Jeff Hamlin

Softball: Everything thrilling and frustrating about the Cedar Ridge softball team was on full display during its two-game series against Northern Durham.

On Tuesday, the Red Wolves rolled past the Knights 12-2 at Knights Field. The Red Wolves played an errorless game as they handed the Knights just its second loss of the season.

On Wednesday, Cedar Ridge committed five errors in a 15-14 loss to the Knights in Hillsborough. Northern scored eight unearned runs as they held on for dear life as the Red Wolves mounted another patented seventh inning comeback that fell just short.

In the series-opening win, Red Wolves third baseman Takia Nichols went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. In the fourth inning, Nichols drilled a three-run homer to dead centerfield to push the Red Wolves ahead 6-1. It was Nichols’ 19th career home run.

Nichols started the game with a line drive to centerfield. Ava Lowry reached on an error by the pitcher, which allowed Nichols to score the game’s opening run. In the second, first baseman Alex Matthews looped a two-run single to centerfield to score Tori Carden and Lajoan Stuart, a courtesy runner for Hayley King.

After Nichols’ home run, Olivia Aitkin singled home Ava Lowry. Marlee Rakouskas got an RBI groundout to send in Aitkin and increase the Red Wolves’ lead to 8-1. In the fifth, Nichols doubled home ShiLi Quade.

On Wednesday, both teams battled the elements on a blustery day where wind gusts reached nearly 30 miles per hour and the temperatures plummeted after first pitch. Cedar Ridge scored four runs in the first inning, including an RBI double by Nichols to score Quade. After Lowry was hit by a pitch, Aitkin laced a two-run triple to centerfield.

Northern chipped away until an 8-run fourth inning where all the runs came in with two out. Third baseman Jessica Wolter reached on an infield error to score Aubrey Clayton and Abi Walker and the Knights were off to the races. Alana Holland, who finished 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs, laced an RBI single to left field. Pitcher Taylor Penne earned the win despite piling up 167 pitches.

Nichols had her 20th career home run with an inside-the-park homer in the sixth inning. With Cedar Ridge trailing 15-11 going into the seventh inning, Quade got on board via an error to lead off the frame. Quade eventually scored off an RBI single by Aitkin. Second baseman Reagan Rhul laced a line drive down the left field line for another inside-the-park home run to pull within 15-14. Northern first baseman Savannah Burton threw to Clayton for a 3-4 out for the final out.

Cedar Ridge will host East Chapel Hill on Friday.

Men’s Tennis: The Cedar Ridge men’s tennis team defeated Carrboro 9-0 on Tuesday at Jaguars Tennis Courts. Josh Mayhew, Eli Rachlin, Lev Bearman, and Walker Richards-Baker each earned straight sets singles wins for the Red Wolves. The most exciting matches for the Red Wolves came at #2 singles, where Will Ballenger defeated Joseph Lee 2-6, 7-5, 7-6, winning the third set tiebreaker 12-10. At #5 singles, Holden Rachlin defeated Tristan Reid 6-2, 5-7, 7-6, taking the 10-point tiebreaker 10-4.

Mayhew & Ballenger won at #1 doubles for Cedar Ridge. Carter Tholes and Bearman teamed together for a win at #2 doubles, while Colby Alford and Derrick Stephens captured the #3 doubles.

On Wednesday, East Chapel Hill defeated Cedar Ridge 7-1 at Lindsey Linker Tennis Courts. Mayhew won the Cedar Ridge match at #1 singles over East’s Max Winzelberg.

As for Orange, the Panthers defeated Northwood 5-4 in Pittsboro. Justin Conover and Joseph Clark captured the double match that earned the Panthers the team victory by an 8-3 tally. Orange’s Colin O’Hagerty & Brandon Gwinn won its #1 doubles match. Conover, Gwynn and O’Hagerty also won their singles matches.

On Wednesday, Chapel Hill defeated Orange 9-0. The Panthers, 5-6 overall, will host Southern Durham next Tuesday to end the regular season. The Big 8 Conference Tournament is slated for next week.

Golf: Orange had two men’s players qualify for the 3A Mideast Regionals during the final Big 8 Conference match of the season at Umstead Golf Course in Durham on Tuesday. Senior Joshua Frank and sophomore Thomas Loch each shot an 88. However, their year-long nine hole average was enough for them to qualify for regionals. Both players averaged below a 42 for their nine-hole average.

In addition, Cedar Ridge senior Bradley Monschien also qualified for the Mideast Regionals.

The Mideast Regionals will be held at Keith Hills Golf Club in Lillingston on May 3.

Joey McMullin: Former Orange basketball guard Joey McMullin has announced his transfer to Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst. This winter, McMullin played at Bryn Athyn College, a Division III school in Philadelphia. McMullin scored over 1,000 points in his Orange career. He was a regular starter for Orange’s 2016-17 team that captured the Big 8 Regular Season Championship and advanced to the 3A State Quarterfinals. In his final win at Orange, McMullin rolled up 36 points against Northern Durham. Sandhills Community College plays in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association. On Monday night, the Flyers advanced to the quarterfinals of the NJCAA National Championship with a win over John Wood Community College.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team swept a doubleheader over Jackson State on Tuesday. Davidson hit home runs in both games, bringing her career total to 65. She is now tied for fourth in Southeastern Conference history with 65 career home runs. In Mississippi State’s opening 8-0 win in five innings, Davidson went 1-for-3. In the second game, Davidson launched a solo blast in the 3rd inning. The Bulldogs captured the nightcap 10-3. Davidson went 1-for-4. Also in the second game, Davidson split time at second base and at first base. She has now played every infield position for her career at Mississippi State. 10 of Davidson’s last 12 hits have left the ballpark.

Montana Davidson: Montana came off the bench to play third base for Mississippi State in both ends of the doubleheader against the Tigers. She went 1-for-2 in the opener. In the nightcap, Montana scored off a single by Chloe Malau’ulu in the fourth inning. Montana also went 1-for-2 in the second game. Mississippi State is 23-19 and will host Texas A&M for a three-game series starting Friday in Starkville.

Grace Andrews: On Monday, the Catawba Valley Community College softball team split a doubleheader against Florence-Darlington Tech at Highland Recreation Center in Hickory. In the opening game, Florence-Darlington edged the Red Hawks 3-2. Andrews went 0-for-3, which ended her nine-game hitting streak. In the second game, Andrews rebounded in the second game, going 2-for-3 with her seventh home run of the season as the Red Hawks whitewashed the Stingers 6-0. Through 28 games, Andrews leads or is tied for the team lead in four offensive categories: a .478 batting average with 44 hits, seven home runs (tied with Alleigh Himes for the team lead) and 32 RBIs. Andrews is second on the team with ten doubles.

Landon Riley: It took two-thirds of the season, but Riley finally surrendered a run for the Liberty Flames–albeit an unearned run. Duke defeated the Flames 7-0 on Tuesday at Worthington Field. It was Liberty’s first home loss of the season. In the eighth inning, Riley faced four batters. He surrendered one run off two hits and one walk. LIberty is 5-2 against the ACC this year. The Flames are still in first place in the Atlantic Sun Conference with an 11-2 mark, one game ahead of Kennesaw State. Liberty hosts Coastal Carolina starting Friday for a three-game nonconfernece series.

Kayla Hodges: After winning the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament Championship on Saturday, the Elon women’s soccer team will face Milwaukee to open the 48-team tournament at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on Saturday. The winner will face Florida State, the #1 overall national seed, on May 1. Hodges has started all nine of the Phoenix’s games this season and was named 2nd-team All-Colonial Athletic Association last week.

Kate Burgess: The UNC Rowing team competed at Lake Hartwell, South Carolina last Saturday. The Tar Heels competed against Clemson and Oklahoma. The Tigers won with 81 points, while the Sooners finished with 70 points. The Tar Heels registered 65. Burgess was on UNC’s 2V4 crew, which defeated Clemson’s third and fourth boats with a time of 8:11.0.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team won its eighth straight game on Sunday, rolling past Methodist 27-12 at Monarch Stadium in Fayetteville. Jaylin Jones, a former Orange High star, scooped up one ground ball for the Falcons. Pfeiffer’s eight consecutive home wins matches the school record set by the 1994 team. The Falcons host William Peace to wrap up the regular season on Friday.

This week Orange Panther of the Week is senior co-captain of the Orange women’s soccer team, Logan Rogers. This season, Rogers has led the Lady Panthers to its most successful season since 2017. Rogers is the daughter of Sonya Barnes Rogers, a member of the original Orange women’s soccer team. This season, Rogers has scored two goals in a victory over Cedar Ridge. Her older sister, Jordon, is a regular starter at William Peace University in Raleigh. Tonight, Rogers will commemorate her senior night at Orange when the Lady Panthers host defending Big 8 Champions Chapel Hill at Orange Soccer Park. After she graduates from Orange, Rogers plans to play club soccer at UNC-Charlotte this fall. Congratulations to Logan Rogers, this week’s Orange Panther of the Week.

The stages of the Orange women’s soccer team’s best season since 2017 started four years ago.

When Jacki Mignosa took over as head coach of the Lady Panthers, she brought up freshmen and had them play varsity. Against perennial state championship contenders like Chapel Hill and East Chapel Hill, it was very much like getting thrown into the deep end of the pool. For Mignosa, it was development.

As the former junior varsity coach at Orange, Mignosa took over the varsity reins in 2017.

“We finally at the product of those younger players growing into varsity level play,” Mignosa said. “I think it’s been successful. We’ve had a great season. That’s been part of my strategy to develop a feeder program.”

Orange enters tonight’s home finale against Chapel Hill with an overall record of 7-3-1. Despite a disappointing loss to Northwood in Pittsboro on Monday night, the Lady Panthers are guaranteed its first winning season in four years. From a rivalry standpoint, Orange has swept crosstown rival Cedar Ridge for the first time since 2015, which was the last time the Lady Panthers reached the 3A State Playoffs.

Co-Captain Logan Rogers is a four-year member of the varsity team. Rogers is the daughter of Sonya Barnes Rogers, who was a member of the first varsity women’s soccer team fielded at Orange in the 1989-1990 season. Rogers’ older sister, Jordan, is now a midfielder at William Peace University in Raleigh. Her younger sister, Sydney, is a member of Orange’s defensive line that has been vital to this year’s success.

As Mignosa was in the midst of her rebuilding plan, the Stanford Chargers Middle School team created its own reverberations across youth soccer circles. In 2018, the Chargers stunned Phillips to win the Orange-Person Athletic Conference Championship. It was the first time ever that Stanford defeated all four members of the OPAC’s Southern Division teams (McDougle, Philips, Culbreth and Smith)

“I do feel like that’s an important aspect of how these girls get along,” Mignosa said. “They played together at the middle school level and transitioned to the high school level and they’re such a good group of girls. They get along well, yet they can still be very competitive at the high school level. Which is very important because he always say you practice the way you play. And if you’re not going to practice hard against your own teammates, then you’re not going to play hard against your own opponents.”

In the victory over Phillips in the OPAC Championship game, Madison Orange scored the game-winning goal, assisted by Lauren Garcia.

Three years later, Orange and Garcia are sophomores leading the way into a new era of Orange soccer that will take them away into a new conference next spring. It will be a league firmly entrenched away from the Chapel Hill brigade and into Alamance County, where Eastern Alamance, Western Alamance, Walter Williams and Person will join a new conference that includes current rivals Northwood and Cedar Ridge.

The aptly named Orange has notched four goals in her two-year varsity high school career.

Like a plumb from heaven, dropped in the midst of Mignosa’ rebuilding plan has been junior Bella Brown. A striker who transferred from Alamance Christian School in Graham, Brown has notched two hat tricks this season. She scored three goals against Vance County in a 9-0 victory on March 17 on Hillsborough. Against Cedar Ridge, Brown had two goals against Cedar Ridge on March 22 at Red Wolves Stadium.

“We’re connecting passes much better,” Brown said. “We moved up the field much faster rather than keeping it. We aren’t turning it over as much as we have been. I like all the teammates. They’ve welcomed me in and I like the way we advance the ball. We advance it instead of keeping it.”

Brown has been credited with a team-leading eight goals.

There’s also been a reliable backline that’s included freshman Ella Wimsatt and Channing Mahanes .

“I think one of our best things about our teams is our defensive line,” Mignosa said. “They’re really strong and they’re young. We have (sophomore) Allison Torkeiwtz and Sydney Rogers. There’s another freshman in Sydney Rogers that makes our line strong.”

Orange will conclude the regular season with road games against East Chapel Hill on Thursday and at Northern Durham next Tuesday.

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Just four nights removed from throwing 126 pitches against Orange, Cedar Ridge pitcher Hayley King earned her fifth win of the season on Tuesday night. King threw three innings in the circle as the Red Wolves earned an 11-1 win over Northern Durham at Knights Softball Field. Alex Matthews, who started at first base, threw the final two innings. But Matthews impact was felt in the second inning when she hit a two-run single. In the fourth inning, junior third baseman Takia Nichols delivered the big blow with a three-run homer to left field. It was Nichols 19th career home run, a school record in baseball or softball. It was the best performance of the season for the Red Wolves, who defeated a Northern Durham team that has already clinched a spot in the 3A State Playoffs. Cedar Ridge, now 5-4, will return home to face the Knights on Wednesday afternoon in Hillsborough. First pitch will be at 5:30. You can hear the game on Hillsboroughsports.com. Special thanks to Curran Campbell for broadcasting Tuesday night’s game and for filing this afternoon with the victorious pitcher.

