Orange High School

Traditionally, the Hilltop Invitational has served as a midterm exam for Orange baseball.

The event rings in April and falls just after the Panthers have started its conference slate. For one majestic Wednesday night, it served as a reminder of how wonderful baseball can be.

Facing Heritage, the Panthers awakened from a dormant offensive showing to score three runs in the seventh inning to end the game into extra innings.

Just when Orange needed a miracle to extend the game beyond the 9th inning, Cam Brown provided one.

The wind had blows to right field all night. Brown, who stepped up to the plate 0-for-4, sent a fly ball to right field with two out and the Huskies leading 6-4. Heritage’s Ellie Droke ran toward the line and flashed his hands up in the air unable to find the ball. Then Droke looked over his left shoulder in time to find the ball disappear over the fence.

It was just the second home run hit over the right field fence at Orange in the last two years. The other was by Ryan Honeycutt, a walkoff blast against Cedar Ridge in the opening round of the state playoffs last year. Brown, after the first home run of his varsity career, was mobbed by his teammates with a water shower.

Unfortunately, the Panthers couldn’t complete the comeback. Heritage, which jumped out to a 1-0 lead and led almost the entire game, scored three runs in the tenth inning off four walks and two hit batters. Andrew Briganati was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring Tyler Henderson to score the game-winning run. The Huskies would add two more runs and win 9-6 in ten innings.

Heritage starting pitcher Blake Tillery took a no-hitter into the fifth inning before Orange’s Wren Hash sent a single on a grounder to left field. Dominic O’Keefe stroked a double to the left field fence to score Hash and cut the Heritage lead to 2-1.

With Orange trailing 4-1 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers remarkably tied the game. Garrett Sawyer drew a walk to load the bases. Henry Hoffman, who leads the team in RBIs, lined a single to left field. Kayden Bradsher and O’Keefe scored. Sawyer reached third base as the relay throw from Heritage centerfielder Andrew Kilgore bounced through the infield and past the third base line. Sawyer raced for home plate and beat the throw from reliever Holden Kafes to the plate to even the game.

On Friday, Orange made quick work of Chatham Central 11-1 in five innings, the Panthers second run-rule win of the season.

Gary Miller scored the go-ahead run in the second after he reached on an error. O’Keefe sent a drooping liner to right field that got under the glove of right fielder Carter King to score Miller.

Orange pulled away with six runs in the third. After O’Keefe drew a bases-loaded walk, Eli Horton drilled a bases-loaded double that loaded between two outfielders for a bases-clearing double. Hash, Miller and O’Keefe all scored. Hoffman added an two-run single later in an inning where the Panthers sent eleven batters to the plate.

Orange would tack on four more runs in the fourth inning. D.J. Woods scored off a single by O’Keefe. Miller touched the plate after an RBI groundout by Horton. Kayden Bradsher lined a single to centerfield that scored O’Keefe.

Sawyer earned the win, throwing three-and-two-thirds innings. The game marked the return of Oliver Van Tiem after he was injured against Western Alamance on March 18. Van Tiem threw one-and-two-thirds innings before he was replaced. Sawyer allowed only one hit and struck out five.

Cy Horner: The Division III Methodist lacrosse team has won four in a row. On Saturday, the Monarchs hammered Huntingdon College 13-3 at Monarch Stadium in Fayetteville. Horner came away with the hat trick for Methodist. He also assisted on the game-winning goal from Jay Legg as the Monarchs charged out to an 8-0 lead. This season, Horner has scored 20 goals over 13 games. Against William Peace on March 26, Horner scored six goals in an 18-7 win in Fayetteville, tying a career-high. He also had a hat trick against Averett. Horner now has 95 career goals.

Katie Wolter: The former goalkeeper for the Orange lacrosse team made her college debut for the Elon women’s team on March 15. Wolter played on defense and got a ground ball in the Phoenix’s 14-10 win over Monmouth at Kessler Stadium in West Long Branch, NJ. Elon is 6-5 overall, 3-1 in the Coastal Athletic Association.

Josiah Tisdale: A sophomore defensemen for Methodist, Tisdale has played in seven games this year, including Saturday’s win over Huntingdon. He has three ground balls and one turnover created this year. Methodist is 8-5 overall, 4- 1 in the USA South Conference.

Connor Kruse: The Lenior-Rhyne men’s lacrosse team is ranked #7 in Division II. On March 29, the Bears pounded Emory & Henry 24-3 at Food City Complex Stadium in Emory, VA. Kruse registered an assist and a ground ball in the Bears’ win. So far in his freshman season, Kruse has played in eight games. He has one goal and two assists. On Saturday, Kruse played in Lenoir-Rhyne’s 17-12 win over Newberry at Setzler Field in Newberry, SC.

