It has to start somewhere.
To the truest sense of the term, Orange football is starting all over again. Most notably at the top with former Southern Alamance coach Fritz Hessenthaler taking over the helm in place of DeVante Pettiford, who is now the defensive coordinator at Western Alamance.
On a 44-man roster, there are three seniors, 21 sophomores, and a whole new coaching staff aside from longtime assistants Eric Stephens and Anthony Cecil.
With all the new faces trying to get used to a new system and each other, the Panthers opened a new era on Friday night against a team that has quickly become the premier brand name in Alamance County football.
The result were predictable.
Southeast Alamance scored touchdowns on each of its first seven possessions in a 55-22 rout of Orange at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough. Junior running back D.J. Callis scored four touchdowns with 155 yards from scrimmage. In his first start, Stallions quarterback Tyler Jackson went 12-for-13 for 178 yards and two touchdowns, including a 67-yard strike to Callis in the first quarter. Jackson added a 68-yard bomb to Antonio Williamson to start the second quarter.
Southeast Alamance has now won eleven consecutive regular season games.
Returning to the site of its first-ever game two years ago, which Orange won 33-20, the Stallions have won 13 of its last 15 overall.
Hessentaler’s run-oriented offense was grounded. The Panthers’ managed to keep it close in the opening 15 minutes behind two long bombs for touchdowns thrown by sophomore quarterback Jackson Moody.
In his first varsity start, Moody found senior Hunter Albert for an 86-yard touchdown pass with 2:13 remaining in the first quarter, reducing the Stallions lead to 14-6.
After Callis scored his third touchdown on an 8-yard gallup with :32 remaining in a 1st quarter that took 40 minutes of actual time, Moody hit sophomore Owen Phillips for a 83-yard touchdown. A 2-point conversion run by Markus Thomas cut the Panthers deficit to 21-14.
Southeast Alamance responded with touchdowns on each of its next four drives, all on series that lasted less than four plays. Orange didn’t get a first down for the remainder of the opening half.
Less than a minute after Phillips’ score, Jackson connected with Williamson for a 68-yard touchdown. On the subsequent Orange drive, Kayden Bradsher was tackled at the Orange 20-yard line on a failed fake punt attempt. Stallions running back Aiden Pak stomped up the middle six yards for a score two plays later, then kicked the extra point.
Pak connected on seven of eight extra points.
After an Orange three-and-out, Jackson found Drew Easter for 20 yards, Jace Evans for seven yards before Marquis Burnette danced up the middle for a four-yard touchdown run.
Late in the second quarter, Callis cut up ahead for 18 yards, leading to Parker hitting Easter for a 15-yard touchdown catch, the seventh straight drive where the Stallions scored a touchdown.
The most positive development for Orange defensively came when sophomore Mason Stubbs picked off a pass late in the second quarter.
Pak blocked a Bradsher punt to open the third quarter. It led to Callis’ fourth touchdown on a three-yard run.
With a running clock established and backups in the game in the third quarter, Orange did establish a drive much more to Hessenthaler’s style. It was a 14-play, 73-yard drive where Thomas got eight carries. The Panthers converted two third downs and a fourth down, ending with Thomas scoring his first varsity touchdown on a six-yard scamper. Thomas added the 2-point conversion, as well.
East Chapel Hill 44, Cedar Ridge 0
For the third straight time, East Chapel Hill defeated the Red Wolves. It happened at Dave Thaden Stadium on Friday night.
The Red Wolves have now lost 29 consecutive games. It was the first game for new Wildcats head coach Ricky Morton.
Graham will travel to Cedar Ridge for the Red Wolves home opener next week.
