Cedar Ridge Women’s Soccer

After its best overall season in six years, there were two Orange women’s soccer players honored by the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association as All-Region 6.

In fact, they came from the same family.

Logan and Sydney Rogers were named to the NCSCA Region 6 3A team. Region 6 includes all the teams from the Big 8 Conference as well as the six teams from the Greater Neuse Conference.

In addition, Logan and Sydney Rogers were named to the All-Big 8 Conference team. Joining them on the All-Big 8 team from Orange were junior Bella Brown and sophomore goalkeeper Abby Monteith.

Cedar Ridge senior striker Emerson Talley and midfielder Nicol Anderson were also named All-Big 8 Conference. It was the third time (out of three possible years) that Talley made All-Big 8.

Logan Rogers scored a career-high nine goals this season for an Orange team that finished 9-5, its best record since going 15-4-2 in the 2015 season. In a non-pandemic year, the Lady Panthers’ record would have been good enough to make the 3A State Playoffs for the first time since 2017. Due to the pandemic, the field was limited to 32 teams, instead of the usual 64, by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

During a two-week period in March, Logan had a three-game goal scoring streak. That included the only tally in a 1-0 victory over Northwood in Hillsborough on March 24. She also scored in a 5-1 win against Cedar Ridge on March 22, the first time the Lady Panthers defeated its crosstown rivals since April 28, 2017. In the rematch on April 14, Rogers notched a season-high two goals. In her final game at Orange, Rogers registered a goal and an assist as the Lady Panthers defeated Northern Durham 4-1 at James Armstrong Stadium.

Sydney Rogers played on Stanford Middle School’s 2019 Orange-Person Athletic Conference Championship team, which stunned Phillips 2-1 in the OPAC title game. It was Stanford’s first-ever tournament title. She has continued that success across the campus at Orange, where she is a defender along Orange’s back line. In Orange’s eight wins that were contested (there was a forfeit against Southern Durham), Orange held all of its opponents to one goal or less.

Logan and Sydney’s older sister, Jordan, is a starter for the Division III William Peace women’s soccer team in Raleigh.

Last summer, Brown transferred to Orange from Alamance Christian School. Her impact was felt immediately as a striker. She scored 12 goals to lead the team. In Orange’s first win of the year, a 9-0 decision over Vance County, Brown scored a hat trick. It was the first of three hat tricks for Brown. She also had three goals against Cedar Ridge on April 14 at Red Wolves Stadium, and added another three goals at Vance County on April 12. In the first matchup against the Red Wolves, Brown scored twice. She finished with a team-high 34 points.

After starting one game as a freshman in 2020, Monteith earned eleven starts in net for the Lady Panthers in 2021. Playing against Eastern Regional Champion Chapel Hill and an East Chapel Hill team that advanced to the 3rd round of the state playoffs (and eliminated by Chapel Hill in penalty kicks), Monteith still finished 7-1-1 for her first appearance on the All-Big 8 Conference team. She opened the season with 12 saves in a 3-0 loss to East Chapel Hill at Orange Soccer Stadium.

For Cedar Ridge, Talley finished her career as the all-time leading goal scorer in school history. In her final game, she notched three goals as the Red Wolves rolled past Vance County 9-0 in Henderson. Talley finished with 87 career goals, and that was after her junior season was limited to four games. Her senior year included four hat tricks, including six goals against Northern Durham in a wild 7-6 Red Wolves victory at Cedar Ridge Stadium.

Talley signed with Division II Lenoir-Rhyne last month to continue her soccer career. She is the fourth member of the 2018 Cedar Ridge team that will play college soccer.

Anderson was a senior co-captain for the Red Wolves. She had a career-high 13 goals in her fourth varsity season. In her final game, she scored two goals against Vance County. Anderson also played on Cedar Ridge’s team, in her freshman year, that was over West Carteret in the 3A State Playoffs in Morehead City.

Among the honorable mention selections was Orange’s Katelyn Van Mater and Madison Orange. Van Mater, a sophomore who is a regular rotation player for the Orange women’s basketball team, scored three goals in her first full varsity season.

