It was the dream scenario many kids growing up envisioning in their backyard baskets. Shooting the free throws in the big game against a nearby rival with practically no time left. On Friday night in Hillsborough, it played out in real time for Shannon Murphy–on her senior night. Murphy got fouled with one second left and drained two free throws to lift Orange to a 64-63 win over Eastern Alamance. Murphy scored the final eight points for Orange in the game. She finished with 15 points, including ten in the fourth quarter. Orange senior Evelyn George paced the Panthers with 19 points, while junior point guard Maura McMurtry added 13 points. Orange finished the regular season 15-8, 8-4 in the Central Conference. It was Orange’s first win over Eastern Alamance in a conference game since February 10, 2023. The Lady Panthers will enter the Central Conference Tournament as the #3 seed. Orange will open against crosstown rival Cedar Ridge on Monday night at 6PM in Hillsborough. Between games of Friday night’s doubleheader, Orange’s seniors were honored. George, Murphy, Marshea Byrd, Chloe Caldwell, Bryce Jones and Rhiley Crabtree were all honored by head coach Josh Underwood. The winner of the Orange-Cedar Ridge game will advance to face either Eastern Alamance or Southern Alamance on Tuesday night at Western Alamance.

Orange women’s basketball’s Murphy, George, Byrd & McMurtry discuss win vs. Eastern Alamance

It was the dream scenario many kids growing up envisioning in their backyard baskets. Shooting the free throws in the big game against a nearby rival with practically no time left. On Friday night in Hillsborough, it played out in real time for Shannon Murphy–on her senior night.

With a share of the conference championship on the line on Senior Night, everyone in attendance for the latest–and possibly last–conference battle between Orange and Eastern Alamance expected the game to be everything, everywhere all at once.

On an utterly berzerk night, the game managed to hit every branch as it fell down the emotion tree.

Joy. Animosity. Anger. Exhilaration.

And, in the end for Orange, pain.

A fan was ejected. A mother walked onto the floor to check on her injured son carrying a shoe, possibly as a weapon. The scoreboard along opposite walls repeatedly went out in the fourth quarter as the game boiled down to a frantic finish because of a short inside the power plug along the visitors bleachers, which rocked up and down with Eagles fans as their team came back. The clock had to be reset several times.

Eastern Alamance, which finished in fifth place in the Central Conference just two years ago, came away from the madness with a share of the Central Conference championship.

Freshman Jonathan Williams sank two free throws with 33 seconds remaining and the Eagles came up with several defensive stops to beat Orange 61-57 in Hillsborough. The Eagles swept the season series from Orange and won in Hillsborough for the first time since the two schools became conference rivals again in 2021.

The Eagles ended the regular season tied with Person for the regular season crown with identical 10-2 records. After splitting with Person in the regular season, the Eagles earned the tiebreaker by sweeping third-place Orange. Person lost to the Panthers on January 9 in Roxboro.

Orange was looking to repeat as regular season champions. It would have been the first time in over 60 years that the Panthers had won consecutive regular season crowns. Instead, the Panthers will go into the Central Central Conference Tournament as the #3 seed. They will face Southern Alamance on Monday night at 7:30 in Hillsborough.

On his senior night, Michael Clark led Orange (17-7, 9-3) with 16 points.

Orange built a 43-31 lead with 3:05 remaining in the third quarter after two free throws from Kamaal Smith. Eastern freshman Mason Murphy started the rally when he scored on a drive to the basket while drawing a blocking foul on Ethan Ellis. The Eagles managed to get Orange point guard Kai Wade and forward Michael Clark in foul trouble as they chipped away at the Panther lead, which was reduced to 47-40 by the end of the third quarter.

Orange didn’t score in the opening 4:50 of the fourth quarter. The Panther offense got tentative after Wade picked up his fourth foul on a technical foul. The Eagles got 33 bench points, led by Ryan Tate, who had scored 22 points the entire season. On Friday night, he had a career-high 15 points. Sophomore Kobie Hester, who averaged 4.7 points per game, came off the bench to add 13 points, including a 3-point play that tied the game 47-47 with 6:28 remaining in regulation.

