Month: December 2023

Even after an 0-6 start, you won’t see Mike Jones panicking,

His boundless enthusiasm is impossible to ignore along the sidelines during Cedar Ridge men’s basketball games, constantly applauding his defense in the midst of possessions and trying to find the right pieces for a team that hasn’t had a winning season in eight years.

“It’s kind of my nature,” Jones said. “I just feel like the moment I give up and lose my confidence, they’re going to lose their confidence. They say that attitude reflects leadership, so the minute I give up, everybody else is going to give up. I think the true test of anybody is how you handle the bad days. Everybody’s good on a good day. How do you handle the bad days?”

On Wednesday night, Jones patience paid off when the Red Wolves defeated Jordan-Matthews 46-38 at Red Wolves Gymnasium. Senior Landon Dalehite scored eleven points while center Harrison Perel finished with ten points and eleven rebounds.

“Top to bottom, we played like a team tonight,” Jones said. “Everybody played good. Harrison played his second good game in a row. Braedon played his second good game in a row. Braedon’s rebounding as a guard meant a lot. Our zone looked really good. We took their big men out of the game. We executed at the other end and played through our mistakes. Really proud of our guys.”

Cedar Ridge out rebounded the Jets 40-20 to secure its first win of the season. Braeden Wilbourn finished with eight points and nine rebounds as the Red Wolves avenged a 58-46 loss to the Jets on November 27 in Siler City.

Jordan-Matthews led 19-18 after a lay-in by Brennen Oldham off an assist from Kelton Fuquay with 7:10 remaining in the third quarter. Dalehite put the Red Wolves ahead with a three-pointer from the corner off a skip pass from freshman point guard Jordan Jacobson. On Cedar Ridge’s next possession, Jacobson found Dalehite again for another 3-pointer. Jacobson knocked down a jumper after the Jets missed a jumper to increase the Red Wolf lead to 26-19, leading to a J-M timeout.

The Jets got a 3-pointer from Kamarie Hadley and a lay-in from Brennen Oldham to reduce the Red Wolf lead to 26-24 with 3:36 remaining in the third quarter, Cedar Ridge finished out the third quarter with seven straight points, starting with a lay-in from Perel off a pass from Elijah Jenkins. Wilbourn finished the quarter with a three-point play where he scored off a steal at midcourt and was fouled by Oldham. Wilbourn’s subsequent free-throw increased the Red Wolf lead to 33-24 going into the fourth quarter

Cedar Ridge pulled away early in the fourth quarter. They held the Jets without a field goal in the opening four minutes. Jacobson, who finished with nine points, drained a 20-footer off a relocation pass from Luke Orstad to put the Red Wolves ahead 36-25 with 6:13 remaining. Corin Wingate, the smallest player on the floor, scored off an offensive rebound following a miss by Jacobson to put the cap on a 13-1 Red Wolf run.

“Jacobson was playing middle school basketball last year,” Jones said. “He’s amazing. I’m going to have trouble keeping him. Other schools are going to be going after him. Jordan did really well tonight.”

The Jets narrowed its deficit to 38-31 following four free throws from Fuquay with 2:35 remaining, but Wilbourn scored off a stickback basket to put the game on ice.

The Red Wolves will venture into its Central Conference opener against Western Alamance in Elon on Friday night, its final game before holiday break. For the first time since 2016, Cedar Ridge will play in a holiday tournament this year. The Red Wolves will play in the Southeast Alamance tournament in Haw River, organized by former Orange High women’s basketball coach B.J. Condron. Cedar Ridge will play three games over three days starting on December 28.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior men’s cross country runner Myles Jermyn. This season, the Orange men’s cross country team won the 3A Mideast Regional championship for the second time in three years. They finished 2nd in the 3A State Championships. Jermyn Wass a major reason for the Panthers success. He finished eight in the Mideast Regional championship at Owens Rec Park in Louisburg on October 28. At the State Championship meet in Kernersville, Jermyn finished 27th to help the Panthers finish with 93 points, second only to Croatan. Jermyn finished second in the Central Conference championship meet at Lake Cammma Course in Burlington on October 18 with a time of 17:37.41. He finished second to his teammate Gabriel Schmid, who won the 3A State Championship. Jermyn’s runner-up finish helped Orange win the Central Conference championship for the third straight year. Last week, Jermyn started his indoor track & field season by finishing second in the 3,200 meters at the East Chapel Hill Polar Bear #2 at Dave Thaden Stadium. He has already qualified for the state championships in the 3,200 meters with a time of 9:56.35. Jermyn’s father, Kevin, is the head cross country coach at Elon University. Myles will have plenty to look forward to as he continues the indoor track & field season this winter.

