For the first time since 2011, Orange captured the team championship at the Jim King Invitational. Coach Bobby Shriner discussed winning the championship.
Orange Wrestling Coach Bobby Shriner Discusses the Panthers Championship at the Jim King Invitation
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In America, this is the heart of the school year. Thanksgiving is over. Christmas is around the corner, and so is the holiday break. Summer vacation seems like years away.
In Australia, what we call winter is their summer vaction, and they’re on it right now. In recent years, various high school teams from the land Down Under journey across the southeast United States to play American teams.
On Monday night, Cedar Ridge will play one of those squads in Hillsborough.
Make no mistake, these are players dedicated to playing in America, even if its only exhibition games. They pay their own way for the 20-hour flight. They seek living arrangements with various American families in advance. Then they pay a grueling schedule across various towns, often as many as five games in a week.
Though it won’t count in the official standings, it’s a chance for the Red Wolves to gear up for another busy week. After a trip to Graham on Tuesday night, the Red Wolves start Big 8 Conference play on Friday night at archrival Orange.
Cedar Ridge arrives into tonight’s game against the Aussies with a 4-2 record. After beating Southern Alamance on Wednesday, the Red Wolves lost to Burlington Cummings 75-59 on Friday night.
Leading 31-28 at the half, the Cavaliers exploded for 31 points in the third quarter to put the game away. Peyt0n Pappas led the Red Wolves with 21 points while Jacob Thomas added 15.
Hillsboroughsports.com will have coverage of Orange-Cedar Ridge on Friday night starting at 6:50. Go to Hillsboroughsports.com Facebook page to listen in.
It’s safe to say Gavin Wiggins has come out of the gates running in his high school career. Only a freshman, Wiggins is already starting for the Panthers at 113 pounds, going 6-3 in his first two weeks as a high school grappler. In the King Invitational, Wiggins opened with a 4-3 decision over Clayton’s Christian Prescott. In the quarterfinals, Wiggins pinned Winston Salem Glenn’s Nick McCormick in 1:29. He advanced to the finals by beating Simon Ruff of Leesville Road 6-0. Wiggins discussed working with Coach Bobby Shriner in his opening weeks as a high school grappler and what lies ahead.
Orange Freshman Gavin Wiggins Finishes 2nd at 113 in initial King Invitational appearance
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After opening the season with ten consecutive victories, Orange senior wrestler Joe Scott finished 2nd at 152 pounds in the 35 Jim King Invitational on Saturday at King Gymnasium. Eastern Alamance’s Mitch Dean, who was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament, edged Scott 4-2 in the championship.
Scott talked about his performance in the tournament afterwards.
Joe Scott Goes to 10-1 on the Season after 2nd place finish at King Invitational
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Caldwell’s Bailey Hawkins finished third in the 120-pound weight class at the Jim King Invitational, going 4-1 for the weekend. Hawkins scored pins in his opening two matches. In the consoloation bracket, he earned consecutive victories by scores of 4-0 & 7-3. He talked about his weekend and what’s ahead in the Tiger Holiday Classic later this month.
Orange’s Bailey Hawkins Finishes 3rd at King Invitational
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Senior Juan Torres improved to 9-1 on the season after finishing 3-1 in the Jim King Invitational. His only loss came in the championship match at 182. Juan discusses his rigorous training under Coach Bobby Shriner.
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Torres finished 2nd at the Jim King Invitational on Saturday, helping Orange win the team championship for the first time since 2011.
There a scene in the early moments of “Hoosiers” when Norman Dale has just arrived in Hickory, Indiana. With a laced up basketball in his hands, he says to no one in particular “What kind of hand have I been dealt?”
Two games into the 2015-16 season, that’s what Greg Motley is trying to sort out. He’s had two weeks to work with a full hand, but he lost his ace in the hole before the dealer even finished.
On Thursday night, Sanderson rallied to beat the Panthers 61-58 in Raleigh. The Panthers led by as many as 8 early in the third quarter, but lost Conner Crabtree after he was called for a charge with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter. He didn’t return until 4:27 remaining in the game.
Daniel Mulligan led Orange with 18 points. Center Logan Vosburg and Crabtree added 15. Vosburg scored 11 in the second half, seven in the fourth quarter.
