Photo Credit: http://www.orangepanthersbaseball.com/id4.html[/caption]The Panthers advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a 3-1 win over Northeast Guilford. They played Wednesday, May 14 at 7 pm with the Panthers having the home field advantage. It was a game dominated by pitching by both teams. Northeast Guilford led 1-0 due to a fourth inning solo home run, until the 6th inning, when senior Collin Pope and sophomore Brad Debo led the charge for a late rally. They were both driven in by a clutch double from sophomore Bryse Wilson, who was eventually driven in by a Josh Kiehle sacrifice fly.
The Panthers' biggest star of the night was senior starting pitcher Jordan Toney. Toney’s only blemish on the night was the fourth inning home run. He did not get rattled and continued on to pitch an excellent game. He went all seven innings, giving up three hits, and striking out 10, while also ending the game in a dominating fashion by striking out the side in the seventh to close out the victory, thus giving the Panthers a chance to play another day. Orange will play Northern Guilford in the second round.
Update: The Panthers lost to Northern Guilford in the second round. They played against them Saturday, May 17 at 12 pm.
Photo Credit: Hannah Phillips/MIa Frenduto. All the seniors line up with their parents before the game starts.[/caption]The Orange High School Panther baseball team earned their twentieth win of the season on Friday, May 10, after defeating cross-town rival Cedar Ridge by a score of 10 to 6. The game was just the Panthers third at home all season due to an ice storm on March 6 that left that field severely damaged. With the victory, Orange improved to an overall record of 20-3 and a perfect conference record of 14-0. Prior to the game the teams ten seniors were honored in front of a near capacity crowd.
The Panthers were lead by a strong offense, which was able to score heavily in both the first and third inning, scoring four and six runs respectively. Sophomore catcher Brad Debo was the catalyst for the offensive attack, hitting a towering two-run homerun to right field to give Orange an early 2 to nothing lead. The Panthers also added two more runs on a Red Wolves error that brought in sophomore Bryse Wilson and a sacrifice fly by junior Josh Kiehle that scored senior Matthew Crabtree.
Orange kept their foot on the gas pedal in the third inning as they brought their run total to 10 due to six hits and another Cedar Ridge error. Despite not scoring for the rest of the game, the Panthers pitching was good enough to secure the win. Junior James Cunningham got the start on the mound, pitching four innings and ushering three runs, as only one was earned, while also striking out three. Senior Jonah Neville acted as the set up man in his final regular season home game, as he pitched two innings, while striking out one and allowing two runs to score. Finishing out the game and moving from behind the plate to the mound was Debo, as he struck out the side to get out of a bases loaded game, while allowing one run.
The Panthers will host round one of the 3A East playoffs against Northern Guilford. Neville’s expectations for the playoffs are to, “Win and advance as deep as possible. It’s a completely new season for us, our accomplishments from the regular season no longer matter.” Orange will face the Nighthawks on Wednesday night at 7 pm.
Photo Credit: Keith Alison. No edits made. The 2014 MLB season will feature challenges and replay.[/caption]The 2013 Major League Baseball season concluded Thursday, October 31, 2013 with the Boston Red Sox earning their third world series championship since 2004, after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in six games. Since the ending of the season, a few large transactions have occurred leading to revamped squads, plus the addition of replay into the game add up to another exciting season of America’s Pastime.
Below is a prediction of every division. (The Major League Baseball playoffs are separated into two brackets with the American League and National League each having five teams. There are three division winners along with two wild card members who make the playoffs in each League. The Playoffs culminate with the two league winners playing in the World Series.)
American League East-
The American League East has been known as one of, if not the best division in baseball for some time, which was assisted by the Boston Red Sox capturing the 2013 World Series. 2014 should be no different, as all five teams in the division have enough talent and capability to not only make the postseason, but advance deep into it. The Red Sox should again be one of the most talented in baseball as the majority of their squad returns for the 2014 season. Along with a rejuvenated David Ortiz, Boston could again be on of the top offenses in the league. However, Boston could lack offense later in the season, as they have an older ball club, which could lead to more losses with a mediocre pitching staff. The New York Yankees have had a major splash during the off-season after failing to make the playoffs for just the second time since 1994. The ‘Bronx Bombers’ added stars such as former Red Sox Jacoby Ellsbury, plus power hitters Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann, while also winning the bid for Japanese hurler Masahiro Tanaka to improve a pitching staff that was less than stellar last season. The Yankees will also have Derek Jeter back after missing most of last season, and appear to be poised for a postseason run. The Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays all have the ability to win the division, but seem to lack strength in one aspect that will keep them from playing in October.
