Orange High School

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior men’s basketball guard Xandrell Pennix. On Tuesday night, Pennix surpassed 900 career points in Orange’s 76-36 win over Southern Alamance. Last week, Pennix played possibly his greatest half of basketball at Person. With Orange trailing Person 28-9, Pennix scored 14 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers in the third quarter. Pennix scored the game-winning basket on a lay-in with 2:56 remaining as the Panthers won 67-65. Midway through the 2021-22 season, Pennix was called up to the varsity squad as a freshman. He immediately made a difference by scoring 13 points in just his fourth varsity game at Williams. Since then, Pennix has been a vital part of an Orange team that went from eight wins his freshman year to winning the Central Conference regular season and tournament championship in his junior season. This year, Orange is 13-4, it’s best start since the 2016-17 season. Pennix scored 18 points in a win over Northern Durham. Last year, Pennix scored 21 points in a victory over Currituck County in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs. Pennix’s incredible shooting ability will remain his legacy after he graduates from Orange in June. His presence over the past four years has led to the Orange men’s basketball program returning to championship form.

Orange Panther of the Week: Xandrell Pennix

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior men’s basketball guard Xandrell Pennix. On Tuesday night, Pennix surpassed 900 career points in Orange’s 76-36 win over Southern Alamance. Last week, Pennix played possibly his greatest half of basketball at Person.

GRAHAM–It was bound to happen.

Throughout the year, Orange center Jalen Crayton has teased a euphoric, exhilarating slam dunk when set up under the basket. He came close at the end of 2024 against Western Alamance, but the ball ricocheted off the room high in the air.

Not only did Crayton deliver a monster dunk in Orange’s rout of Southern Alamance on Tuesday night, but he delivered several, sending the visitors bench and fan section at Patriots Gymnasium into hysteria each time.

That was the theme of a dominant 76-36 Orange win. Senior Xandrell Pennix surpassed the 900 point mark in his career with 14 points, including the opening 3-pointer of the game in a wire-to-wire Panther win. Junior Kai Wade scored 20 points to lead Orange, who crossed the midway point of the Central Conference season tied with Eastern Alamance for first place. The Panthers improved to 13-4, 5-1 in league play.

The Patriots (3-11, 1-3) entered the game shorthanded with shooting guard Bo Day sidelined with a walking boot. in the first quarter, starting guard Kolby Kronberg’s injured his ankle after getting a lay-up blocked going up against Orange’s Freddy Sneed.

Orange went on a 20-0 run in the first half to take a 39-9 lead late in the first half. Pennix scored ten points in the opening quarter. Wade drove at will against the Patriots guards and scored nine of his 20 points in the second quarter. Orange nearly held Southern Alamance without a point in the second quarter until Micah Stone scored on a lay-in with 43 seconds remaining in the first half.

Crayton had three dunks in the second half to finish with a career-high 12 points. Coming off a game where he had six blocks against Person, Crayon added two blocks.

Orange sophomore Hector Garrido added seven points and Barrett Liner came off the bench to drain a 3-pointer during garbage time.

Orange is the first team in the Central Conference to reach the midway point of the league campaign. They will step out of Central Conference play to face undefeated Reidsville on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers will end a 10-game road swing with a crucial trip to Western Alamance next Tuesday.

Women’s basketball: Orange 56, Western Alamance 13

The Lady Panthers (9-6, 4-2) held Southern Alamance without a field goal for over 20 minutes in an easy win on Tuesday night in Graham.

Orange spread the wealth on offense with eight different players winding up on the score sheet. Addie Atkins opened the game with a 3-pointer as the Lady Panthers never trailed in improving to 9-6 overall, winning its fifth straight.

Atkins, Alexis Stephens and Maura McMurtry each scored nine points. Orange led 12-5 at the end of the first quarter after Southern’s Emory Gilley scored on a lay-in. The Patriots wouldn’t score another field goal until late in the fourth quarter when Jaylin Palmer knocked down a short jumper while getting fouled.

Orange started to pull away after McMurtry drained two 3-pointers in the first quarter. Senior Shannon Murphy scored all eight of her points in the second quarter. Atkins drained two more 3-pointers in the second half to establish a new personal season-high. Senior center Marshea Byrd scored eight points in the first half.

Senior Kyla Mehl added eight more points in the third quarter, including two 3-pointers.

Chloe Caldwell, Payton Borland, Rhiley Crabtree, Chloe Caldwell, Bryce Jones and Annabelle Monteith all played in the fourth quarter. Orange established a running clock after their pushed their lead to over 40 points early in the third quarter.

Sarah Kathryn Maness led Southern Alamance (2-11, 0-4) with four points.

