Orange High School

There was once a time, not that long ago, that Icez Barnett thought basketball wasn’t going to be her future. Fortunately, she preserved. On Friday afternoon, the hard work she displayed for Barnett as she signed with Chowan University during a ceremony at Orange High Gymnasium. In addition, she was named the Big 8 Co-Player of the Year. Through three years at Orange, Barnett won 55 games at Orange. This season, she was the co-captain of a team that went 19-7 and finished 2nd in the Big 8 Conference. She helped Orange host four state playoff games over the past three years. In all, she helped Orange win 55 games, win the 2017 Big 8 Conference regular season and postseason championships. At Chowan, she will major in Graphic Design.

The season ended in disappointing fashion for the Orange women’s basketball team. On Tuesday, Eastern Alamance defeated the Lady Panthers in the opening round of the 3A state playoffs. Nontheless, Orange went 19-5 this season. Coach B.J. Condron played four freshmen regularly who will help out greatly in the future, including point guard Aaliyah Harris and forward Jarmil Wingate. In December, Harris stepped in to start after senior point guard Grace Dively injured her ankle against Lee County. Wingate was a regular rotation player from start to finish this season and occasionally started at small forward for an Orange team that finished 2nd in the Big 8 Conference.

Kate Franklin will go down as among the most inspirational athletes in Orange High history. She has competed with the Orange women’s cross country team despite the fact she’s legally blind. Kate was born with a visual impairment disability and is legally blind. The disability is called optic nerve hypoplasia, an underdeveloped nerve. The optic nerve in her right eye is one-third of the size of a normal optic nerve. Sadly, the condition can’t be corrected by medication, surgery, glasses or contact lenses. Despite dealing with shin splits and a rolled ankle this fall, Franklin continued to run. Most recently, she participated in the Turkey Trot 5K held at Riverwalk Trail and Gold Park on Thanksgiving morning. Though others offered to run alongside her for guidance, Franklin completed the race by herself at her own behest.

On Tuesday night, the Orange women’s basketball team officially sewed up a spot in the 3A North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Playoffs when they defeated Southern Durham 42-35 at Spartan Gymnasium. It was another night where guard Lauren Cates came up big in the clutch, knocking down three 3-pointers in the 2nd half to finish with a game-high 17 points. Icez Barnett added ten points. Orange clinched the second-seed in the Big 8 Conference Tournament, which starts on Monday night. Orange will host East Chapel Hill at 6 o’clock. If they win, they will host Wednesday night’s semifinal game against either Southern Durham or Cedar Ridge. The Lady Panthers completed the regular season 19-5.

The successful Orange wrestling career of Levi Anderson concluded on Saturday. In the 145-pound 3A state championship wrestling match, Spencer Leonhardt of Morganton Freedom defeated Anderson 3-0 to win his second consecutive state championship at the Greensboro Coliseum. Anderson concludes the season with a record of 52-5. This season, he won five individual championships, including the 3A Mideast Regional Championship. In addition, Anderson was among the highest scorers for the Orange men’s soccer team this past season. In his career, Anderson won over 120 matches and was a part of four conference championship teams and two regional title teams.

The wrestling career of Orange’s Avery Jenkins came to an end on Saturday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum. Jenkins finished 4th at 170 pounds in the 3A State Tournament. In the final win of his career, Jenkins defeated Morehead’s Charles White 7-5 in overtime. It was the second time in three weeks that Jenkins defeated Weeks in an extra session. In the 3rd place match, Caleb Kimpler of Union Pines defeated Jenkins 6-4. Jenkins concludes the year 46-13 and was a member of four Big 8 Conference Championship teams and two Eastern Regional Championship teams.

It was a special night at Orange High on Friday. It was the final regular season home game for five seniors who have helped shape the Orange women’s basketball program. Icez Barnett, Lauren Cates, Grace Dively, Kate Burgess and Namron Chapman all started on Senior Night as the Lady Panthers easily defeated Northern Durham. Together, the five Orange seniors have won 55 games, a Big 8 regular season championship and a Big 8 Tournament championship over the past three years. On Monday night, they will be right back at home when Orange faces East Chapel Hill in the opening round of the Big 8 Conference Tournament. Tipoff will be at 6 at Orange High Gymnasium. The players have meant something to Orange Coach B.J. Condron, who discussed what they’ve meant to him after the win, which improved Orange’s record to 19-5 this season.