Orange High School

There’s another milestone that Orange men’s tennis coach Justin Webb can include on his long list of accolades.

In the first time of the history of the program, the Orange men’s tennis team has won a match in the 3A State Dual Team playoffs.

Plus, it had an added flair of drama against a Central Conference rival.

Tied at four matches apiece, Orange’s doubles team of Ryan Jouannet and Jackson Coleman defeated Samuel Wolff and Matthew Coble 8-6 to send the Panthers on to the second round of the NCHSAA 3A State Dual Team Men’s Tennis Tournament on Monday night.

Every other match was finished and all the players gathered around to watch one court at the Burlington Tennis Center to see how the night would play out. Jouaneet and Coleman stared elimination right in the face. They trailed 5-6 (teams must win eight games in high school doubles matches) and love-40, but clawed back to win the final three games.

Williams had swept its two regular season matches against Orange on March 6 and March 18, winning 5-4 each time.

On both occasions, Williams won four singles matches and the #3 doubles match.

On Monday night, Jouannet turned the tables. He won his singles match against Aydin Shabata 6-3, 6-2, along with the doubles match with Coleman.

“Ryan was a big part of us winning tonight, for sure,” Webb said.

Orange senior Kace McAuley defeated Coble 6-2, 6-2. McAuley and senior Cameron Foster defeated Shibata and Sam Turner at #2 doubles 8-3. At #6 singles, Coleman defeated Samuel Wolff 6-1, 6-2.

Williams had defeated Orange in six of their previous eight meetings since becoming conference rivals in 2021. Ordinarily, that may have given Orange cause for concern when they learned they would face the Bulldogs upon release of the State Playoffs brackets last week.

Instead, they were thrilled.

“The guys were very excited,” Webb said. “Some players came up to me last Friday and said ‘Coach, we’re going to win this one.’ They were motivated because both times they left disappointed this season after matches against Williams. This time, they didn’t leave disappointed. They left happy.”

It was a milestone moment for an experienced team. Top singles players Porter Pelphrey and Cameron Foster are seniors. So are Jouannet, McAuley, Grady Thomas and Noah Jones.

“We felt like we should have beat Williams both times this season,” Webb said. “We just fell short in different ways. Both times we played Williams this year, we were missing someone from our lineup. Tonight, we had our standard top six. We had all of our guys there.”

Orange advances to the second round, where they will face Central Conference regular season champion Western Alamance this afternoon in Elon. The Warriors are 12-0 overall and have lost just eight individual matches this season.

After starting this season 0-3, the Panthers have won five of its last six dual matches. Among public schools, Orange has given Western Alamance its tightest match this season, a 6-3 Warriors win on March 26 in Hillsborough.

“I really feel like our team chemistry has gotten better,” Webb said. “Particularly our doubles play. Also, I think we’ve embraced a mentality where every match counts. The guys are vocally into the matches in supporting each other. Sometimes I think tennis can be a very individual sport and everybody is focused on their own court. But I think this team understands that you may compete individually, but you win and lose as a team.”

It was the first time in twelve years of coaching the Orange men’s team that Webb has led them to a win in the state playoffs. In addition, Webb has coached the Orange women’s tennis team to its only conference championship in school history in 2022. In 2021, the Orange women’s team won its first state dual team playoff match against Fike in Wilson.

The Orange softball team has advanced to the semifinals of the Central Conference Tournament. On Monday night, the Lady Panthers came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Person 5-3 at Orange Softball Field. Senior Sadie Cecil scored Cecil scored three runs. She drove in the game-tying run with a single in the fourth to score Addison Guentensberger. Cecil reached base in all four of her at-bats. Freshman Malynne Roemmich threw a complete game four-hitter and got better as the game went on. After Person scored three runs in the opening two innings, Roemmich only allowed two baserunners in the final five innings to earn the win. She finished with three strikeouts. Allie Carden delivered a RBI triple to score Cecil in the third inning. Later, Carden drew a walk. Evelyn George, serving as Carden’s courtesy runner, scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning after Guentensberger reached on an error off a hard ground ball. Orange will travel to Cedar Ridge on Tuesday night in a semifinal matchup. Orange, seeded #3 in the tournament, is playing its best softball of the year. They defeated Eastern Alamance, the league regular season champions, last Thursday in the final regular season game. They also defeated Western Alamance last week.

Orange softball’s Sadie Cecil and Malynne Roemmich discuss win over Person

The Orange softball team has advanced to the semifinals of the Central Conference Tournament. On Monday night, the Lady Panthers came back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Person 5-3 at Orange Softball Field. Senior Sadie Cecil scored Cecil scored three runs. She drove in the game-tying run with a single in the fourth to score Addison Guentensberger.

Sadie Cecil had her game face on as she stepped up to bat for the second time on Monday night.

