Jeff Hamlin

It’s a good thing the softball scoreboard at Cedar Ridge High School was installed only five years ago.

If it was any older, every fuse on it would have been blown out Tuesday night.

In the Central Conference Tournament semifinals, Orange and Cedar Ridge combined for 29 runs, 26 hits, one monstrous comeback by Orange and a game-winning RBI by Laci Sykes.

After Cedar Ridge went into the bottom of the seventh trailing 14-13, Sykes knocked in Parker Kennedy on a grounder to second base. Kennedy beat the throw from Orange’s Natalie Roberson for the game-winning run to send Cedar Ridge past Orange 15-14 in the Central Conference Tournament semifinals.

The Red Wolves will face Eastern Alamance on Thursday night in Mebane. The Eagles, who beat out Cedar Ridge by one game for first place to take the regular season crown, edged Western Alamance 2-1 in the other semifinal.

“Hats off to them, they’re one heck of a team,” said Cedar Ridge Softball Coach Allan Byrd, who earned his 100th career win against Orange two weeks ago. “They battled back and we faltered for an inning or two, kinda played sloppy. But at the end of the day, these kids came together and played as a team.”

On a zany night, Orange trailed 12-4 at the end of the third inning. Junior Katie Carden triggered a comeback with a grand slam in the fourth inning. Orange scored ten of the next eleven runs, including an inside the park home run by Karley Neighbours in the fifth, immediately followed by an RBI single from Sadie Cecil to score Hayleigh Hammond to cut the Red Wolf lead to 12-10.

Trailing 13-11 going into the top of the seventh, Cecil knocked in Hammond again with a line drive to left field. Cecil took second on the throw and advanced to third off a wild pitch. Orange freshman Molly Kate Ollis lofted a pop-up that Cedar Ridge second baseman Brittani Goddard caught on the edge of the outfield grass. Tempting fate, Cecil tagged up from third with the ball barely 80 feet from home plate, but slid in safely to tie the game. After Carden walked, Orange catcher Allie Carden drilled a double that one-hopped the wall in right centerfield, scoring Katie Carden from first base to give Orange a 14-13 lead, its first advantage since it was 3-2 in the first inning.

Facing freshman Lexi Bowes, Orange’s third pitcher of the night, Cedar Ridge remained poised. Mia Best led off with a double that banged off the black tarp along the outfield fence. Senior Kimber Shambley tied the game at 14-14 with another double that rolled to the outfield wall.

Parker Kennedy, representing the game-winning run, replaced Shambley at second base as a courtesy runner. Charlotte Lowry skied a double to left field, but Kennedy was held at third after she got a late jump. With the bases loaded following an intentional walk to Rylee Capps, Sykes grounded a ball to Roberson at second, whose throw to the plate wasn’t in time as Kennedy slid in safely to end the game at the two-hour and 51-minute mark.

Coming off a win over Person on Monday night in the quarterfinals, Orange scored three runs in the first. Cecil, with the sun setting in her eyes well beyond left field, roped a double off the fence. Cecil, Ollis and Katie Carden all touched the plate in the opening frame.

Cedar Ridge erased that with seven runs in the first inning, keyed by a grand slam by Capps. Goddard delivered a two-run double that plated Sykes and Madeline Galindo-Woodring. Goddard would score off an error.

The Red Wolves built its lead to 12-4 after five runs in the third inning, starting when Galindro-Woodring reached on a triple that edged down the left field line. Raegan Remaly, Shambley, Lowry and Capps would all drive in runs in the inning.

Eastern Alamance took two games from Cedar Ridge during a regular season that had curious timing. Cedar Ridge first faced the Eagles in its third game of the year on March 3, where the Red Wolves led 4-1 going into the seventh inning but lost 8-4 in eight innings. Their last meeting was on March 21, where the Red Wolves had a 4-3 lead going into the sixth before the Eagles scored three runs in the sixth.

“If this team hits the ball like I know we can hit the ball, we’re winning most games,” Byrd said. “We can play with anybody that we’ve played all year. We’ll travel to Mebane on Thursday and give it everything we have. We want it.”

There’s another milestone that Orange men’s tennis coach Justin Webb can include on his long list of accolades.

In the first time of the history of the program, the Orange men’s tennis team has won a match in the 3A State Dual Team playoffs.

Plus, it had an added flair of drama against a Central Conference rival.

Tied at four matches apiece, Orange’s doubles team of Ryan Jouannet and Jackson Coleman defeated Samuel Wolff and Matthew Coble 8-6 to send the Panthers on to the second round of the NCHSAA 3A State Dual Team Men’s Tennis Tournament on Monday night.

Every other match was finished and all the players gathered around to watch one court at the Burlington Tennis Center to see how the night would play out. Jouaneet and Coleman stared elimination right in the face. They trailed 5-6 (teams must win eight games in high school doubles matches) and love-40, but clawed back to win the final three games.

Williams had swept its two regular season matches against Orange on March 6 and March 18, winning 5-4 each time.

