HAW RIVER–At the very end of Fritz Hessenthaler’s first season at Orange, he saw something that made his return to coaching worth it. There were tears in the eyes of some of the 25 sophomores, commiserating over the fact they would never get to play alongside three seniors ever again. “You can’t really put a…
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For two schools not in the same conference, Orange and Southeast Alamance sure have built a connection over the past three years. This Friday in Haw River, the Panthers and the Stallions will meet for the fourth time since 2023. It will be in the opening round of the 5A State Playoffs. The North Carolina…
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This week’s Orange football Defensive Player of the Week is sophomore linebacker Jakai Torain. Against Carrboro on October 17, Torain led the Panthers with 12 tackles as Orange won its first game of the season at Jaguars Stadium. The Panther defense held the Jaguars to 198 yards total offense as the Panthers defeated Carrboro 38-12…
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It’s FritzBall. The style of offense that Orange football coach Fritz Hessenthaler employs, when it runs at peak efficiency, is meant to pound opposing interior lines into submission. It takes plenty of time off the clock that puts the pressure on the opposition to score. It’s meant to church up yards on the ground, even…
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The Orange football team earned its first home win under head coach Fritz Hessenthaler on Friday night. Sophomore Markus Thomas rushed for 144 yards on 32 carries and scored two touchdowns as the Panthers defeated South Granville 16-8 at Auman Stadium. It was Orange’s first win over the Vikings since 2009. On a night where…
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The Orange Middle Football team is on the verge of hosting another Orange Person Athletic Conference championship game. The Chargers dominated Northern Middle 34-0 last Thursday to improve to 6-0. It’s been over two years since the Chargers lost a game. Jameson Torain scored four touchdowns. That included a 53-yard screen pass thrown by quarterback…
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The 31st carry of the night for Markus Thomas netted him one yard. It was the most precious one-yard gain of Orange’s season and led to the Panthers first win over South Granville in 16 years. Thomas’ carry, which earned Orange a first down by two feet, ensured the Panthers would run out the clock…
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