Orange High School

There will be a bounce in the step of the Orange football team when practice resumes on Tuesday. That’s because the Panthers defeated Chapel Hill for the first time since 2019 on Friday night. Orange got three touchdowns from Ja’ki McDaniels, who rushed for 131 yards in Orange’s 20-13 victory over the Tigers at Culton-Peerman Stadium. McDaniels broke off a 54-yard run on the first play of the game, then ended the drive with a three-yard plunge. McDaniels scored the game-winning touchdown immediately after a fumble recovery by Jayden Klieforth in the fourth quarter. It was a gratifying win for the Panthers, who never trailed after leading 14-0 at the half. Orange’s Jayden Medley had an interception in the first half, then stopped Chapel Hill’s Josh Roberson at the 7-yard line in the dying seconds as the Tigers attempted to tie the game. McDaniels also caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Hank Nunnery in the second quarter. Nahjour Kenyon, a 5-5 senior, made a huge tackle for loss against Chapel Hill starting quarterback Jonah Berman on the Tigers’ first series of the game. Orange will play its home opener against Vance County on Friday night at Amman Stadium. Then Orange will make its first-ever trip to Montgomery Central on September 14 for its final nonconference game.

Orange football coach DeVante Pettiford & running back Ja’ki McDaniels discuss win over Chapel Hill

There will be a bounce in the step of the Orange football team when practice resumes on Tuesday. That’s because the Panthers defeated Chapel Hill for the first time since 2019 on Friday night. Orange got three touchdowns from Ja’ki McDaniels, who rushed for 131 yards in Orange’s 20-13 victory over the Tigers at Culton-Peerman Stadium.

The first false fall of 2024 gave way to the hottest day in August last Wednesday, coincidentally the same night that Eno River Academy made its first-ever trip to Orange Soccer Field.

Just like so many other times this year, Orange junior midfielder Yurim Tapia Mendez had the winning formula, notching his first career brace for the Panthers’ second straight victory.

Mendez now has six goals in Orange’s opening five games of the season after the Panthers defeated the Bobcats 6-1. Sophomore Hector Garrido, who started in basketball as a freshman early last winter, earned his fourth win of the season as goalkeeper, making six saves.

Orange improved to 2-0 lifetime against Eno River Academy, located just two miles from the Orange campus along Highway 57. Last year, the Panthers defeated the Bobcats 2-1 at soccer.com Field in Efland.

Eno River falls to 2-4-1.

“We adapted a little as the game went on,” said Orange coach Palmer Bowman. “We need to work harder in coming out with a killer instinct. But we adapted and cleaned it up towards the end. That was good to see. We did a good job of getting organized defensively.”

It was another night where Orange’s back line of Dallas Johnson, Eben Petrides, Jay Parker and Logan Edwards controlled the pace of play and largely shut down any serious Bobcats threats in the second half. Eno River’s only goal in the 16th minute when a shot lofted from 40 yards away sailed over Gurrido’s head and softly into the roof of the net.

“We know they have some players who can shoot from distance,” Bowman said. “They just caught us off guard on that one. That was a mental lapse.”

Orange controlled the remainder of the game starting when junior John Tercero chipped a pass across the field and found Daniel Toledo, who pooched a high shot into the upper right corner from 24 yards to give Orange a 3-1 lead. It was Toledo’s first goal of the year.

Johnson had a coast-to-coast run from his center back position and nearly rolled a ball past goalkeeper Joel Strong, who made a lunging save. With 2:12 remaining in the first half, Strong tapped the ball over the night on a free kick attempt by Orange junior Christopher Lopez.

Orange kicked off to start the second half and dominated possession the remainder of the game. Moments after Joseph Lopez’s attempt off a pass from Angel Chavez rolled wide, Mendez notched his second goal from ten yards away on a short entry pass from Kace McAuley.

“The heat was obviously a factor,” Bowman said. “So we figured the more we had the ball, the more they chased, the more they got worn down.”

Eno River’s best chance in the second half came with 29:30 remaining when Alden Yarborough fired from 35 yards off a free kick that banged off the crossbar. Moments later, Orange’s Angel Chavez’s attempt from 17 yards bounced wide.

McAuley cashed in with 20:37 remaining after receiving a pass from Chaviz. McAuley dribbled into the box and shot it in for his first goal to make it 5-1 in favor of the Panthers.

Sophomore Jesse Petrides took a corner kick with 4:44 remaining and headed it in from the edge of the six-yard box for the game’s final tally. It was Petrides’ first varsity goal.