Sascha Van Praag: Another former Orange defender playing for Lenoir-Rhyne, Van Praag played in his first college game against Emory & Henry on March 29. Lenoir-Rhyne is 10-2 overall, 5-2 in the South Atlantic Conference. They will host Tusculum at Moretz Stadium in Hickory on Saturday.

Jacob Driver: The leading scorer for Cedar Ridge last season, Driver made his college debut for Division II Mount Olive last month. Driver played in the Trojans 19-9 win at Lees-McRae in Banner Elk on March 8. Driver has also played in a win over Chowan and a loss to Belmont Abbey. Mount Oliver is 5-6 overall, 4-2 in Conference Carolinas.

Tigh Metheney: The former Orange Panther continues to play for Division II Catawba. He has played in four games this year for the Indians. He scored a goal in a 22-1 win over Emory & Henry on March 8.

Nick Cardone: A sophomore, Cardone has played in four games for Catawba this season. He had a ground ball against Emory & Henry. Catawba is 8-4 overall, 4-4 in Conference Carolinas.

Alden Cathey: Cathey, now at Division III Arcadia University, made his college debut in the Knights’ win over Gwynedd Mercy on March 1. Arcadia is 7-4 overall and won its opener in the Middle Atlantic Freedom Conference against FDU-Florham on Saturday.

Bryse Wilson: Wilson threw twice last week for the Chicago White Sox. On Friday, Wilson closed out a game against Detroit at Comerica Park, where he threw the final three innings. He entered the game with the White Sox trailing 5-1 and allowed one run off two hits with five strikeouts. Chicago made a late rally with three runs in the ninth but Detroit prevailed 7-4. On Tuesday, Wilson threw one-third-of-an-inning against Minnesota at Target Field. He allowed one hit and one walk. So far this year, Wilson five innings over four appearances with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Dante DeFranco: The Charlotte 49ers are 18-13 after a weekend series against Wichita State, where the 49ers won two-out-of-three games. Charlotte defeated South Carolina Upstate 8-4 on April 2. DeFranco entered the game as a reserve centerfielder in the ninth. DeFranco has played in six games this season.

Coltin Hedrick: A freshman at Wake Technical Community College, Hedrick has come out of the bullpen in five games this year. His most recent appearance came against Catawba Valley Community College, where he gave up one hit.

Wyatt Hedrick: Wyatt is a teammate with his brother at Wake Tech. On Sunday, he threw against two-thirds-of-an-inning against Guilford Tech and allowed one run off two hits. He has appeared in five games with a 12.71 ERA over five-and-two-thirds innings.

Jackson Berini: After playing in the opening weeks of the season for the Gaston College Rhinos, Berini will miss the remainder of this year. He recently underwent a medical procedure. Next year, Berini will play at Wichita State after two years in Gaston.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is junior pitcher Ryan Sawyer. After 2024, the Panthers lost five of its top seven pitchers, including starter Cross Clayton and Josiah Gibbs. This year, Sawyer has stepped up to become the regular Tuesday starter. Moving into the second month of the season, Sawyer has a 4-0 mark with a 2.31 ERA. He leads the team with 48 strikeouts. On March 18, Sawyer struck out ten batters in a 8-1 win over Western Alamance, the Panthers Central Conference opener. On March 11, Sawyer delivered another ten strikeout performance and took the victory as Orange defeated East Chapel Hill 7-1. Sawyer picked up the win on March 3 as the Panthers defeated Northern Durham 6-0 at Knights Field. Sawyer struck out eight over three shutout innings. In Orange’s first win of the year against Chapel Hill on February 26, Sawyer earned the victory as he threw four innings and struck out four and allowed only four hits. Ryan attributes a new diet, partially created by new pitching coach Landon Riley, for his new mindset which includes a emphasis on BBQ chicken. Amidst heavy turnover from a four-time defending conference championship team, Sawyer has provided reliability in 2025 as the Panthers aim for the top of the Central Conference once again. Starting on Tuesday, the Panthers will start a two-game series against Southern Alamance, which sits atop the Central Conference with a 6-0 record.

Rivals on the field, the Orange and Cedar Ridge lacrosse are in a different type of competition to benefit the entire community.

Starting Monday, Orange and Cedar Ridge will compete in a food drive that will culminate at next Friday’s game between the two crosstown rivals at Auman Stadium in Hillsborough.

