Month: March 2022

Like all other local baseball seniors, Brian Flores hasn’t had a traditional season since he started at Cedar Ridge.

The pandemic ended his sophomore season to only three games. Last season, the Red Wolves was limited to eleven games because of a reduced schedule mandated by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

So when Coach Bryson Massey texted Flores that he was starting against Northwood in Pittsboro last Tuesday, no one knew what to expect. Certainly not Massey and Flores. Not to mention that Northwood may be the most hitter-friendly ballpark in the Central Carolina Conference.

Flores had a few relief appearances this season, the most recent coming against Person on March 15. Yet he had never started a game.

No one could have imagined that Flores would throw a complete game two-hitter against the Chargers. Or that he would take a no-hitter into the sixth inning after he walked Northwood’s Seth Davis to open the game. The Chargers’ Walker Johnson broke up the no-hitter with a double to left field, ending a string of 15 consecutive batters retired by Flores.

By that point, Cedar Ridge had largely put the game away, leading 6-0. Flores would finish with his first career complete game, conceding only one run and two hits in seven innings. He struck out four with one walk in a 6-1 Cedar Ridge win.

“He did more than I could have expected,” Massey said. “I told him to go out there and win us a ballgame and he did. He beat a gritty Northwood team that gives you a lot of troubles. He kept them off balance and gave us a chance to win the ballgame.”

It was the second straight year that the Red Wolves won at Northwood. Last season, Cedar Ridge won in Pittsboro 8-2, Massey’s first conference win as the Red Wolves’ coach.

Cedar Ridge jumped on top of the Chargers with a run in the opening inning. Following a leadoff single by third baseman B.J. Thornton, senior Aidan McAllister reached on an infield hit. McAllister stole second, which led to an RBI single from Garrett Ray.

The Red Wolves struck for two runs in the third inning, once again generated by McAllister’s base running. McAllister, who has committed to play at Hofstra, reached on an infield single. The ball was thrown away by a Charger fielder and wound up going up a steep hill behind first base, which doesn’t have a fence behind it. After McAllister took second, Efrain Morales lined a fastball to right to plate McAllister. Right field Nick Nolan moved Morales to second with another hit, while Carlo Garay would knock Nolan in with an RBI groundout.

In the fourth inning, Morales drove in McAllister with a double to right field. Braedyn Jacobson, who reached on an error to start the frame, scored off another error. B.J. Thornton added another run.

Thornton finished 3-for-4, while McAllister, Ray and Morales were each 2-for-4.

“I love this team,” Massey said. “They’re going to fight and they’ve been through it together. There’s a lot of seniors and they’ve gone through the battles. They’ve suffered some tough losses and this year they’ve won some games. I couldn’t be more happy with the first half of the season.”

On Friday, Northwood defeated Cedar Ridge 5-2 to split the two-game series in Hillsborough. Northwood coach David Miller started Salvador Delgado, who also started Tuesday’s game. This time, Delgado keep the Cedar Ridge bats quiet through two-and-two-thirds innings, conceding only a triple by Morales in the first and a single by McAllister in the third.

Northwood jumped out to a 5-0 lead at the end of three innings. In just the second at-bat of the game, Charger third baseman Zach Barnes doubled to right field to score Mason Bae, who drew a leadoff walk. Luke Smith would knock in Barnes on a sacrifice fly.

Morales went 3-for-3 for the Red Wolves on Friday

Cedar Ridge will start play in the Hilltop Invitational against Holly Springs on Wednesday night at 6PM. The Red Wolves are scheduled to host Chapel Hill on Thursday at 6, then will travel to East Chapel Hill Friday afternoon at 4PM.

The Red Wolves (6-4 overall, 3-3 in the CCC) will return to conference play against Eastern Alamance on April 5 in Hillsborough.

At the beginning of this week, Orange sophomore Josiah Gibbs didn’t know he would be starting the first game of his varsity career on Thursday. When the Panthers’ junior varsity game against Southwestern Randolph was canceled on Thursday afternoon, Orange coach Jason Knapp decided to start Gibbs in the varsity game against the Cougars. Gibbs made an instant impression, throwing five shutout innings as the Panthers rolled 9-2. Gibbs threw only 49 pitches against 18 batters and surrendered just five hits with zero walks. Orange junior Connor Nordan had an RBI double during the Panthers’ five-run first inning. Nordan replaced Gibbs on the mound in the sixth inning. He finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Orange is now 5-4 and will travel to Williams on Friday night for its final game before spring break. Orange will start play in the Hilltop Invitational on Wednesday against traditional power New Hanover in Hillsborough. 

