Orange High School

After he scored 41 points in the opening game of his senior season, it would be easy for Jerec Thompson’s teammates on the Orange men’s basketball team to let him carry the load down the stretch of tight games.

But that’s not the recipe for success.

Instead, against Carrboro on Tuesday night at Panther Gymnasium, it was another Thompson that came through with the biggest play of the game.

With the game tied 56-56 with 2:26 remaining, Thompson did a flashy crossover to shake Carrboro point guard Ti’von Bird, then drilled a 3-pointer to put Orange (2-3) ahead for good. Joshua Jackson hit enough free throws in the final minute as Orange pulled out a 61-58 victory over Carrboro for the Panthers first home win of the season.

Jerec Thompson finished with 27 points, including 21 in the first half. Ethan Stutts led Carrboro (3-1) with 19 points, but was scoreless in the final quarter.

J.J. Thompson had all nine of his points off three-pointers in the final five minutes of regulation.

“That’s not unexpected,” said Orange coach Darryl Britt. “We’ve been preaching for J.J. to do this type of thing the whole time. Luckily he knocked them down tonight. I hope in the future, we won’t have to push him so hard because everybody is going to try to take J.T. (Jerec Thompson) away at times like that.”

After J.J.’s crossover three-pointer, Carrboro’s L.J. Riggsbee scored off a rebound and was fouled by Orange’s Ryan Moss with 2:08 remaining. But Riggsbee missed the subsequent free throw that would have tied the game and the Jaguars didn’t score again.

Thompson’s 3-pointer turned out to be the final field goal of the game. Jackson, who finished with nine points, made three big three throws in the final minute. Carrboro had several chances to even the game in the waning minutes, but Jerec Thompson and Darius Corbett came up with crucial rebounds after Jaguars misses from the field. With under a minute remaining, Carrboro forced a steal and broke out in transition set to tie the game, but the Jaguars were called for traveling.

Orange didn’t trail in the first half, but its largest lead was seven. After Jackson opened the game with a 3-pointer, Thompson drained consecutive 3-pointers in the first quarter, including one from 30-feet to put Orange in the lead for the remainder of the half. Jackson was fouled on a 3-pointer on the subsequent possession, and made two free throws.

Stutts scored 15 points in the first half for the Jaguars. Carrboro had three chances to even the game in the second quarter, but the Panthers came up with stops on every trip.

Riggsbee put the Jaguars ahead in the third quarter after two free throws.

Tuesday’s game was the start of a five-game homestead for Orange. They will host Riverside on Friday night.

WOMEN’S GAME: ORANGE 68, CARRBORO 36

Two Orange women’s players had career-highs as the Lady Panthers defeated Carrboro 68-36 on Tuesday night.

Senior guard Samantha George put up 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting from the field, including both of her 3-point attempts. Last Thursday, George had a career-high of 19 points in a win over the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham.

Another senior guard, Nikayla Whitted, added eleven points and six steals. Whitted, who played at Gravelly Hill Middle School, reached double-figures for the first time in her career.

Senior point guard Aaliyah Harris added 18 points as Orange improved to 3-2. Jarmil Wingate added eight points.

It was the first home game of the season for Orange. The Lady Panthers opened the season with road trips to Graham, Chapel Hill, Durham and Pittsboro.

Not only did the Orange men’s basketball team win its first home game of the season on Tuesday night. They became the first team to defeat Carrboro this season. The Panthers held off the Jaguars 61-58 at Panther Gymnasium. Senior guard J.J. Thompson save his best for last, scoring all nine of his points off three 3-pointers in the final five minutes. The biggest came with 2:26 remaining when Thompson drilled a 20-footer following a sweet crossover that shook the Jaguars point guard. Senior guard Joshua Jackson hit three big free throws in the final minute as Orange improved to 2-3. Jackson started with five points in the opening quarter. Senior guard Jerec Thompson led all scorers with 27 points, including 21 in the first half. Orange will return home to face Riverside on Friday night in Hillsborough.