The Cedar Ridge women’s basketball team is off to its best start in six years. On Tuesday night, the Red Wolves defeated Durham School of the Arts 52-29 in a game that was stopped with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter. Junior Sarah Utley has brought a steady point guard presence in her first year with the Red Wolves. Utley is a transfer from High Point Christian Academy. Utley had 15 points against the Bulldogs, tied for game-high honors with guard Amiyah Ware. Jamee Watson helped the Red Wolves pull away in the third quarter. She scored nine points, seven of which came in the fourth quarter. Cedar Ridge used a 28-6 run over the final ten minutes that was played to earn its fourth win of the season. Last week against Northern Durham, Utley ha eleven points, five assists, five steals and one rebound as the Red Wolves won 59-27. Watson finished with eight points, three assists and four steals. Three nights later, Cedar Ridge swept the week when they defeated the Lady Knights 42-17. Cedar Ridge will play its first Central Conference game on Friday. They will host Western Alamance in Hillsborough. Last year, the Warriors defeated Northwood in the state playoffs to end the Chargers reign as 3A State Champions.

Orange junior Braden Crawford captured his first Jim King/Orange Invitational on December 2nd. Crawford, a junior, pinned Tiaj Thao of Davie County in 1:02 in the championship match. Crawford entered the tournament as the #2 seed and opened with a pinfall victory over Jackie Crozier of East Chapel Hill in 3:16. In the semifinals, Crawford defeated Tremayne McNeely of Eastern Guilford 5-1. Following the championship at the Jim King, Crawford had a record of 7-0 with two pins. He went on to win three matches at the Cedar Ridge Quad at Cedar Ridge High School last week. Crawford pinned Nathan Vendura of Cedar Ridge. Crawford also won his match against Eastern Guilford via forfeit. Against Rosewood, Crawford defeated Brayden Holmes 6-1. Following a 2nd place finish at the Joe Via Memorial at South Stokes High School over the weekend in the 126 pound division, Crawford has a 12-1 record. Once again he faced McNeely, this time in the championship match. This time, McNeely captured the win in sudden victory 4-2. Crawford will continue his season against Person High School tonight in Roxboro in an important dual match. This is the youngest Orange wrestling team in years. Crawford, a junior, has found himself in a leadership role on a team that lost ten starters from last year.

Women’s game: Cedar Ridge 52, Durham School of the Arts 29: A fight between two players marred the end of the Cedar Ridge women’s basketball game against Durham School of the Arts on Monday night inside Red Wolves Gymnasium.

Cedar Ridge led 52-29 with 2:44 remaining in the fourth quarter when a Cedar Ridge player tied up a Durham School of the Arts player for a held ball. The DSA player slung the Red Wolves participant to the floor, across from the Cedar Ridge bench. The Cedar Ridge player got up and threw a punch, which led to several DSA players and a few parents running onto the floor. Most attempted to quell the situation, but one person from the DSA fan section ran straight for the Cedar Ridge player involved in the altercation, screaming at her. Red Wolves coach Megan Skouby and Cedar Ridge guard Cameron Copeland got in her way and the fan eventually left the gym with the player, who was presumably her daughter, accompanied by an Orange County deputy.

Another DSA guard, who started the game, had to be restrained from getting near the Cedar Ridge bench.

Larry Faucette, a retired Orange County deputy who has worked within Cedar Ridge’s athletic department for years, along with several Orange County deputies quickly brought peace to the situation. DSA players and coaches later left the gym through the main entrance, as opposed to locker room entrance on the other end of the gym, probably to prevent another possible altercation with a Cedar Ridge player.