Orange, in ten games, had the game-winning goal in the season-finale against Northern Durham. She had two goals against the Knights.

Cedar Ridge’s Ianna Pfeifer and Lily Dyslin, both sophomores, were also named honorable mention. Pfeifer scored five goals in her first varsity season. Dyslin had two goals and four assists.

Women’s Soccer: The standard for goal scoring at Cedar Ridge for years, and possibly decades, to come will be 87 goals.

That’s what Cedar Ridge senior forward Emerson Talley ended her storied high school career with after the Red Wolves defeated Vance County 9-0 in Henderson on Monday. It was Talley’s 14th career hat trick and the fourth of the abbreviated 2021 season.

The Red Wolves ended the season 5-9 after Southern Durham forfeited the final game of the season, which was slated for Wednesday night. Talley, who vowed to former Cedar Ridge head coach P.J. Michaelson that she would score 100 goals in her career, likely would have exceeded that total in her junior season if it wasn’t for the pandemic.

Last week, Talley formally signed with Division II Lenoir-Rhyne.

As Talley’s career ended with a hat trick, a Red Wolf freshman had her first three-goal game. Rachel Alverson had a hat trick for Cedar Ridge, as well. In her final game, Cedar Ridge’s Nicol Anderson had a brace.

ORANGE 4, NORTHERN DURHAM 1

The Orange women’s soccer team concluded its most successful season since 2015 with a 4-1 victory over Northern Durham at James Armstrong Stadium on Wednesday night.

Sophomore Madison Orange scored two goals for the Lady Panthers, who finished the season 11-5. In her final game, senior co-Captain Logan Rogers notched a goal and dished out an assist. Sophomore Isabel Jones also scored a goal for Orange. Freshman Ella Wimsatt had two assists. Junior Bella Brown, who transferred from Alamance Christian School last summer, also assisted on a goal.

Brown ended the year as Orange’s leading scorer with 15 goals and four assists, as well as four hat tricks.

In terms of record, Orange had its best season since they went 15-4-2 in 2015.

WRESTLING: ORANGE 78, NORTHERN DURHAM 0; ORANGE 60, EAST CHAPEL HILL 18

For the first time this century, the Orange wrestling team started as challengers to the Big 8 Conference title as opposed to the defending champions. Things started promising as the Panthers defeated East Chapel Hill 60-18 on Tuesday night inside Panther Gymnasium.

On Thursday, Orange rolled past Northern Durham 78-0 in Hillsborough. Only four matches were contested as the Panthers claimed the other nine bouts via forfeit.

Matthew Smith-Breeden pinned Wyatt Gardner at 152 pounds. At 220 pounds, Hugo Vazquez scored his second pin of the week. Tyler Larkin earned a pin at heavyweight over John Neiman. Samuel Crawford scored his own pin at 145 pounds. Dillon Heffernan, Talan Pearley, Joshua Dunn, Kessel Summers, Avery Clark, Chase Harward, Nate Hecht, Brendon Worsham, and Korbin Nevius all earned forfeit wins.

Against East Chapel Hill, Orange scored nine pinfalls. Summers, a junior who has committed to wrestle at Bluefield College (NAIA) in Virginia, earned a pinfall victory. Joshua Dunn (126), Jose Grimaldo (145), Smith-Breeden (152), Hecht (170), Worsham (182), Nevius (195), Vasquez (220), and Larkin also scored pins for Orange.

CEDAR RIDGE 52, SOUTHERN DURHAM 24

On Thursday night, the Cedar Ridge wrestling team earned its first win of the young season with a 52-24 victory over Southern Durham. The Red Wolves got pins from Fernando Martinez at 120 pounds and veteran James Rosati-Brown at 152 pounds.

Daina Pritchard, fresh off of wrestling season ending, scored a major decision over Thomas Johnson 14-5 at 145 pounds. Mac McGhee, Gavin Mintz, Kaden Tatro, C.J. Jackson, Wyatt Robinson, and Aiden Kearns all claimed forfeit wins.

On Tuesday, Cedar Ridge participated in a tri-match against Northwood and Providence Grove. The Chargers edged the Red Wolves 40-36. Martinez scored a pin at 1:16 in his match. Pritchard, Rosati-Brown and Tatro all earned pinfall victories, as well. At 195 pounds, Wyatt Robinson pinned Northwood’s Jason Schroeder in 1:59.

Providence Grove defeated the Red Wolves 60-21. Martinez earned another pin over Logan Armfield in 1:18. Pritchard pinned Derrick Isley in 1:43. Rosati-Brown pinned Nathan Hutcherson in 3:03. Robinson grinded out a 5-2 decision over Gavin Hardister at 195.

MEN’S TENNIS:

CEDAR RIDGE 9, SOUTHERN DURHAM 0

Will Ballenger and Colby Alford ended their senior seasons successfully for the Cedar Ridge men’s tennis team on Wednesday afternoon. The Red Wolves rolled past Southern Durham to conclude the regular season 9-4. It was Cedar RIdge’s most successful dual season since 2017, when the Red Wolves finished 10-3.

Ballenger started at #1 singles and captured a 6-1, 6-1 win. Alford started at #2 singles and won 6-0, 6-2. Junior Derrick Stephens, Bowen Woods and Leo Filley also picked up singles wins for the Red Wolves.

In doubles, Ballenger and Alford teamed for a win at #1. Walker Richards-Baker and Jason Pattison won at #2 doubles. Woods and Filley completed the sweep at #3 doubles.

Cedar Ridge will start play in the Big 8 Conference Men’s Tennis Championships inside Lindsey Linker Tennis Courts at East Chapel Hill High School on Friday afternoon.

ORANGE 6, SOUTHERN DURHAM 0

The Orange men’s tennis team completed its fourth straight winning season with a 6-0 victory at Southern Durham on Tuesday.

Colin O’Hagerty, Joseph Clark, Finn Kelly, Tristan Plummer, Brandon Kessler and Jackson Panning took singles wins for the Panthers.

84 goals. And counting.

When Emerson Talley started training at Cedar Ridge in 2017, she told then-head women’s soccer coach P.J. Michaelson that she would score 100 goals in her high school career. Even when the pandemic limited her junior year to only four games, and restricted her senior season to 14 (with Vance County and Southern Durham scheduled for next week), she has still nearly backed her lofty boast.

“I’m going to give you a pass only because of Covid,” Michaelson told Talley on Thursday night. “As I got to know Emerson, I knew that 100 would be way too low for her. If we didn’t have COVID, she would have had 125 based on how talented she is.”

Before becoming the all-team leading goal scorer in Cedar Ridge history, there were endless miles of summer road trips with the Mebane Youth Soccer Association. Playing with the North Carolina Fusion out of Greensboro starting in middle school, there were treks to San Diego, Indianapolis, Seattle, New Jersey and Miami, not to mention all the home games.

It all finally led to a special ceremony at Cedar Ridge High School on Thursday night in front of family and friends.

Talley formally signed to play with Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory. With a table adorned in bright red to match the school colors, Emerson was joined by her father, Randy, and mother, Dawn, for the ceremony in the new J-wing at Cedar Ridge High School. She became the first athlete to sign a scholarship in the wing, but certainly not the last.

Cedar Ridge Athletic Director Andy Simmons presided over the signing, joined by Principal Dr. Carlos Ramirez, current head coach David Jones and assistant Randy Sears.

Talley will become the fourth member of Cedar Ridge’s 2018 team to play college soccer. Centerback Brittany Daley is currently a starter for Division III Greensboro College, which recently won the USA South Athletic Conference East Division Tournament Championship. Taylin Jean, the 2019 Big 8 Conference Goalkeeper of the Year, is now at Limestone University in Gaffney, SC.

Another member of that squad, Ivy Garner, transferred to Eno River Academy after her freshman season at Cedar Ridge. Garner has been a member of the North Carolina Courage Academy and has signed to play at N.C. State.

Cedar Ridge’s 2018 squad advanced to the 2nd round of the 3A State Playoffs. Talley, as a freshman, scored a goal and an assist as the Red Wolves defeated West Carteret 3-0 in Morehead City in the opening round. They were the first team to shut out the Patriots that season. It was a win that brought profound joy for Michaelson, who had gone 0-8 against West Carteret when he coached at South Central High in Winterville.

“I thought about that game the other day as I was reminiscing,” said Michaelson, who is currently the men’s soccer coach at Graham High. “We relied on her so much. She created so many special moments and she’s going to create more at Lenoir-Rhyne. It’s not a surprise that the moments she had her freshman year have translated to her senior year and to college.”

Talley was All-Big 8 Conference her freshman and sophomore year. She will almost certainly be named All-Conference again when the teams are released next month. In 2019, she was All-Region and was named Most Valuable Player of the team.

This season, Talley has scored 24 goals. That included six goals in a 7-6 win over Northern Durham on March 24 in Hillsborough. On April 6 against Vance County, Talley registered six goals in a 9-0 win.

As a sophomore, Talley scored 35 goals, including eight hat tricks. At one point, she had a four-game streak of scoring three goals or more. Twice in that span, the Red Wolves defeated archival Orange.

Talley’s talent was apparent from the very beginning to David Riley, the Director of Coaching with the MYSA

“We have a team called the Force,” Riley said. “Once you’re a part of the Force Family, you’re always a member of the Force Family. Emerson has been a part of that. She’s more like another daughter to me than a player.”

Talley, who also has a 3.8 grade point average, ran track at Gravelly Hill Middle School. That was where her mother realized that Emerson could be more than just another soccer player at Cedar Ridge.

“I knew she could be a college player at Gravelly Hill,” Dawn Talley said. “That’s when she starting owning her talent and developing. I always envisioned this. I’m not sure if Emmy always did, but we did. She’s a bit timid, but she worked hard for this for four years.”

Talley played her final home game against East Chapel Hill on Wednesday night. She will end her Cedar Ridge career with road trips to Vance County on Monday and Southern Durham on Wednesday.

Cedar Ridge senior women’s soccer striker Emerson Talley has signed with Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory. The ceremony took place at the new J-Wing at Cedar Ridge High School. In addition to current Red Wolves women’s soccer coach David Jones, also in attendance was Talley’s former head coach P.J. Michaelson. In 2018, Talley was a freshman who scored a goal and dished out an assist as the Red Wolves defeated West Carteret 3-0 in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs in Morehead City. It was a bright memory for Michaelson, who previously was the head coach at South Central High in Winterville. At South Center, Michaelson went 0-8 against West Carteret before that victory. Talley is the all-time leading scorer in Cedar Ridge history. She will become the third person from the 2018 Red Wolves team to play in college. Centerback Brittany Daley now plays for Greensboro College, while goalkeeper Taylin Jean is at Limestone. In fact, Talley will face Jean next season as the Bears and the Saints are South Atlantic Conference rivals.

Kayla Hodges: On Thursday afternoon, the Elon women’s soccer team surprised top-seeded Hofstra 1-0 in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament in Towson, MD. Hodges, who was named the Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season, started for the Phoenix on defense. Claire Broderdop scored the game’s only goal in the 78th minute. It’s the first time that Elon ever defeated Hofstra. The Phoenix is now 5-3 and will face UNC Wilmington for the Colonial Athletic Association championship on Sunday afternoon.

Taylin Jean: The Division II Limestone women’s soccer team came to an end with a 1-0 loss to Queen’s University in the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament last Thursday. Jean, a goalkeeper, didn’t play against the Royals. She earned the victory in net during Limestone’s final win of the season, a 2-1 win over Lincoln Memorial on April 5.

Jordan Rogers: The Division III William Peace women’s soccer team had its season end against Mary Baldwin on March 26. This season, Rogers started in all eight games for the Pacers. She played 443 minutes. Peace finished 3-5 overall, 2-4 in the USA South Athletic Conference.