Crabtree’s 3-pointer with 3:57 remaining gave the Panthers a 56-5 lead, but Spartans point guard Taj Thompson took over the game in the final stanza. He nailed a trio of 3-pointers and hit five of six free throws down the stretch.
While Orange has its best performances ahead of them, it’s doubtful they’ll play a quirkier game this season.
In the first quarter, Sanderson had a free throw waved off because of a goal tending call.
Later in the third quarter, Spartan forward Antonio Freeman was fouled by Vosburg going strong to the basket. The crowd has already quieted as Freeman went to the line when one of the referees blurted out to the scorer’s table “The basket was good.” That announcement was met with confused looks from both benches and snickers from the Sanderson fan section, who could have sworn Freeman’s shot missed everything. On the next trip down the floor, Vosburg was credited with a field goal courtesy of a goaltending coal that was almost as mysterious.
Late in the fourth quarter, Thompson had a critical free throw waved off because his feet were on the free throw line.
In the end, the Panthers fell to 0-2, which is hardly surprising. Motley has six players in his rotation that just got finished with football season. Plus, there’s the loss of point guard Eryk Brandon-Dean, who is lost for the season after tearing his ACL in September against Southern Durham.
On the positive side, Orange led 39-35 going at the end of the third quarter. The Panthers only scored 35 points in its season-opening loss to East Chapel Hill on Tuesday night.
The Panthers will play its first home game on Tuesday night against Heritage.
Sanderson improves to 2-1 with the win, which has followed an early pattern. They lost to Knightdale 62-58 and defeated Holly Springs 58-56.
Cedar Ridge’s jump to the brink of the Big 8 Soccer Championship paid off with a dual honor for the team’s coach and second-leading scorer on Monday.
Red Wolves midfielder Chris Walker was named Big 8 Player of the Year on Monday. Walker led the team with nine assists, and added ten goals this season for a Cedar Ridge team that finished 13-6-2 this season. They went 9-12 in 2013.
Because of that improvement, Walker’s father, Chris Walker Sr. was voted Big 8 Coach of the Year. It was Walker’s third season as the head coach at CRHS. The Red Wolves made the 3-A state playoffs, defeating Northwood in the opening round. They fell to Cleveland 2-0 in the 2nd round.
Joining Walker on the All-Big 8 team was goalkeeper Brandon Boss, striker Ivan Carbajal, midfielder Lachlan McGrath and striker Noah Leesnitzer.
Carbajal led Cedar Ridge in scoring with with 20 goals and 45 points. Leesnitzer played 19 games and added five goals. McGrath added seven goals, which was third on the squad.
Orange, which defeated Chapel Hill for the first time in school history this season, placed centerback Chandler Compton, striker Alfredo Rodriguez and midfielder Lionel Reid-Shaw on the All-Big 8 squad.
Rodriguez finished with ten goals this season. Reid-Shaw led the squad with 15 goals and 14 assists. Compton was the 2nd Hillsboroughsports.com Orange Panther of the Week.
After earning the Big 8 individual championship at the conference championship meet in Pittsboro, there was only one natural choice for boys’ runner of the year.
Cedar Ridge’s Ian Elliot was named to the top honor on Tuesday. He captured the Big 8 Conference Championship on October 21, crossing the finish line at 16:53.54, his best time of the season.
“I hadn’t wanted to take the lead too early,” Elliot said to the Raleigh News and Observer. “I didn’t think I had the energy for that.”
On the same course in Pittsboro, Elliot finished 8th in the 3-A Mideast Regional meet at 16:51.72.
Orange’s Hunter Spitzer joined Elliot on the All-Big 8 team. Spitzer finished 2nd in the conference and 14th in the regionals.
Spencer Husen and Danny Archibald also made all-conference for the Panthers.
In Girls Cross Country, Cedar Ridge’s Jennifer Pepin was named Big 8 Coach of the Year. She guided the Red Wolves to a third place finish in the league.
Cedar Ridge’s Liz Zarzar earned All-Big 8 Conference Honors after finishing 5th in the conference meet. Orange’s Adalyn Fleming (8th) and Juliana Lester also made the All-Big 8 squad.
