Orange High School

Katie Belle Sikes: The greatest swimmer in Orange High history won her first relay race as a member of the Georgia Bulldogs women’s swimming team last weekend. Sikes, as a freshman, swam the anchor leg to win the 200 yard medley relay race in a tri-meet against South Carolina and Vanderbilt at the University of South Carolina Natatorium last Saturday. Sikes, Eboni McCarty, Olivia Dellatorre and Charlotte Headland finished first with a time of 1:37.89.  In her first college meet, Sikes finished third in the 100 yard freestyle. She touched the wall at 22.91 seconds. Dylan Scholes of South Carolina beat out Sikes for first at 22.72. Sikes came in fourth in the 100 yard freestyle. Georgia, ranked #13 in the country won both dual meets, beating Vanderbilt 240-48. The Bulldogs won over South Carolina 167-133.

Payton Wilson: N.C. State will induct Wilson into its Ring of Honor during the Wolfpack’s game against Stanford at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh on November 2. In his final year in Raleigh in 2023, Wilson won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker. He was also the 2023 ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Wilson is now a rookie for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last week, Wilson totaled six tackles, including one for a loss as the Steelers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 32-13 at Allegiant Stadium. Pittsburgh is 4-2 going into its matchup against the New York Jets at Acrisure Stadium. It will be Wilson’s second Sunday Night appearance in three weeks.

Trenton Gill: The former Cedar Ridge punter made his first appearance with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a win over the Philadelphia Eagles at Raymond James Stadium on September 29. Gill averaged 37.5 yards over four punts. His longest was 42 yards. One was downed inside the 20-yard line. On October 4, Atlanta rallied to beat Tampa Bay 36-30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Gill was only needed for two punts, averaging 43.5 yards. His longest was 45 yards.

Darius Satterfield: Satterfield had five punts for Elizabeth City State against Virginia Union at Hovey Field in Richmond, VA last Saturday. He averaged 45.8 yards. His longest punt was 49 yards. Virginia State won 35-0. Satterfield also handled kickoff duties for the Vikings. On October 5, Livingstone College edged Elizabeth City State 23-17 at Alumni Memorial Stadium in Salisbury. Satterfield had seven punts, averaging 35.4 yards. His longest punt was 56 yards. Two boots were downed inside the 20-yard line. The Vikings are 2-4 and will face Virginia State at Roebuck Stadium later this afternoon (Saturday).

Ivy Garner: The Liberty women’s soccer team is on a four-game undefeated streak in Conference USA play. Last Sunday, the Flames defeated Louisiana Tech 2-0 at Caruthers Field in Ruston, LA. Garner, who played her freshman year at Cedar Ridge, scored both goals. She notched the game-winner in the 47th minute, assisted by Halle Engle. In the 52nd minute, Garner scored off an assist from Laurie Littleton. On October 10, Garner scored another game-winning goal in a win over Sam Houston at Pritchett Field in Huntsville, TX. Garner scored in the 29th minute off an assist from Gabby Miranda. On October 6, Liberty played to a 2-2 tie against New Mexico State at Osborne Stadium in Lynchburg, VA. Garner tallied another goal in the 28th minute for an equalizer assisted by Engle. Garner assisted on the second goal from Engle to put the Flames ahead. Liberty is 12-1-3 overall, 4-1-1 in Conference USA.

Emmerson Talley: The Division II Lenoir-Rhyne women’s soccer team has won five in a row. On Wednesday, the Bears blanked Mars Hill 3-0 at Meares Stadium in Mars Hill. Talley, the all-time leading goal scorer in Cedar Ridge history, scored on the Bears first shot of the game in the 15th minute. Talley is now second on the team with four goals. Last Saturday, Lenoir-Rhyne defeated Coker 3-1 at Coker Athletic Field in Harsville, SC. Talley played 72 minutes and had one shot. The Bears remain undefeated at 7-0-3 overall, 5-0-1 in the South Atlantic Conference.

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Hillsborough Sports | hamlin37’s live audio

Play-by-play for Orange and Cedar Ridge high school for football, basketball, baseball, softball and lacrosse heard live!