After a disappointing loss to Perquimans in Wilson on Saturday, the Orange baseball team found its offensive grove again in a 7-2 victory over Williams on Tuesday night in Hillsborough. Junior pitcher Ryan Hench earned his first win of the season, finishing with eight strikeouts over five innings. Hench went 3-for-3 at the plate with two triples and a solo home run in the fourth inning. Of Orange’s seven hits, five were extra-base hits. Junior Joey Pounds relieved Hench in the sixth inning and threw a perfect frame with one strikeouts. In his last two appearances out of the bullpen, Pounds has thrown four-and-two-thirds consecutive scoreless innings. Orange is now tied with Eastern Alamance for first place in the Central Carolina Conference, a league that takes a new shape after every night of games. On Thursday night, Orange will host Southwestern Randolph in a nonconference game. You can hear that game at 7PM on Hillsboroughsports.com. On Friday, the Panthers will complete the two game series against the Bulldogs with a trip to Burlington.

The Cedar Ridge men’s lacrosse team isn’t far away from being undefeated in one of the best conferences in the state.

After a tight loss to crosstown rival Orange, the Red Wolves have responded with three consecutive wins. After beating Eastern Alamance 10-4 at Red Wolves Stadium last Thursday, Cedar Ridge stepped out of Mid-Carolina Conference play to handle Southern Alamance 16-6 in Hillsborough on Monday. Senior Captain Roman Oguntoyinbo scored six goals for the Red Wolves and finished with eight points. Oguntoyinbo scored the opening two goals of the first quarter, the second assisted by junior midfielder Billy Power.

Power finished with a hat trick for the Red Wolves and came away with seven points. Senior Logan Ekholm’s only goal put the Red Wolves ahead 3-1 at the end of the first quarter.

Leo Oguntoyinbo started as the Red Wolves goalkeeper. He finished with five saves. Josh Taylor replaced Leo Oguntoyinbo in the second half and had three saves.

Alex Castro scored two goals for Cedar Ridge. Harrison Neal, Mason Lynde, Holden Neal and Eric Thole also notched goals. Jacob Driver assisted on two goals.

On Tuesday night, Cedar Ridge had a hard fought 8-6 win over Western Alamance at Davis Morton Field in Elon. Power led the Red Wolves with four goals and one assist. Roman Oguntoyinbo had three goals and three assists as Cedar Ridge improved to 3-2 in the Mid-Carolina Conference. Mason Lynde added a goal.

Leo Oguntoyinbo played the second half for the Red Wolves and came up with some huge saves. He earned the win with nine saves. Taylor started in net. Jimmy Orozco had five ground balls for Cedar Ridge, while Kadin Brown and Eric Thole were credited with four ground balls each.

Cedar Ridge will play its final game before spring break at Williams in Burlington on Friday night.

Men’s Tennis: Carrboro 6, Cedar Ridge 3

In a tight match between two of the top teams in the area, the Jaguars outlasted the Red Wolves courtesy of wins in the final four singles matches. Cedar Ridge’s Josh Mayhew remained undefeated on the season with a three-set victory over Jonathan Baddour. Mayhew captured the match 6-2, 4-6, 10-3. Mayhew is now 8-0.

At #2 singles, senior Eli Rachlin won over Wesley Hanes 6-4, 6-1. Rachlin is 6-1 on the year.

Cedar Ridge’s only doubles win came from the #1 team of Mayhew and Seth Upchurch, who defeated Baddour and Jonas Miyagawa 8-5. The Red Wolves were supposed to face Williams in a critical Central Carolina Conference match last Wednesday, but it was rained out. On Thursday, the Red Wolves will host Northwood in Hillsborough.

Orange 8, Roxboro Community School 1

The Orange men’s tennis team completed a season-sweep of Roxboro Community School with a 8-1 win at Panther Tennis Courts last Thursday. Freshman Porter Pelphrey was named the Orange Panther of the Match after winning at #2 singles 8-1. Senior Justin Conover won twice on the day for the Panthers. He prevailed at #1 singles 8-1. Then at #1 doubles, Conover teamed with Pelphrey to win 8-0.

Orange swept all six singles matches. At #3, Joseph Clark won 8-4. At #4, junior Nathan Pavalonis prevailed 8-2. Tristan Plummer won at #5 8-2. Junior Brendan Kassler completed the sweep with a 8-3 victory.

At #3 doubles, sophomore Jackson Panning and freshman Ryan Jouannet team to emerge victorious 9-7.

