Photo by Liberty Athletics
Ivy Garner: The Liberty Flames won its Conference USA women’s soccer championship in three years on November 7. Garner was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player as the Flames defeated Missouri State 3-0 at Osborne Stadium in Lynchburg, VA. Garner, who was named the Conference USA Most Valuable Player, scored the final goal in the 46th minutes off a penalty kick. In the semifinals, Liberty defeated Sam Houston 2-0. Garner scored both goals. She was named to the All-Tournament team. In the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Clemson defeated Liberty 2-1 at Historic Riggs Field. Garner ended her career by scoring her final Liberty goal in the 19th minute to tie the game. Garner, who played one season of soccer and tennis at Cedar Ridge before transferring to Eno River Academy, ends her Liberty career 2nd in school history with 34 goals, 23 assists and 91 points over 81 goals. She came up one goal shy of tying the single-season goals record. Garner finished the year with 16 goals.
Katie Paulakonis: After playing her junior year at Cedar Ridge, Paulakonis finished her freshman season with the Bellarmine Knights. Paulakonis scored three goals and played in all 20 games. The Knights finished 11-6-3 overall, 4-5-1 in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Braden Crawford: After graduating from Orange in June, former All-Central Conference wrestler Braden Crawford is already starting for the Ferrum Panthers wrestling team, which has completed its transition from Division III to Division II. Crawford was one of ten finalists for Ferrum in the James Madison University Invitational in Harrisonburg, VA on November 8. Competing at 141 pounds, Crawford won three consecutive matches in the consolation round. His first college win came via technical fall over Ibaad Shiakh the University of Maryland 17-2. Crawford scored his first college pin with a victory over West Holmes-Evans of Davis & Elkins College in 2:38. In the consolation semifinals, Crawford defeated Thomas Cavanaugh of Maryland 15-2, a match where he eleven points in the opening 1:21. In the 3rd place match, Steven Stottler of James Madison defeated Crawford. On Saturday, Crawford scored Ferrum’s only win in a dual match against Averett University. Crawford defeated Wyatt Parker 5-4.
Payton Wilson: The former Orange High linebacker/quarterback/punt returner/place kicker continues to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers in tackles with 84. Last Thursday, Wilson had six tackles in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. On November 2, Wilson established a new career-high with 14 tackles and one interception in a win against the Indianapolis Colts, which somehow wasn’t enough to earn him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Instead, it went to his teammate, Wilmington-native Alex Highsmith, who played at Ashley High. The Steelers are one game ahead of Baltimore for first place in the AFC North Division as they prepare to face the Chicago Bears at Solider Field next Sunday.
Darius Satterfield: The Division II Elizabeth City State Vikings ended its season with a 70-30 win over Bluefield State on Roebuck Stadium on November 9. Satterfield handled five kickoffs, two of which went into the end zone. He also converted two extra points. Satterfield’s only punt of the game went 55 yards. Elizabeth City State finished 4-6 overall, 4-3 in the CIAA. The most thrilling win of the season for the Vikings came on November 1, when they defeated Bowie State 28-27. The Vikings scored 14 points in the final quarter, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 1:51 remaining. Satterfield had five punts, averaging 36.4 yards. His longest punt went 42 yards. This season, Satterfield was fifth in the CIAA with a 37.7 yards per punt average. He will be a senior in 2026.
Luke Cecil: The Division III Methodist Monarchs ended its season with a heartbreaking 13-12 loss to Greensboro College on November 15 at Pride Field. As a freshman, Cecil played in six games. The Monarchs finished the year 1-9.
Joseph Logan: The Division III Bluffton University football team ended its season 5-5 overall, 3-3 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Logan, who was an interior lineman for Orange for two years after transferring from Northern Durham, played in one game this season, a 39-23 win over Manchester.
