Orange Panther of the Week: Conner Harward

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior wrestler Conner Harward. Last winter, Harward won the Eagle Invitational in the 175-pound division at the Mebane Arts and Community Center. In the tournament, Harward pinned all three of his opponents, ending with a victory over Jorge Gomez at 1:02  in the championship match. In Orange’s final home match of the season on January 21, Harward pinned Seaforth’s Walter Radvansky in to help the Panthers defeated Seaforth 42-39. The victory ensured Orange’s spot in the 5A State Dual Team Playoffs. Harward went undefeated against Big 7 Conference opponents this season. He defeated Cedar Ridge’s Jose Rios 10-5 on November 25 at Panther Gymnasium. This season, Harward finished third on the team with 28 wins. At the Rumble in the Jungle duals at Carrboro High on December 13, Harward went 4-1 across five dual matches. In the Panther MLK Duals on January 17 in Hillsborugh, Harward went 3-1 in individual matches. At the Red Wolf Invitational at Cedar Ridge High School on November 22, Harward won three matches against a deep field. Harward will return for his senior season looking to lead Orange back to the top of the Big 7 Conference after helping them return to the state playoffs in 2026. His older brother, Chandler, is a former All-Conference wrestler for Orange.