It was a classic battle of ground game vs. air game on Auman Stadium on Thursday night, but some good old fashioned defense turned out to be the biggest play that earned the Orange JV football team its second win of the season.
Cameron White recovered a Cummings fumble at the 15-yard line with 2:35 remaining to keep the Cavaliers from scoring the go-ahead touchdown as Orange held on to defeat Cummings 34-32.
It was a strong night for the Orange running game. Colin Guentensberger scored three touchdowns. Eryk Mercado added two scored. Vital runs on the final drive by sophomore Jett Satterfield helped run the clock out as the Panthers continue its dominance in the JV ranks.
Orange bolted out to a 24-6 lead before Cummings scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions. The game ran nearly three hours because a Cummings player had to be stretchered off the field by Orange County EMS after a frantic scramble for a fumble on a 2-point conversion. The player was breathing on his own and moving his legs as he was stretchered into the awaiting ambulance.
The Orange JV squad is slated to travel to Western Guilford in Greensboro next Thursday for its final nonconference game.