Bailey Lucas: The Meredith volleyball team’s season came to an end on Wednesday in the semifinals of the USA Southeast Division Tournament. Averett defeated the Avenging Angels 3-1 on scores of 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 25-20 inside the Grant Center in Danville, VA. Lucas ended her junior season by starting the final game of the season. She compiled 16 assists, 15 digs and one kill. Lucas led the team with 314 assists this year. She was fourth in the squad with 108 digs. Meredith ends the year 9-5.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team won both of its midweek games this week. The Bulldogs defeated Samford 8-5 in Birmingham, AL on Tuesday. Davidson went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the 7th inning. On Wednesday, Mississippi State edged Southern Miss 3-2 in eight innings at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS. Davidson went 1-for-3 with a single in the 1st inning, and eventually scored.

Montana Davidson: Montana hit an RBI single in the fourth inning for Mississippi State against Samford. In the third inning, Montana scored in the third inning off an RBI single by Fa Leilua. She finished 1-for-2 with an RBI against Samford. Against Southern Miss, Montana went 0-for-2 with a walk. Mississippi State is 22-16 and will travel to Missouri this weekend searching for its first Southeastern Conference win of the season.

Brandon Andrews: The former Cedar Ridge pitcher made his debut for Jacksonville State last month. In one-thirds of an inning, Andrews gave up three runs off two hits as the Gamecocks lost to Kennesaw State 12-10 at Stillwell Stadium in Kennesaw, GA on March 24. After two seasons and 37 relief appearances at Nicholls State, Andrews transferred to Jacksonville State last summer. He redshirted last season with Nicholls State. Jacksonville State is 16-15, 7-5 in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Gamecocks will travel to Eastern Kentucky this weekend.

Kate Burgess: Burgess, a former center for the Orange women’s basketball team and cross country runner, is now a member of the UNC rowing team. On March 27, UNC’s 1V4+ quad earned its first win of the season over UCF at Virginia’s South Fork River Reservoir in Charlottesville, VA. Burgess was in the 2V4 race, joined by freshman coxswain Isabelle McGimsey, along with Gigi Maroney, Nicole Van Liew and Claire Melgard. They finished the race in 8:10.9. UCF’s team finished in 8:05.7.

Jaylin Jones: The Division III Pfeiffer men’s lacrosse team defeated Greensboro College 18-8 at Lefko Field in Misenheimer on Wednesday. Jones, who played football and lacrosse at Orange, had two ground balls for the Falcons. Pfeiffer improved to 8-1 overall, 6-0 in the USA South Athletic Conference. Pfeiffer will face Methodist in Fayetteville on Saturday.

Brittany Daley: The former Cedar Ridge soccer star started for the Greensboro College Pride against Pfeiffer on Saturday. The Pride defeated the Falcons 2-0 at Pride Field to win the USA South East Division Championship. Daley played the full 90 minutes as Greensboro ended its abbreviated spring season with a win. Daley started all eight games that Greensboro played this spring. She played the maximum 740 minutes as the Pride finished 6-1-1. Ordinarily, Greensboro would be preparing to play for the NCAA Division III Tournament, but the event was canceled this year. Daley will start her senior season with the Pride this fall when play hopefully returns to normal.

Kayla Hodges: The Elon Phoenix women’s soccer team defeated William & Mary 2-0 at the Dillard Complex in Williamsburg, VA on Saturday. With the win, Elon clinched a spot in the Colonial Athletic Association postseason tournament. Hodges started her seventh game of the season. The Phoenix is 4-3 overall, 3-1 in the CAA. Elon will face Hofstra, on Thursday in Towson, MD in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament.

Landon Riley: The Liberty baseball team completed a three-game sweep of Lipscomb at Worthington Field in Lynchburg, VA over the weekend. Riley appeared in two games and was used as a setup man instead of the closer role that had been customary so far this year. On Friday in the Flames 4-1 win, Riley faced one batter, who grounded into a double play. On Sunday in the Flames 5-4 win, Riley threw the eighth inning and allowed one hit. He retired the other three batters he faced. Liberty currently leads the Atlantic Sun Conference with a 7-1 record, one game ahead of Kennesaw State for first place.