Fans can bring food to the contest, which begins at 7PM. The deadline for donations is the end of the first quarter.

The drive itself starts on Monday, when only online donations will be accepted.

Cedar Ridge attacker Josh Hart and Orange sophomore Jackson Wrenn have organized the food drive. Previously, Wrenn has organized similar efforts for Orange High’s PORCH club. He has raised 249 pounds of food in two previous food drives.

“We thought the competition would be a great way to get both schools involved,” Wrenn said.

Donations will go to PORCH Hillsborough, where it will be distributed.

Anyone wishing to donate online can go to porchcommunities.org. Write down Orange or Cedar Ridge in the memo to inform organisers which schools the donation is being sent on behalf of.

Starting Tuesday, donations will be accepted at Cedar Ridge front office as well as inside the athletic offices.

At Orange, donations will be accepted inside the Orange High Fieldhouse for Tuesday’s game against Southern Alamance. There is also a food donation box in Orange High’s front office.

Food can also be dropped off during Friday’s game between the Panthers and the Red Wolves, where the final count will be distributed and a winner declared during halftime.

hamlin37 is on Mixlr

hamlin37 is on Mixlr

It was ironic after a difficult week, Orange would find a way to win in Wilson.

For years, Historic Fleming Stadium was a place where Orange had a terrible time winning. For a good portion of the day on Saturday afternoon, it appeared Orange’s trip to Wilson would be another trip to nowhere.

Until Garrett Sawyer came up with the swing of his life.

With Orange trailing Pine Forest 4-1 in the fourth inning, Sawyer hit the first grand slam of his career over the left field fence inside a park that has hosted minor league games. It propelled Orange into a 8-4 lead.

The Panthers would use timely hitting and another save from freshman Mason Bullard to hold off the Trojans 9-8.

Sawyer grand slam was his second home run of the season. He was also Orange’s starting pitcher, throwing two innings.

Orange junior Henry Hoffman, who is tied for the team lead with 13 RBIs, slashed a double that landed at the wall in right field to score Cam Brown and Wren Hash. Mason Bullard, who walked earlier in the inning, scored the tying run off a wild pitch with Hunter Albert at the plate.

Sawyer expanded Orange’s lead in the sixth inning with an infield hit that turned into a two-base error after an errant throw to first base. D.J. Woods, a sophomore starting his first varsity game, knocked in Sawyer with a groundout to Pine Forest shortstop Kaydyn Thomas to put Orange ahead 9-5.

The Trojans nearly got it all back in the seventh inning. Three runs crossed the plate starting with a leadoff double from Chase Mims. Ryan Geske knocked in Mims with an RBI single. Jayhlen Brown, who reached on a walk, scored off a wild pitch to cut the Orange lead to 9-7.

Bullard came in as pitcher as Geske scored off a groundout by Pine Forest’s Wade McLamb to third baseman Dominic O’Keefe. With Landon Thompson representing the tying run at third and one out, Bullard induced Rylan Ditmore into a groundout back to the mound. Thomas grounded out to shortstop Kayden Bradsher to end the game.

Person swept Orange in a two-game Central Conference series last week. It was the first time the Rockets won a regular season game against Orange since they became conference rivals again in 2022.

Cedar Ridge 11, Chatham Central 3: 

Ian McGuffey drove in four runs as Cedar Ridge scored eight unanswered runs to defeat Chatham Central in Bear Creek in a nonconference game on Tuesday night.

Aidan Ryan struck out six over four innings in middle relief to earn the win for the Red Wolves. Ryan allowed only two hits and two runs, just one of which was earned.

With the game tied 2-2 going into the fourth inning, Ryan led off the inning with a single to left field. With Walker  Holmes at the plate, Ryan stole second, then swiped third. After Holmes walked, Ryan would score on a passed ball with Jesus Velazques at the plate. Holmes advanced to third on the same passed ball and would score when Velazquez grounded out to first base.

McGuffey drove a double to right field. Quinn Finnegan drew a walk. John Grove sent a grounder to first that was misplayed, allowing McGuffey to score and expanded Cedar Ridge’s lead to 6-3 just before Finnegan was tagged out at third base.

In the fifth inning, Heckman line a single to left field. Heckman stole second and would score off a double by Ryan to left field. Following another single by Dominic Sena, Velasquez drilled a RBI single to left field to score Ryan

John Grove finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Ian McGuffey finished a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. He went 4-for-4 with two doubles and a triple.

