Month: April 2023

PITTSBORO—Smile more.

That simplistic but effective directive was Orange lacrosse coach Chandler Zirkle’s message to his team at halftime with Northwood ahead 6-5 inside Charger Stadium on Wednesday night.

At that point, no one was smiling on the Orange sideline. The Panthers hadn’t scored a goal in 13:10. But why should anyone worry?

The only things on the line were a potential 3rd consecutive Mid-Carolina Conference championship, the #1 seed in the East Region for the 3A/2A/1A State Playoffs, home field advantage throughout the postseason and possibly hosting the Eastern Regional championship game next month.

Zirkle, who turned 30 years old last week, can remember leaner times when he started as Orange’s lacrosse coach five years ago. Playing for a conference title with East Chapel Hill in the league? Organizing the team banquet on the moon would have been an easier task.

Since then, Orange has won two conference titles and 27 consecutive league games. They’ve come so far, Zirkle didn’t want his team collapsing under the weight of their own expectations, even with a championship on the line.

“It’s fun,” Zirkle said. “We’re playing for a championship. We’ve prepared for these moments and it’s really fun to play in them so you’ve got to enjoy them. We don’t have that many opportunities. Just take a deep breath and smile more.”

The message registered almost immediately. Senior Joe Cady scored on a wrap-around goal off an assist from Josh Crabtree to even the game just 32 seconds into the second half. It propelled a 6-2 Orange run and the Panthers cruised to a 16-10 victory over the Chargers to win the Mid-Carolina Conference championship for the third straight season.

Cady finished with four goals. Junior Connor Kruse, the Panthers’ leading scorer, added three goals despite being opposed by All-Conference longstick defenseman Will Johnson. Sophomore Luke Nevius also had a hat trick as Orange (13-3, 11-0 in the Mid-Carolina) claimed its 28th consecutive conference victory.

Northwood (12-2, 8-2) suffered its first home loss of the season on Senior Night. The Chargers were led by junior Carson Fortunes, who scored four goals.

As was the case in last month’s meeting in Hillsborough, Orange’s defense came up huge against Northwood’s All-State caliber midfielder Will Smith and attacker Taylor Laberge. Panther defensemen Nick Cardone, Alden Cathey and the returning Sascha Van Praag alternated on Smith and limited him to two goals, matching his season-low. Laberge, who had a hat trick against Orange last month, was contained to one goal and two assists.

“We can’t play Northwood and expect to blow them out,” Zirkle said. “They have three of the best players in the state of North Carolina playing 3A lacrosse. They have an attacker who is All-State, a midfielder who is All-State and a defender who is All-State. They’re phenomenal. We’re just fortunate enough to be a bit deeper.”

Despite being #1 in the 3A/2A/1A East Region rankings, Orange has been without one of its own All-State candidates virtually the entire season. Senior Jake Wimsatt suffered an injured MCL in March. An All-Conference selection the past two years, Wimsatt has been the Panthers’ top face-off man through two conference titles.

Ordinarily, losing a player of Wimsatt’s ability would send a team reeling. Instead, freshman Matthew MacNeir has dropped in like a plum from heaven. Against Northwood, MacNeir won 22 face-offs, including the opening four of the second half.

After Cady’s marker to tie the game, Josh Cowan took a pass from Tigh Metheny and fired on the run over the shoulder of Northwood goalkeeper James Flanagan to put Orange ahead 7-6 with 9:57 remaining in the third quarter. One minute later, Nevius notched the first of his three second half goals on an overhead attempt.

After Smith scored in transition on a pretty pass from Laberge, Cady scored back-to-back goals to put Orange ahead 10-7. The first came when he pitchforked a shot over Flanagan’s shoulder into the heart of the net despite being held by a Charger, which drew a flag. At this point, Northwood inserted Mason Powell as the face-off circle against MacNeir, but it didn’t make any difference. Josh Cowan set up Cady on the doorstep, who fired in a sidearm shot into the upper-left hand corner of the net.

Nevius and Tigh Metheney added goals to increase the Panther lead to 12-7. Van Reece got a late tally for the Chargers, his second of the game.

MacNeir sent the Orange bench into a frenzy when he won the opening face-off of the fourth quarter, darted to the net and fired it in just six seconds. After that, the championship trophy might as well have been in Hillsborugh.

Kruse added two more goals in the fourth quarter, including one where he eluded a Charger on a shot fake that left the Orange bench howling. Nevius completed the scoring with his third goal off an assist from Kruse.