Phillip Berger: The winningest pitcher in Cedar Ridge history earned his third win of the season for Division III William Peace on Friday. The Pacers defeated Mary Baldwin 14-2 in five innings in the second game of a doubleheader in Stauton, VA. Berger threw four innings. He struck out six and allowed two runs off four hits. Berger is 3-2 with a 3.83 ERA for the Pacers this season. The Pacers improved to 13-12.

Mia Davidson: After its weekend series against Tennessee was canceled, the Mississippi State softball team arranged a doubleheader against #1 Oklahoma and Louisiana Tech in Ruston, LA on Saturday. Against La. Tech, Davidson went 0-for-3. Mississippi State won 2-0 behind a no-hitter by pitcher Annie Willis. Against the Sooners, Davidson went 0-for-1 with a walk. Oklahoma won 9-0 in five innings.

Montana Davidson: Montana started at third base against Louisiana Tech and went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt. Against Oklahoma, Montana went 0-for-1. Mississippi State is 20-16 and will travel to Samford on Tuesday.

Jalen Hurdle: On Saturday, the Patrick Henry Community College softball team split a doubleheader with Spartanburg Methodist. Hurdle threw a three-hit shutout in the second game as the Patriots won 11-0. Hurdle struck out three over five innings and allowed only one walk. She also went 1-for-3 with an RBI single. It was the second pitching win of Hurdle’s career. The Pioneers won the first game 11-6. Hurdle finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Patrick Henry is now 10-14 overall, 4-4 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Marvin Jones: The North Carolina Central track & field team competed in the Aggie Invitational at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro on Saturday. Jones earned a fourth place finish in the high jump with a 2.05-meter jump. Hoova Taylor of Virginia State finished first with a jump of 2.10 meters.

Bailey Lucas: The Division III Meredith volleyball team ended the regular season with a doubleheader sweep of Mary Baldwin in the Physical Activity Center in Stauton, VA on Sunday. The Avenging Angels won the first match 3-1 on scores of 25-17, 17-25, 25-18 and 27-25. Lucas came off the bench in the first match and finished with 20 assists and seven digs. Meredith swept the final match on scores of 25-13, 25-21 and 25-11. Lucas had three kills, 15 assists and four digs. The Avenging Angels end the regular season 9-4 overall, 6-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference. Meredith now enters the USA South East Division Championship as the #3 seed. They will travel to face second-seeded Averett on Wednesday.

The Cedar Ridge women’s soccer team had a thrilling overtime game against East Chapel Hill on March 29. Emerson Talley scored two goals, including one in overtime, for the Red Wolves. East Chapel Hill scored with under four minutes remaining in the extra session to preserve the win. Here are some photos of the game from Phil Stapleton.

Taylin Jean: The former Cedar Ridge goalkeeper returned to action for Division II Limestone on Monday night. The Saints defeated Lincoln Memorial University 2-1 in Harrogate, TN. Jean earned the win after she played 98 minutes. It was her first win of the season. On April 1, Jean came on as a substitute for starter Katie Maher in a 1-0 loss to Queen’s University at Saints Field. Limestone is 5-2 overall, 4-2 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Brittany Daley: The Division III Greensboro College women’s soccer team defeated North Carolina Wesleyan 3-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference East Division Finals on Saturday. Daley played in her 41st career game for the Pride. Greensboro will face Pfeiffer for the USA South East Division Championship on Saturday.

Kayla Hodges: The Elon women’s soccer team defeated the College of Charleston 1-0 at Patriot’s Point Stadium in Mt. Pleasant, SC on Sunday. Hodges was one of six Elon players to play the entire match. The Phoenix is now 3-3 overall, 2-1 in the Colonial Athletic Conference. Elon will travel to William & Mary on Saturday.