After trips to Graham, Chapel Hill, Durham and Pittsboro, the Orange women’s basketball team finally got to play a home game on Tuesday night. The Lady Panthers defeated Carrboro 68-36. Orange put three players in double-figures, including junior Nikayla Whitted, who scored a career-high 12 points. Senior Samantha George, for the second time in two weeks, set her own career-high with 23 points off 10-of-13 shooting from the field. Point guard Aaliyah Harris added 18 point as Orange improved to 3-2. In addition to her 12 points, Whitted added six steals. Going into a difficult Central Carolina Conference, Orange will look to continue momentum when they face Riverside in Hillsborough on Friday night. The victory over the Jaguars started a five-game homestand for the Lady Panthers. After Riverside, Orange will host Western Alamance, East Chapel Hill and Walter Williams next week.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior wrestler and linebacker Brendon Worsham. In the opening week of the season, Worsham won his first three matches for the Orange wrestling team. Competing at 182 pounds, Worsham defeated Northwest Guilford’s Alex Brasheer 7-2. In Orange’s Central Carolina Conference opener, Worsham pinned Western Alamance’s Dylan Teague in 1:08 as the Panthers won the dual match 66-18. Last season, Worsham qualified for the 3A State Championships at 182 pounds. He wrestled for the Mideast Regional championship when he pinned Northwood’s Cliff Davis in 3:30. Last season, Worsham finished 16-4. The past two years, Worsham played football under head coach Van Smith. This season, Worsham started at linebacker and as an offensive lineman. He made 55 tackles. Last Saturday in the Jim King/Orange Invitational, Worsham finished 4th at 182 pounds and scored pins over Person’s Aiden Walker, as well as Northwood’s Cliff Davis. Worsham is looking to help Orange win another conference championship in wrestling. The Panthers are 3-0 in the CCC and will face off against Cedar Ridge, Jordan Matthews and Providence Grove in a quad match on Wednesday night.

In 2020, there were many local traditions that temporarily fell by the wayside because of the pandemic.

Locally, the Jim King/Orange Invitational Wrestling Tournament is a staple at Orange High School during the first weekend in December. Dating back to 1980, some of the best wrestling teams across central North Carolina journey to Hillsborough for the one-day tournament. But the only activity inside Orange’s gym last December was volleyball.

This year, the JKO returned with 13 teams. And Orange returned to the top of the standings.

Behind eleven wrestlers who placed in their respective weight classes, the Panthers finished first with 195 points to win the 40th JKO Invitational on Saturday afternoon. Cardinal Gibbons, who captured the 2019 championship, came in second with 154.5 points. Cary, which has won 21 JKO team championships, finished third with 148 points. Riverside finished with 115.5 points.

It was the tenth time that Orange won the JKO Invitational.

Three Panthers captured individual championships, all making their JKO debut. At 195 pounds, Acoya Isley pinned the top seed, Dylan Wall of Bartlett Yancey, in 4:36.

At 220 pounds, Orange’s top-seeded Elijah Acosta defeated Northwood’s Jake Dunning in the championship match.

At heavyweight, the Panthers Hugo Vazquez defeated Person’s Trevquan Gray 8-2 in the final match of the afternoon. Vazquez, who wrestled at Stanford, didn’t start in his eighth grade season for the Chargers. Three years later, he claimed his first tournament championship.

“It was good to have some first-year guys come through,” said Orange wresting coach Spenser Poteat. “We have some older guys and some younger guys in the lineup and it was refreshing to do this tournament after not having it last year.”

It was an impressive bounce back for Orange from the 2019 JKO, when not one Panther placed in a championship final for the first time in the history of the event. On Saturday, six Panthers reached the championships of their respective weight classes. Along with Vazquez, Acosta and Isley, Braden Crawford (126), Samuel Crawford (152) and Andre Hill (160) all finished in second place.

In the opening month of the season, Poteat and his staff has worked to develop a younger team that lost four wrestlers who qualified for the 3A State Championships last June. Among them was Kessel Summers at 120 pounds, who racked up 115 wins in his Orange career. Hayden Horne (who finished 4th in the state at 220 pounds), Matthew Smith-Breeden, and Henry Joubert-Stanzel also graduated last summer.

Of the three Orange grapplers who won individual championships, only Vazquez has started for Orange in his career. Vazquez competed at 220 pounds in the abbreviated 2021 season last summer.