Orange improves to 4-2. They will travel to Northern Durham on Wednesday night.

Cedar Ridge 1, Northern Durham 1: It its only game of last week, Cedar Ridge played to its second consecutive tie at Northern Durham. Alex Rosales scored the Red Wolves goal off an assist from Rodrigo Arellano. Junior goalkeeper Erik Galunas made seven saves.

Remarkably, Cedar Ridge still hasn’t played a home game yet. They will make yet road trip, albeit to Efland, on Tuesday night to face Eno River Academy at soccer.com Field.

As a former defensive lineman at Virginia Union, it should come as no surprise that Orange football coach DeVante Pettiford has a build like an elephant.

And a memory like one, too.

In the 2021, he was an assistant under head coach Van Jones when Chapel Hill pulled a stunning 22-21 comeback victory when kicker Noah Westrom booted through a 40-yard field goal as time expired. It gave Chapel Hill a share of the Big 8 Championship, cost Orange a winning season and ended Orange’s 10-game winning streak against the Tigers.

It was such a classic game that Jones said he wasn’t even mad about being on the losing end. It was one of the rare times where Jones and he assistants were on different pages.

On Friday night, Orange returned to Culton-Peerman Stadium and came away with possibly its biggest triumph in nearly four years.

Senior running back Ja’ki McDaniels rushed for a career-high 131 yards and scored three touchdowns as the Panthers held on during a chaotic final minute to defeat the Tigers 20-13. It was Orange’s first win over Chapel Hill since 2019.

Chapel Hill’s Josh Roberson made a final attempt to score a game-tying touchdown in the waning seconds, but was tackled after a 14-yard gain at the 7-yard line by senior linebacker Jayden Medley, who made big plays throughout the night. The clock stopped with :2.5 seconds remaining after Chapel Hill got the first down, but time ran out while the Tigers were still trying to line up for its next play.

It was the first time that Orange won a game decided by seven points or less since they upset Northern Durham 7-6 on March 12, 2021, the Panthers’ last football game inside Durham County Stadium.

“My emotions go back to before I was head coach, Pettiford said. “They kicked a field goal with three seconds left to beat us in 2020, the COVID year. We haven’t beaten them ever since. This has all been building. To finally put this together with these boys, the hard work they’ve put in…”

McDaniels was a linebacker in 2023 and didn’t have a carry all season. He came away with Orange’s first 100-yard rushing game since Nate Sorrells against Cedar Ridge last year.

“He came to me and said he wanted to be a running back,” Pettiford said. “I can make it happen. We saw it today. I’m proud of everybody, but especially Ja’ki.”

Chapel Hill lost starting quarterback Jonah Berman late in the first quarter when he was stripped of the ball on a sack by Orange linebacker DeAndre Brown. Starting running back Josh Roberson was pressed into quarterback duties, which relegated the Tigers offensive play calling to mainly quarterback draws, keepers and short passes the rest of the game.

Orange was without sophomore wide receiver Kayden Bradsher, who was injured in practice last week. Bradsher is also a starter as a defensive back.

After registering a paltry 20 yards rushing against Southeast Alamance in its season-opener, McDaniels served notice immediately that Friday night would be different when he peeled off a 54-yard gain on the first play from scrimmage. Deandre Brown continued the 86-yard drive with a 27-yard gain down to the Tigers’ 5-yard line. McDaniels would scored his first varsity touchdown with a scamper over the middle. The extra points was blocked.

Chapel Hill converted an early 4th down when Berman ran a sneak up the middle to the Orange 40-yard line. Berman found Tyler Olario for a 16-yard pickup. The Tigers faced a 4th-and-1 from the Orange 18-yard line, but Nahjour Kenion blew up the play and sacked Berman on a keeper for a loss.

Roberson was forced to play quarterback after Berman’s injury, but Medley picked off his first pass and returned it 74 yards to the Tiger 15-yard line. Chapel Hill’s Duece Geer thwarted the Orange drive when he intercepted a pass from quarterback Hank Nunnery in the end zone.

The Tigers drove to the Orange 38-yard line after Roberson rolled off a 21-yard run, but Medley pounced on a fumble following a botched exchange between Roberson and Tyler Jackson on a jet sweep.

Orange made the Chapel Hill turnovers hurt. As Orange faced a 3rd-and-2 at its own 46-yard line, the Tigers jumped offside. Nunnery found freshman Owen Phillips for 25 yards and tacked a roughing the passer penalty onto it. On a fourth-and-goal from the Tiger 5-yard line, Nunnery was flushed out of the pocket by linebacker Justin Albouy and found McDaniels along the near sideline for a touchdown. McDaniels broke a tackle attempt by James Lunsford for a two-point run to put Orange ahead 14-0 to conclude an 11-play, 62-yard drive.

