CHAPEL HILL–Even before last Thursday, it had already been a successful season for Stanback volleyball.

The Bulldogs finished 10-3 in the regular season and claimed the Orange Person Athletic Conference Northern Division championship. To make it even sweeter, the Bulldogs defeated crosstown rival Orange Middle to clinch the division title.

Last week, the Bulldogs went to Chapel Hill looking to add some gravy to its season, but the Smith Cyclones came away with its first-ever conference championship in volleyball.

Smith’s Machi Umenlawiri finished with five kills, 14 digs and two aces while Ally Lamb came away with 14 digs and six kills as the Cyclones defeated the Bulldogs in two sets on scores of 25-19, 25-19 in the OPAC Championship match last Thursday. Smith ended the year 8-4.

Stanback’s Lorelei Lowry finished with seven aces for the Bulldogs, who brought a strong contingent from Hillsborough in trying to avenge an earlier loss in the regular season to the Cyclones.

In each set, Umelnlawiri powered Smith to a strong run off her serve to pull the Cyclones ahead. Stanback racked up four straight points off the serve of Lowry to take a 4-2 lead. Kaitlyn Dixon scored a kill that put the Bulldogs ahead 7-4, leading to a Smith timeout. Smith’s Ainsley Stanley served an ace to start a 10-2 Cyclones run that carried them to the set victory. Umenlawiri served up seven consecutive points, including two aces. Lamb had two kills in the run, each assisted by Lenah Diggs. Stanback’s Naviyah Bowes ended the run with a kill assisted by Kaitlyn Dixon, but the Cyclones still led 14-9.

The Bulldogs chipped away at the Smith lead with Leena Frej delivering an ace and a kill from Kaitlyn Lee that reduced the Stanback deficit to 17-14. Lowry delivered two straight aces to cut the Cyclone advantage to 18-17. Umenlawiri delivered consecutive kills to send the Smith fans into a frenzy, stomping the wooden bleachers with each point. Lamb scored set point on a dunk at the net off a ball lofted to the net.

Lowry opened the second set with an ace, followed by a kill from Dixon assisted by Allie Gallina. The final set belonged to Lamb, who delivered an ace to even the set at 2-2. With the score even 7-7, the Cyclones went on a 7-0 run powered by three kills from Lamb.

The Bulldogs reeled off four straight points, including two more aces from Lowry to cut the Cyclone lead to 15-12. Lamb and Umenlawiri had consecutive kills to make it 17-14, which was as close as the Bulldogs would get to taking the lead. Smith’s Caroline Caldwell served an ace, followed by a kill by Lamb. On match point, a return by the Bulldogs went long.

Stanback assistant coach Izzy Shepherd was a member of Cedar Ridge’s 2021 3A State Championship team. During her junior year of November 2020, Cedar Ridge defeated Chapel Hill inside an empty Smith Middle School during the pandemic. It was the first of three straight conference championships for the Red Wolves, who played at Smith because Chapel Hill’s venerable gymnasium was being renovated.

Football: Orange Middle 32, Gravelly Hill 0: The Orange Middle School Chargers completed a perfect regular season with a victory over the Grizzlies. The game was called at halftime because of a lack of daylight.

Wilbert Torain scored a touchdown for the Chargers. So did quarterback Brayden Robbins, wide receiver Cam Royster and Asher Devore. The Chargers also came up with a safety.

Orange Middle’s Hayden Stone, Jaydan Gutierrez, Hayden Stone and Amare Bost each had strong games for the Chargers on defense.

Orange Middle will go for its second consecutive OPAC Championship when they face Northern Middle at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough. The game will take place on Wednesday afternoon at 5PM.

Orange Middle is 8-0.

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