The two teams traded heavy blows early with six goals in the opening four minutes. Off the opening face-off, Flanagan left his net to make an attempt on the loose ball. Orange freshman Brandon Williams beat Flanagan to it and fired it into an empty net just 18 seconds into the game.

Smith tied the game with an unassisted goal 32 seconds later. The Panthers responded with three unanswered tallies by Metheny, Kruse and Josh Crabtree to take a 4-1 lead.

After Cady’s opening goal with 1:10 remaining in the first quarter, the Panthers wouldn’t score again for the rest of the first half. They were hampered by consecutive penalties in the second quarter, including a two-minute illegal check penalty, followed by a slashing penalty that game the Chargers a 6-on-4 advantage. Laberge tied the game 5-5 on the only man-up goal of the game. Reece followed with the go-ahead goal, his first of the night, with 4:29 remaining to give the Chargers a 6-5 advantage.

Orange goalkeeper Katie Wolter made four saves. MacNeir controlled face-offs so thoroughly in the second half, the Chargers only had five shots on net in the final 24 minutes.

The Panthers will host Eastern Alamance on Friday night in its conference finale. Next week, they will tune up for the playoffs with a home game against Bishop McGuiness on Monday, followed by a road trip to Pinecrest on Thursday.

The Orange lacrosse team has won the Mid-Carolina Conference championship for the third straight year. The Panthers rallied from a 6-5 deficit at halftime and started the second half on a 6-2 run. Eventually, the Panthers would go on to defeat Northwood 16-10 at Chargers Stadium in a meeting of the top two teams in the 3A/2A/1A East Region. Senior Joe Cady propelled the comeback with four goals, including three in the third quarter. Only 52 seconds into the second half, Cady scored on a wrap-around chance assisted by Josh Crabtree. Josh Cowan scored the go-ahead goal with 9:59 remaining. Freshman Matthew MacNeir won 22 face offs for the Panthers. MacNeir has replaced an All-State-caliber midfielder in Jake Wimsatt, who continues to recover from an MCL injury. Instead of playing Wimsatt has been a coach for MacNeir this season as he learns on the job. The Panthers defeated the Chargers for the fifth straight time and have now won 27 consecutive conference games and will be the #1 seed in the East Region for the 3A/2A/1A State Playoffs. The Panthers will face Eastern Alamance on Friday night at Auman Stadium in their final conference game. Next week, Orange will face Bishop McGuiness at Auman Stadium. That is a Monday night game. The Panthers will end the regular season at Pinecrest next Thursday.

For a team that was depleted by graduations and transfers at the end of last season, the Cedar Ridge Red Wolves baseball squad isn’t staying down when they’re supposed to.

Western Alamance led the Red Wolves 3-0 at the end of two-and-a-half innings on Tuesday night. But this was Cedar Ridge’s senior night, and it was seniors B.J. Thornton, Issac Anderson and Will Tippin who provided big plays that enabled a Red Wolf comeback win.

Cedar Ridge scored 12 unanswered runs to beat the Warriors 12-4. Thornton, the starting pitcher, fanned nine over six innings to earn the win. He allowed just four hits and four runs, only one earned.

Junior Mason Cates belted a two-run homer to start the comeback in the bottom of the third. It was Cates first homer of the season over the left field wall. After Thornton was hit by a pitch, Grant McGuffey stepped up to bat. Thornton stole second, and McGuffey lined a single to left field to score Thornton and tie the game.

In the fourth, Cedar Ridge loaded the bases when Ian McGuffey was hit by a pitch. Nick Aitkin walked and Tippin sent a hard grounder to right field for a single. McGuffey was thrown out at the plate after Anderson grounded to third baseman Tyler Atkins. With two out, Quinn Finnegan sent a hard grounder and reached on an error by the shortstop, bringing in Aitkin and Tippin.

Grant McGuffey delivered the kill shot with a single to left field. Anderson and Finnegan scored to increase the Cedar Ridge lead to 8-3.

The Red Wolves are now 6-5 in the Central Carolina Conference. They play Grimsley in Hillsborough on Wednesday, then travel to Western Alamance on Friday for their final conference game of the regular season.

On his senior night, Tippin went 2-for-3. Cates finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Grant McGuffey finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Orange 6, Northwood 1: Once again, the Orange bullpen took a potential upset that would have reverberated across the CCC and silenced it quickly.

And once again, it was junior Coltin Hedrick, who retired all nine Northwood batters he faced on his way to his third win of the season.