Roberson broke free for a 51-yard touchdown run to open the second half. The extra points by Mattheus Hobler reduced Orange’s lead to 14-7.

In the fourth quarter, McDaniels got free for a 28-yard gain to move to the Tiger 21-yard line. As Orange got down to the Tiger-14, Chapel Hill recovered a fumble. Three plays later, Jaydin Klieforth pounced on a Chapel Hill fumble, the Tigers third turnover.

McDaniels immediately made the Tigers pay when he scored on a 21-yard run to put Orange ahead 20-7.

Chapel Hill put together its longest sustained drive of the night, a 10-play, 85-yard drive. Roberson ran it in from two yard out, but the extra point missed wide left.

On the game’s final possession, Chapel Hill got the ball back at its own 29-yard line. Roberson hooked up with Olario for 19 yards, but after Roberson’s long run, time ran out on the Tigers.

ORANGE 20, CHAPEL HILL 14

ORA–6   8    0     6–20

CH–0      0    7      7-14

ORA–Ja’ki McDaniels 3 run (kick blocked)

ORA-McDaniels 5 pass from Hank Nunnery (McDaniels run)

CH–Josh Roberson 51 run (Mattheus Hobler kick)

ORA-McDaniels 2 run (run failed)

CH–Roberson 2 run (kick failed)

RUSHING–ORANGE 33-188 2TD (McDaniels 20-131 2 TD, Deandre Brown 9-53, Kingston Purefoy-Farrington 2-14, team 1-(-3), Nunnery 1-(-7).

CHAPEL HILL: 35-232 (Roberson 23-201 2 TD, Tyler Jackson 9-46, team 3-(-15))

PASSING–ORANGE (Nunnery 5-9 66 yds TD, INT) CHAPEL HILL 9-16, 77 yards (Jonah Berman 4-6 24 yards, Robertson 5-10 INT 53 yards)

RECEIVING–ORANGE (Owen Phillips 1-25, Garrett Sawyer 1-19, Hunter Albert 1-9, Hunter Frazier 1-7, McDaniels 1-5 TD) CHAPEL HILL (Tyler Olario 3-46, Nathan Kenyon 3-27, Nik Demas 1-3, Ethan Smith 1-4, Tyler Jackson 1-(-2))

HS Football: Orange @ Chapel Hill – LISTEN LIVE!! – The Rodcast!

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There have been barnstorming team in various professional sports over the year, most notably in baseball during the early 20th century where Major Leaguers would tour the country in an effort to spread the word about America’s pastime.

This summer, the Orange and Cedar Ridge women’s tennis teams are both brainstorming out of necessity. Their respective home courts are undergoing renovations, but development has run long. Orange’s courts should be completed next month. Cedar Ridge’s courts likely won’t be ready until next spring, which will force the Red Wolves to spend the entire season on the road.

Both teams have had to find different places to practice. Orange has worked out at the Fairview Park courts since last week.

On Monday, Orange and Cedar Ridge had to go to the Walker Tennis Complex in Mebane for its first head-to-head meeting, where the Lady Panthers used its experience to control.

Orange won all three of the doubles matches to defeat Cedar Ridge 8-1. Three of the nine matches went to 3rd set, 10-point tiebreakers, including the top two singles tilts.

Last year, Cedar Ridge won three dual matches against Orange, including their first-ever matchup in the 3A State Dual Team playoffs.

Both teams have a top singles player who has been at the varsity level for four years. Orange’s Shannon Sollars defeated Cedar Ridge’s Ella Caltabiano 6-3, 3-6, 10-5 (ten point tiebreaker) in the tightest match of the day. It was the first of two wins on the day for Sollars. Later, she would team with sophomore Molly Kruse to defeat Jasmin Brown and Terra Proctor 8-1 at #2 doubles.

Cedar Ridge’s only victory came in another three set battle. Senior Adeline Cummings defeated freshman Kalynn Mason 6-2, 5-7, 10-5.

The Lady Panthers would sweep the final four singles matches to improve its dual match record to 3-1, 1-1 in the Central Conference. Sophomore Ellie Wilson defeated Brown 6-4, 7-5. In another three set match, Oakley Gaddy held off Proctor 3-6, 6-0, 10-4. Junior Casey Robinson knocked off Lila Rhodes 6-1, 6-4. At #6 singles, Adelyn Alvis won Caroline Hall 6-3, 6-3.