Cedar Ridge will face New Hanover on Wednesday afternoon in Hillsborough at 5PM.

Mia Davidson: The Diablos Rojos won the championship of the Mexican Softball League last month. Davidson, playing her first season in Mexico, helped Diablos defeat Sultanes de Monterrey 3-0 in the best-of-five Serie de la Reina (The Queen’s Series). The third and deciding game, played in front of 12,424 fans at Estadio Alfredo Harp Help, was captured by Diablos 5-0. The series broke the league record for attendance. Davidson started at first base in all three games of the series. In game one, which the Diablos won 7-6, Davidson hit the game-winning three-run home run in the sixth inning to vault the Diablos ahead 7-5. She finished game one 2-for-4 with three RBIs. The Diablos finished first in the regular season with a 23-5 record, three games ahead of Bravas de Leon.

Bryse Wilson: In his first games for the Chicago White Sox, Wilson threw two innings of middle relief. He tossed a scoreless seventh inning with one strikeout agains the Los Angeles Angels at Rate Field on March 30. Los Angeles won 3-2. On March 29, Wilson threw another scoreless seventh inning, giving up two hits and a strikeout. The Angels won 1-0. The White Sox are 2-3 after losing to Minnesota on Tuesday.

Katie Belle Sikes: The greatest swimmer in Orange High history finished her freshman season at Georgia in the NCAA National Championships in Federal Way, Washington. In the 400 yard freestyle relay, Sikes, Helena Jones, liane Reinstein Bri Robertson finished as second-team All-Americans. They finished 16th in the nation with a time of 3:13.20. Sikes swam the anchor leg at 48.27 seconds. Georgia finished 16h in the country with 58 points. Virginia won its fifth-consecutive national championship with 544 points.

Mary Moss Wirt: Delaware took two-out-of-three games against Elon in a softball weekend series in Newark, DE over the weekend. Wirt scored Elon’s only run in the Blue Hens’ 9-1 win over the Phoenix last Friday. Wirt, starting at catcher, went 1-for-2. On Sunday, Delaware edged the Phoenix 3-2. Wirt went 1-for-3. Against Monmouth on March 23, Wirt finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored as the Phoenix defeated the Hawks 11-0 in five innings. Elon swept the three-game series from Monmouth. In the opening game of the series, Wirt scored a run as a pinch-runner. Currently, Wirt is hitting .242 in 18 games. Elon is 17-14 overall, 9-3 in the Coastal Athletic Association.

Takia Nichols: The North Carolina Central Eagles took the series from Coppin State at CSU Softball Complex in Baltimore over the weekend. Nichols drove in a run off a sacrifice fly in the second inning of Sunday’s series-finale, which the Eagles won 10-0 in five innings. In Central’s 6-2 win over Coppin State on Friday, Nichols drove in the opening run off another sacrifice fly. Nichols went 1-for-2 in the opener. She started all three games at first base. The Eagles are 4-5 in the MEAC. They will host Morgan State at Thomas Brooks Park in Cary starting with a doubleheader on Saturday.

Carson Bradsher: The Division III Averett University softball team dropped a doubleheader to #5 Virginia Wesleyan at Cougar Field in Danville, VA on Sunday. Bradsher, hitting leadoff for the Cougars, went 2-for-7 with an RBI against the Marlins. #14 Randolph-Macon swept a doubleheader from Averett on March 29. Bradsher went 2-for-7 in the doubleheader. Averett is 11-14 overall, 2-6 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Bradsher is leading the team with a .439 batting average. She also leads the team in hits (43), runs (23), and total bases (46).

Ava Lowry: Against Guilford, Lowry went 2-for-5 with a double as North Carolina Wesleyan split a doubleheader against the Quakers on March 25. Lowry had an RBI single as the Battling Bishops improved to 2-2 in the USA South Conference. Over the weekend, Lowry started both games at shortstop as Wesleyan swept a doubleheader from Southern Virginia on scores of 4-0 and 9-1.

Olivia Aitkin: The former Cedar Ridge utility player started in centerfield for Division III Amherst on Sunday. Tufts University swept a doubleheader from the Mammoths. Aitkin also started in centerfield as Amherst split a doubleheader from Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT. In a 6-5 loss to Middlebury, Aitkin drove in a run off a sacrifice fly.

Brianne Foster: Foster started at catcher for Wake Tech and went 1-for-3 on March 26 against Louisburg at Buffaloe Road Athletic Park in Raleigh. Foster finished 1-for-3. Louisburg won 16-1 in six innings. Wake Tech is 14-15 overall, 8-8 in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Foster has played in 18 games this season and is hitting .205 with six RBIs.