The Eagles completed a 12-0 run when Hester scored while getting fouled by Freddy Sneed, then Williams scored on a lay-in to put Eastern ahead 51-47. Wade fouled out for only the second time all year when he gambled and went for a steal with 3:37 remaining.

Ellis ended Orange’s long drought with a 3-pointer from the corner. Smith stole the subsequent inbounds pass, which led to Orange senior Xandrell Pennix getting fouled and sinking two free throws to give Orange the lead back.

Sneed created another steal and scored on a lay-in to extend Orange’s lead to 54-51. Hester made two free throws. Pennix was knocked to the floor after rebounding a miss by Hector Garrido, but was called for traveling. Tate found Williams for a lay-in to vault the Eagles back ahead 55-54.

Michael Clark briefly gave the Panthers the lead back when he stormed down the floor and scored while getting fouled by Williams with 39 seconds remaining. Clark’s subsequent free throw put the Panthers back ahead 56-55. Tate got free off on the wing, took a pass from Hester and scored on a jumper.

After a timeout, the Panthers threw the ball away on the inbounds pass, which left Orange coach Derryl Britt so broken, he wrapped his arms around assistant Lemont Jones in remorse.

Williams drove down the floor and was hacked by Clark with 15 seconds remaining. It was Clark’s fifth foul.

The Panthers missed two free throws with two seconds remaining.

Eastern Alamance will receive a bye into the semifinals of the conference tournament and face either Walter Williams or Western Alamance on Tuesday night in Hillsborough.

Things came around in Hillsbrough on Senior Night.

It started going around back on December 13 in Mebane, where the Eastern Alamance women’s basketball team led Orange 37-34 at Tal Jobe Gymnasium. Orange’s Evelyn George took a last-second pass and attempted a 3-pointer. She appeared to be hit on the arm, but there was no call. Instead of the Lady Panthers’ best free-throw shooter going to the line with three tosses to potentially tie the game, the Eagles defeated the Lady Panthers for the third straight time.

On Friday night, it looked like fortune would favor the Eagles again. With Orange leading 62-61 and trying to run out the clock, Eastern’s Aliya Trollinger stole a pass and rocketed down the floor, getting fouled by Maura McMurtry with :10.7 remaining. Trollinger, who led all scorers with 23 points, missed both free throws. But she got the offensive rebound and found a wide-open Marion Scott on the left block for a lay-in to put the Eagles ahead 63-62 with seven seconds remaining.

That’s when the swing around started.

On her senior night, Orange’s Shannon Murphy took off up the floor after throwing the inbounds pass to McMurtry. Murphy took the ball back along the near sideline, stopped 20 feet from the basket in front of the Orange bench.

Just as Murphy let the shot go, Eastern’s M’Khylah Zapata-Jones hit her across the arm.

It wasn’t called two months ago.

It was on Friday night–with one second remaining.

Several Eastern Alamance players rushed off the bench to the floor thinking they had secured its fourth straight win over Orange. Instead, Murphy was awarded three free throws and the scoreboard went out amidst the confusion.

“I just wanted to knock them down for the team,” Murphy said. “I wasn’t really nervous.”

Murphy practically grabbed the ball from the official and barely took a dribble before she attempted her first free throw. Nothing but net to tie the game.

Her second attempt rimmed out.

Murphy took a little more time on the attempt that would decide the game. It drew a slight bit of rim but dropped through the net.

The last, and winning, point on senior night was scored by an Orange senior.

“Shannon never makes those in practice,” McMurtry joked afterwards.

Orange reserves Natalie Roberson and Rhiley Crabtree rushed onto the floor, but there was one problem–there was still one second left.

Fortunately for Orange, they weren’t called for a technical. Eastern couldn’t get a shot off on the subsequent inbounds and the Lady Panthers defeated their crosstown rival 64-63. It was Orange’s first conference win over the Eagles since February 10, 2023. The Lady Panthers did beat Eastern in the Southeast Alamance Holiday Hoopla Tournament in December 2023, a nonconference matchup.

