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Katie Belle Sikes: On Senior Day for the Georgia Bulldogs swimming team, Sikes won the 50 yard freestyle at the Bauerle Pool at Gabrielsen Natatorium on Saturday. Sikes finished with a B-cut time of 22.28 seconds as Georgia defeated Emory 191-102. Sikes has first place finishes against Florida and UNC Wilmington in the 50 yard freestyle this season. Georgia will focus on the SEC Championships in Athens, Georgia February 17-22.

Ryan Moss: Now a freshman at Division III Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, Moss recently scored his first points at the college level. Moss scored a field goal against Thiel College on January 18 in Beegly Gymnasium in Greenville, PA. Moss played four season under head coach Derryl Britt at Orange High School.

Mia Davidson-Smith: There’s news in several professional leagues regarding the all-time home run hitter in Orange softball history. Davidson began play in Liga Mexicana de Softbol in Mexico playing for Diablos Rojos Femenil. Davidson hit a two-run homer in just her second at-bat of the season to put Diablos ahead 4-0. It was the first home run by any player in Liga Mexicana de Softbol this year. On Tuesday, Davidson caught the first perfect game history of LMS, thrown by Megan Faraimo in a 6-0 win over El Aguila de Veracruz. On Wednesday, Davidson was selected in the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Softball League draft. She was picked by the Bandits in the fifth round with the #17 draft. Davidson has been with Athletes Unlimited since she graduated from Mississippi State, but the league is shifting to a traditional franchise model for the upcoming summer. She will start a 24-game season in June. That’s in addition to playing in Japan’s Diamond Softball League, where she plays for the Denso Bright Pegasus.

The college softball season is underway for Division II schools, and will formally start for Division I schools on Friday. Here’s some of the Hillsborough products that will be playing at the next level.

Takia Nichols: The all-time home run leader in Cedar Ridge history will start her junior season at North Carolina Central on Thursday. Nichols started 14 games for the Eagles last season and hit .308 with 12 hits and three RBIs. The Eagles will play in the Elon Softball Classic at Elon University against Ohio University on Thursday morning.

Mary Moss Wirt: The former Orange third baseman will start her junior season at Elon. In her sophomore season, Wirt played 33 games and made 19 starts. She scored seven runs. The Phoenix will face Ohio in the Elon Softball Classic. The Phoenix will face North Carolina Central on Saturday.

Carson Bradsher: After one season at South Carolina Upstate, Bradsher transferred to Division III Averett University in Danville, VA. The Cougars will start its season with a doubleheader against Salem College on February 16 at Cougar Field.

Ava Lowry: The former Cedar Ridge Red Wolf will start her junior season at Division III North Carolina Wesleyan on February 20 against Pitt Community College in Rocky Mount. Last season, Lowry started 31 games and hit .349, driving in 15 runs. She was a regular starter at shortstop last season, where she played at Cedar Ridge.

Kelsey Tackett: Tackett will start her sophomore season at North Carolina Wesleyan. Last year, Tackett played in two games.

Brianne Foster: Breezy will start her sophomore season at Wake Technical Community College later this month. Last year, the Eagles went 15-22. Last year, Foster played 33 games as a freshman and frequently played at catcher.

Tori Dalehite: After graduating from UNC Greensboro, Dalehite will come home to start another aspect in her career. Dalehite has joined the staff of Cedar Ridge softball, where she was the leader of the Red Wolves first-ever conference championship in 2018. Dalehite will serve as an assistant on the staff of head coach Allen Byrd. Cedar Ridge starts its season against Wakefield on February 24.

BURLINGTON–Methodically, Orange senior Braden Crawford ended a period of dominance at his final Central Conference Tournament championship meet.

Crawford won his 3rd tournament championship at 138-pounds, pinning Jameer Farmer of Person in the championship match in 1:20. It was more than a championship final for Crawford. In his four years at Orange, he has never lost a conference match.

Crawford likely would have very likely had four tournament championships on his resume. In 2022, the Central Tournament, slated for Eastern Alamance High, was canceled because of winter weather. He won all five of his conference matches he competed in during the 2021-2022 season.

Crawford, who won the championship of the Eagle Invitational in Mebane on December 21, will go into the Mideast Regionals with an overall record of 27-7 on the season. He has 124 career wins. Crawford won his 100th career match during the Wolverine Challenge at Wakefield High School in November. He has qualified for the state championships three times. As a sophomore, he finished 2nd in the Mideast Regionals at 126 pounds.

“I feel, great, excited and happy,” Crawford said as he held the completed tournament bracket in his hands following the awards ceremony last Saturday.

Overall, Orange had its best showing as a team in the Central Conference Tournament since 2023. Bolstered by four individual championships, the Panthers finished 2nd in the team standings with 178 points. Person, which completed the regular season 17-0 under the direction of former Orange High wrestler Chase Kernodle, captured the team championship with 211 points. It’s the first time since 1976 that Person won a regular season and conference tournament championship in the same season.

Senior Jayden Medley captured his first tournament championship at 215 pounds. Medley earned a technical fall over Alfonzo Gonzalez of Eastern Alamance 15-0 in the semifinals, then pinned Western Alamance’s Esaiah Slade in 4:56 to earn the title. Medley, who is 27-8 this season, earned his second individual title of the year. He also won the Eagle Invitational in December. Medley earned All-Conference honors in football, finishing with 104 tackles, second on the team.

Freshman Jordan Barbee continued a strong season by winning the 190 pound tournament. Barbee scored a major decision over Sawyer Marshall of Walter Williams 17-8 in the championship match. Barbee, who was the top seed, pinned Christian Burwell of Person in 2:25 in the semifinals. Barbee improved to 22-9. In December, Barbee won all five of his matches at the Rumble in the Jungle event at Carrboro High School.

The surprise of the day came at 175 pounds. Sophomore Connor Harward captured the championship for the Panthers, his first individual title. The top-seed, Gage Latta of Person, came into the tournament with a 34-7 record. Walter Williams’ Gavin McMahon pinned Latta in the semifinals in 3:57. Harward, who was the sixth-seed, trailed Cedar Ridge’s Will Meyer 6-2 going into the final period of the second semifinal match.  Harward scored four near fall points in the final period and wound up with a 8-7 victory. Harward held on to defeat McMahon 8-5 in the championship match, outscoring McMahon 7-2 in the second period on the strength of four nearfall points.

In the women’s tournaments, Orange senior Ava Lytle and junior Rose Brady both finished second in their respective weight divisions. Lytle pinned Laura Blanchard of Walter Williams in 1:05. Toriana Murphy of Western Alamance defeated Lytle 7-0 to win the 126-pound championship.

At 235 pounds, Brady pinned Cedar Ridge’s Caroline DonJuan in 2:54. Eastern Alamance’s Jazmine Smith took the 235-pound title in the first women’s tournament in conference history.

On January 24, Orange defeated Eastern Alamance 60-20 at Tal Jobe Gymnasium in Mebane in its final dual match of the season. The Panthers scored seven pins to finish the regular season 10-3 overall, 4-2 in the Central Conference. Harward, Medley, Barbee, Logan Scarantino, Adrian Sierra, Markus Thomas and Renn Van Hoose all earned pins for the Panthers. Crabtree and Sebastian Guardia picked up forfeit victories.