The two players involved in the fracas were ejected. The referees said they would later review the game video to decide any further disciplinary action.

The game ended at that point with Cedar Ridge being declared the winner.

With 5:12 remaining in the third quarter, DSA’s Kaylen Mumford scored on a drive near the right baseline to cut Cedar Ridge’s lead to 24-23. The Bulldogs had a chance to take the lead, but Cedar Ridge’s Addie Reid stripped the ball bay from Shakari Vasquez. Amiyah Ware scored on a three-pointer in the right corner while getting fouled by Genesis Daniels. Ware completed the four-point play, which triggered a 28-6 run that carried the Red Wolves to the abbreviated victory.

Cedar Ridge (4-3) is off to its best start since the 2017-2018 season, which was the last time they made the 3A State Playoffs.

Ware and junior guard Sarah Utley each scored 15 points for the Red Wolves. Jamee Watson added nine points.

Men’s game: DSA 54, Cedar Ridge 48: Cedar Ridge was denied its first win of the season, largely because of DSA’s Darren Johnson.

Durham School of the Arts ended the game on a 7-0 run behind Johnson’s 26 points as the Bulldogs won on Monday night. The Red Wolves had a chance to take the lead in the final minute but was called for three seconds. Johnson made two free throws to stretch the Bulldog lead to 51-48 with :37.5 remaining. Cedar Ridge’s attempt to tie the game from beyond the arc in the waning seconds came up short.

Cedar Ridge guard Braeden Wilbourn knocked down a shot from outside to reduce the Bulldogs lead to 49-48 with 2:03 remaining.

Durham School of the Arts started the game on a 9-2 run off the hot hand of 6-foot-8 center Jadin Haynes, who drained a trio of 3-pointers in the opening minutes. The Red Wolves never led in the first half, but reduced the deficit to 24-21 at halftime behind six points from center Harrison Perel.

In the third quarter, DSA led 37-31 when the Red Wolves reeled off seven in a row to take the lead for the first time. Perel took a pass from Wilbourn and scored off a catch-and-shoot lay-in to start the spurt, followed by a three-pointer from Landon Dalehite. Corin Wingate but the Red Wolves into the lead for the first time with two free throws after he stole the ball at midcoast with 1:03 remaining in the third quarter.

Harrison Perel led Cedar Ridge with 13 points. Wilbourn finished with eleven.

Haynes and Josiah Doresette added eleven points each for the Bulldogs.

Cedar Ridge (0-6) hosts Jordan-Matthews on Wednesday night at 7.

It’s just the second week of high school swimming season and it’s already been a busy one for Katie Belle Sikes.

Last week, in her opening meet of her senior season at Orange at the Orange County Sportsplex, Sikes qualified for regionals in the 50 yard freestyle, where she is the two-time defending 3A State Champion. She also qualified in the 100 yard freestyle, a state championship she won last year, as well. She also qualified for regionals with Riley White, Piper White and Ainsley Rasinske in the 4×50 medley relay and the 4×100 yard medley relay. Sikes, White, Rasinske and White won the 4×50 state championship last year, the first relay team in Orange High history to win a state championship.

Orange defeated Southeast Alamance and Southern Alamance to win their opening dual meets of the year.

This weekend, Sikes took her considerable talents to the Speedo World Junior Championships. Competing at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the campus of Ohio State University, Sikes finished second in the 50 yard freestyle among the East Region at 21.95 seconds. Sikes competed for her club team, East Carolina Aquatics, coached by Claudio Battaglini.

Only Julie Mishler of Syracuse, Indiana, who has committed to swim at the University of Louisville, finished ahead of Sikes at 21.87 seconds.

Sikes time in the 50 freestyle was also faster than everyone in the West Region except one swimmer. The West Region championships were held in Westmont, Illinois, just outside of Chicago, over the weekend.

In addition to her silver medal, Sikes also competed in the 100 freestyle at the World Junior Championships. She finished fifth in the 100 freestyle at 48.93 seconds. Sikes was one of only two competitors to finish in the top five in both the 50 and 100 yard freestyle. Jillian Crooks of North Carolina won the 100 meters after finishing 4th in the 50 yard.