Orange will travel to Reidsville on Saturday afternoon. The Lady Panthers will continue its Central Conference slate against Western Alamance in Elon on Tuesday night.

The Orange men’s basketball team is in the midst of a 10-game road swing. It started on December 23 when the Panthers defeated the Ivanhoe Knights based out of Australia at Northeast Guilford High. For the past four years, Orange senior Michael Clark has been a quiet, forceful leader. Last week in the Panthers’ thrilling win over Person, Clark scored eight points, including a lay-in with 22 seconds remaining to secure a victory where Orange roared back from 19 points down. Clark had 14 points in Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge last week. Against East Wake, Clark scored 14 points in the South Granville Holiday Invitational Tournament. Just before Christmas, Clark scored 15 point as the Panthers rolled past Western Alamance 73-48 for the Panthers first Central Conference win of the season. Clark has been a vital part of Orange’s 13-4 record, its best start in the seven-year stint of head coach Derryl Britt. Clark broke through the varsity level in the 2020-2021 season along with fellow freshmen Xandrell Pennix and Freddy Sneed. After taking their lumps early, the talent, speed and camaraderie of Clark, Pennix, Sneed and Kai Wade have taken the Panthers to the top of the Central Conference. Clark has been an important part of Orange’s success. After a decisive win at Southern Alamance on Tuesday night, Orange will step out of conference to play at powerful Reidsville on Saturday.

Orange men’s basketball forward Michael Clark discusses 13-4 start to the season

The Orange men’s basketball team is in the midst of a 10-game road swing. It started on December 23 when the Panthers defeated the Ivanhoe Knights based out of Australia at Northeast Guilford High. For the past four years, Orange senior Michael Clark has been a quiet, forceful leader.

The Orange lacrosse team has risen to statewide prominence over the past five years. Last spring, the Panthers won the 3A/2A/1A Eastern Regional championship and secured its fourth consecutive conference championship. Last week, two of Orange’s premier defenders signed with Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. Drew Jouannet, a defender who created 22 turnovers in 2024, officially signed with the Railsplitters. Jouannet will start his third varsity season next month. Last season, Jouaneet had 63 ground balls. Joining Jouannet at Lincoln University will be senior midfielder Aidan Monteith. Last year, Monteith had 25 ground balls across 20 games and played in the 3A/2A/1A State Championship game. Also signing during a ceremony last week was senior Gray Crabtree. Last May in the Eastern Regional championship game, Crabtree scored seven goals in a win over Croatan, the biggest win in Orange lacrosse history. Crabtree signed with Division II Mars Hill University. Crabtree has scored 53 career goals. In his junior season, Crabtree had 40 goals. He finished with 46 points for the most successful Orange lacrosse team in school history. During the past three years, Jouannet, Monteith and Crabtree have helped Orange amass a 59-9 overall record with a 39-0 record against Central Conference opponents in the regular season. Orange will start its new season against Northern Guilford on February 24 at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough.

Orange lax Drew Jouannet & Aidan Monteith sign w/Lincoln Memorial; Gray Crabtree signs w/ Mars Hill

The Orange lacrosse team has risen to statewide prominence over the past five years. Last spring, the Panthers won the 3A/2A/1A Eastern Regional championship and secured its fourth consecutive conference championship. Last week, two of Orange’s premier defenders signed with Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee.

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The past two years have been a time of transition for Orange wrestling.

Like Northern Durham football, UNC women’s soccer and Charlotte Independence football, Orange wrestling had a dynasty. They didn’t lose a conference match from 2010-2019. They won 16 consecutive conference championships across three different classifications and five State Championships under legendary head coach Bobby Shriner. It continued under his successor, Spenser Poteat.

And like every sports dynasty, there’s destined to be a drop-off simply because the highest level of achievement can’t sustain itself forever.

That’s where Orange finds itself as its transitions into a new era of high school sports in North Carolina, which isn’t to say there hasn’t been success stories.

Last Wednesday, Orange honored a group of seniors Braden Crawford, Jayden Medley, Adrian Sierra, Max Molinar, Eben Petrides, Andrew Pavalonis. Also honored were the lone senior on the women’s team, Ava Lytle.

Bolstered by pins from Crawford and Conner Harward and a sudden victory decision from Sierra, Orange defeated Southern Alamance 57-18 at Panther Gymnasium last Wednesday. Orange, which had its annual trip to the Havelock Duals canceled because of snow over the weekend, improved to 8-3 overall, 3-2 in the Central Conference.

Medley, who was an all-conference linebacker for Orange last year, won his final home match by forfeit at 215 pounds. Medley is 25-9 this season and is aiming to reach the 3A State Tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum next month.

