Orange High School

For the first time since 2011, Orange captured the team championship at the Jim King Invitational. Coach Bobby Shriner discussed winning the championship.

It’s safe to say Gavin Wiggins has come out of the gates running in his high school career. Only a freshman, Wiggins is already starting for the Panthers at 113 pounds, going 6-3 in his first two weeks as a high school grappler. In the King Invitational, Wiggins opened with a 4-3 decision over Clayton’s Christian Prescott. In the quarterfinals, Wiggins pinned Winston Salem Glenn’s Nick McCormick in 1:29. He advanced to the finals by beating Simon Ruff of Leesville Road 6-0. Wiggins discussed working with Coach Bobby Shriner in his opening weeks as a high school grappler and what lies ahead.

After opening the season with ten consecutive victories, Orange senior wrestler Joe Scott finished 2nd at 152 pounds in the 35 Jim King Invitational on Saturday at King Gymnasium. Eastern Alamance’s Mitch Dean, who was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament, edged Scott 4-2 in the championship.

Scott talked about his performance in the tournament afterwards.

Caldwell’s Bailey Hawkins finished third in the 120-pound weight class at the Jim King Invitational, going 4-1 for the weekend. Hawkins scored pins in his opening two matches. In the consoloation bracket, he earned consecutive victories by scores of 4-0 & 7-3. He talked about his weekend and what’s ahead in the Tiger Holiday Classic later this month.

Senior Juan Torres improved to 9-1 on the season after finishing 3-1 in the Jim King Invitational. His only loss came in the championship match at 182. Juan discusses his rigorous training under Coach Bobby Shriner.

There a scene in the early moments of “Hoosiers” when Norman Dale has just arrived in Hickory, Indiana. With a laced up basketball in his hands, he says to no one in particular “What kind of hand have I been dealt?”

Two games into the 2015-16 season, that’s what Greg Motley is trying to sort out. He’s had two weeks to work with a full hand, but he lost his ace in the hole before the dealer even finished.

On Thursday night, Sanderson rallied to beat the Panthers 61-58 in Raleigh. The Panthers led by as many as 8 early in the third quarter, but lost Conner Crabtree after he was called for a charge with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter. He didn’t return until 4:27 remaining in the game.

Daniel Mulligan led Orange with 18 points. Center Logan Vosburg and Crabtree added 15. Vosburg scored 11 in the second half, seven in the fourth quarter.

Crabtree’s 3-pointer with 3:57 remaining gave the Panthers a 56-5 lead, but Spartans point guard Taj Thompson took over the game in the final stanza. He nailed a trio of 3-pointers and hit five of six free throws down the stretch.

While Orange has its best performances ahead of them, it’s doubtful they’ll play a quirkier game this season.

In the first quarter, Sanderson had a free throw waved off because of a goal tending call.

Later in the third quarter, Spartan forward Antonio Freeman was fouled by Vosburg going strong to the basket. The crowd has already quieted as Freeman went to the line when one of the referees blurted out to the scorer’s table “The basket was good.” That announcement was met with confused looks from both benches and snickers from the Sanderson fan section, who could have sworn Freeman’s shot missed everything. On the next trip down the floor, Vosburg was credited with a field goal courtesy of a goaltending coal that was almost as mysterious.

Late in the fourth quarter, Thompson had a critical free throw waved off because his feet were on the free throw line.

In the end, the Panthers fell to 0-2, which is hardly surprising. Motley has six players in his rotation that just got finished with football season. Plus, there’s the loss of point guard Eryk Brandon-Dean, who is lost for the season after tearing his ACL in September against Southern Durham.

On the positive side, Orange led 39-35 going at the end of the third quarter. The Panthers only scored 35 points in its season-opening loss to East Chapel Hill on Tuesday night.

The Panthers will play its first home game on Tuesday night against Heritage.

Sanderson improves to 2-1 with the win, which has followed an early pattern. They lost to Knightdale 62-58 and defeated Holly Springs 58-56.

Cedar Ridge’s jump to the brink of the Big 8 Soccer Championship paid off with a dual honor for the team’s coach and second-leading scorer on Monday.

Red Wolves midfielder Chris Walker was named Big 8 Player of the Year on Monday. Walker led the team with nine assists, and added ten goals this season for a Cedar Ridge team that finished 13-6-2 this season. They went 9-12 in 2013.

Because of that improvement, Walker’s father, Chris Walker Sr. was voted Big 8 Coach of the Year. It was Walker’s third season as the head coach at CRHS. The Red Wolves made the 3-A state playoffs, defeating Northwood in the opening round. They fell to Cleveland 2-0 in the 2nd round.

Joining Walker on the All-Big 8 team was goalkeeper Brandon Boss, striker Ivan Carbajal, midfielder Lachlan McGrath and striker Noah Leesnitzer.

Carbajal led Cedar Ridge in scoring with with 20 goals and 45 points. Leesnitzer played 19 games and added five goals. McGrath added seven goals, which was third on the squad.

Orange, which defeated Chapel Hill for the first time in school history this season, placed centerback Chandler Compton, striker Alfredo Rodriguez and midfielder Lionel Reid-Shaw on the All-Big 8 squad.

Rodriguez finished with ten goals this season. Reid-Shaw led the squad with 15 goals and 14 assists. Compton was the 2nd Hillsboroughsports.com Orange Panther of the Week.

After a season where Cedar Ridge captured the Big 8 Championship and advanced to the Final Four of the 3-A State Tournament, Coach Charlie Oakley was named the Big 8 Coach of the Year on Tuesday.

Oakley guided Cedar Ridge to a 24-4 record, the most successful in team history. The Red Wolves finished 12-0 in the Big 8.

Led by seniors Asha Barnes, Meg Anderson and Courtney Eckmann, the Red Wolves captured the district and sectional championships before falling in the Eastern Regional Championship match to Asheboro 3-1.

That wasn’t the only volleyball honor for the Orange County area. Orange’s Andie McKinnon was named the Big 8 Player of the Year. McKinnon led the Panthers with 291 kills and a 49,7% kill percentage. She also led the team with 72 aces and 367 digs.

Orange finished 15-10 this season, including two victories over Chapel Hill. The Panthers went to the third round of the state playoffs.

Also making All-Big 8 Conference for Cedar Ridge was Barnes, Lily Henry and Karsen Lee. Joining McKinnon on the All Confernece team for Orange was Kayla Durham and Macy Hughes.

Eckmann was named Honorable Mention for CRHS. Jordan Lloyd and M’Lynn Dease were Honorable Mention for the Panthers.

The Orange Panthers boys basketball team had its season opener 11 days after football season ended, and the heavy legs were apparent.

East Chapel Hill defeated the Panthers 47-35 on Tuesday night at Wildcats Gymnasium. Wildcats point guard Carter Collins paced the Wildcats with 20 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Junior Jonathan Runyambo, a native of Nigera who is playing his first season of basketball at East, had a career-high 11 points.

The Panthers were held to 4 points in the third quarter. Coach Greg Motley figured to have returning senior point guard Eryk Brandon-Dean back from last year’s team that came one win away from winning the Big 8 regular season championship. But Dean suffered a torn ACL playing football against Southern Durham in September. He isn’t expected to play this season.

Logan Vosburg led the Panthers with 10 points, the only Orange player in double figures. Conner Crabtree added nine.

Orange will travel to Raleigh to face Sanderson on Thursday. You can hear that broadcast here on HillsboroughSports.com.