For the third year in a row, Orange and Cedar Ridge will meet for the Central Conference Tournament championship tonight (Thursday).

The past two years, it was clear that the Red Wolves and the Lady Panthers were the best two teams in the league long before the conference tournament started.

This year, it couldn’t have been any more different.

On opposite sides of Hillsborough Wednesday night, Orange and Cedar Ridge were each extended to five sets by opposition who had taken them to the distance earlier this year.

Cedar Ridge, the tournament’s #1 seed, fought off Person 3-2, its second five-set victory over the Rockets this year in Hillsborough. Just like their previous matchup on September 19, the Red Wolves won the first two sets, only to have Person storm back and draw even. The Red Wolves won the fifth set 15-12.

On the northern end of town, Orange defeated Western Alamance 3-2 on scores of 23-25, 25-18, 24-26, 25-22 and 15-8. On September 22, the Warriors defeated the Panthers 3-2 in Elon.

It was a match won and lost at the net. With Western Alamance leading two-sets-to-one and ahead 13-8 in the fourth, Orange junior Mariah Poole made a crucial block on Warriors outside hitter Haley Clayton. That triggered six consecutive Orange points. Immediately after Poole’s play, sophomore Sawyer White rejected an attack by Reese Walker. Junior Ava Wilkerson delivered three consecutive kills to put Orange back ahead 14-13.

Freshman Aubry Hodges delivered her own block in the midst of another 6-0 Orange run that put them in control of the set. Hodges delivered a kill to increase Orange’s lead to 19-15. Naturally, Katie Silcott wrapped up set point by winning another joust at the net.

Orange never trailed in the fifth set, jumping out ahead after the Warriors were called for a double hit, followed by a kill from junior Aubrey Jordan. Hodges scored another block, the first of four consecutive Orange points. During the spurt, Poole delivered an ace and Wilkerson slammed down a kill to put Orange ahead 7-2.

The Warriors got a kill from Clayton set up by Walker to decrease Orange’s lead to 8-5, but that would be as close as they would get. Wilkerson scored an unassisted kill, while Jordan delivered on back-to-back kills. Poole ended the long night by scoring match point on, you guessed it, a block of Walker.

In the opening set, the lead changed eight times with 12 ties. Walker, a sophomore, had four kills in the opening set. Western’s Kenley Elliott scored to make it 23-22. Walker slammed down set point along the left sideline to give the Warriors the opening set 25-23.

Orange roared out to a 4-0 lead in the second and eventually won it 25-18, the closest thing to a decisive set in the match.

It appeared Orange would control the third set, as well. They jumped out to a 5-0 lead behind three kills from Jordan and another from White. Western Alamance used huge blocks from Taliah Walker and Clayton to trigger a 12-4 run, which put the Warriors ahead 11-8. Orange fought back and took a 24-23 lead after Jordan poked a ball over the net that found the floor. Clayton fought off an Orange set point with a kill, and the Warriors ended the third with the final three points. After Walker spiked down an attack to put the Warriors ahead 25-24, an attack by Jordan went wide on set point. Western Alamance won the set 26-24.

The stakes can’t get much higher on Thursday night at Red Wolf Gymnasium. The winner will take the conference tournament championship after the Red Wolves and the Panthers tied for the regular season title with identical 10-2 records.

On top of that, the winner will claim the top-seed for the 3A State Tournament. Currently, Cedar Ridge has an RPI ranking of #5. If they win on Thursday, they would be seeded fifth in the state tournament. If Orange wins, the Red Wolves will likely get only a #12 seed, which may be good for just one home match in the state playoffs.

The Orange men’s cross country team hasn’t won championships over the past four years.

They’ve collected them.

Though they lost two-time 3A State Individual champion Gabriel Schmid to graduation, Orange has remained in top form this fall. On Wednesday, they captured its fourth consecutive Central Conference championship at Lake Cammack Course in Burlington.

For the third straight year, Orange had the individual conference champion, as well.

Junior Myles Jermyn was the leader as the Panthers placed the three runners to win the team championship with 25 points. Cedar Ridge had a strong showing, finishing runner-up with 44 points. Red Wolf junior Henry Alexander came in fourth overall at 17:25.84. Hillsborough runners comprised five of the six placers.

Jermyn, who finished second behind Schmid last year at the conference championships, led the pack with a time of 17:10.65. He narrowly beat his teammate, junior Lucas Van Mater, who came in at 17:11.18.

Since the formation of the Central Conference in 2021, Orange has won four conference and two Mideast Regional championships. Last November, the Panthers finished 2nd in the 3A State Championships behind only Croatan.

Jermyn, whose father Kevin is the cross country coach at Duke University, earned his first conference title. In September, Jermyn finished first in a tri-meet with Cedar Ridge and Western Alamance with a time of 17:32.00. He has now run on three Central Conference championship teams in three years.

Earlier this month, Van Mater inches out Jermyn on the same course by fourth-tenths-of-a-second in a conference meet that Orange captured.

Grant Scmid, a sophomore and the younger brother of Gabriel, finished third at 17:24.37. Overall, the Panthers had five of the top ten finishers, showing off their experience and depth. Senior Cryus Neal came in 9th (18:23.72) while Peter Musser finished 10th (18:56.02).

Easton Freeman of Walter Williams, who came in fifth (17:38.24), was the only non-Hillsborough runner in the top five.

Cedar Ridge had its best showing ever in the Central Conference championships, putting three runners in the top eleven finishers. In addition to Alexander, junior John Ngunjiri Jr finished sixth (17:42.45). Senior Nathan Walters finished 8th (18:01.85) while sophomore Callum Hinson finished 11th (19:08.83).

Orange finished with 25 points. Cedar Ridge finished 2nd with 44 points. Walter Williams, who had a runner-up finish in 2023, came in third with 75 points. Southern Alamance was fourth with 97 points and Western Alamance registered 115 points.

Orange’s Aidan Viola finished 21st (20:07.28).

Cedar Ridge sophomore Landin Tillet came in 15th (19:26.14) while Red Wolf Michael O’Melia finished 16th (19:36.88) O’Melia also wrestles for head coach Scott Metcalf during the winter.

Cedar Ridge senior Elie Ndahiriwe finished 19th in a field of 41 runners. Ndahiriwe finished with a time of 20:01.43.

Orange and Cedar Ridge both qualified as team for the Mideast Regionals. That will be held at Franklinton High School on October 26.

Over the past three years, Orange has claimed the regional championship in 2021 and 2023. In 2022, Orange finished second behind Durham School of the Arts.

Orange head cross country coach Brian Schneidewind maintained a championship form despite losing several strong runners from the 2023 conference championship team. In addition to Schmid, the Panthers lost Alden Cathey, who finished 5th in the conference championships in 2023. Cathey would go on to win Orange’s first regional championship in men’s lacrosse and now attends Arcadia University in Pennsylvania, where he will likely be a long-stick defenseman.

Gabriel Schmid is currently on a Mormon mission. Once that ends, he will run at N.C. State University. Schmid is one of two runners in Orange High history to win an individual state championship in cross country. The other, Bradsher Wilkins, also won back-to-back state championships in 1997 and 1998. Wilkins was the only Panther to win a state championship at the 4A level.

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is sophomore tennis player Ellie Wilson. Last week at the Central Conference Tennis Championships at the Burlington Tennis Center, Wilson qualified for the Mideast Regionals in singles play. Wilson had to win two matches in order to reach Regionals for the first time in her career. In the opening round, she defeated Jasmin Brown of Cedar Ridge 6-2, 6-3. With a spot in the Regionals on the line, Wilson got past Kensley Gasaway of Western Alamance 6-4, 7-5. This season, Wilson was placed in the starting lineup by head coach Justin Webb and she produced nine singles wins. Overall, Wilson has been a part of 14 victories as Orange finished in second place in the Central Conference. For the first time in school history, it appears that Orange will host a match in the State Dual Team Playoffs later this month. Wilson opened this season with a straight sets victory over Quinn Parker of Eno River Academy. She followed that by beating Alaina Bustillo of Voyager Academy 8-2. Wilson has played doubles with freshman Kalynn Mason and has amassed a 5-1 record. This Friday, Wilson will play in the Mideast Regional singles tournament at the Burlington Tennis Center looking to advance to the semifinals, which would earn her an automatic spot in the 3A State Singles Tournament.