In possibly her final home game, Cecil’s Orange Panthers were down 3-1 to Person in the Central Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

Her brother, Luke, decided to have a little fun at her expense. Right over the loud speakers, he announce his sister as “Now batting, the Prom Queen, Sadie Cecil.” It was a title Cecil earned during the prom on Saturday night.

Cecil didn’t even crack a smile and roped a single to left field moments later.

“I’ll probably kill him when I get home,” Sadie said afterwards.

Cecil’s mood improved after she drove in the game-tying run in the fourth inning, then added an insurance tally in the sixth as the Lady Panthers defeated Person 6-3 to advance on Monday night in Hillsborough. Cecil scored three runs as Orange fought back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Rockets for the third time this season.

Freshman Malynne Roemmich threw a complete game four-hitter to earn the win. She allowed only two baserunners after the second inning.

Person’s Madison Snead looped a two-run double that landed just beyond first base down the right field line, scoring Riley Morris and Kenzley Horne to put the Rockets ahead 3-1.

Orange steadily chipped away at its deficit.

After Cecil’s single in the third, Allie Carden belted a two-out triple that rolled to the centerfield fence. The following inning, Addison Guentensberger led off with a double that floated over the head of right fielder Macey Bowes. With two out, junior Hayleigh Hammond dropped a flawless bunt down the third baseline for a single. Cecil laced an RBI single to score Guentensberger to tie the game, but Hammond was thrown out at third by Person left fielder Isabel Castillo.

Allie Carden drew a two-out walk in the sixth. Evelyn George replaced Carden as a courtesy runner. Rhiley Crabtree dropped a single that landed in front of Castillo, who was injured on the play, allowing George to take an extra base. Guentensberger lined a sharp grounder that eluded the shortstop, scoring George to put Orange ahead 4-3.

Orange junior Katie Carden lined a two-run single for insurance in the sixth to score Hammond and Cecil.

Orange will travel to Cedar Ridge on Tuesday night in the semifinals.

Cedar Ridge 19, Walter Williams 1 (3 innings)

There were plenty of milestones for 2nd-seeded Cedar Ridge in an easy victory over Williams in the Central Conference Tournament quarterfinals on Monday night.

Senior Kimber Shambley hit two home runs against the Bulldogs. Shambley earned her 100th career RBI. Shambley delivered her initial dinger in the first inning right after Reagan Remaly laced an RBI single to left field to score Mia Best. Shambley knocked in Remaly again in the second inning with a home run over the right field fence in the second inning.

Shambley is drawing closer to the school record for career RBIs, which is held by Takia Nichols. From 2018-2022, Nichols hit 109 RBIs. Her sophomore season was abbreviated to four games because of the pandemic. Nichols’ junior year contained a limited schedule of 14 games, where she still hit 38 RBIs. She now plays at North Carolina Central.

Cedar Ridge senior pitcher Charlotte Lowry earned her 300th career strikeouts. She faced five batters and struck out four of them. Best closed out the game, retiring the final five batters.

Lowry hit two doubles and finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored. Brittaini Goddard also hit a home run, a two-run blast.

Madeline Galindo-Woodring had an RBI single.

Tuesday’s game will be the third of the season between the Red Wolves and the Lady Panthers. In the other semifinal, Western Alamance will travel to top-seeded Eastern Alamance.

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This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior forward Sullivan Gaddy. It’s the third time that Gaddy has been named Panther of the Week. Gaddy has been one of the most decorated Orange players in the history of the program from the time she first stepped onto the pitch as a freshman. In 2022, as a freshman, she led Orange with 13 goals as the Lady Panthers reached the third round of the 3A State Playoffs. It was the deepest run in the history of a program that started in 1989. Gaddy scored two goals against Harnett Central in the opening round of the state playoffs, a 5-3 Orange win. She assisted on another goal in Orange’s win over Cape Fear in the second round. Last week, Gaddy scored a hat trick as Orange defeated Cedar Ridge in the opening leg of the Hillsborough Derby. On Thursday, the Lady Panthers completed a season sweep of the Red Wolves. Gaddy scored two goals and assisted on another. She also scored four goals in a win over Durham School of the Arts on March 21. Lsat fall, Gaddy also was a manager for the Orange men’s team, which reached the 3rd round of the state playoffs and had the most successful season in school history. As she graduates in June, Gaddy will be remembered as one of the most influential players in Orange soccer history.

Orange Panther of the Week: Sullivan Gaddy

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior forward Sullivan Gaddy. It’s the third time that Gaddy has been named Panther of the Week. Gaddy has been one of the most decorated Orange players in the history of the program from the time she first stepped onto the pitch as a freshman.

From the very beginning of the season in March, the Central Conference softball race has been unpredictable.

In the end, Eastern Alamance earned the championship, but the final games of the regular season proved this week’s Central Conference Tournament will bring new meaning to the term “wide open.”