Orange ended the regular season 15-8, 8-4 in the Central Conference, tied for 2nd with the Eagles. The Lady Panthers will be the #3 seed in next week’s Central Conference Tournament and will face Cedar Ridge in the quarterfinals at Panther Gymnasium on Monday night at 6.

Trollinger led the Eagles (12-11, 8-4) with 23 points.

Senior Evelyn George paced the Lady Panthers with 19 points.

The final few minutes of regulation was practically a duel between Murphy and Trollinger, just without the pistols after 50 paces.

Murphy scored on a reverse lay-up with a light kiss off the window to go ahead 52-46 with 5:32 remaining in regulation. Trollinger drained a free throw, then scored off a steal and score to cut the Panther lead to 52-49.

Trollinger put the Eagles within a point at 56-55, concluding a four-point possession after she grabbed an offensive rebound following missed free throw from Makayla Scott, who had scored on a drive down the lane and got fouled by Orange center Marshea Byrd.

On the next possession, Murphy went behind-the-back on the dribble and tossed in a 3-pointer, one that will go on her senior night highlight reel, putting Orange back ahead 59-55.

Trollinger charged right back and scored while getting fouled by Kylee Allen with 2:49 remaining. Zapata-Jones tied the game off a steal of an inbounds pass and scored on a lay-in to tie the game at 59-59. Makayla Scott scored off a midland jumper to put the Eagles ahead 61-59.

Then Murphy delivered another huge shot, taking the ball off a pass from McMurtry and fired in a 3-pointer to put the Lady Panthers ahead, setting up the wild final minute.

Eastern Alamance will face Southern Alamance in the quarterfinals of the Central Conference Tournament on Monday. The semifinals will take place at Western Alamance on Tuesday.

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There will be dreams realized and hopes dashed as the 3A Mideast Regional Wrestling championships get underway at Cedar Ridge High on Friday afternoon.

Some local grapplers will be looking to return to the Greensboro Coliseum, now known as First Horizon Coliseum, for next week’s state championships.

Others will be looking for redemption.

In 2023, Cedar Ridge hosted the regional championships. It was a weekend of triumph for several local stars. Orange’s Acoya Isley captured the 195-pound title when his opponent in the final, Eastern Guilford’s Karin Sein, couldn’t continue.

Cedar Ridge’s Fernando Martinez, competing at 113 pounds, had a pedestrian 4th place finish after falling to Person’s Christina Lemaire in the consolation final. A week later, Martinez would wrestle for the State Championship in Greensboro.

Then there was the case of Pierce Prescod, who was a sophomore in 2023. Competing at 120 pounds, Prescod was one win away from the state championships in the consolation semifinals. He appeared to have a power advantage against South Johnston’s Carson Corl,  who landed awkwardly when Prescod slammed him within 30 seconds of the first period. The takedown was ruled out of the circle. Corl claimed he couldn’t continue due to injury, which led to Prescod being disqualified.

Two years later, Prescod hasn’t forgotten. He still hasn’t qualified for the state championships and this weekend is his last chance.

“I still think about it,” Prescod said last month. “I was so pumped up and wanted to continue with the match. He took the easy way out. It still motivates me, but it helps me control my adrenaline when I compete.”

Prescod, who recorded his 100th career pinfall victory earlier this winter, is the #4 seed at 120 pounds. Sporting a record of 44-7, Prescod will open against Orange’s Logan Scarantino on Friday. Earlier this year, Prescod secured his 100th pinfall victory. Last month, he won the Central Conference championship after pinning Eastern Alamance’s Elijah Watson in 3:36.

He’s also looking to continue his climb up the all-time Cedar Ridge wins list. Prescod is at 156 career victories, currently third on the all-time list. He needs four more victories to tie Kaden Tatro, who graduated last year, for second place.

Chandler Collins, who competed from 2003-2007, holds the all-time record with 166 wins.