Crawford is no stranger to Greensboro. He has qualified for the state championships his first three years at Orange. The latest member of Orange’s storied 100 wins club, Crawford won his final home match over Aiden Cameron to improve to 25-7 with his 18th pin of the season.

As a freshman, Crawford went 31-5 and finished 4th in the Mideast Regionals at Union Pines High School in 2022. He likely would have been the favorite to win the Central Conference Tournament at 120 pounds, but the event was canceled due to snow in the forecast.

In his sophomore season, Crawford won the Central Conference championship for an Orange team that claimed the league regular season title. He went on to finish 2nd in the Mideast Regionals at Cedar Ridge High School. He won two matches in the consolation bracket at the state championships beating Matthew Mehaffey of Pisgah 7-5 in a sudden victory round, then scoring a major decision over Skyler Oxford of West Carteret 20-7. He finished the year 32-6.

Last year, Crawford won the 126-pound  Central Conference championship at Williams High School in Burlington. He qualified for the state championships after a fourth place finish in a stacked weight division, beating Jazzmen Hall of Fayetteville 71st in the consolation semifinals. Crawford ended his junior season 31-5.

Against the Patriots, Logan Scarantino scored Orange’s first pin of the night over Dawson Pittard to put the Panthers ahead 12-6. Orange’s Brady McAdams earned a forfeit win at 106 to begin the evening. Southern Alamance’s Bennett Teague earned a pin at 113 pounds.

Orange’s Renn Van Hoose improved to 14-11 by pinning Dakota Jones. Sierra defeated Riley Neil 8-3.

At 144 pounds, Orange’s Sebastian Guardia pinned Hamden Wagner. It was Guardia’s third pin of the season. Markus Thomas earned a forfeit win to put the Panthers ahead 36-6.

In the most competitive match of the night, Pavalonis ended regulation against Southern’s William Coletrane tied at 1-1. In the opening sudden victory round, Pavalonis scored the match-winning takedown for a 4-1 victory. It was Pavalonis fifth win of the season.

At 175 pounds, Orange’s Conner Harward pinned Price Ivie. Harward earned his 12th win of the season after his fourth pin.

Orange freshman Jordan Barbee pinned Ashton Seagroves. Barbee scored five wins during Orange’s victory at the Rumble in the Jungle dual meets at Carrboro High School last month.

Lytle finished second at 126 pounds during the Jim King/Orange Invitational in December.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior basketball forward Evelyn George. This week, George scored her 1,000th point in Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge at Red Wolf Gymnasium. George has played at the varsity level since her freshman year along her older sister, Samantha. Since then, George has had 20 career double-doubles. After Orange’s win over Person on Thursday night, George leads the team in scoring and rebounds with 17.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. She also leads the team in steals and blocks and is the top free throw shooter at 89%. She started this season with 20 points and eleven rebounds in a win over Garner. Last year against Walter Williams, George scored a career-high 31 points in a 46-44 win in Hillsborough. George is the first Orange player to reach 1,000 career points since Lauren Cates, who graduated in 2019. She has helped Orange reach the state playoffs in each of her four years in Hillsborough. Her reliability as a finisher has made George the leader of Orange women’s basketball. In addition, George played softball last year for an Orange team that reached the third round of the state playoffs. George’s spot in Orange women’s basketball history is firmly entrenched and she look to lead the Lady Panthers to a state playoff win for the first time since 2017 in February.

Orange Panther of the Week: Evelyn George

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior basketball forward Evelyn George. This week, George scored her 1,000th point in Orange’s win over Cedar Ridge at Red Wolf Gymnasium. George has played at the varsity level since her freshman year along her older sister, Samantha. Since then, George has had 20 career double-doubles.

Comeback wins don’t come much more special than what the Orange men’s basketball team pulled off on Thursday night. Trailing 28-9 in the second quarter, the Panthers shot 11-of-14 from the field in the third quarter to stun Person 67-65 in Roxboro. The Rockets came into the game with a 13-0 record. Senior Xandrell Pennix scored 19 points, scoring ten points in the third quarter to lead the comeback. Another senior, Michael Clark, added eleven points, including two 3-pointers in the third quarter. Clark also had a lay-in with 12 seconds remaining off a gorgeous pass from Hector Garrido that put the game away. It was a crucial win for Orange, who tied the Rockets for first place in the Central Conference. Senior Ethan Ellis drained a huge 3-pointer after Person took a 63-60 lead midway through the fourth quarter. From there, the Rockets were held scoreless in the final 3:50 of regulation until the very end. Orange sophomore Kamal Smith scored a career-high nine points, all of 3-pointers. Two of them came in the third quarter. Pennix is now at 894 career points as he plays the final games of his Orange career. Orange will continued a 10-game road swing when they travel to Graham to face Southern Alamance on Tuesday night.