Hedrick’s dominance gave the Panther bats time to awake from a mid-game slumber. Tied 1-1 going into the fifth inning, Orange scored two runs in the fifth and another three in the sixth to beat Northwood 6-1.

In his last five appearances, Hedrick is 3-0 with two saves.

It was Orange’s eighth straight home win over the Chargers since the two teams became conference rivals in 2014. Northwood is leaving the CCC at the end of this season to return to 2A.

Northwood pitcher Sal Delgado kept Orange off-balance after the first inning. Moments after the Chargers tied the game following a sacrifice fly to right field by Nate Ortiz to score Nate Davis in the fourth inning, Delgado set Orange down 1-2-3 for the only time in the game.

Orange’s Cross Clayton opened the fifth getting plunked on the bat on a 2-2 pitch. With Neo Best at bat, Clayton advanced to second after wild pitch. Elijah Santos stroked a 2-0 fastball to left field to send Clayton to third. Jackson Berini drew a walk to load the bases. Waitt, who leads Orange in base hits, smashed a single past a diving Ortiz at third to bring in Clayton. With Ryan Hench at bat, Delgado uncorked a wild pitch. Santos raced for home and just got his hand on the plate before the throw by catcher Robert Tripp got to Delgado. Orange led 3-1.

After Hedrick retired the Chargers in order in the sixth, Orange rallied big time with two outs. Clayton dropped a single into left field. Best got on board on a walk. Santos faintly touched a cue shot down the third base line against new Northwood pitcher Nathan McWilliams, whose throw to first was errant. Ty Walker, running in place of Clayton, came around to score. The ball wound up in left field, and the relay throw skipped helplessly across the infield, allowing Best to score and sending Santos to second. Berini sent a grounder up the middle, plating Santos.

In the opening inning, Berini hit a leadoff double. Connor Nordan, who leads Orange with 26 RBIs, sent a laser to left field for a single, bringing in Berini, who has scored in 15 of Orange’s 18 games,

Orange starter Josiah Gibbs was strong across four innings. He allowed only one run off four hits with three strikeouts and no walks in a no decision.

Orange will travel to Southwestern Randolph tonight before going to Northwood to complete the two-game series on Friday night.

The Orange-Person softball rivalry is sort of a family affair.

Some of the Orange players are raised in northern Orange County, roughly 10-15 minutes from Roxboro. A few live within a closer driving distance from Person High than their own high school.

When Person  and Orange meet, there are close friends that play against one another. Carson Bradsher, an Orange shortstop who is finishing her fourth year at the varsity level, has a younger sister that plays at Roxboro Community School’s middle school team.

None of that mattered by the end on Tuesday night when Orange wrestled bragging rights away from the Rockets, at least for the rest of this regular season.

Just as she did last month, Orange pitcher Caden Robinson provided the exclamation point against the Rockets. She slammed a two-run homer in the sixth inning to break open a tie game. Robinson also earned the win in the circle as the Lady Panthers defeated the Rockets 5-2 to compete a season-sweep of Person.

On March 24, Robinson’s smashed a solo homer in the sixth inning of a 4-2 Orange win in Roxboro.

Robinson struck out eight and allowed only five hits in a complete game.

Orange (8-4, 5-3) is now in third place in the CCC, leading Person by a game. They also control the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Rockets.

Orange freshman third baseman Katie Carden went 3-for-3 and started the second inning with a double that hugged the line down the left field line. After the subsequent two batters were retired, Carden generated her own offense with Kelsey Tackett at bat. Carden  took off for third base, and the throw from Allie Carden went over the head of the third baseman, allowing Katie to slide in safely for the opening run.

Robinson kept the Person bats quiet in the middle innings. All that the Rockets could muster was a harmless bunt single by Lindsey Melton that started foul and rolled fair. Robinson retired Liberty Jones and Delaney Glover to end the inning.

Orange increased its lead in the fourth. Bradsher, after teasing a bunt, slapped a low line drive to right field that rolled all the way to the fence for a triple. Robinson’s knocked in Bradsher with a groundout to second baseman Camryn Clarke to make it a 2-0 Panther lead.

Person never goes away quietly and it was no different on Tuesday night. Melton reached on a leadoff single to let field. Liberty Jones laid down a bunt and reached on a throwing error, allowing Melton to reach third. Glover was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Taryn Massey had a pop-up to Orange second baseman Delaney Shaffer in shallow right field, which allowed Melton to score on a sacrifice fly. Allie Carden went a fly ball to Bryce Jones in left field, which gave Jones a chance to tag up and even the game on another sacrifice fly. Robinson struck out Kenzley Horne to end the inning.

