After the corona virus pandemic cratered the sports scene across the U.S. and around the world, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has taken steps to keep students, staff and coaches safe.
On Thursday afternoon, the NCHSAA mandated that the spring sports season will be suspended starting at 11:59PM on Friday night until Monday, April 6.
Schools may not participate in games, practices, workout or skill development.
“As much as we would like this opportunity for our student-athletes, coaches, and their communities, we know that ultimately any decision we make must err on the side of caution,” said NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker in a statement.
Right now, that’s everything that everyone associated with Orange and Cedar Ridge High Schools knows about the next three weeks.
Cedar Ridge and Orange’s baseball teams both had games scheduled for Friday, but they were both postponed. Orange was suppose to travel to East Chapel Hill for the second game of its two-game set on Friday afternoon. Orange won the first game on Tuesday night 9-4.
Cedar Ridge was supposed to host Northwood in Hillsborough, but that was also delayed. The Chargers threw a 15-out perfect game from Tyler Johnson to win 15-0 on Tuesday night in Pittsboro.
The only games on the slate for Friday will be lacrosse games. Cedar Ridge will host J.F. Webb in the Red Wolves third game this week. Orange will play its Conference 9 opener against Roxboro Community School in Person County.
The Cedar Ridge lacrosse team dropped a disappointing game to Southern Alamance by one goal in Graham. The Red Wolves fell to Eastern Alamance 14-11 in Hillsborough on Monday after taking a 10-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
Zachary Holmes had four goals for the Red Wolves against the Eagles. James Clayton had a goal and two assists.
On Thursday night, West Johnston softball handed Cedar Ridge its first loss of the season 13-3 in five innings. The Wildcats avenged a loss to the Red Wolves last Friday in Hillsborough, which Cedar Ridge won 21-16. The Wildcats scored nine runs in the fourth inning. Cedar Ridge had a doubleheader scheduled against Chapel Hill for Friday, but that was also postponed.
The Orange softball team also suffered a non-conference loss in its final game before the three-week break. Person defeated the Lady Panthers 12-6 at Panther Softball Field. Orange led 4-1 at the end of the second inning. Freshman Serenity McPherson singled in each of her first two at-bats. Each time, she knocked in classmate Carson Bradsher. In the first, Bradsher reached on a leadoff single and eventually scored to tie the game. Sophomore catcher Lauren Jackson gave Orange the lead with a single to second. McPherson, who stole third during Jackson’s plate appearance, touched the plate off the hit.
Orange added two more in the second. McPherson knocked in Bradsher again. After Maddie Bartlett reached on an error, Emma Puckett hit a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Bartlett to score.
It was all Person from that point forward. The Rockets scored eleven consecutive runs. Person pitcher Taylor Sullivan, who replaced starter Delaney Glover in the 3rd, threw four-and-two-thirds innings for the win. She gave up two runs, both in the 7th inning, off five hits.
Person’s Emma Bowes went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs.