Jeff Hamlin

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is junior soccer midfielder Tatha  Hso. Last week, Hso played a huge role in setting up two goals in Cedar Ridge’s 3-2 victory over Graham, the first win of the season for a team that is starting one senior and a goalkeeper playing his first year at the high school level. Two days later, Hso performed well defensively in a 1-nil victory over Northwood in the Red Wolves’ Big 8 opener. Hso discussed what’s ahead for the Red Wolves following a week where they competed hard in games against Chapel Hill and Orange.

For the first time in six years, the Orange boys soccer team won at Cedar Ridge on Wednesday night, 4-1. The Panthers scored three goals in the final 19:00. Senior striker Jamar Davis provided the final goal, his 8th of the year. Centerback Omar Landeros stopped several Red Wolves’ threats throughout the game. Goalkeeper Noah Miller came away with his fifth win of the season as the Panthers captured its 2nd straight win.

Red Wolves junior Gavin Hughes threatened down the flanks against Orange on Wednesday night, sending several threatening crosses into the box. One attack bounced off the body of Than Aung and went just wide early in the 2nd half, nearly tying the game. Hughes finished with two shots on net.

There are matches were Orange volleyball know beforehand will be battles, and there are matches were they simply have to take care of business against an undermanned opponent. Tuesday was one of those times.

Orange made quick work of Southern Durham in its second game in two days, finishing the Spartans 3-0 on scores of 25-12, 25-9 and 25-14.

The Panthers improve to 8-4, 3-3 in the Big 8. The Panthers are now in 5th place in the Big 8, one-half game behind Northwood.

It was a night where Orange’s faces of the future stood in the limelight. Freshman Chloe Riley had a career-high eleven kills, leading the team.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Werden registered three aces, one kill, 26 assists and five digs. Junior Meg Gattis has three aces, two assists and ten kills.

It was a dominant night for Orange serving, finishing with 21 aces. Sophomore Emma Clements, who had seven aces against Jordan on Monday night, came away with six against the Spartans. Sophomore Elizabeth Vosburg registered four aces. Vosburg also had Orange’s only block of the match.

After losing all three of its matches last week, Orange will go for a three-game winning streak on Thursday night when they host Northern Durham in Hillsborough. Next week, the Panthers play three games in three days (at East Chapel Hill, at Bartlett Yancey and a home date with Hillside).

The Orange Junior Varsity volleyball squad captured a 2-0 win over Southern Durham. The Panther JV squad is now 12-0 having lost only one set the whole season, against Jordan last month.

With its crosstown rival coming up on Wednesday night, the Orange Boys Soccer team made quick work of Hillside to go back over .500.

Senior Bryan Torres scored two goalswhile Jamar Davis collected a goal and an assist as the Panthers defeated the Hornets 8-0 at Orange Soccer Field.

Davis, a senior striker, now leads Orange with 7 goals and 15 points. Senior midfielder Luke Wirzba scored his 2nd goal of the season and added two assists against the Hornets.

R.J. Pherribo added his sixth goal of the season. Malcolm Phillips notched his first goal of 2017, while Jo Sanchez scored his second and Jesus Chavez also added his second goal.

Cameron Michalski and Drew Jagentenfl assisted on goals. Michalski now has two assists. Jagentenful has a goal and two assists in 2017.

Orange travels to Cedar Ridge tonight for the Hillsborough Derby.

11 games into her senior year, Clements leads Orange with 93 kills and has the top hit percentage on the team. On Monday night, Clements had eight kills in the Panthers’ win over Jordan.

Elly Wilson was named the Player of the Game on Monday night after Orange defeated Jordan 3-0. Wilson finished with three aces and nine digs as the Panthers improved to 7-4.

After a week where it lost all three of its matches, two against teams that won Eastern Regional Championships last season, Orange righted its ship against Jordan.

The Panthers swept the Falcons 3-0 on scores of 25-18, 25-13 and 25-11.

Senior Elly Wilson was named the player of the game by coach Christina Carinci after racking up three aces and nine digs. Emma Clements led Orange with eight kills and seven aces. She added two digs.

Senior Bailey Lucas had an ace, six kills, 18 assists and three digs. Senior Avery Riley added seven kills. Faith Foushee led the Panthers with 13 digs.

With the win, Orange completed a season sweep of the Falcons. They defeated Jordan in Durham on August 21.

Orange is now 7-4. They travel to Southern Durham on Tuesday night.

There are some sports where the additions of Northern Durham, East Chapel Hill and Hillside in the Big 8 Conference that are affected more than others. East Chapel Hill’s biggest influence will be felt in girls tennis.

The Wildcats have captured nine girls state championships under former coach Lindsay Linker. Now back at the 3-A level, it’s clearer than ever before than this year’s Big 8 Championship will be decided by the two Chapel Hill schools.

The Wildcats defeated defending Big 8 Champion Cedar Ridge 6-0 on Wednesday.

Savannah Bright, Stella Joksimovic, Isabel Green, Ingrid Mast, Ellie Kim and Sarah McClanahan all won singles matches for the Wildcats. The doubles matches weren’t contested because of rain.

Cedar Ridge falls to 4-3, 2-2 in the Big 8. The loss to the Wildcats ends the Red Wolves’ two-match winning streak. CRHS defeated Orange and Northern Durham last week.

Former Orange High and Chapel Hill coach Nicky Walker is now coaching the Wildcats. East improves to 7-2, 4-0 in the Big 8.

Cedar Ridge will try to rebound on Wednesday against Hillside in Hillsborough.

Orange’s first cross country meet of the season took place in Kernersville at the Friday Night Lights Cross Country Festival, featuring 26 teams and 225 runners in the girls’ event. It was a promising meet for the Panther underclassmen as freshman Sasha Godfrey had the best time among Orange runners at 21:31, finishing 28th overall. Sophomore Ava Heffernan came in 42nd with a time of 22:15. Senior Isabelle Hartmond crossed the finish line at 23:48, while freshman Abby Dease completed the course at 24:03. Junior Savannah Lester registered a time of 24:26.72. Sophomores Brenna Mehl and Katie Clark also completed the race, as did junior Grace Dively and freshman Ava Zinn and junior Kate Burgess.

The Orange girls finished 13th as a team with 347 points. Marvin Ridge captured the team championship with 47 points.

In the boys event, Orange’s Sam Rasinske finished 54th with a time of 18:25. Junior Kyle Van Tubbergh crossed the finish line at 18:31. Sophomore Wesley Morris came in 131st with a time of 19:34, while seniors Andrew Sollars completed the course in 19:38. Sophomore Bennett Fleming had a time of 19:48. Mitchell Askew, a wrestler during the winter, came in 167th at 19:55. Freshman Issac Wilson finished his first high school race with a time of 21:08.

The Orange boys finished 19th in the team standings.