant snap to Nunnery wound up in the end zone, where running back Nate Sorrells covered it up before Western linebacker Nick McGhee could get to it, leading to a Western safety.

The ensuing free kick led to the best Western drive of the night. Cotton reeled off runs of 15, 7 and nine yards before junior Marquele Harvey scored on a 16-yard juke around right end with 1:41 remaining in the first half.

After Sorrells picked up Orange’s initial first down of the game with a 12-yard carry to open the third quarter, the Panthers’ drive fizzled after two penalties. With 4:28 remaining, Narold’s pass slipped through Crawford Farmer’s hands and was picked off by Long, who streaked up the left sideline 45 yards for his second touchdown.

Nunnery returned at quarterback in the third quarter and generated the Panthers only touchdown. He hit Ja’Ki McDaniels for a 44-yard pass to the Warriors 13-yard line. After the Warriors were called for a defensive holding penalty, DeAndre Brown bolted forward for a four-yard touchdown run, his first of the season.

“I’m beyond proud of those guys,” Pettiford said. “It shows progress. We’re getting better. Last year, (Western Alamance) won 38-3. Tonight’s we got it down to 27 points. It’s just making progress.”

WESTERN ALAMANCE 27, ORANGE 9

WA–13     8       6   0-27

OR–3       0       0    6-9

WA–Cam Cotton 3 run (kick blocked)

OR–Tyler Narold 34 FG

WA–Josh Long 32 interception return (Camden Oliveria kick)

WA–Safety, Nate Sorrells tackled in end zone

WA–Marquelle Harvey 16 run (pass failed)

WA–Long 45 interception return (kick failed)

OR–DeAndre Brown 4 run (kick failed)

RUSHING: ORANGE (Sorrells 22-33, Brown 2-5 TD, Jaylen Starks 2-(-2), Kayden Bradsher 1-(-6), team 1-(-14).

WESTERN ALAMANCE (Cam Cotton 13-94 TD, Marquelle Harvey 2-28 TD, Collin Moylan 2-6, Kuehnel 3(-4), Ethan Oakley 1-(-6) James Newton 1-(-6),

PASSING: ORANGE 5-26 73 yards 2 INT (Hank Narold 5-19 73 yards INT, Narold 0-7 INT).

WESTERN ALAMANCE 10-31 132 (Kuehnel 10-29 132, Oakley 0-2)

RECEIVING: ORANGE (Ja’Ki McDaniels 1-44, Brandon Cummings 1-16, Kayden Bradsher 1-7, Crawford Farmer 1-4, Sorrells 1-2)

WESTERN ALAMANCE: (Newton 5-61, Jacob Miles 2-49, Long 2-8, William Clinkscales 1-14)

Cedar Ridge 6, Western Alamance 1: The Cedar Ridge women’s tennis team remained undefeated in the Central Carolina Conference with a victory over the Warriors at Red Wolves Tennis Courts on Monday. Annabeth Lundberg captured two matches for the Red Wolves. Lundberg defeated Abigail Simpson at #6 singles 6-1, 6-4. In the only doubles match of the day, Lundberg teamed with Raven Mowles-Airing to defeat Mia Sodano and Abigail Stimpson 6-4.

Senior Cameron Mayhew captured the #1 singles match over Amelia Weaver 6-1, 6-2. The closest match of the day was at #2 singles, where Red Wolves junior Ella Caltabiano defeated Reagan Williams in a match that had two tiebreakers. Caltabiano won the opening set 6-4, but Williams evened things with a 7-6 win in the second set. Williams won the tiebreaker 7-0. In the third set, Caltabiano won 7-6, taking the 10-point tiebreaker 10-8.

Cedar Ridge junior Adeline Cummings defeated Hensley Gasaway 6-1, 6-2 at #3 singles. Sarah McLaughlin won the only match of the day for the Warriors, beating Mowles-Airing 6-3, 6-2. Cedar Ridge senior Catherine Ballenger knocked off Soadno at #5 singles 6-3, 6-0 to clinch the match.

Walter Williams 7, Cedar Ridge 2: In a showdown of the only two undefeated teams in league play from the Central Carolina Conference, Walter Williams defeated the Red Wolves in Burlington.

Mayhew took the opening singles match for Cedar Ridge, beating sophomore Abigail Brown 6-3, 6-1. The Bulldogs took four of the remaining five singles matches, starting with Jaden Wilson beating Caltabiano 6-1, 6-1. Williams freshman Lindley Over knocked off Cummings 6-3, 6-2. Gracie Hartle defeated Mowles-Airing 7-5, 6-2.

Cedar Ridge’s Ballenger kept the Red Wolves alive with a three-set victory over Lauren Taylor, 6-3, 1-6, 10-7 (10-point tiebreaker). Williams Grace Gabrielli won over Cedar Ridge’s Lundberg 6-2, 6-3.

Williams put the match away in the opening doubles tilt when Brown and Wilson defeated Mayhew and Cummings 8-5. At #2 doubles, Oler and Lauren Turner defeated Ballenger and Caltabiano 8-3. Williams completed a sweep of the doubles matches when Hartle and Gabrielli knocked off Mowles-Airing and Lundberg 8-1.

Cedar Ridge had its four match winning streak come to an end. The Red Wolves are 5-3 overall, 3-1 in the CCC. Williams improves to 5-0 overall, 5-0 in league play,

Mayhew is now 7-1 in singles matches this year. Overall, she has won eleven matches, counting her 4-2 record with doubles partner Adeline Cummings. Last week, Cummings and Mayhew teamed to defeat Orange’s Erinn and Shannon Sollars. It was the first match that the Sollars sisters have lost this year.

Ballenger has captured eight wins for Cedar Ridge this year. She has a 5-3 singles record.

On Thursday night, Cedar Ridge defeated Seaforth High in Pittsboro. Results from the match weren’t available at press time. The Red Wolves are 6-3 overall. They will return to action on Wednesday with a road trip to Person. On Thursday, they will travel to East Chapel Hill.

Orange 7, Roxboro Community School 0: Orange freshman Ellie Wilson won a three-set match in her first singles match as the Lady Panthers rolled past the Bulldogs in Hillsborough on Tuesday.

Playing at #4 singles, Wilson defeated Elizabeth Ess 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 10-8 in a 10-point tiebreaker. The rest of the matches were dominance by Orange’s seniors. Erinn Sollars defeated Olivia Ess 6-1, 6-4. Shannon Sollars won at #2 singles over Aurora Bettendorf 6-0, 6-1. Makayla Davis, who won three matches last week in dual matches against Cedar Ridge and Person, defeated Olivia Goddard 6-2, 6-2.

Sophomore Molly Kruse won over Rachel Green 7-6 (7-1), 6-2. Sophomore Kyla Mehl completed an Orange sweep of singles matches with a victory over Kirklyn Owen 6-1, 6-1.

Erinn and Shannon Sollars won the only doubles match. They defeated Olivia Ess and Goodard 8-1.

So far this year, Erin Sollars has won ten matches for Orange. The Sollars sisters are 6-1 in doubles play. Shanon Sollars has won 13 overall matches, including a 7-1 record in singles action.

On Thursday, Orange won its first-ever conference match at Southern Alamance in Graham 9-0. Results of the match weren’t available at press time. The Lady Panthers are 7-3 overall, 3-2 in the CCC.