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ROXBORO–There was nothing unexpected in Orange’s seventh game in 13 months against Person on Friday night.

The players were exceedingly familiar with each other, right down to which player would be matched up on another. They knew their seasons would be on the line because this was the second round of the 3A State Playoffs. Everyone understood there would be an overflow crowd waiting to get in to watch two conference rivals battle in the state playoffs for the first time in modern history.

Indeed, there was a line stretched around Person’s auxiliary entrance 15 minutes before tipoff. The wait for tickets was so long, along with metal detectors at the gate, the crowd didn’t fully settle in until midway through the second quarter.

What was unusual about Friday night was how Person won. It was with defense.

Orange shot just 2-of-15 from 3-point range.

What wasn’t unusual was the play of Lance Clarke, who put in a stellar performance as the Rockets won their biggest battle ever against Orange.

Clarke finished with 20 points to send Person onto the Sweet 16 of the 3A State Playoffs with a 56-53 win. The Rockets (27-2) claimed its 14th straight win and will host White Oak on Tuesday night. It was the Rockets third win over the Panthers in February.

Orange ends the season 19-9. Junior guard Kai Wade paced the Panthers with 18 points.

It’s Person’s first trip to the third round of the state playoffs since 2012, when they were a 4A team playing in the old PAC-6 Conference.

Orange suffered its worst shooting performance since the fifth-place game of the South Granville Holiday Invitational in Creedmoor, where they went 2-of-16 against Cedar Valley (Utah) on December 31. Even that performance comes with an asterisk because Cedar Valley had won its previous two games in the tournament. The only reason they played Orange in the fifth-place game was because they had a catch a flight back to Eagle Mountain, Utah and needed to play early in order to fit in a third game on its east coast trip.

Kai Wade drilled a 3-pointer for the game’s opening field goal. Clarke immediately galloped down the floor to the basket, scored on a lay-in and was fouled by Orange senior Michael Clark. The Rockets scored 12 in a row playing stiff defense, including Clarke stripping the ball away from Freddy Sneed for a lay-in to put Person ahead 12-3, leading to an Orange timeout. The Panthers went over four minutes without a point and played catchup the rest of the night.

To make matters tougher for Orange, they lost Clark to three fouls in the first quarter. Clark scored the game-winning 3-point play with :36.7 remaining to beat C.B. Aycock on Tuesday night.

Yet Person’s fortunes from downtown weren’t any better. The Rockets were 1-of-15 from 3-point range. Kyan Lunsford made Person’s only 3-pointer midway through the second quarter to give Person its largest lead at 25-11.

Orange had sprung a big comeback before in Roxboro. In its 67-65 win on January 9, the Panthers shot 12-of-15 from the field in the 3rd quarter to erase a 28-9 Person lead, including 6-of-9 from 3-point range. While the shots weren’t falling on Friday, the Panthers still made a rally and had a chance to tie twice in the final two minutes.

Kai Wade started a run with his patented pull-up jumper from 15-feet early in the fourth quarter. Then Sneed stripped the ball away from Person guard Quante Bowman and slammed it down, his final points as a Panther. Clark made a theft off a pass and with a chance to cut Person’s lead to three points, Sneed was called for a charge, taken by Bowman.

Clark came alive in his final quarter as a Panther. He scored a 3-point play to cut Person’s lead to 44-40 with 6:09 remaining.

Just as he did during the Central Conference Tournament last week, Lunsford came through in crucial moments. He scored an old-school 3-point play, then on a lay-in following a steal by Clarke.

With Person leading 50-44, Wade got a uncontested lay-in off a steal for a lay-up. Then Clark picked off a pass and scored on a lay-in. Clarke took a pass and sank a jumper in the paint to extend the Person lead to 52-48.

Wade drained Orange’s only 3-pointer of the second half to cut it to 52-51. The Rockets missed a lay-up on its next trip and Orange had a chance to take the lead with :44 left, but the Panthers missed from deep. Bowman got the rebound to trigger a transition basket, which ended with Clarke finding Lunsford to put the Rockets up by three. Orange missed another 3-pointer, resulting in a lay-in by Clarke with :19 left.

