Going into its third game of the season against Williams on September 13, Orange was 0-2 on the heels of a loss at South Granville.
The good news was they had stumbled upon their new top running back who would go on to become their workhorse for the rest of the season. Sophomore Omarion Lewis was originally penciled in for the junior varsity team this season. After the Panthers had early fumbles against Granville, Lewis was inserted into the game against the Vikings by Coach Van Smith for the 2nd half.
It wasn’t much of a gamble. The junior varsity season hadn’t started yet and if Lewis struggled, he would spend the fall playing mainly on Thursdays instead of Fridays.
Playing only in the second half, Lewis ran for 119 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings.
He didn’t play on Thursdays this year.
Both Williams and Orange went into its game at Auman Stadium with skill position problems. Williams lost its starting quarterback, Kennedy Miles, suffered a torn ACL against Western Alamance. The Bulldogs’ second-string quarterback, freshman Jaelen Brown, also suffered a season-ending injury the previous week against Eastern Alamance.
Orange was without Machai Holt, its most dynamic playmaker as a wingback on offense and as a safety on defense.
The Bulldogs used four different players at quarterback against Orange, including All-Mid Piedmont Conference linebacker Shane Whitter. Williams jumped out to a 13-0 lead after Kendrel Briggs, Williams’ top receiver, threw to Whitter for a 26-yard touchdown pass on a trick play.
Whitter committed to Wake Forest shortly after this game.
After Williams’ Dalton Little picked off a Wyatt Jones pass, William’s Alijah Richmond bolted down the field on an 80-yard touchdown run. But the extra point was wide right and the Bulldogs lead was only 13-0.
Orange was a good takeaway team in 2019. They finished +13 giveaway-takeaway and scored 35% of its points off turnovers. Against the Bulldogs, they scored 14, starting when Orange linebacker Owen Brimmer picked off a pass by Evan Breedlove at the Williams 20-yard line.
The tide of the game turned in a quirky way. It didn’t come on a 80-yard bomb or a pick-six. It came when Orange’s Nigel Slanker tried to kick a field goal, but Williams was whistled for back-to-back offside penalties.
Now faced with a 4th-and-1 from the Williams’ 4-yard line, the Panthers opted to go for it. Fullback Courtney Edwards used his 270-pound frame to barrel behind offensive linemen Dari’us Matkins and Kalen Moore for a touchdown with :47 second remaining in the first half. It was Edwards first touchdown since his Pop Warner days.
Joe Kiger came up with another big interception on Williams’ opening possession of the second half. The Panthers put together a 10-play, 46-yard drive. Quarterback Wyatt Jones hit Elliott Woods for a 19-yard completion on 3rd-and-4. On 4th-and-2 from the Williams 9-yard line, Jones called his own number and ran around left end for five yards. On the next play, Lewis gave Orange the lead for good with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Orange’s defense took over after halftime. They held the Bulldogs to 86 yards and three first downs in the second half.
Jones scored his first rushing touchdown of the season on a quarterback sneak in the fourth quarter to put Orange ahead 21-13. The Bulldogs crossed midfield on its final drive of the game when Whitter found Briggs for a 35-yard pass. But that would be William’s final first down as J.J. Torres picked off a pass to secure the win and end Orange’s four-game home losing streak.