Landon Riley: The Liberty baseball team defeated Wake Forest 8-4 on Wednesday at Worthington Field in Lynchburg, VA. Riley finished out the game with a scoreless ninth inning. He surrendered one hit and one walk. Liberty is now 4-1 against ACC teams. This was Riley 10th appearance in 2020. He still has not surrendered a run. In eleven innings, Riley has given up five hits and five walks with 12 strikeouts. Opponents are hitting .135 against him. The Flames are 18-8, 5-1 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. They will host Lipscomb for a three-game weekend series starting Friday.

Cooper Porter: The Pensacola State Junior College baseball team defeated Gulf Coast State College 4-3 on Wednesday night. Porter started in right field and finished 1-for-4 with a run scored. On Tuesday, Pensacola State defeated Gulf Coast 3-1 in Panama City, FL. Porter went 2-for-3 with a walk. In the last six games in which he’s played, Porter has had a base hit. (He sat out last weekend’s series against Northwest Florida State College) In 12 games, Porter has increased his average to .290. Pensacola State is 18-14, 8-3 in the Panhandle Conference.

Mia Davidson: The Mississippi State softball team rallied to defeat Central Arkansas 4-3 at Nusz Park in Starkville, MS on Wednesday. Davidson passed Will Clark in MSU baseball and softball history with her 62nd career home run in the fifth inning. Davidson needs only three more home runs to enter the SEC all-time top five. Davidson finished 2-for-4 with a double, putting her at 197 career hits. On Monday, Southeastern Louisiana defeated Mississippi State 6-4 in Hammond, LA. Davidson finished 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI against the Golden Lions.

Montana Davidson: Montana started at 3rd base for Mississippi State against Southeastern Louisiana and finished 0-for-3. She also started against Central Arkansas on Wednesday. Mississippi State’s weekend series against Tennessee has already been canceled because of COVID-19 protocols within the Volunteers program.

Jaden Hurdle: The Patrick Henry Community College softball team split a doubleheader against Pitt Community College in Winterville on Tuesday. Pitt captured the nightcap 5-3. In that game, Hurdle hit a solo homer for PHCC. She finished 2-for-3 with a double and the dinger. Hurdle also started in the Patriots’ 3-0 win over the Bruisers in the opener. She went 0-for-4. Hurdle is now hitting .390 with four home runs and 16 RBIs in 20 games. Patrick Henry is 9-13 overall, 4-4 in Region 10 of the National Junior College Athletic Association. This weekend, Patrick Henry will travel to Spartanburg Methodist for a Saturday doubleheader.

Bailey Lucas: The Division III Meredith College volleyball team swept Methodist in a senior day doubleheader at Weatherspoon Gym in Raleigh on Friday. Meredith took the first match 3-2 on scores of 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, 21-25 and 15-8. Lucas started and finished with two kills, 28 assists and seven digs. The Avenging Angels also won the second match 3-1 on scores of 22-25, 32-30, 25-15 and 25-20. In the final match, Lucas started and registered three kills, 24 assists and eight digs. Meredith is 7-4 overall, 4-2 in the USA South Athletic Conference. They wrap up the regular season with a trip to Mary Baldwin for a doubleheader on Sunday. Lucas leads the team with 263 assists. She is fourth on the squad with 82 digs.

Dylan Boyer: The #17 Queen’s University men’s lacrosse team lost to #20 Limestone 11-5 at Saints Field in Gaffney, S.C. on Wednesday night. Boyer, a freshman with the Royals, came in as a reserve and fired one shot. Queens is now 6-4 overall, 6-2 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Cedar Ridge Men’s Tennis: The Cedar Ridge men’s tennis team rolled past Southern Durham 9-0 at Spartans Tennis Courts on Monday. Sophomore Josh Mayhew captured his match at #1 singles 6-0, 6-0 to improve to 4-1 on the season. Mayhew also teamed with senior Will Ballenger at #1 doubles.

Ballenger, Eli Rachlin, Holdin Rachlin, Lev Bearman and Derrick Stephens all claimed singles victories for the Red Wolves.

