Jeff Hamlin

On the surface, you wouldn’t think there’s a boot camp mentality in tennis. Certainly coach Lennie Corbett doesn’t employ that mindset with his Cedar Ridge girls tennis team.

But the preparation for today’s season opener against Eastern Alamance has been two very grueling weeks. Since gathering on August 1st, the Red Wolves have gathered five times a week for four hour practice sessions with temperatures climbing above 95 degrees during three practices last week.

Corbett watched Thursday’s session with two towels trapped under a baseball cap.

“We’ve been out for long hours,” said Corbett.

The early schedule won’t be any easier. Three matches are set for this week, including Eastern Alamance today and the North Carolina School for the Arts on Wednesday. On Thursday, they face Riverside.

“We’re much, much stronger this year than last year,” said Corbett. “With the newcomers like Alana Soures and Olivia Ward, I’m not sure who is going to be playing where, aside from the top two singles.”

This year, all-Big 8 performer Tess Johnson returns after a busy summer. She spent five-and-a-half week in Governor’s School at Meredith College, where she focused on match. Upon returning July 27th, she quickly worked to get back into tennis shape. She’s expected to be the top singles player after making the 2nd round of regionals in 2015.

“I think we’re going to be really good,” said Johnson. “We have a lot of really good players. We have some freshmen and sophomores who have practiced well. I’m excited to see what we’ll do this year.”

“She’s a fighter,” said Corbett. “She’s steady. She’s not going to make a lot of mistakes and she never quits. I wish I could get everyone like her.”

Another all Big 8 performer, Kate Milner, returns for the Red Wolves.  So does Leah Thompson (who qualified for regionals as a doubles player with Maddie Allen, who graduated) and Senera Soures.

Among the arrivals for CRHS is a rare commodity: a freshman starter who played in middle school. Since Stanford and Stanback don’t field tennis teams, usually Orange and Cedar Ridge don’t start underclassmen. However, Corbett says Ward will likely start at #2 singles after playing at Gravelly Hill in Efland.

“She’s a good player,” said Corbett. “She’s played a lot of tournament over the last few years. None of our middle schools have teams, so this is rare. Most of the kids play at the clubs.”

The Red Wolves made the 3A state dual playoffs last season, but Corbett thinks this squad could be better, even when faced against the challenge of perennial power Chapel Hill in the Big 8 Conference.

“I welcome the challenge,” said Corbett. “I’m looking for big things from these girls this year.”

After a busy summer, Cedar Ridge senior Tess Johnson will start her senior year today when the Red Wolves face Eastern Alamance in the first sporting event of the new academic year.

Cedar Ridge Senior Tess Johnson Talks About Her Summer and What’s Ahead

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Summer is over.

Well, not technically, but it is the first week of high school sports season. It starts today with Cedar Ridge girls tennis and boys soccer, and ends with Orange football at Person on Friday, while the Cedar Ridge football squad travels to Carrboro.

You can listen to the Orange-Person game here on Hillsboroughsports.com starting at 6:40.

The Orange Boys Soccer team also starts play tonight at Northern Durham.

Cedar Ridge volleyball, the defending Big 8 Champions, also starts its campaign this weekend with the annual East Chapel Hill tournament.

Here’s a look at the week ahead…

Monday

Boys Soccer:  Carrboro at Cedar Ridge 6:45 (V) 5:00 (JV) Orange at Northern Durham 6:00 (V) 4:45 (JV)

Girls Tennis: Eastern Alamance at Cedar Ridge 4:45

Tuesday

Boys Soccer: Cedar Ridge at Cardinal Gibbons 7 (V) 5:30 (JV)

Volleyball: Person at Orange 6:30 (V) 5:00 (JV)

Wednesday 

Girls Tennis: Durham School of the Arts at Cedar Ridge 4:30

Thursday

Boys Soccer: Cedar Ridge at South Granville 7:00 Varsity only.

Volleyball: High Point Weslyn at Orange 6:30 (V) 5:00 (JV)

Girls Tennis: Riverside at Cedar Ridge 4:30

Friday

Football: Orange at Person 7:00 (6:40 airtime on HillsboroughSports.com); Cedar Ridge at Carrboro 7:00

Volleyball: Cedar Ridge at East Chapel Hill Tournament

Girls Tennis: Voyager Academy at Orange 4:30

Saturday

Volleyball: Cedar Ridge at East Chapel Hill Tournament

As you might have noticed, Hillsborough Sports.com is a website that tries to tackle a lot of areas of Orange High and Cedar Ridge High sports on a daily basis. With the fall sports season starting Monday, we aim to have complete coverage of all sports at both high schools–via the written word or through radio broadcasts.