Clark scored on a short jumper with :10.3 left, reducing Person’s lead to 56-53. On the subsequent inbounds pass, Person’s Tae Winstead dropped the ball out of bounds. With another chance to tie, a shot fell short for Orange and the Rockets ran out the clock.

A remorseful Orange locker room was emotional afterwards following a successful season Despite losing its top scorer in Coleman Cloer, who transferred to Caldwell Academy, and center Mason Robinson, who left for Greensboro Day School, the Panthers won 19 games, including road wins at Chapel Hill and Person.

In the end, seniors Xandrell Pennix, Michael Clark, Freddy Sneed, Ethan Ellis, Jamari McDaniel, Conrad Graham, Barrett Liner and Ian Wilson just wanted one more shot to go down against a Person team that beat Orange three times in February by a combined margin of six points.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior swimmer Piper White. Last month, White won two Central Regional individual titles at the championships held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. White won the 50 yard freestyle title at 25.04 seconds, keeping that event within the Panther family. The previous four years, Katie Belle Sikes of Orange had won the 50 free. White added the 100 yard freestyle regional championship to her resume, finishing at 54.33 seconds. At the Central Conference Championships at the Orange County Sportsplex in Hillsborough on January 25, White won the 50 yard free title at 26.51 seconds. She also won the 100 yard freestyle championship. White would go on to take the bronze medal at the 3A State Championships in the 50 yard freestyle. White also won the conference championship in the 200 yard medley relay with teammates Addison Moore, Zoe Jones and Ainsley Rasinske. They finished at 2:02.68. White also took a conference championship in the 400 yard freestyle relay with Jones, Moore and Rasinske, closing at 4;09.98. White has won three state championships in relay races. She teamed with Sikes, Riley White and Jones to take the 200 yard medley and 400 yard freestyle in 2024. White helped Orange finish 2nd in the conference championships this year and has been a member of won two team conference titles in 2023 and 2024.

Orange Panther of the Week: Piper White

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior swimmer Piper White. Last month, White won two Central Regional individual titles at the championships held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. White won the 50 yard freestyle title at 25.04 seconds, keeping that event within the Panther family.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior wrestling Ryan Rakouskas. This week, Rakouskas ended his grappling career at the State Wrestling Championships at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. Last month, Rakouskas won the 150-pound Mideast Regional Wrestling Championship. At the state championships, Rakouskas pinned Eligah Brown of West Charlotte in the opening round in 46 seconds. Rakouskas would go on to pin Brock Smith of Jacksonville. Rakouskas concluded the year 49-8 after reaching the state championships for the second time in his career. He finished his wrestling career with 147 career wins, fifth all-time in school history. Earlier this winter, Rakouskas earned his 100th career pinfall victory. Rakouskas is a part of a senior class that changed the balance of power in local wrestling circles. In his junior year, Rakouskas was a part of Cedar Ridge’s first regular season wrestling championship as a 3A team in wrestling, finishing undefeated in conference action. That included its first-ever win over Orange. This year, Cedar Ridge won at Orange for the first time. Rakouskas won the 150-pound Central Conference championship in 2024 and 2025 at Williams High School in Burlington. On Friday, Rakouskas started his third season playing on the Cedar Ridge lacrosse team, where he is a long-stick midfielder.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Ryan Rakouskas

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior wrestling Ryan Rakouskas. This week, Rakouskas ended his grappling career at the State Wrestling Championships at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. Last month, Rakouskas won the 150-pound Mideast Regional Wrestling Championship.