Orange basketball’s Xandrell Pennix, Michael Clark and Kamal Smith discuss comeback win at Person

Comeback wins don’t come much more special than what the Orange men’s basketball team pulled off on Thursday night. Trailing 28-9 in the second quarter, the Panthers shot 11-of-14 from the field in the third quarter to stun Person 67-65 in Roxboro. The Rockets came into the game with a 13-0 record.

Photo by Ben McCormick of the Courier Times

ROXBORO–The Funky Freight Train rolled through Roxboro.

That’s what Derryl Britt told his Orange men’s basketball team at halftime on Thursday night for inspiration. It didn’t matter that Person, coming in with a 13-0 record,  led 33-24 at halftime. At one point, Orange trailed 28-9.

Britt had faith and he needed it.

He had no way of knowing his starting point guard would sit for much of the second half because of foul trouble in a game that would likely determine Orange’s fate of winning a second consecutive Central Conference championship.

Even without Wade, Britt’s mantra that the train was coming proved true.

The Panthers (12-4) shot 11-of-14 from the field in the third quarter, keyed by Xandrell Pennix scored ten of his 19 points in the frame. Trailing by nine going into the second half, Orange led 54-45 at the end of the third quarter.

Showing a new level of grit in the midst of ten consecutive road games, Pennix scored the game-winning field goal on a driving lay-up with 2:47 remaining as Orange defeated Person 67-65 inside a feverish Rockets Gymnasium on Thursday night. The Panthers held Person scoreless in the final 3:58 aside from a meaningless 3-pointer from Quante Bowman with two seconds remaining.

By that point, Orange senior Michael Clark had sewed up the game on a lay-in off a perfectly delivered backdoor pass from center Hector Garrido.

Now, the race in the Central Conference is wide open entering the final eight games of the regular season. Person, Orange and Eastern Alamance are tied in the loss column for first place in the league. Orange is 4-1 in the league, while the Eagles and the Rockets are each 2-1.

How big was coming back from a 19-point deficit to beat an undefeated Person team in Roxboro?

“Aside from winning the conference tournament championship here last year, I’d put it right behind it,” Britt said. “We’ve had some milestone wins in my seven years here, but not as big as this. We knew that we were going to be in the mix with Person for the conference championship. For those guys to be undefeated and for us to come into this building, it’s gratifying.”

Last February, Orange defeated Person and Eastern Alamance in Roxboro to win the Central Conference Tournament.

Even though Orange erased a 19-point deficit in less than seven minutes of game time, the odds of the Panthers winning seemed to grow against them as the night progressed. Wade picked up his third and fourth fouls with 6:34 remaining in the third quarter after receiving a technical foul, singled out for taunting on a night where the trash talk between the two rivals flowed like champagne on New Year’s Eve.

Orange sophomore center Jalen Crayton, who finished with eight blocks, fouled out with 6:07 remaining in the fourth quarter.

In a heated game, it was a night of attrition. Person’s Lance Clarke, their leading scorer, was hampered throughout the second half. As Pennix scored the game-winning layup, Clarke came down wrong on his right leg and had to be carried off the floor by his teammates. He didn’t return.

Bowman led Person (13-1) with 19 points.

In the fourth quarter, the Rockets went on a 12-0 run with Tae Winstead scoring six straight points. Clarke scored off a lay-in off a feed from Jashawn Graves to put Person  ahead 60-59 with 4:32 remaining. Clarke scored in transition of a pass from Bowman, which would be the Rockets final field goal before the waning seconds. Orange’s Ethan Ellis banked in a crucial 3-pointer from 25 feet to tie the game at 62-62.

Over the next 4:26, Orange’s defense forced four turnovers and Person miss three shots from the field and two free throws with Clarke being worked on the Rockets bench.

Pennix and Freddy Sneed combined to scored ten consecutive points to open the second half. Sneed’s only 3-point attempt put the Panthers’ ahead 34-33 with 6:34 remaining in the third quarter. After Person’s DaeJon Hodge dropped in a lay-in to tie the game at 39, Orange scored on five straight possessions, including 3-pointers from sophomore Kamal Smith and Michael Clark. Later, Clark dropped in a lay-up to put the Panthers ahead 53-43.

Person used hot shooting from Clarke and seven offensive rebounds to take a 20-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Clarke score seven points in the first quarter while Bowman added six. The Rockets went on a 13-0 run in the gap between the first and second quarters with Bowman’s layup putting the Rockets ahead 28-9 with 5:44 remaining in the first half.

Orange slowly ate away at the lead in the final five minutes of the first half after Clarke picked up his second foul. Wade and Pennix drained consecutive shots from downtown. Wade made a pull-up jumper for the final field goal of the first half to get Orange’s deficit down to 33-24.

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