In doubles action, Orange’s #1 team of Wilson and Mason won over Caltabiano and Cummings 8-3. Orange closed out the night with Robinson and Kyla Mehl beating Rhodes and Hall 8-1.

Orange 9, Person 0: On Wednesday, Orange braved temperatures that reached 95 degrees in a road trip to Roxboro for an easy win over the Rockets.

Person had three players. Mason won at #1 singles over Annie Adcock 8-1. Alvis defeated Lehra Pastrana 8-0. Orange’s Aubrey Petrosanu won over Makada Fife 8-0.

In the only doubles match, Mehl and Evelyn Gover defeated Adcock and Pastrana 8-2.

Orange is 4-1 overall, 2-1 in the Central Conference. Their next road trip is to Elon to face Western Alamance on Thursday. After the Labor Day holiday, the Panthers will travel to Graham to face Southern Alamance on Tuesday.

Cedar Ridge 9, Southern Alamance 0: Last week, Cedar Ridge won its first match under new head coach Al Caltabiano in its season opener. Ella Caltabiano won the first match of her senior year over Gabby Canup 6-0, 6-0. Cummings won at #2 singles over Madalyn Corbett 6-0, 6-1. Jasmin Brown won at #3 singles over Ava Lynch 6-1, 6-1. Terra Proctor defeated Cherish Ray 6-2, 6-2. Lila Rhodes captures the #5 singles match over Cayla Shaw 6-0, 6-1. Caroline Hall completed the singles sweep with a victory against Chloe Nelson 6-0, 6-0.

It was Cedar Ridge’s first match since 2021 without Cameron Mayhew in the lineup. Mayhew graduated in June after four years as the Red Wolves top singles player.

Cedar Ridge swept the three doubles matches. Caltabiano and Cummings teamed to defeat Canup and Corbett 8-0. Brown & Proctor defeated Lynch & Ray 8-2. Rhoades and Hall rolled past Shaw and Nelson 8-1.

The following day, Durham School of the Arts defeated Cedar Ridge 9-0. The Red Wolves got back in the win column on Wednesday with a victory over Eastern Alamance in Mebane. Cedar Ridge is 2-2, 2-1 in the Central Conference. They will face Western Alamance on Wednesday.

Orange 3, Western Alamance 0: Two weeks into the season, the Orange volleyball team has had one demanding test after another.

There have been two matches with D.H. Conley and another against Falls Lake, the defending 1A Eastern Regional champion. It left the Lady Panthers with a 2-3 record, but Orange found its dominant form in its Central Conference opener on Tuesday night in Hillsborough.

Junior Ava Wilkerson finished with 16 kills while Kaine Silcott registered six kills, 18 digs and 26 assists as the Lady Panthers swept Western Alamance on scores of 25-19, 25-20 and 25-21. Orange (3-3, 1-0 in the Central Conference) claimed its eleventh straight win over the Warriors since the two teams became conference rivals in 2021.

The Warriors, who came into the match with a 5-0 record, put the pressure on Orange early after junior Taliah Walker got back-to-back blocks in the first set that triggered a 7-1 Western Alamance run. A kill by sophomore Reese Walker put the Warriors ahead 14-11 and forced an Orange timeout. The Panthers reeled off eight straight points off the serve of senior Abby Silinski, who had consecutive aces. A kill by Mariah Poole assisted by Silinski put Orange ahead 19-14. Wilkerson had an ace on set point.

Orange had five aces in the second set, where they jumped out to an 9-3 lead. The Warriors closed its deficit to 11-10 after a kill by Haley Clayton, but Aubrey Jordan scored two straight kills, followed by another from freshman Aubrey Hodges to build Orange’s lead to 17-13. Hodges stuffed down a lobbed return to close out the second set.

Western Alamance led the third set 12-8, but Orange peeled off eleven straight points. Silcott had four aces in the run which vaulted the Panthers ahead 19-12. Jordan scored on a kill to put Orange ahead 24-18. Western Alamance scored four straight points before Silcott slammed down match point off a feed from White.

Orange will continue a challenging nonconference slate with a trip to Raleigh tonight (Wednesday) to face Millbrook.

Cedar Ridge 3, Person 0: Junior Kayla Stoll had a career-high 13 kills as Cedar Ridge won its Central Conference opener in Roxboro over the Rockets on Tuesday night. Sophomore Claire Hargett, who leads the team in kills, spent much of the night on the backline and had a team-high 23 digs. She also had 12 kills. Mia Marty, a setter, had 23 assists and 12 digs.