On both occasions, Williams won four singles matches and the #3 doubles match.

On Monday night, Jouannet turned the tables. He won his singles match against Aydin Shabata 6-3, 6-2, along with the doubles match with Coleman.

“Ryan was a big part of us winning tonight, for sure,” Webb said.

Orange senior Kace McAuley defeated Coble 6-2, 6-2. McAuley and senior Cameron Foster defeated Shibata and Sam Turner at #2 doubles 8-3. At #6 singles, Coleman defeated Samuel Wolff 6-1, 6-2.

Williams had defeated Orange in six of their previous eight meetings since becoming conference rivals in 2021. Ordinarily, that may have given Orange cause for concern when they learned they would face the Bulldogs upon release of the State Playoffs brackets last week.

Instead, they were thrilled.

“The guys were very excited,” Webb said. “Some players came up to me last Friday and said ‘Coach, we’re going to win this one.’ They were motivated because both times they left disappointed this season after matches against Williams. This time, they didn’t leave disappointed. They left happy.”

It was a milestone moment for an experienced team. Top singles players Porter Pelphrey and Cameron Foster are seniors. So are Jouannet, McAuley, Grady Thomas and Noah Jones.

“We felt like we should have beat Williams both times this season,” Webb said. “We just fell short in different ways. Both times we played Williams this year, we were missing someone from our lineup. Tonight, we had our standard top six. We had all of our guys there.”

Orange advances to the second round, where they will face Central Conference regular season champion Western Alamance this afternoon in Elon. The Warriors are 12-0 overall and have lost just eight individual matches this season.

After starting this season 0-3, the Panthers have won five of its last six dual matches. Among public schools, Orange has given Western Alamance its tightest match this season, a 6-3 Warriors win on March 26 in Hillsborough.

“I really feel like our team chemistry has gotten better,” Webb said. “Particularly our doubles play. Also, I think we’ve embraced a mentality where every match counts. The guys are vocally into the matches in supporting each other. Sometimes I think tennis can be a very individual sport and everybody is focused on their own court. But I think this team understands that you may compete individually, but you win and lose as a team.”

It was the first time in twelve years of coaching the Orange men’s team that Webb has led them to a win in the state playoffs. In addition, Webb has coached the Orange women’s tennis team to its only conference championship in school history in 2022. In 2021, the Orange women’s team won its first state dual team playoff match against Fike in Wilson.

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The Orange softball team has advanced to the semifinals of the Central Conference Tournament. On Monday night, the Lady Panthers came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Person 5-3 at Orange Softball Field. Senior Sadie Cecil scored Cecil scored three runs. She drove in the game-tying run with a single in the fourth to score Addison Guentensberger. Cecil reached base in all four of her at-bats. Freshman Malynne Roemmich threw a complete game four-hitter and got better as the game went on. After Person scored three runs in the opening two innings, Roemmich only allowed two baserunners in the final five innings to earn the win. She finished with three strikeouts. Allie Carden delivered a RBI triple to score Cecil in the third inning. Later, Carden drew a walk. Evelyn George, serving as Carden’s courtesy runner, scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning after Guentensberger reached on an error off a hard ground ball. Orange will travel to Cedar Ridge on Tuesday night in a semifinal matchup. Orange, seeded #3 in the tournament, is playing its best softball of the year. They defeated Eastern Alamance, the league regular season champions, last Thursday in the final regular season game. They also defeated Western Alamance last week.

Orange softball’s Sadie Cecil and Malynne Roemmich discuss win over Person

The Orange softball team has advanced to the semifinals of the Central Conference Tournament. On Monday night, the Lady Panthers came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Person 5-3 at Orange Softball Field. Senior Sadie Cecil scored Cecil scored three runs. She drove in the game-tying run with a single in the fourth to score Addison Guentensberger.

Sadie Cecil had her game face on as she stepped up to bat for the second time on Monday night.

In possibly her final home game, Cecil’s Orange Panthers were down 3-1 to Person in the Central Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

Her brother, Luke, decided to have a little fun at her expense. Right over the loud speakers, he announce his sister as “Now batting, the Prom Queen, Sadie Cecil.” It was a title Cecil earned during the prom on Saturday night.

Cecil didn’t even crack a smile and roped a single to left field moments later.

“I’ll probably kill him when I get home,” Sadie said afterwards.

Cecil’s mood improved after she drove in the game-tying run in the fourth inning, then added an insurance tally in the sixth as the Lady Panthers defeated Person 6-3 to advance on Monday night in Hillsborough. Cecil scored three runs as Orange fought back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Rockets for the third time this season.

Freshman Malynne Roemmich threw a complete game four-hitter to earn the win. She allowed only two baserunners after the second inning.

Person’s Madison Snead looped a two-run double that landed just beyond first base down the right field line, scoring Riley Morris and Kenzley Horne to put the Rockets ahead 3-1.

Orange steadily chipped away at its deficit.