Sikes also competed in the 100 yard butterfly, where she finished 21st.

Last month, Sikes formally committed to compete at the University of Georgia, a school that has won seven national championships in women’s swimming. She is the first female swimmer to win a state championship in Orange High history.

As a freshman, she won the Central Regional championship in the 50 yard freestyle and finished second in the 2021 state championships, which were contested in the midst of a pandemic. She has won the 2022 and 2023 3A State Championship in the 50 yard freestyle.

Sikes made the move to East Carolina Aquatics, where Battaglini put more of an emphasis on high school swimming. It led to Sikes being named the Most Outstanding Female Swimmer of the 2023 3A State Championships, where she won two individual state championships, along with the relay state title.

In most sports, there is an offseason.

It’s something that Gabriel Schmid is unfamiliar with.

Just after winning his second NCHSAA 3A State Championship last month in Kernersville, he concluded the day by going out for another run.

Just three weeks later, Schmid ran in the South Regional Cross Country Championships at McAlpline Greenway in Charlotte. He was the top runner from North Carolina, crossing the finish line in 7th place at 14:57.90 in a field of 210 runners.

On Saturday, Schmid ran his final high school cross country race when he competed in the Foot Locker National Championships at Balboa Park in San Diego. He came in 16th in the country at 15:41.60, just three seconds behind Patrick Noon of Tallahassee, Florida, who finished first in the South Regionals last month.

Drew Griffith of Butler, Pennsylvania came in first at 15:06.90.

While Schmid will continue his cross country career in college, his final high school race marks the end of an era for Orange cross country. With Schmid as its leader, the Panthers won two Mideast Regional and three Central Conference championships since 2021.

Last year, Schmid became just the second runner in Orange High history to win a state championship in cross country and the first at the 3A level. Bradsher Wilkins was Orange’s first cross country champion in 1997 at the 4A level. Wilkins won again in 1998.

Schmid has been a competitor throughout the course of his life.

As a 5th grader living in Longmont, Colorado, Schmid went to the Junior World Cross Cross Country Championships in Minneapolis and New Mexico. He competed in American Ninja Warrior competitions.

Schmid was born in Phoenix, Arizona and eventually moved to Portland, Oregon. Schmid’s father works for Topcon Healthcare, which provides medical software to eye doctors. With a chance to leave the Pacific Northwest, Schmid’s father eschewed a move to New Jersey and chose to live in Efland instead.

As a sophomore, Schmid played two fall sports. He was a regular performer for the Orange men’s soccer team, but opted to go into cross country full time after he broke 16 minutes under head coach Brian Schneidewind. Schmid is quick to point out he broke 16:00 before his teammate Spencer Hampton, who graduated in 2022. That’s when he decided to leave soccer behind and focus on one sport in the fall.

Like Schmid, Hampton went on to become an All-State runner who won a regional championship in the 3,200 meters in 2022 at Southern Lee High School in Sanford.

Schmid, who was also named the Central Conference Male Runner of the Year for the second straight year last month, will continue with his track and field career in March. Last May, Schmid won the 3A State Championship in the 3,200 meters at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro. He finished with a time of 9:14.94, become the first Orange athlete to win a state championship in track and field since Jamar Davis in 2018.

Schmid won two Mideast Regional cross country championship in 2022 and 2023. In addition, he won two regional Mideast Regional championships in outdoor track and field in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in Franklinton. He finished second in the state championships in the 1,600 meters last May.

With the state championship in track and field, Schmid joined an impressive list of names from Orange’s past. The first-ever Panther to win a state title in track and field was Alvis Whitted, who was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the 1993 4A championships in Chapel Hill. Whitted would go on to play football at N.C. State and is still the only Orange Panther to play in a Super Bowl. Whitted was deployed on special teams for the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego against Tampa Bay. Whitted is now the wide receivers coach with the Utah Utes after stints with the Wisconsin Badgers, the Colorado State Rams and one year with the Green Bay Packers.

Davis competed for N.C. State for five years and participated in the Penn Relays in 2018.