Another Cedar Ridge senior, Ryan Rakouskas, will look to qualify for the state championships for the third time. In his sophomore season, Rakouskas finished 3rd at 145-pounds. Rakouskas, who became the eighth Cedar Ridge wrestler to win 100 matches in November, is seeded 4th in the 150 pound tournament. With a record of 43-6, Rakouskas will open against Issac Cisneros of Harnett Central. Last month, Rakouskas pinned Markus Thomas of Orange to win the conference championship at Walter Williams High School in Burlington.

Cedar Ridge sophomore Alejandro Briones, who has already won 65 matches in his career, is the #3 seed at 144 pounds. Briones racked up his second conference championship last month. He will open against Gavin Macmurray of E.E. Smith on Friday.

Orange senior Jayden Medley will make his final attempt to reach the state championships at 215 pounds. Medley, who won the Eagle Invitational in Mebane in December, is 28-8. He is seeded #3 and will face Dakota Rodriguez of Cape Fear on Friday.

Orange freshman Jordan Barbee, who won all five matches in the Rumble in the Jungle event at Carrboro High in December, will compete in his first regional final. Barbee, 23-9 this season, is the #11 seed and will face Trenton Westbrook of Cape Fear in the opening round.

The biggest favorite in the entire field will likely be Person senior Trevquan Gary. The #1 seed at heavyweight, Gary won the 3A State Championship last year.

After finishing second in the Central Conference regular season behind Person, Cedar Ridge was the only Hillsborough team to reach the 3A State Dual Team Tournament two weeks ago. For the second year in a row, the Red Wolves traveled to Jacksonville, this time for the opening round. The Cardinals, who eventually reached the Eastern Regional final, defeated the Red Wolves 60-18. Rakouskas, Jordin Blue and Favio Esparza Jaramillo all earned pinfall fins for Cedar Ridge.

Orange senior Jayden Medley won’t have to go far for his final regional championship meet. On Friday, Medley will journey across Hillsborough to Cedar Ridge for the start of the Mideast Regionals. It will be his final chance to qualify for the 3A State Championships, held annually at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. This season, Medley is 28-8 for an Orange team that finished third in the Central Conference. In December, Medley won the Eagle Invitational in Mebane. Medley pinned all four of his opponents to win the event. In the championship final, Medley pinned Stephen Silhan of Chatham Central in 4:22. Last month, Medley finished 2nd in the Quenten Crosby Invitational at Dudley High School in Greensboro. Medley started the year with a third-place finish in the Wolverine Challenge at Wakefield High School in Raleigh. Last fall, Medley was an all-confernece linebacker for the Orange football team. He had a crucial interception in the Panthers win at Chapel Hill at Culton-Peerman Stadium, Orange’s first victory over the Tigers since 2019. Medley is the #4 seed in the 215-pound regional tournament, which is comprised of 15 competitors. He will open against Dakota Rodriguez of Cape Fear on Friday. The top four finishers will advance to next week’s state tournament.

Orange senior Jayden Medley discusses final regional championship wrestling meet

Orange senior Jayden Medley won’t have to go far for his final regional championship meet. On Friday, Medley will journey across Hillsborough to Cedar Ridge for the start of the Mideast Regionals. It will be his final chance to qualify for the 3A State Championships, held annually at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro.

Last week, Orange baseball’s Dominic O’Keefe managed to pull off a rare feat. He united the Orange and Cedar Ridge baseball communities for his signing ceremony at Orange High Library. O’Keefe formally signed with Lenoir Community College, which plays in the National Junior College Athletic Association. O’Keefe has grown to be close with both Orange Panthers and Cedar Ridge Red Wolves over his years in Hillsborough. He played with players from both teams on the Hillsborough Hawks travel team. There were also members of the Orange football team on hand, as well as Panthers head football coach DeVante Pettiford. Four years ago when O’Keefe expressed interest in football, he hardly had the size to compete at the varsity level. So he started waking up early for weight training. To prepare for the demands of baseball, he would wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning during Christmas vacation for workouts. His dedication has led to him reaching the next level in baseball. O’Keefe was a starting defensive back for Orange football last season. Joining O’Keefe for his ceremony last week was his father Ryan, who is the public address announcer for Orange baseball, along with his mother Wendy and his brother Bentley. O’Keefe will start his senior season when Orange faces West Johnston on opening day February 24 in Hillsbrough.