Orange 5, Western Alamance 4: Orange won its first Central Carolina Conference tournament match of the season with a victory over the Warriors on Tuesday in Hillsborough. Orange’s doubles team of Clark and Pavalonis had the decisive victory at #2 doubles, winning 8-2.

Orange won four of the six singles matches. Justin Conover prevailed at #1 singles 6-1, 6-2. Clark won at #3 singles 6-2, 6-0. Pavalonis also was victorious at #4 singles 6-2, 6-0. Plummer captured his match at #5 singles 6-2, 6-4.

Orange will face Williams in Burlington on Friday.

Photo by University of Richmond Athletics

Connor Crabtree: Crabtree became the first former Orange basketball player to play in an NCAA Tournament game since 1996 last week. Crabtree played in 13 minutes as the Spiders upset Iowa, the Big 10 Tournament champions, 67-63 in the opening round of the Midwest Regional in Buffalo. Crabtree played 13 minutes and grabbed a rebound. On Saturday, Providence ended the Spiders’ season 79-51. In his final game of the year, Crabtree played three minutes. Richmond ends the year the Atlantic 10 Tournament champions for the 2nd time (they played in the Colonial Athletic Association from 1979-2001) with a record of 24-13. The last player from Orange High to play for a victorious team in the NCAA Tournament was Constance Poteat when the N.C. State women’s basketball team defeated Montana 77-68 in Tuscaloosa, AL on March 15, 1996.

Joey Berini: The East Carolina baseball team dropped two out of three games against the College of Charleston last weekend at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, SC. On Saturday, the Cougars edged the Pirates 4-3. Berini entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and remained in the game to play 2nd base. On Sunday, the Cougars defeated the Pirates 10-3. Berini went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter.

Phillip Berger: Berger had a no-decision in William Peace’s 11-10 loss to Methodist University at Armstrong-Shelly Stadium last Friday. Berger threw seven innings and struck out six. He gave up seven runs on ten hits with one walk. Peace is now 11-9, 1-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference.

Will Walker: The Pitt Community College baseball team had a weekend sweep if Bryant & Stratton Community College in Winterville. On Friday, the Bulldogs defeated the Bobcats 15-14. Walker singled in the eighth inning and eventually scored the go-ahead run off a wild pitch. He went 1-for-4 with an RBI. On Saturday, Pitt defeated Bryant & Stratton 10-3 in seven innings. Walker hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the Bulldogs ahead by eight runs. In the bottom of the third, Walker led off with a single and he scored off a home run by Hunter Zents. On Sunday, Pitt completed the sweep with a 5-3 win. Walker, who started at first base, went 1-for-4. Pitt Community College is 14-4 overall, 10-4 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Mia Davidson: It was a gratifying weekend for the Mississippi State softball team, which swept in-state rival Ole Miss in a three-game set. On Friday, the Bulldogs edged the Rebels 9-8 at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. Davidson went 0-for-2. Mississippi State defeated Ole Miss 7-3 on Saturday. Davidson went 0-for-1, but she scored twice after she walked once and was hit by a pitch twice. The Bulldogs completed the sweep with a 6-0 win on Sunday. Davidson went 0-for-2. It was the first time Mississippi State swept Ole Miss since 2013.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team defeated the Charlotte 49ers 8-1 at Daughtridge Stadium in Charlotte last Tuesday. Dalehite started in right field and went 0-for-3. On Sunday, Dalehite started in right field as the Spartans defeated Elon 10-9 in eight innings at UNCG Softball Stadium. She went 0-for-3 with a run scored in the sixth inning, as the Spartans rallied from a 4-0 deficit to salvage a game in the three-game set. UNCG is 17-10 and will start its Southern Conference schedule against Mercer this weekend.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team has won 14 in a row. On Friday, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Herkimer College. In the opening game, which CVCC won 3-2 in Hickory, Andrews started at second base and went 0-for-3. Catawba Valley captured the nightcap 3-0. Andrews went 0-for-2. On Saturday, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader against Fayetteville Technical Community College. In the opening 10-0 win in five innings, Andrews went 1-for-1 with a RBI off a sacrifice bunt. Andrews went 2-for-3 in the nightcap as Catawba Valley won 14-3. Andrew finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI double in the third inning. Catawba Valley is 19-1, 8-0 in Region X.

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick & Henry Community College softball team defeated Richard Bland College 4-2 on Sunday in Prince George County, VA. Hurdle went 0-for-4. Richard Bland defeated Patrick & Henry 10-6 in the second game of the doubleheader. Hurdle went 1-for-3. She also started as pitcher and threw four innings with four strikeouts.