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The season ended last week for the Cedar Ridge men’s basketball team, but they took steps forward this year. In November, they ended a 16-game road winning streak when they defeated Seaforth 59-50 in Pittsboro. It was the first road win for the Red Wolves’ men’s basketball team since February 3, 2023. Senior Braeden Wilbourn scored 16 points, 13 in the second half. In just his third varsity game, Tripp Beasley scored 15 points. Later that week, the Red Wolves won another road game over Durham School of the Arts at Sykes Gymnasium. Cedar Ridge surpassed its win total from all of last season on December 11 when they defeated Eno River Academy at Red Wolves Gymnasium in Hillsborough. Wilbourn scored 20 points against the Bobcats while Beasley added 15 points. Cedar Ridge coach Mike Jones found some important front line players like junior center Jack Kelsey and forward Kevin Ntim. On January 28, Cedar Ridge defeated Southern Alamance 52-43 in Graham, it’s first Central Conference road win in nearly two years. Kelsey and sophomore guard Jordan Jacobson scored 16 points for the Red Wolves against the Patriots. Cedar Ridge defeated Northern Durham 61-57 in Hillsborough on December 13. As Wilbourn will graduate in June, the Red Wolves will look to build around Beasley, Jacobson, Ntim and Kelsey for next season and beyond.

Cedar Ridge men’s basketball’s Braeden Wilbourn & Tripp Beasley discuss win over SEAFORTH

The season ended last week for the Cedar Ridge men’s basketball team, but they took steps forward this year. In November, they ended a 16-game road winning streak when they defeated Seaforth 59-50 in Pittsboro. It was the first road win for the Red Wolves’ men’s basketball team since February 3, 2023.

The Orange lacrosse team may have lost the highest scorer in school history, but their expectations aren’t any lower for this season. After winning the 3A/2A/1A Eastern Regional championship, the Panthers have opened this season 2-0 with dominant victories over Southeast Alamance and Northern Guilford. On Tuesday, Owen Wimstt had a hat trick while Dylan Herndon scored two goals as the Orange dominated the Stallions in Haw River in the season-opener. Luke Nevius and Luke Stitz each recorded three points while Jackson Eakes added two goals. Overall, 13 different Panthers scored goals. Eakes handled duties as the faceoff circle, winning eight draws. Ryder Fesperman also had eight faceoff wins. In Orange’s home opener on Wednesday night, the Panthers defeated Northern Guilford 11-3. Jay Parker scored four goals while Brett Clark added three goals. Orange lost plenty on the defensive end with the graduations of Sascha Van Praag and Alden Cathey. Andrew Jouannet came up big on the defensive end against the Nighthawks. Holden Ray forced a takeaway and Aidan Monteith also had takeaways. Goalkeeper Jackson Runkle had seven saves. Orange has won four consecutive conference championships under head coach Chandler Zirkle. Next week, the Panthers will open conference play against Walter Williams at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough.

Orange lacrosse’s Holden Ray, Aidan Monteith & Drew Jouannet discuss 2-0 start to season

The Orange lacrosse team may have lost the highest scorer in school history, but their expectations aren’t any lower for this season. After winning the 3A/2A/1A Eastern Regional championship, the Panthers have opened this season 2-0 with dominant victories over Southeast Alamance and Northern Guilford.

The Orange men’s basketball team looked the end of its season right in the eye on Tuesday night and didn’t blink. Trailing 63-61 with 35 seconds remaining, Michael Clark hit a 3-point play with :31.7 remaining to lift the Panthers past C.B. Aycock 69-66 in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs. It was senior guard Xandrell Pennix who started the rally when he deflected an inbounds pass thrown by Aycock’s Jarvis Williams, who caught the ball while standing out of bounds. Clark got an offensive rebound and scored while getting fouled, leading to the game-winning free throw. Sophomore Kamaal Smith had several big plays in the final 30 seconds, including two free throws to put Orange ahead 67-63. The Golden Falcons had a chance to tie with :2.5 remaining, but Smith stole the inbounds pass and ran out the clock. Pennix led Orange with 23 points, his third straight game with over 20 points. Senior Freddy Sneed, in possibly the final home game of his career, had five steals and four assists. Orange has won state playoff games in back-to-back years for the first time since 2016-2017. Up next will be a familiar face: the Person Rockets. It will be the fourth matchup between the Panthers and the Rockets this year. Tipoff in the 2nd round of the state playoffs will be at 7PM on Friday night in Roxboro.

Orange men’s basketball’s Xandrell Pennix, Freddy Sneed & Kamaal Smith discuss win over C.B. Aycock

The Orange men’s basketball team looked the end of its season right in the eye on Tuesday night and didn’t blink. Trailing 63-61 with 35 seconds remaining, Michael Clark hit a 3-point play with :31.7 remaining to lift the Panthers past C.B. Aycock 69-66 in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs.

Some teams would shrink from the adversity of losing its experienced point guard with its season on the brink in the state playoffs.

On Tuesday night, Orange fed off of it. And they advanced.

Michael Clark, a senior co-Captain, scored off an offensive rebound while drawing a blocking foul with :32.7 remaining against C.B. Aycock. Clark’s subsequent free throw would put the Panthers ahead for good as Orange rallied to defeat the Golden Falcons 69-66 in Hillsborough on Tuesday night.

Orange (19-8) advances to face Person in the second round on Friday night. It will be the fourth matchup between the Rockets and the Panthers this season.

The final minute of the game had parallels to crushing Orange losses over the past two weeks that cost them the Central Conference regular season and tournament championships. Point guard Kai Wade fouled out with 1:24 remaining in regulation, just as he did when the Panthers lost to Eastern Alamance in the final regular season game, which the Eagles pulled out to win a share of the regular season title.

The Falcons took a 63-61 lead after Zimere Mcclarin scored off an offensive rebound with 1;24 remaining. Moments later, Wade was called for using his off arm to ward off Jaiden Williams, an offensive foul. Instead of Orange’s offence crumbling, their defense created opportunities.

Orange senior Xandrell Pennix slapped the subsequent midcoast inbounds pass back at Aycock guard Jarvis Williams, who caught the ball off the deflection while still standing out of bounds, leading to a Falcon turnover.

Pennix attempted a 3-pointer from the corner but missed. Clark captured the rebound, took a single dribble and forced up a shot from the middle of the paint against Aycock center Janeson Steele. The shot was good and, after a bit of a delay, Steele was called for a blocking foul.

After Clark’s free throw put Orange ahead 64-63, Panther guard Kamaal Smith nearly stole the inbounds pass. After a scramble on the floor, it was picked up by the Falcons’ Dominick Jones, who sprinted down the floor, floated between Clark and center Jalen Crayton but missed a chipee at the rim. Steele tapped the offensive rebound but came up short. Smith got the board, was fouled and sank two free throws with :22.1 remaining, putting the Panthers ahead 66-63.

Aycock’s Jarvis Williams beat the Orange full-court pressure down the floor on a breakaway, but missed a layup, leading to another Smith rebound and free throw. Aycock had a chance to tie with :2.7 remaining, but Smith stole the inbounds pass from three-quarters court and dribbled out the clock.

Aycock, who finished 2nd behind East Wake in the Quad County Conference, used its length and size to throw Orange’s offense into a tizzy early. The Panthers didn’t score in the opening 6:13. Pennix, who led the Panthers with 23 points, ended the drought with a drive to the basket with 1:47 remaining. Yet the Falcons couldn’t take advantage of it, shooting only 2-of-10 in the opening stanza. Remarkably, the Panthers scored 15 points in the final two minutes of the first quarter, keyed by 3-pointers from Wade and Pennix to take a 15-6 lead.

Aycock shot 7-of-9 in the second quarter, including three 3-pointers, outscoring Orange 22-8 to take a 28-23 halftime lead.

After Steele made two free throws to put the Falcons ahead 29-24 in the third quarter, Clark went on a personal 5-0 run to tie the game, capped with a 3-pointer assisted by Hector Garrido. Jaiden Williams, who led Aycock with 25 points, tied the game with two free throws. Orange scored on its next seven possessions, starting when Garrido took a pass from Pennix and earned an old school 3-point play while getting fouled by Jarvis Williams. Pennix and Wade made 3-pointers to extend the Panther lead to 42-37.

Crayton scored on a stickback with 2:53 remaining in regulation to put the Panthers ahead 61-55, but the Falcons went on a 10-0 run to take the lead down he stretch. Jaiden Williams was responsible for six consecutive points, including a lay-in assisted by Jarvis Williams to tie it up at 61-61 with 1:46 remaining.

It’s the first time that Orange has won state playoff games in back-to-back years since 2016-2017. Last year, the Panthers defeated Currituck County in the opening round.