With the game tied 2-2 and one out in the bottom of the sixth, Bradsher sent a classic slap hit to Massey at shortstop, who kicked up dust to make a diving stab but had no chance to throw Bradsher out. Robinson followed with the two-run homer that came after she fouled off  a pair of potential third strikes. The dinger concluded an eight-pitch at-bat.

Glover was inserted in as the Person pitcher, but Katie Carden immediately poked a single that landed in front of a rushing Jones in right centerfield. With two out, Savannah Wynne came in as a pinch-hitter. After Carden advanced to second on a passed ball, Wynn belted a line drive to the gap in right field for a stand-up double to score Carden.

Orange will travel to Northern Durham tonight, then travel to Northwood on Friday.

Eastern Alamance 19, Cedar Ridge 4: 

The Eagles improved to 6-1 in CCC action after beating the Red Wolves in Hillsborough. Eastern Alamance, the defending 3A State Champions, remain one game behind Western Alamance for first place.

Senior Grace Young knocked in the first Cedar Ridge run, scoring Kimber Shambley, who drew a walk earlier in the inning.

In the bottom of the third inning, Mia Best hit a leadoff single to right field. Reagan Simmons reached on an infield single to score Best. Charlotte Lowry doubled to centerfield. Alice Ann Kohler, running for Lowry, scored off a wild pitch.

The Red Wolves were actually only down 6-4 at the end of the fourth inning. Best sent a triple to the right field corner to score young, who drew a one-out walk.

With Walter Williams forfeiting the remainder of its season, it appears this will be the final home game of the season for Cedar Ridge unless some non conference opportunities arise in the final weeks of the year.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior pitcher Cross Clayton. Last week, Clayton earned his 11th career win os the Panthers defeated Lee County 4-1 in the Hilltop Invitational at Orange High School. It was his first complete game of the season. Following the win, Orange rose to #2 in the 3A East RPI Rankings, trailing only J.H. Rose. On April 3, Clayton struck out a career-high 13 batters against Person in Hillsborough. In a scoreless game, Clayton broke it open with a home run to left field in the bottom of the fifth, which turned out to be the game-winning run. Last year, Clayton led Orange with eight wins as the Panthers won the Central Carolina Conference regular season championship. At one point in the 2022 season, Clayton had 23 consecutive scoreless innings. He was named the 2022 CCC Pitcher of the Year. In 2022, he finished with an 8-3 record and a 2.59 ERA. It was the most wins by a first-year Orange pitcher in a season since Bryse Wilson, now with the Milwaukee Brewers, went 11-0 in his freshman year. Clayton had battled injury to return to the mound, but has regularly played second base throughout this season. Orange will continue its season tonight against Northwood in Hillsborough. Then the Panthers will travel to Southwestern Randolph on Wednesday.

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team is fighting for a spot in the 3A State Playoffs. It would be the first time they’ve clinched a spot in the postseason since 2019. On Monday night, it was Senior Night for the Red Wolves. Cedar Ridge defeated Person 7-0. Senior Ianna Pfeifer scored a hat trick for the third time in her career against the Rockets. It came after Pfeifer set up the game-winning goal in the Red Wolves win over the North Carolina School of Science and Math last week, which was scored by Sophia Feken. It was the second straight game where Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Addie Reid got a clean sheet. Sarah Carson, Lily Dyslin, Sarah Fenwick, Alexia Gomez, and Stella Fadden also were honored during Senior Night for the Red Wolves. Cedar Ridge improve to 7-6, 2-5 in the Central Carolina Conference. The Red Wolves will travel to Northwood on Wednesday before another important road trip to Western Alamance on Friday. Next Monday, Cedar Ridge will play Orange in the second leg of the Hillsborough Derby. Orange defeated the Red Wolves 1-0 in overtime earlier this month.

Mia Davidson-Smith: Before she returns to action in Athletes Unlimited, Davidson will return to action for USA Softball in the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Cup in Ireland this summer. Davidson will suit up for the Americans starting July 11-15. Davidson played for Team USA in the Pan American Championship. The U.S. won gold. Davidson hit .412 over nine games with three home runs, 13 RBIs. She was walked ten times. The United States will be in Group A with Ireland, Australia, Great Britain and teams to be determined from Africa and Asia. Since she finished her playing days at Mississippi State, Davidson-Smith is currently serving as a graduate student coach with the Bulldogs as she works towards her Master’s Degree. Davidson is the all-time home run hitter in Southeastern Conference history.