As with last year, we’re going to broadcast all of Orange High’s football games on the website. We’re also adding Cedar Ridge games, as well. The exact number of Red Wolves games depends on staffing, but we’re planning at least 7, starting with the East Chapel Hill game.

However, one question that frequently came up last season from various people was “How do I listen?”

There are several ways. First, there’s my (Jeff Hamlin) Spreaker channel. Simply go here. While you’re at my Spreaker page, please give it a Like. That way, not only will you support the website, but you will also be emailed whenever a broadcast starts. Thus, the process is made  much easier.

Secondly, go to the Hillsborough Sports Facebook page. That’s here. A link is placed every game 20 minutes before airtime. Also, there’s my own Facebook page which can be found here.

Then there’s something new for this year. The Hillsborough Sports You Tube page. Simply type in Jeff Hamlin or Hillsborough Sports on the YouTube search option. All games will be broadcast live on YouTube this year.

Also, all broadcasts can be heard on demand. That means if you went to the game, didn’t hear the broadcast, and heard your son or daughter make a great play, you can go back and listen to it through all of the means listed above.

Of course, life moves fast and so does technology. Other websites and channels have started televising games, something that was once forbidden by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. That hasn’t escaped my attention. I plan to take the website into a direction that will make televising various sports (not just football) live a reality.

It’s going to be a fun year. Stay tuned.

Kendall Whitted caught a touchdown pass while Ryan Sellers recovered two fumbles as Orange out scored South Granville two touchdowns to one in a 40-play scrimmage on Wednesday night in Creedmoor.

“Kendall can run and he has good hands as well,” said Coach Pat Moser. “He had a good inter squad scrimmage Saturday. We have good receivers. We just have to get them the ball.”

Payton Wilson also caught a long pass from starting quarterback Jackson Schmid and was downed at the one-yard line during one 10-play segment.

The scrimmage was divided into four 10-play segments for each team. The Vikings, under returning head coach Mike Hobgood after a brief tenure  at Leesville Road for one season, scored during the team’s 3rd segment. However, earlier in the sequence, Ryan Sellers recovered a fumble caused off a hard hit by linebacker Milton Purcell.

Schmid, Rodney Brooks and Brendan Huss all received time at quarterback. Cates threw Orange’s 2nd touchdown, a spiral to Cody Evans for a 63-yard hookup, the longest play of the night.

Coming off an inter squad scrimmage on Saturday, Coach Pat Moser said the biggest point of concern was the offensive lineman, which constantly revolved players at various positions. New center Tyson Wolter was the only one who stayed in the same spot the entire game. Former center Blake Taylor flipped from right tackle to left tackle regularly, as did first-year varsity tackle Brandon Carden.

“The offensive line is our biggest concern right now,” said Moser. “And it always is at this time of the year. They have to get their sea legs, so to speak. The speed of the game is something you can’t match in practice. When we’re blocking against tackling dummies or such…when we get in actual gameplay, it’s a shock to their system a little bit.”

Wilson, a junior linebacker who has received offers from N.C. State, Wake Forest, Est Carolina and Appalachian State, saw time at wide receiver and wingback.

The heralded return of Devondrez Moore, who returned to Orange last season after transferring to Northern Durham (though not in time to play), was worth waiting for. He made three tackles for loss.

Orange will have its final scrimmage of the season on Friday night against Eastern Alamance at Auman Stadium. They travel to Person for the season opener August 19th.

Kendall Whitted, Stone Edwards & Ryan Sellers talk S. Granville Scrimmage

Whitted scored one of Orange’s two touchdowns, while Sellers recovered two fumbles and Edwards had two sacks on Wednesday night.

There were three years when Pat Moser had time to fish. Not so coincidentally, it came when he wasn’t coaching football.

That changed when he took over at Orange in July 2009,

“I haven’t picked up a pole in years,” said Moser.

After this year, he’ll have time for it.

“I can’t wait,” said Moser.

Moser’s upcoming season at Orange will be his eighth. He says it will also be his last.

“My youngest son, Gray, is going to graduate next summer (from Orange),” said Moser. “I have enough sick days where I can retire June 30th. Right now, that’s the plan.”