After Cecil’s single in the third, Allie Carden belted a two-out triple that rolled to the centerfield fence. The following inning, Addison Guentensberger led off with a double that floated over the head of right fielder Macey Bowes. With two out, junior Hayleigh Hammond dropped a flawless bunt down the third baseline for a single. Cecil laced an RBI single to score Guentensberger to tie the game, but Hammond was thrown out at third by Person left fielder Isabel Castillo.

Allie Carden drew a two-out walk in the sixth. Evelyn George replaced Carden as a courtesy runner. Rhiley Crabtree dropped a single that landed in front of Castillo, who was injured on the play, allowing George to take an extra base. Guentensberger lined a sharp grounder that eluded the shortstop, scoring George to put Orange ahead 4-3.

Orange junior Katie Carden lined a two-run single for insurance in the sixth to score Hammond and Cecil.

Orange will travel to Cedar Ridge on Tuesday night in the semifinals.

Cedar Ridge 19, Walter Williams 1 (3 innings)

There were plenty of milestones for 2nd-seeded Cedar Ridge in an easy victory over Williams in the Central Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Monday night.

Senior Kimber Shambley hit two home runs against the Bulldogs. Shambley earned her 100th career RBI. Shambley delivered her initial dinger in the first inning right after Reagan Remaly laced an RBI single to left field to score Mia Best. Shambley knocked in Remaly again in the second inning with a home run over the right field fence in the second inning.

Shambley is drawing closer to the school record for career RBIs, which is held by Takia Nichols. From 2018-2022, Nichols hit 109 RBIs. Her sophomore season was abbreviated to four games because of the pandemic. Nichols’ junior year contained a limited schedule of 14 games, where she still hit 38 RBIs. She now plays at North Carolina Central.

Cedar Ridge senior pitcher Charlotte Lowry earned her 300th career strikeouts. She faced five batters and struck out four of them. Best closed out the game, retiring the final five batters.

Lowry hit two doubles and finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Brittaini Goddard also hit a home run, a two-run blast.

Madeline Galindo-Woodring had an RBI single.

Tuesday’s game will be the third of the season between the Red Wolves and the Lady Panthers. In the other semifinal, Western Alamance will travel to top-seeded Eastern Alamance.

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This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior forward Sullivan Gaddy. It’s the third time that Gaddy has been named Panther of the Week. Gaddy has been one of the most decorated Orange players in the history of the program from the time she first stepped onto the pitch as a freshman. In 2022, as a freshman, she led Orange with 13 goals as the Lady Panthers reached the third round of the 3A State Playoffs. It was the deepest run in the history of a program that started in 1989. Gaddy scored two goals against Harnett Central in the opening round of the state playoffs, a 5-3 Orange win. She assisted on another goal in Orange’s win over Cape Fear in the second round. Last week, Gaddy scored a hat trick as Orange defeated Cedar Ridge in the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby. On Thursday, the Lady Panthers completed a season sweep of the Red Wolves. Gaddy scored two goals and assisted on another. She also scored four goals in a win over Durham School of the Arts on March 21. Lsat fall, Gaddy also was a manager for the Orange men’s team, which reached the 3rd round of the state playoffs and had the most successful season in school history. As she graduates in June, Gaddy will be remembered as one of the most influential players in Orange soccer history.

Orange Panther of the Week: Sullivan Gaddy

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior forward Sullivan Gaddy. It’s the third time that Gaddy has been named Panther of the Week. Gaddy has been one of the most decorated Orange players in the history of the program from the time she first stepped onto the pitch as a freshman.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior attacker Joshua Hart. Last week, Hart had a hat trick as Cedar Ridge defeated Walter Williams 8-5. It was the Red Wolves first win over the Bulldogs since 2022. The following night, Hart scored five goals as the Red Wolves defeated Southeast Alamance 16-5 inside Red Wolves Stadium. In March, Hart scored seven goals in a 16-5 win over Eastern Alamance as the Red Wolves defeated the Eagles 16-5 in Hillsborough. Hart has been a member of the varsity for three years. In his junior season, Hart scored 34 goals and 57 points as Cedar Ridge returned to the 3A/2A/1A State Playoffs. Hart scored a goal in the opening round against West Carteret High School, the first time that Cedar Ridge hosted a state playoff game since 2022. In addition to his duties with Cedar Ridge lacrosse, Hart has also organised several food drives to benefit the less fortunate. This year, he helped Cedar Ridge set up a drive to compete against Orange in its game at Auman Stadium, which will take place on May 5 to conclude the regular season. Cedar Ridge is looking to reach the state playoffs for the second straight year. They will travel to Graham to face Southern Alamance on Monday night.

Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Joshua Hart

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is senior attacker Joshua Hart. Last week, Hart had a hat trick as Cedar Ridge defeated Walter Williams 8-5. It was the Red Wolves first win over the Bulldogs since 2022. The following night, Hart scored five goals as the Red Wolves defeated Southeast Alamance 16-5 inside Red Wolves Stadium.