Following its best finish in eight years, three Orange women’s basketball players have been named All-Central Conference.

Senior forward Evelyn George, junior guard Maura McMurtry and senior center Marshea Byrd were named to the All-Conference team.

George was named All-Conference for the third consecutive year. For the second year in a row, George led the team in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game. She was also the leading rebounder on the team with 8.4 per game. George surpassed 1,000 career points in the Lady Panthers win over Cedar Ridge on January 7. She became the first Orang women’s player with 1,000 points since Lauren Cates, who finished her career with 1,043 points in 2019. This season, George finished with 12 double-doubles. On November 25 against Southern Lee, George finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and seven steals in a 58-46 Lady Panthers victory. George started the year by scoring 20 points and grabbing eleven rebounds in a win over Garner. While there has never been an official triple-double in Orange women’s basketball history, George nearly had one against Reidsville when she amassed 19 points, nine rebounds and eight steals.

George set her career-high of 26 points against Chapel Hill on December 10. Against conference opposition, her season-high was 25 points in a win against Williams on January 3. George, whose older sister Samantha graduated in 2023 and also played basketball at Orange, committed to Guilford College last month.

For the first time since 2017, Orange reached a conference tournament championship game after beating Cedar Ridge and Eastern Alamance in the Central Conference Tournament.

After finishing second in the Central Conference to eventual 3A State Champion Western Alamance, Orange defeated Swansboro 50-33 in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs. It was the first time since 2017 that the Lady Panthers won a state playoff game.

For the second year in a row, McMurtry was named to the All-Conference team. McMurtry’s presence on offense was most noticeable when she was absent from the lineup during a stretch in late January. Without their most experienced point guard, the Lady Panthers went from a 58-41 win over Williams in Burlington to a 61-53 loss to the Bulldogs in Hillsborough. McMurtry returned to the lineup the following week and Orange closed the regular season with six consecutive wins.

McMurtry scored a career-high 21 points in a thrilling double overtime game against Southeast Alamance on December 27 in the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoopla Tournament. The Stallions would pull out a 74-72 win over Orange. Southeast Alamance would go on to win the 2A State Championship in only it second year.

McMurtry scored 13 points in Orange’s senior night win over Eastern Alamance on February 14, another thrilling game where senior Shannon Murphy hit two free throws with one second remaining to pull out a 64-63 win.

Byrd was the starting center for the Lady Panthers on her third year on the varsity. She averaged 6.4 points per game. Against Southern Lee, Byrd had ten points and ten rebounds for her first double-double of the season. Against Western Alamance on January 24, Byrd finished with 13 points and 12 rebounds as the Warriors won 60-48. It was the closest game that any Central Conference team gave Western Alamance this season. In her final regular season home game, Byrd finished with seven points and six rebounds in the win over the Eagles.

Byrd also had eleven points in the victory over Williams in Burlington.

The Lady Panthers were led by first-year head coach Josh Underwood, an Orange graduate who guided the Panthers to an 18-10 season, the most wins in a season for Orange since the 2018-2019 season. Yet it was Walter Williams Jason Cheek who was named the Central Conference Coach of the Year.

Western Alamance’s Allie Sykes was named the Central Conference Player of the Year.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior lacrosse defender Drew Jouannet. Over the past three years, Jouaneet has been a steady force for Orange lacrosse coach Chandler Zirkle on the defensive end. Since joining the varsity in 2023, Jouannet’s play has placed him on the long list of great Panther defensive players that have led to Orange becoming the dominant lacrosse program locally. Under the tutelage of former Panthers Nick Cardone, Alden Cathey, Sascha Van Praag, Josiah Tisdale and Kale Womble, Jouannet has helped Orange win the last three Mid-Carolina Conference championships and the 3A/2A/1A Eastern Regional Championship. This year, Jouannet has come up big in a win at Southern Alamance, helping the Panthers shut down the Patriots in the second half. In February, Jouannet officially signed with Lincoln Memorial University based out of Harrogate, Tennessee. This year, Jouannet helped Orange as they opened the year with wins over 4A teams Northern Guilford and Pinecrest. In 2024, Jouannet had 53 ground balls and created 22 turnovers for the most successful Orange lacrosse team in school history, going undefeated in the Mid-Carolina Conference and making it to the 3A/2A/1A State Championship game for the first time in school history. Orange will continue its season against Southern Alamance on April 8 inside Auman Stadium in Hillsborough.