Since 2012, Orange has gone 47-9 under Moser. They also captured the 2015 Big 8 Conference Championship after Southern Durham forfeited its final regular season win and four playoff games, including an appearance in the 3-AA state final, due to use of an ineligible player.

With Moser’s upcoming retirement, the Panthers aren’t losing a coach. They’re losing someone who revived a dormant program.

Orange didn’t have a winning season between 1993-2007. Dickie Schock led the Panthers to a 8-5 campaign in 2008, and its first playoff birth since 1991. Schock promptly left for Rocky Mount.

That’s when Orange turned to Moser, who had been out of coaching for three seasons. Moser had coached Graham to the 2000 1-A State Championship, and led them to the 1-A Eastern Regional championship the year before. However, by the time he arrived in Hillsborough, he hadn’t coached in three seasons because of Pancreatitis caused by a gall stone. Moser, who lost over 100 pounds during his three seasons away from coaching, thought long and hard before deciding to return.

Orange fans had felt big expectations from an incoming state championship coach before. In 1998, Mike Stewart, who had won captured two 4A state championships with Shelby Crest, arrived in Hillsborough when the Panthers were the only team in town, Northern Durham still ruled the PAC-6 conference and only 32 teams made the playoffs in each classification (Now it’s 64).

Stewart arrived with a swagger and an interview style that would have made Ric Flair proud. He left in 2001 after three forgettable seasons.

At first, it appeared Moser might follow the same pattern. His first two teams went 6-6 and 2-8. However, the final game of the 2009 season hinted at something bigger ahead when they won at Chapel Hill, dashing the Tigers’ playoff hopes on the final night of the season.

Moser’s former assistants at Graham, defensive coordinator Van Smith and offensive coordinator Mike McCauley, arrived in 2011 for another 6-6 season. Since then, they’ve won at least 11 games each of the last four seasons.

Moser’s final season will be unique. McCauley has taken over as Athletic Director for Earnie Price,who retired last month. So Moser will take over as offensive coordinator.

“I figure me calling plays is a fitting way for me to go out,” said Moser.

August 15th (MON)      vs. Eastern Alamance            HOME        4:30

August 17th (WED)       vs. Durham School of the Arts  HOME    4:30

August 18th (THU)       vs. Riverside                 HOME      4:30

August 22nd (MON)     at Eastern Alamance   AWAY    4:30

August 24th (WED)      vs. Orange                  HOME     4:30

August 25th (THU)      at Person                    AWAY     4:30

August 29th (MON)      at Northern Vance    AWAY    4:30

August 31st (WED)     vs. Southern Durham  HOME    4:30

September 1st (THU)  at Riverside           AWAY         4:30

September 6th (TUE) at Chapel Hill         AWAY          4:30

September 8th (THU) at Northwood       AWAY          4:30

September 12th (MON) vs. Webb             HOME         4:30

September 15th (THU)  at Voyager Academy AWAY  (at Rock Quarry)  4:00

September 19th (MON) at Orange            AWAY         4:30

September 21st (WED) vs. Northern Vance  HOME   4:30

September 22nd (THU) vs. Voyager Academy HOME 4:30

September 26th (MON) at Southern Durham  AWAY  4:30

September 28th (WED) vs. Chapel Hill              HOME  4:30

October 3rd  (MON)      vs. Northwood              HOME  4:30

October 5th  (WED)       at Webb                         AWAY  4:30

October 12th (WED)  Big 8 Conference Tournament  at Orange High (1:00)

September 9th  (FRI)   Leesville Road Twilight Invite               @Leesville Road              6:00 PM

September 20th (TUES) at Northwood & Southern Durham    @Northwood                    4:30 PM

September 24th (SAT)  at Greensboro Invitational                    @ Hagan State Park        9:00 AM

September 27th (TUE) at Chapel Hill & Southern Durham       @ Chapel Hill                     4:30 AM

October 1st         (SAT) at Wendy’s Invitational                           @McAlpine Park (Charlotte) 9:00 AM

October 4th        (TUE) vs. Webb & Southern Durham & Cedar Ridge HOME                    4:30

October 11th      (TUE) at Cedar Ridge, Webb & Southern Durham @ Cedar Ridge           4:30

October 19th     (WED) Big 8 Conference Championship Meet   @Chapel Hill High            4:00

October 29th    (SAT) 3A Regionals                                              TBA                                      TBA

November 5th  (SAT) 3A State Championships                          TBA                                     TBA