Jamar Davis: The N.C. State track & field team started its outdoor season at the Black & Gold Invitational in Orlando over the weekend. Davis set a personal record in the long jump at 7.63 meters. He finished in 2nd place behind his teammate, Von Douglas.

Dylan Boyer: The Division II Queen’s University men’s lacrosse team defeated Mars Hill 26-5 at the Queen’s Sports Complex on Saturday. Boyer entered the game as a reserve in the second half.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team defeated William Peace 17-13 in its USA South Athletic Conference opener in Cary on Saturday. Jones entered the game as a reserve and had a ground ball. The Falcons are 5-1.

PITTSBORO–If they accomplish nothing else for the rest of this season, the Orange lacrosse team can say they came back from a 7-1 deficit to beat longtime rival Northwood. And they did it in Pittsboro.

While it was a great victory, Orange coach Chandler Zirkle would rather not reach the point where rallying from a six-goal deficit would be necessary from now on.

However, it was entirely required on Monday night after the Chargers roared out at home behind strong play from midfielders Will Smith and Ryan Brinker. But Northwood was without its leading scorer, Taylor Laberge, as well as defensive stalwarts Van Reece and Gianmarc Byers (both injured). Without them, Northwood suited up just 16 players, and one of those was backup goalkeeper Robbie Delgado.

Zirkle successfully managed the game into a battle of attrition that a heavily-manned Panthers squad was more than capable of dominating in the final minutes. Orange scored eight consecutive goals in the fourth quarter to come away with a 14-9 victory at Charger Stadium.

Sophomore midfielder Connor Kruse finished with five goals and three assists. Jake Wimsatt had three goals, all in the fourth quarter. Joe Cady added two goals.

Orange and Northwood entered the game undefeated in the Mid-Carolina Conference. The Panthers (6-2, 4-0 in the MCC) are scheduled to host Eastern Alamance on Wednesday at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough, then travel to Burlington to face Williams on Thursday night in the final game before spring break.

“We didn’t play the solid game we needed to play,” said Zirkle. “So we needed to get into that mode. The biggest part of the game was making things tighter in the second quarter. Because if go to halftime down four or five goals, you’re spending ten minutes trying to figure out how you’re going to lose.”

The Panthers also ended a five-game losing streak inside Chargers Stadium. Orange, who lost 17-6 last year at Northwood, claimed its first victory in Pittsboro since they defeated the Chargers 9-7 to start to 2015 season under previous head coach David O’Neal.

After Northwood’s William Johnson scored from an 18-yards away with 8:47 remaining in the first half to put the Chargers ahead 7-1, the Panthers scored four consecutive goals. Kruse factored in on all four, assisting on a goal by Cady with 8:01 remaining in the second quarter. Kruse scored the final three goals of the half, including a bounce shot off a feed from Josh Crabtree. With 12.8 seconds left, Kruse took a centering pass from Tight Metheney and sent an overhand shot into the lower right corner of the net to reduce Northwood’s lead to 7-5 going into halftime.

Smith, who finished with four goals, opened the second half with a shot past Orange goalkeeper Katie Wolter with 7:22 remaining in the third quarter. From that point forward, the Chargers only scored one goal in the final 19:22 of the game.

Orange finished on a 9-1 run.

Wimsatt notched a hat trick in the fourth quarter. With Orange down 9-6 going, Wimsatt scored off an assist from Cady. On a critical ground ball at midfield, Orange defenseman Josiah Wimsatt knocked the ball over the centerline to Kruse, who fed Cady on the doorstop for a goal that put Orange within a goal at 9-8 with 9:40 remaining.

Orange junior Seth Hall, who won nine face-offs, won the subsequent draw. After a wide shot by Metheney, Kruse won the race to the end line to retain possession. Off the restart, Kruse came behind the cage, swept right and scored off the curl to tie the game 9-9, the first tie of the night.

Wolter stopped Smith on a bounce shot that turned out to be the Chargers’ final attempt to take the lead with 7:37 remaining. After both teams were whistled for offside penalties, the Panthers Andrew Harris, in his first shot of the game, took a pass from Kruse and fired a sidearm attempt into the right side of the net to vault Orange into the lead for good.

Brantley Porterfield added insurance with his only goal of the game off an assist from Metheney. Wimsatt scored twice more in the final minutes.

Wolter took the win in net, her sixth of the season, making ten saves.