There was plenty of competition for the Wells Fargo Conference Cup in the final year of the Central Conference.
Behind six conference championships and nine different sports winning state playoff games or matches, Orange was able to win the Wells Fargo Conference Cup for the third straight year.
The Panthers were officially declared the winner last week for the 2024-2025 academic year. The Panthers were bolstered by its first-ever state championship in men’s cross country last November, which they won at the Ivey Redmond Sports Complex in Kernersville behind head coach Brian Schneidewind. The cross country team, led by rising seniors Myles Jermyn and Lucas Van Mater, earned the ninth team state championship in school history.
For the first time in the 43-year history of the program, the Orange women’s tennis team hosted a state playoff match last October, beating Northern Nash. The Orange men’s tennis team upset Walter Williams in the first round of the state playoffs last spring.
In the overall team standings, Orange finished ahead of Western Alamance, which won state championships in men’s soccer, women’s basketball and women’s soccer.
Orange also benefitted from the men’s and women’s soccer teams hosting state playoff games. Last fall, Orange defeated Swansboro 1-0 behind an overtime goal from Yurem Tapia Mendez. It was the first time in the 37-year history of the program that Orange men’s soccer hosted a state playoff game. It was the first time since 2018 that men’s soccer won a state playoff game. The Panthers finished only behind Western Alamance in the conference standings.
For the first time since 2017, the Orange women’s soccer team hosted a state playoff game. The Lady Panthers disposed of Southern Nash 7-0 behind Sullivan Gaddy, who scored four goals in her final game in Hillsborough.
Orange repeated as conference champion in volleyball, lacrosse, men’s and women’s track & field.
After winning the Central Conference Tournament, Orange volleyball advanced to the third round of the 3A State Playoffs, where they took eventual Eastern Regional champion J.H. Rose to the limit in a highly controversial finish on the road before falling in five sets. Orange and Cedar Ridge shared the regular season crown before the Panthers scored a win over their crosstown rivals in the conference tournament and the second round of the state playoffs.
Behind senior Luke Roman, Orange men’s swimming captured its fourth straight conference crown. Roman would go on to cement his place as the greatest male swimmer in school history, being named the Most Outstanding Swimmer at the 3A State Championships at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary last February. Roman won individual state titles in the 200 meters and the 500 meters, as well as leading the first men’s relay swimming state championship in school history. Roman, Alex Andre, Noah Jones and Ayden Twiddy captured the 400 yard freestyle relay state title.
Orange men’s and women’s basketball each won their opening round state playoff games. The men’s team defeated C.B. Aycock in the opening round last winter. Earlier that night, the Lady Panthers cruised by Swansboro in Hillsborough, its first state playoff win since 2017.
Orange lacrosse faced its stiffest test in years to win the Mid-Carolina Conference. Seaforth ended the Panthers 47-game conference winning streak last March. But Orange defeated the Hawks twice in Pittsboro, including a matchup in May to advance to the state quarterfinals for the fifth straight year.
The Orange men’s and women’s track & field teams also repeated as conference champions behind junior Adelyn Alvis and pole vaulter Clara Fowlkes, who finished second in the state.
Cedar Ridge had its strongest overall athletic year in the Central Conference, winning league championships in volleyball, women’s cross country and women’s swimming. Naomi Dyreng, who graduated in June, won the individual conference championship in cross country.
Ender Buchanan won the individual state championship in the men’s pole vault last spring at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro.
Cedar Ridge volleyball swept Orange in its opening meeting at Panther Gymnasium early last September.
Sophia Stinnett, who is now at Le Moyne College, and Quinn McCrimmon helped Cedar Ridge overtake Orange for the women’s swimming crown at the Orange County Sportsplex last February.