Orange Panther of the Week: Ellie Wilson

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is sophomore tennis player Ellie Wilson. Last week at the Central Conference Tennis Championships at the Burlington Tennis Center, Wilson qualified for the Mideast Regionals in singles play. Wilson had to win two matches in order to reach Regionals for the first time in her career.

It was a game played at Cedar Ridge’s Stadium.

It was played at their pace.

It was played with Cedar Ridge getting the better chances in the final 50 minutes.

Yet it was Orange who came away from the Hillsborough Derby victorious continuing to take giant steps towards unprecedented heights in the 37-year history of the program.

Daniel Toledo’s goal in the 35th minute, assisted by Yurem Tapia Mendez, was the only tally on the night as Orange defeated Cedar Ridge 1-0 at Red Wolves Stadium. Orange improved to 10-4 and remains on pace to tie the school record for most wins in a season.

The 2010 Orange team finished 15-6, losing in the opening round of the 3A State Playoffs to Western Alamance 1-0 in Elon.

Orange junior Demetrius Holmes triggered the game’s only goal with a long dribble past midfield. A quick feed to Mendez on the right side of the penalty area drew Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Erik Galunas off his line. Mendez first thought about shooting but decided to send a diagonal pass to Toledo, who fired the ball into an empty net with 5:28 remaining in the first half.

Orange sophomore goalkeeper Hector Garrido, who had not played organized soccer before this year, earned his fifth clean sheet of the season, but it wasn’t a game where the Panthers dictated play. Following Toledo’s goal, the Red Wolves came away with better scoring opportunities in the second half.

“I think we played the way that Cedar Ridge wanted us to play,” said Orange coach Palmer Bowman. “They got us off our game. We were fortunate to get one. They won a lot of balls out of the air and dictated how the game went tonight.”

Cedar Ridge (5-7-2 overall, 4-4 in the Central Conference) immediately had a chance off a corner kick. A ball sent in bounced off the head of Alex Rosales, hopped off the ground and bounced off the crossbar. Garrido’s momentum nearly took him into his own net as he grabbed the ball for the save.

“Before the game in the locker room, I told the boys to go out and give 100% on every single play,” said Cedar Ridge assistant coach Seth Foster. “Regardless of the outcome, at the end of the day, we’re happy with that. The boys came out at the beginning of the game and set the tone. They controlled the flow. I thought we outplayed them for the majority of the game. We had one simple mistake in the first half. Overall, I was happy with how we played.”

Cedar Ridge’s Salomon Hernandez had a breakaway opportunity five minutes into the second half. Garrido came out of the net to shut down his angle, leaving Hernandez with no choice but to fire from 21 yards, which rolled wide.

With 29:05 remaining, Hernandez would get another chance with a free kick of 23 yards. Hernandez aimed it for the upper left corner, but Garrido used his 6-1 frame to gently tap it over the left post for his best save of the night.

Orange centerback Dallas Johnson disrupted several Cedar Ridge chances throughout the night, denying a run by Cedar Ridge forward Edwin Diaz in the final ten minutes. The Red Wolves best chance in the waning minutes came when Niko James sent a wormburner on net from 18 yards, which bounced off Gurrido’s chest as Rosales ran in. Gurrido smothered the ball before Rosales could get the equalizer.

Orange is 5-2 in Central Conference play. Currently, Orange’s RPI is #9 in the 3A East Region. If the Panthers can maintain that standing for the remainder of the regular season, they will likely host a state playoff game for the first time since the program started in the summer of 1987 under original head coach Pat Todd.