Orange’s Dominic O’Keefe discusses signing with Lenoir Community College baseball

Last week, Orange baseball’s Dominic O’Keefe managed to pull off a rare feat. He united the Orange and Cedar Ridge baseball communities for his signing ceremony at Orange High Library. O’Keefe formally signed with Lenoir Community College, which plays in the National Junior College Athletic Association.

After winning the 3A State Men’s Cross Country Championship last fall, several member of Orange’s title team will compete in the 3A State Indoor Track & Field Championships at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem this weekend.

Plus, Naomi Dyreng of Cedar Ridge, the most accomplished female cross country runner in school history, will also be in competition.

Orange junior Adelyn Alvis, a three-sport athlete, qualified in the long jump. Alvis, who was a starter for the Orange women’s tennis team last fall, qualified for the state championships during the Fast Track Invitational in Winston-Salem on January 25. Her leap of 16-feet, 6.5 inches is her personal best and beat the state championship minimum standard of 16-feet, 2-inches. Alvis also could have qualified for the triple jump after she cleared 34-feet, one-inch during the Southeast Alamance Polar Bear in Haw River on January 28.

Alvis also qualified in a running event. She is in the 500 meter dash with a personal best time of 1:18.66.

Orange sophomore Clark Flowkes is one of five finalists in the pole vault. Throughout the winner, Flowkes had several first place finishes. Last week at the final Eastern Alamance Polar Bear, she earned a personal best 10-feet. The minimum state qualifying standard is nine-feet.

Cedar Ridge junior Ender Buchanan qualified in the men’s pole vault. Buchanan reached 13-feet, 6-inches last week in Mebane. Also earning a spot in the pole vault is Orange junior Owen Grant, who reached 11-feet, 6-inches last week, as well.

In running events, the Orange women’s 4×800 relay team of Carolina Cathey, Sullivan Gaddy, Evelyn Gover, Kayla Willey, Samantha Gover and Joia Ubia qualified for the state championship. Their season-best time is 10:30.86, which happened earlier this month during the East Chapel Hill Polar Bear at Dave Thaden Stadium.

The Orange women’s 4×400 relay team of Alvis, Gianni Burnette, Asia Whitsett and Kayla Willey are also in the state championships.

Orange’s men’s 4×400 relay team of Hunter Albert, Riley Potter, Gabe Yen and Neal recorded a season-best time of 3:35.27 to reach Winston-Salem.

Orange men’s 4×800 meter relay team of Myles Jermyn, Cyrus Neal, Lucas Van Mater and Grant Schmid are the #3 qualifiers with a season-best time of 8:22.65. Jermyn, Neal, Van Mater and Schmid were all members of the state championship cross country team.

Individually, Jermyn qualified for the 1,600 meters at 4:24.89. He’s also in the 3,200 meters with a personal best time of 9:31.67. Van Mater is also in the 3,200 meters field, recording a season-best time of 9:29.04.

Neal reached the 1,000 meter final recording a personal best of 2:38.06.

Cedar Ridge’s Naomi Dyreng, who has won three Mideast Regional Outdoor Track & Field championships, qualified for the state championships in the 1,600 meters. Her top time of the season is 5:20.40. She is also in the 3,200 meters at 11:33.07.

Connor Kruse: The all-time leading scorer in Orange lacrosse history, Kruse wasted no time getting his college career going with a bang. Kruse scored a goal in his first college game as Lenoir-Rhyne, ranked #3 in Division II, defeated #12 Maryville 13-12 in overtime at Pope Saint John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, TN on February 1. Kruse’s first college goal came with 5:38 remaining in the first half off an assist from Robert Walker to put the Bears ahead 5-3. It was Kruse’s only shot on goal. Last Saturday, Lenoir-Rhyne defeated Barton 18-8 at Truist Stadium in Wilson. Kruse unleashed one shot. The Bears will host Rollins in its home opener on Saturday morning at 11AM.