Isley, who competed at Gravelly Hill Middle School, scored an immediate takedown against Wall in the championship match and used a vice-like grip to keep Wall from escaping. Isley recorded back points as the first period wound to a close to go ahead 6-2. In the second period, Isley started from the bottom and quickly gained a reversal to build an 11-3 lead. Isley finished him off with a pin.

“Acoya has continued to get better every week,” Poteat said. “He knows what our goals are he continues to work towards them.”

In the 220 championship, Dunning nearly got a takedown on Acosta in the early seconds, but Acosta escaped and gained Dunning’s back for the opening takedown. Dunning struggled to find an opening after Acosta quickly gained an escape point to start the third period. Acosta scored a double-leg takedown to take a 5-2 lead in the second. Acosta clamped on a waist lock to haul Dunning to the mat and eventually prevailed 12-5 for his first high school tournament championship.

The opening period of the heavyweight championship match went scoreless between Vazquez and Gray. After Gray gained an early escape point in the second period, Vazez hooked Gray’s arm and secured a trip takedown that led to back points and a 5-2 lead. Vazquez was fresher down the stretch as Gray couldn’t shoot in for a takedown.

“Hugo has come a long way,” Poteat said. “He’s worked hard and we enjoy having him lead this team as a junior.”

Orange’s Dillon Heffernan pinned Paul Vogel of Bartlett-Yancey in the 3rd place at 126 pounds match in 1:41. Heffernan opened the tournament pinning Vogel in the first round in 1:40 before losing to the eventual champion, Cardinal Gibbons’ Liam Hickey.

Orange’s Jared Hutchins finished 3rd at 132 pounds after pinning Northwood’s Aiden Vigus in 2:31. Hutchins reached the semifinals after he pinned Cameron Stokes of Bartlett Yancey in :28 seconds.

Kale Womble and Brendon Worsham finished fourth in their respective weight classes.

The Panthers will return to dual match mode on Wednesday when they face Cedar Ridge, Jordan-Matthews and Providence Grove in a quad match at Red Wolves Arena. The Panthers are tied with Northwood for 1st place in the Central Carolina Conference with a 3-0 record. Orange has defeated Person, Walter Williams and Western Alamance in the opening month of the season as they pursue its 18th conference championship in 19 years.

In his first appearance in the Jim King/Orange Invitational, Acoya Isley captured the 195-pound championship. On Saturday, Isley pinned Dylan Wall of Bartlett Yancey in 4:36 to win his first tournament championship at Orange. Isley starting wrestling in the 8th grade at Gravelly Hill Middle School. On Saturday, Isley started the tournament with a pinfall win over Chandler Baysdon of Wallace Rose Hill in 1:35. In the semifinals, Isley defeated Aspen Talbot of Cardinal Gibbons 11-5. Isley had a strong grip in the championship match that prevented Wall from getting an escape point and ultimately led to the pin. Isley’s victory helped Orange win the team championship as they finished with 195 points. Cardinal Gibbons finished 2nd with 154.5 points. This was Isley’s first appearance in the Jim King/Orange Invitational. Orange will continue its season with a quad meet at Cedar Ridge on Wednesday.

Just a few years ago when Hugo Vazquez was an 8th grader at Stanford Middle School, he wasn’t in the starting lineup for the Chargers. Now, Vazquez is the heavyweight champion of the Jim King Invitational. On Saturday, Vazquez defeated Person’s Trevquan Gray 8-2 to win the title at Orange High School. It was Vazquez’s first appearance in the Jim King/Orange Invitational. In the semifinals, Vazquez defeated the top-seed in the heavyweight tournament, Devon Thompson, in 3:39. In the opening round, Vazquez pinned Aidan Holton of Chatham Central in 54 seconds. Vazquez started this season by pinning Western Alamance’s David Day in 44 seconds. He also defeated Northwest Guilford’s Trey Tuggle in a sudden victory round 4-2. Vazquez will look to maintain his undefeated record on Wednesday when Orange faces Cedar Ridge and Jordan-Matthews in a quad meet. Orange will look to improve to 4-0 in the Central Carolina Conference having already beaten Western Alamance, Person and Walter Williams.