Last week, Mayhew, a sophomore, defeated East Chapel HIll’s top singles player, Max Winzelberg, 6-1, 7-5. This season, Mayhew is now 4-1 in singles. Mayhew and Ballenger teamed to defeat Chapel Hill’s Alex Whang and Wayne Vanderford 9-7 on March 17. Mayhew’s only loss of the year came against CHHS’ Dennis Perumov. Currently, Mayhew is ranked #33 in the state.

The match against Southern Durham officially completed Cedar Ridge’s Big 8 Conference season. They finished 4-2, though they will play the rest of the Big 8 teams in matches that will not count in the league standings. However, they will count in the overall standings, which could help the Red Wolves clinch a spot as a wildcard in the 3A State Dual Team Tennis Tournament.

Cedar Ridge defeated Orange 7-2 on March 22 at Panther Tennis Courts, which ended a three-match losing streak to the Red Wolves’ crosstown rivals.

Mayhew and Ballenger are 4-1 in doubles play this season and hope to qualify for the regional doubles championships next month.

The 3A Mideast Tennis Regional will be on May 7 at the Burlington Tennis Center.

Cedar Ridge women’s soccer: It’s fair to say that Cedar Ridge midfielder Emerson Talley picked up where she left off.

Last season, Talley scored six goals in a 9-0 win over Bartlett-Yancey in Yanceyville. Five days later, Talley notched the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Northwood in Hillsborough. The Red Wolves were 2-2, but the season ended that night because of the pandemic.

To open 2021, Talley scored six goals in a wild 7-6 win over Northern Durham at Red Wolves Stadium on March 24. Thus far in her senior season, Talley has scored 12 goals. That includes a brace against East Chapel Hill in a thrilling game at Dave Thaden Stadium last Monday. The Wildcats won 3-2 in double overtime. Cedar Ridge’s Ianna Pfifer assisted on one of Talley’s goals against the Wildcats.

In her career, Talley has 12 hat tricks for the Red Wolves, even thought the pandemic has greatly shortened her career. As a freshman, she scored a goal in the opening round of the state playoffs as the Red Wolves defeated West Carteret 3-0. Taylin Jean, who now plays at Limestone College in South Carolina, earned the victory in net for the Red Wolves.

Cedar Ridge will look to return to its winning ways when they host Vance County at Red Wolves Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Orange and Cedar Ridge softball: With the quirky way the Big 8 Conference is operating this year in regards to the Big 8 Conference standings, it’s possible the league’s softball championship will be decided tonight at Orange.

As often repeated in other sports, only the first games against conference opponents will count in the league standings (this was the case in men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and men’s tennis). Orange hosts Northern Durham tonight at 6:30 at Orange Softball Field. Both the Lady Panthers and the Knights are 4-0. Orange’s only remaining conference games are against Southern Durham, which has already forfeited games, and Vance County. Orange will play the rest of the league schedule again this month, but they will count only towards the overall record and not the league standings.

Northern rallied to defeat Vance County 7-6 in nine innings on March 23. The Knights scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to win and keep its hopes for a Big 8 Championship alive.

If Orange beats Northern, the Panthers will likely clinch the #1 seed from the Big 8 Conference regardless of what happens against Vance County since they will hold the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Knights.

Last week, the Lady Panthers breezed past Chapel Hill 22-0 in its first road game of the year. Freshman Caden Robinson went 2-for-3 with a 3-RBI double. Robinson also earned the win in the circle. She threw one shutout inning with one strikeout. Freshman Mia Leathers served mop-up duty as she completed the final two innings. She struck out four as Orange completed its second straight no-hitter.

This week, Cedar Ridge will host Vance County on Thursday and Northwood on Friday at Red Wolves Softball Stadium.

Hillsboroughsports.com will broadcast the Orange-Northwood game on Tuesday, as well as Cedar Ridge’s game against Vance County on Thursday. Links for both games can be found on the website. They can also be found on our Facebook page and our Twitter account, @Hboroughsports