On Thursday night, Orange’s Hayleigh Hammond drilled two doubles and turned a game-ending double play to upset the Eagles 6-3 in Hillsborough. It was the culmination of three games over four days for the Lady Panthers, who finished the regular season 9-8 overall, 7-5 in the Central Conference. Orange will host Southern Alamance in the opening round of the Central Conference Tournament in Hillsborough on Monday.

In her final regular season home game, Orange senior first baseman Rhiley Crabtree went 3-for-4.

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning, Hammond vaulted Orange ahead after a bases-loaded double that rolled to the fence in centerfield. Crabtree, Addison Guentensberger and Natalie Roberson all scored.

Sophomore Katie Carden added to Orange’s lead after she led dropped in a single to left field to lead off the fifth. Guentensberger sent a pop-up to shallow left field where two Eagle fielders collided with each other, allowing Carden to make it 4-1.

Guentensberger replaced freshman starter Malynne Roemmich as pitcher in the fifth inning. Guentensberger’s constant array of changeups and knuckleballs didn’t set radar guns on fire, but it did riddle Eastern Alamance hitters. Guentensberger allowed four hits and two runs in two-and-two-thirds innings.

The Eagles reduced Orange’s lead to 4-3 with two runs in the sixth inning. Eastern’s Olivia Foster scored off a sacrifice fly hit by Rachel Byrd. Carley Boggs sent an RBI single to left field, scoring fellow freshman Edie Stewart. Guentensberger got a crucial third out when she threw out Kayden Manning.

Orange got two more runs in the sixth. Hammond led off with another double. Carden drove her in with a single to left field. Allie Carden knocked in Sadie Cecil with a liner to centerfield.

On Tuesday night, Eastern Alamance clinched the Central Conference regular season championship by beating Southern Alamance 11-10 in Mebane. The Eagles trailed 8-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, but scored five runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth to win.

Cedar Ridge 5, Southeast Alamance 3: Cedar Ridge ended its most successful regular season in six years with a nonconference win over Southeast Alamance in Hillsborough on Thursday.

The Red Wolves finished the regular season 14-6 overall, 9-3 in the Central Conference. Cedar Ridge finished one game behind Eastern Alamance, whom they haven’t played since March 21.

Junior third baseman Mia Best drove in the game-tying run and scored the go-ahead run for the Red Wolves. After Qiaura Rogers belted a liner to right field that got past the right fielder for a triple, Best bounced a two hooper over the third base bag to score Rogers and even the game.

Cedar Ridge scored two runs in the fifth inning to take the lead for good. Best reached second off a double to centerfield. Raegan Remaly dropped in a single to centerfield. With two out, Best would score off a passed ball with Charlotte Lowry at the plate. After Remaly moved to third, Lowry knocked her with a single to left field.

In the sixth inning, Remaly hit a RBI single to right field to bring in Madeline Galindo-Woording. Rogers scored off an error after the ball eluded the right fielder to increase the Red Wolves lead to 5-1.

Remaly finished 3-for-4 with a run scored.

Lowry, the senior Cedar Ridge pitcher, threw a complete game. She allowed only five hits with four strikeouts.

Cedar Ridge will host Williams in the opening round of the Central Conference Tournament on Monday in Hillsborough. The Red Wolves will be the #2 seed.

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We cover Hillsborough Sports. Play-by-play for Orange and Cedar Ridge baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, softball and lacrosse!

Orange junior pitcher Ryan Sawyer earned his fifth win of the season with a victory over Walter Williams in Burlington on Tuesday. Sawyer allowed just four hits in a complete game as the Panthers won 2-1. It was Orange’s first victory in Burlington since 2022. Sawyer threw five shutout innings against Southern Alamance on April 8. Last Tuesday, he threw six shutout innings against Cedar Ridge. Since February 26, when Orange defeated Chapel Hill, Sawyer has been Orange’s Tuesday starter and made rapid improvement. He leads the Panthers with five wins and 67 strikeouts this season. He has a 3-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also has a 173 earned run average. Sawyer has also played left field the past two weeks as the Panthers continue to battle injuries and illness up and down its starting lineup. The win over Williams was Orange’s third straight Central Conference victory. Though Orange is out of the hunt for a fifth straight conference championship, they are battling to earn a home game in the state playoffs. On Friday, the Panthers will close out the two-game series with Williams for Senior Night in Hillsborough. Orange’ seniors Dominic O’Keefe, Garrett Sawyer and Eli Horton will be honored during a pregame ceremony that will take place at 5:45. First pitch will be at 6PM.

Orange pitcher Garrett Sawyer discusses win over Walter Williams

Orange junior pitcher Ryan Sawyer earned his fifth win of the season with a victory over Walter Williams in Burlington on Tuesday. Sawyer allowed just four hits in a complete game as the Panthers won 2-1. It was Orange’s first victory in Burlington since 2022.

Hillsborough Sports | Hillsborough Sports’s live audio

We cover Hillsborough Sports. Play-by-play for Orange and Cedar Ridge baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, softball and lacrosse!