Sascha Van Praag: The former Orange defenseman is also on the roster for Lenoir-Rhyne as they start the season.

Josh Mauer: Another former Panther, Mauer is a redshirt season at Mt. Olive, where’s he the top face-off man. Last weekend, Mauer won 17 out of 22 faceoffs as the Trojans defeated Virginia State 12-6 at Ray McDonald Complex. He was credited with one shot. In the season-opener, Catawba defeated Mt. Olive 14-11 at Shuford Stadium in Salisbury. Mauer won 7 out of 17 faceoffs.

Jacob Driver: The leading scorer for Cedar Ridge last season, Driver is starting his freshman season at Mount Olive. Driver was an All-Mid Carolina Conference selection last year. Mt. Olive faces Lincoln Memorial on Saturday.

Cy Horner: The Division III Methodist men’s lacrosse team opened its season with a 18-6 loss to Sewanee at McGee Field in Sewanee, TN on February 8. Horner, a former attacker for Orange, was credited with seven shots.

Josh Crabtree: A freshman who played on Orange’s 3A/2A/1A Eastern Regional Championship team last year, Crabtree had one shot in his debut for Methodist against Sewanee. Methodist will face Goucher College in Baltimore on Saturday.

Josiah Tisdale: A former Orange defenseman, Tisdale is starting his sophomore season at Methodist. Last year, Tisdale played in five games with the Monarchs. He recorded two ground balls and caused one turnover against Warren Wilson College.

Nick Cardone: A former All-Conference defenseman at Orange, Cardone has started his sophomore year at Division II Catawba. As a freshman, Cardone played in one game against Virginia State.

Tigh Metheney: Another former Panther who is now a sophomore at Catawba.

Katie Wolter: Wolter will be the first player who played at a Hillsborough high school to suit up in a women’s lacrosse game for Division I Elon. Last week, the Phoenix opened its season against Duke. The Blue Devils won 16-7 at Koskinen Stadium in Durham.

Mary Moss Wirt: The Elon softball team opened its season by going 1-4 in the Elon Softball Classic at Hunt Softball Park last weekend. Wirt, a former shortstop for Orange, started four games as catcher. Saturday’s game against North Carolina Central matched up two former Hillsborough products as Wirt faced Takia Nichols, Cedar Ridge’s all-time home run hitter. Wirt, a junior, went 1-for-2 with a walk in a 12-8 loss to Ohio in the season-opener. Wirt scored her first run of the season in an 8-2 loss to Connecticut last Friday. She went 1-for-3 in a 4-3 loss to Ohio State. The Phoenix will host the Elon Softball Phoenix Invitational this weekend. They will start play against Morgan State on Friday afternoon.

Takia Nichols: Entering her junior season, Nichols was selected second-team Preseason All-MEAC. North Carolina Central dropped all four of its games in the Elon Softball Classic. Nichols went 0-for-2 with two walks in the loss to Elon on Saturday. Nichols drove in her first run of the season on an RBI groundout in a 14-5 loss to UNC Greensboro. She got her first hit in the season-opener last Thursday, an 8-0 loss to Ohio. On Friday, Central will journey to Covington, GA to start play in the HBCU Collegiate Invitational. The Eagles will play a doubleheader on Friday, starting with Southern University to start a series of games against opponents from the SWAC. Later, they will face Alcorn State.

Mia Davidson-Smith: Davidson continues stellar play with Diablos Rojos del Mexico in the Mexican Softball League. The Red Devils are 10-1 and are in first place in the league. On Sunday, the Diablos defeated Charros de Jalisco 8-4. Davidson hit a home run. Davidson leads the league with seven home runs and 19 RBIs.