Cedar Ridge improved to 3-1, 1-0 in the Central Conference. Person falls to 2-3, 0-1 in the Centra.

Person scored the first three points of the opening set, which was also its largest lead of the night. Stoll had seven kills in the first game as the Red Wolves built a 17-10 lead following an ace from Marty. A finish by Hargett, assisted by Marty, put Cedar Ridge ahead 21-12. A return by Person went wide on set point.

Cedar Ridge had six aces in the second set, where Person had a 2-1 advantage. Stoll had an unassisted kill on a dunk at the middle of the floor to put the Red Wolves ahead. Cedar Ridge scored ten straight points to take control of the set, which included another ace from Marty and consecutive kills from Stoll. On set point, Stoll had an ace as Cedar Ridge won 25-12.

Cedar Ridge took a 5-2 lead to start the third set. Person fought back with five consecutive points, its longest run of the match, to briefly hold the lead at 7-6. Cedar Ridge responded with four in a row off kills from Marty, Hargett and a block from Charlotte Lowry to take a 10-7 lead. Hargett slammed down an attack from eleven feet away to give Cedar Ridge an 19-14 lead. Cedar Ridge scored the final three points of the match with Marty scoring match point off an assist from senior Ellie Miller.

Cedar Ridge will host Southern Alamance on Thursday night in Hillsborough.

When Orange and Cedar Ridge have been in the same conference for volleyball, one or the other has claimed the last four league championships. Orange, the defending Central Conference regular season champions, opened league play with a sweep of Western Alamance on Tuesday night in Hillsborough. Orange has won 16 consecutive Central Conference regular season matches. Junior Ava Wilkerson finished with 16 kills and eight digs. Junior setter Katie Silcott finished with 18 digs, 26 assists, seven aces and six kills. Orange opened the season playing a rigorous nonconference schedule, facing D.H. Conley twice and Falls Lake, the defending 1A Eastern Regional champions, once. Orange, the defending 3A Eastern Regional champions, has had a strong start to the season from Wilkerson, a middle blocked who committed to play at UCF last month. Silcott alternates with sophomore Sawyer White as setter and had a triple-double in the season-opener against Roxboro Community School on August 13. The Lady Panthers will return to a demanding nonconference schedule with a trip to Raleigh to face Millbrook on Wednesday night. Orange will have another road trip to Burlington to face Williams in Central Conference play on Thursday. The Lady Panthers improved to 3-3 with the win over the Warriors. Orange has beaten Western Alamance eleven straight times.

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When Orange and Cedar Ridge have been in the same conference for volleyball, one or the other has claimed the last four league championships. Orange, the defending Central Conference regular season champions, opened league play with a sweep of Western Alamance on Tuesday night in Hillsborough.

In the final days of summer vacation, Cedar Ridge and Orange made their annual trip to WakeMed Soccer Park for the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association Kick-Off Classic. The Panthers and the Red Wolves each came away with stronger performances with the Panthers earning a win.

Orange 2, West Johnston 1: Yurim Tapia Mendez now has four goals on the season after notching the game-winning goal as Orange defeated West Johnston on Saturday.

Mendez scored the game-winning goal off a free kick as the Panthers improved to 3-2 and bounced back from a loss to Riverside. Mendez scored the opening goal off a cross from Kace McAuley in the first half. Famany Zogbelamou scored the only goal for the Wildcats, who fell to 4-2. West Johnston came into the game off a 4-1 win over Central Academy.

Sophomore goalkeeper Hector Garrido earned his third win of the season for Orange making eight saves. Orange’s backline of Dallas Johnson, Jay Parker and Eben Petrides did a strong job of fending off the Wildcats in the final 20 minute.

Orange will return home tonight (Wednesday) to face Eno River Academy in the second-ever matchup. Last year, the Panthers defeated the Bobcats 2-1 at Soccer.com Park in Efland.

Cedar Ridge 1, Cape Fear 1: Last Friday, the Red Wolves broke a two-game losing streak with a tie against the Colts. Andy Tarija scored his first varsity goal assisted by Edwin Huerta. Erik Galunas was the Red Wolf goalkeeper. Cedar Ridge is 0-2-1. They will play its fourth consecutive road game tonight when they travel to Northern Durham. It’s Cedar Ridge’s only game this week. The Red Wolves will play its first home game against Chapel Hill on September 9.