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior third baseman Takia Nichols. In addition, we’re introducing our first retro pick of the season. For the week starting 3/28, the Red Wolf of the Week is shortstop Ava Lowry. Nichols is the all-time home run leader in Cedar Ridge history, softball or baseball, with 18. Last week against Chapel Hill, she added to the total with a lead off homer in a 20-0 Red Wolf win. Nichols leads the team with a .667 average. Despite being walked 13 times, Nichols is still tied for the team lead with 14 hits and 16 RBIs. Lowry also had 14 hits and 16 RBIs. On March 29, she hit two home runs against East Chapel Hill in an 18-5 win. Lowry has already committed to play at North Carolina Wesleyan. Nichols and Lowry play on the same side of the infield and have formed a tight bond. So much so that they wanted to do this interview together because they enjoy each other’s company. Cedar Ridge will return to action tonight at Northern Durham. The Red Wolves will host the Knights on Wednesday night in Hillsborough. Congratulations to two very deserving Cedar Ridge Red Wolves of the Week: Takia Nichols and Ava Lowry.

Football season is over across Hillsborough, but there’s still plenty of awards to hand out. The Cedar Ridge Interior Lineman of the Year is Ryan Long. The past four years have tested the meddle of Cedar Ridge football players who have remained dedicated to the program. There’s been four head coaches in that span. In 2018, there was no varsity program. Whether on the junior varsity team or varsity program, Long has stayed dedicated as a starting guard on offense and a defensive tackle. Long’s high school football career is over, but his service is just beginning. After he graduates in June, Long plans to enlist in the Navy. He’s already slated to travel to Illinois and El Paso, Texas to start his training. Wherever life in the Naval Academy takes him, Long will always check up on Cedar Ridge football to see when the day arrives when the foundation that he and the rest of his classmates built starts to pay off with victories.

Photo courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A four home run first-inning turned out to be more than enough for Bryse Wilson to earn his fourth Major League victory.

On a weekend where the notorious Chicago wind blew out of Wrigley Field, Wilson calmed down after a shaky start to help the Atlanta Braves rout the Chicago Cubs 13-4 on Sunday night.

Wilson actually had a plate appearance before he threw his first pitch. That’s because the Braves hit four home runs in the first inning. All of the dingers came off of Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks, who came the first pitcher in the 145-year history of the franchise to surrender four home runs in the first inning. Freddie Freeman, Travis d’Arnaud, Ehire Adrianza and Guillermo Heredia all hit dingers in the first inning.

It was the first time the Braves hit four home runs in the first inning since May 28, 2003 against Cincinnati.

Wilson allowed three runs over five innings, including two homers to Anthony Rizzo. The five home runs in the first inning was the most in a Major League game since a Houston-Baltimore game on August 19, 2016.

“Bryse kept it together and righted himself after a shaky first inning,” said Atlanta Manager Brian Snitker, a member of the Durham Bulls during its Carolina League days in the mid-1980s. “He throws the ball really well.”

After Rizzo’s homer, Chicago’s Kris Bryant scored after a throwing error by Atlanta third baseman Austin Riley to narrow Atlanta’s lead to 6-2.

Wilson required 31 pitches to get out of the first inning, but he needed just 38 pitches over the next four innings to earn the win.

In the second inning, Wilson allowed a leadoff double to Chicago’s David Bote, who was immediately thrown out at third after Hendricks attempted a sacrifice bunt. Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman retired Bote. Ian Happ flew out to Heredia and Willson Contreas grounded out to Riley to end the inning.

Rizzo hit his second homer of the game to lead off the third and cut Atlanta’s lead to 6-3. Wilson retired the rest of the Cubs’ order in just seven pitches, striking out Javier Baez on three tosses to end the inning.

Atlanta right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. suffered a lower abdominal injury as he slid into first base during a pickoff attempt in the fourth inning. Acuna eventually scored off a sacrifice fly from d’Arnaud to extend the Braves lead to 7-3, but left the game shortly afterwards.

Wilson retired the Cubs in order in the fourth inning. In the fifth inning, Contreras reached on an infield single, but Rizzo lined into an unassisted double play by Freeman, who doubled Contreras off first. It turned out to be the final pitch of Wilson’s night.

In the top of the sixth, Heredia put the game on ice with a grand slam to center to vault the Braves into a 13-3 lead. Wilson got another at-bat before he was replaced in the bottom of the inning. He struck out swinging.

It was Wilson’s first start since Game 4 of the 2020 National League Championship Series, where he outdueled Los Angeles Dodgers Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw to win 10-2 and bring the Braves on the brink of its first National League Championship since 1999.

Wilson’s background in football at Orange High was a constant source of discussion for ESPN play-by-play man Matt Vasgersian and colorman Alex Rodriguez during Sunday night’s broadcast. Vasgersian mentioned that Wilson originally committed to play baseball at UNC before opting to sign with the Braves organization straight out of Orange High, where he led the Panthers to four consecutive Big 8 Conference Baseball Championships. He was also a member of Orange’s varsity football team from 2013-2016, where he was a linebacker, running back, wide receiver and backup quarterback under head coach Pat Moser.