Lauren Jackson: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne softball team swept a doubleheader over Lincoln Memorial Dorothy Neely Field in Harrogate, TN on Monday. In the Bears’ 11-8 victory in the nightcap, Lenior-Rhyne rallied from a 8-5 deficit by scoring six runs in the seventh inning. Jackson 0-for-2 with a walk. In the opener, the Bears won 16-1 in five innings. Jackson went 2-for-4 with RBI single. On Saturday, Lenoir-Rhyne split a doubleheader with Newberry in South Carolina. The Bears won the opener 10-8. Jackson went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI single in the third inning. She also scored a run. In the nightcap, Newberry won 5-4 in eight innings. Jackson went 0-for-3. Through 35 games, Jackson is hitting .337 with with 17 RBIs.

Ava Lowry: Lowry was named the USA South Conference Rookie of the Week. It came after Division III North Carolina Wesleyan swept doubleheaders against Methodist and Southern Virginia last week in Rocky Mount. Last Tuesday, the Battling Bishops won the first game against Methodist 5-3. Lowry went 1-for-3. Wesleyan won the second game 7-0. Lowry went 2-for-4 with a double. On Thursday, Wesleyan defeated Southern Virginia 6-5 scoring five runs in the seventh inning. Lowry triggered the seventh-inning rally with a leadoff single. She eventually scored on a single by Lillie Baumbach. Lowry finished the game 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. In the second game, Wesleyan won 7-4. Lowry, starting at shortstop, went 1-for-2 with a double. Through 34 games, Lowry is hitting .333 with six doubles and 13 RBIs. Wesleyan is 23-10 overall, 8-4 in the USA South Conference.

Grace Andrews: The Catawba Valley Community College softball team has won 16 games in a row. Over the weekend, the Red Hawks swept a doubleheader from Southeastern Community College in Whiteville. Catawba Valley won the opening game 8-0 in five innings. Andrews started at catcher and went 0-for-1 with a sacrifice bunt. In the second game, Catawba Valley won 9-0 in five innings. Andrews went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk. Catawba Valley is 38-6 overall, 25-3 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Takia Nichols: The North Carolina Central softball team split a doubleheader against Norfolk State at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary. In the opening game, the Spartans defeated the Eagles 3-1. Nichols went 0-for-2 with a walk. The Eagles won the nightcap 4-3. Nichols scored the third run of the game when she drew a walk in the 4th inning. She scored on a groundout to the shortstop. Nichols was walked three times in the second game and didn’t have an official at-bat. The Eagles are 11-2 in the MEAC, one game behind Morgan State for first place. NCCU will travel to Baltimore to face Coppin State this weekend.

Tori Dalehite: The UNC Greensboro softball team took a weekend series against Samford at UNCG Softball Stadium over the weekend. On Friday, the Spartans defeated the Bulldogs 4-3 in eighth innings. Dalehite played as a pinch-runner. On Saturday, the Spartans defeated Samford 1-0 in eight innings. Dalehite, once again, played as a pinch-runner. On Sunday, Samford won 4-2. Dalehite played as a reserve. UNCG is 25-17 overall, 5-3 in the Southern Conference.

The Orange softball team got a leg up early against Cedar Ridge on Senior Night and went on to a 4-1 victory over the Red Wolves on Thursday night. On her Senior Night, centerfielder Serenity McPherson hit a solo homer in the first inning. Another senior, Carson Bradsher, went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Junior Caden Robinson had a career-high 16 strikeouts, setting down 16 straight Red Wolves at one point. Robinson knocked in Bradsher in the first inning with a triple. Seniors Bradsher, McPherson, catcher Kelsey Tackett, left fielder Brianne “Breezy” Foster, right fielder April Terrell and designated hitter Savannah Wynne were all honored during a pregame ceremony. The group was responsible for Orange’s last conference championship in softball in 2021. Together, they have helped Orange reach #10 in the current 3A East RPI rankings under head coach Rachel Peel. This week, Orange will face Person in a rematch from March 24. The Panthers defeated the Rockets 4-2 in Roxboro, in a game where Reilly Crabtree had the game-winning hit in the sixth inning. Orange will also travel to Northern Durham, a former conference rival, on Wednesday night. It will be Orange’s final appearance at the current Northern Durham High School.