Prediction: Winner- Rays
Wildcard Team(s)- Yankees
American League Central-
The AL Central will most likely remain the same as it has it recent years as a division with one strong team, and a team that has potential to hang around and possibly sneak into the playoffs. The dominant team for the past few seasons has been the Detroit Tigers, and that appears to be the case once again in 2014. The Tigers lineup contains back-to-back AL MVP and a guy who hit for the triple crown two years ago in Miguel Cabrera. To go along with Cabrera and a powerful lineup, the Tigers have two Cy Young award winners in their pitching rotation in Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, plus up and comer Rick Porcello. Despite losing perennial home run hitter Prince Fielder, Detroit shows no signs of falling off. Two teams in the division that could make a run at the wildcard spot are the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals. The Indians, who made the playoffs last season under new manager Terry Francona, maintain the majority of their team from a season ago. However, it is hard to envision them being able to duplicate their unforeseen success from a year ago. The Royals also had a surprise season last year, and were able to stay in the playoff hunt for the majority of the season. Despite having a good young core of talent, it seems as if Kansas City is still a year or two away from a playoff berth.
Prediction: Winner- Tigers
Wild Card Team(s)- None
American League West-
The AL West is similar to the NL Central as it is a division with three strong teams and another that could make a playoff push. The reigning champion, the Oakland Athletics return a good lineup with power bats Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Reddick, while also having a reliable pitching staff featuring young star Sonny Gray. Oakland enters the season as a favorite for the first time in recent years, after being overlooked the previous two seasons, despite back-to-back playoff appearances. The Texas Rangers enter 2014 after a disappointing season that featured them missing the playoffs for the first time since 2009. To boost an already strong lineup, the Rangers added star home run hitter Prince Fielder, in a trade that sent veteran Ian Kinsler to Detroit. The Rangers have a decent pitching staff which is headlined by Japanese star Yu Darvish. The final strong team would be the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels have probably the most stars in their lineup out of all clubs, featuring Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, David Freese, and MVP favorite Mike Trout. Los Angeles also has a nice pitching rotation with the likes of Jered Weaver and CJ Wilson. The Seattle Mariners made a splash in the offseason, with the signing of all-star second baseman Robinson Cano to a 10 year, 240 million dollar contract, adding him to a team that already has Felix Hernandez. Despite having two of the leagues best, the Mariners seem to be a few additions away from contending for the division crown.
Prediction: Winner- Athletics
Wild Card Team(s)- Angels
National League East-
The NL East enters the 2014 with a two team race for division winner, between the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals. The Nationals failed to make the playoffs last season after having major expectations entering the season, and finished with just a 86-76 record. Despite Washington’s disappointment last season, the team has a strong young core, including former number one draft picks and phenoms, Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. Other than Strasburg, the squads pitching rotation also includes talented lefty Gio Gonzalez and a reliable Jordan Zimmerman. The teams lineup is also very strong, making it hard to see any weak spot on this Nationals team. The Braves also disappointed last season, but in an entirely different way than their competitors in the nations capital. The Braves finished one game behind the world series runner-up St. Louis Cardinals, but failed to advance to the NLCS during the playoffs. The Braves maintain their potent lineup from last year, that includes names such as Freddie Freeman, Jason Heyward, Dan Uggla, and the Upton brothers, while also featuring a stable pitching staff. Not to mention that Atlanta is as close to a guarantee to win a game when heading into the ninth inning as any team in the bigs, with shutdown closer Craig Kimbrel. The remaining teams in the division appear to be non factors, which sets up for an exciting race between two of the Major League’s best.
Prediction: Winner- Nationals
Wild Card Team(s)- Braves
National League Central-
The NL Central returns two playoff teams from a year ago, in the Pittsburgh Pirates and World Series runner-up St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals show no signs of declining from their National League pennant success of last season. The squad returns one of the best lineups in the National League which bolsters the like of Matt Holliday and Matt Carpenter, plus arguably the best catcher in the game, Yadier Molina, who hit .319, with 12 home runs and 80 rbi’s, while also finishing third in the NL MVP voting. The pitching staff Molina will be catching will also be strong once again with Cy Young award runner-up Adam Wainwright, and rising star Michael Wacha. The Pirates also return a star of their own in reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen and power threat Pedro Alvarez. Pittsburgh also has a good young pitching staff including former number one pick Gerrit Cole, that could win them low scoring games. The Cincinnati Reds, who also made the playoffs a season ago, also have the ability to win the division due to players such as Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce. However, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to beat out the Cardinals in the division.
Prediction: Winner- Cardinals
Wild Card Team(s)- None
National League West-
The NL West shapes up to be much like the NL East, as it seems to be a two team race for the division crown. One of these contenders is the Los Angeles Dodgers, who advanced to the NLCS one season ago, before falling to the Cardinals. The Dodgers return two time and reigning Cy Young award winner Clayton Kershaw, who finished with a record of just 16-9, but tossed a league leading 1.83 ERA, while throwing the second most innings pitched at 236. Los Angeles also returns a potent lineup that holds Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Carl Crawford, and young star Yasiel Puig. The Dodgers rival for the division title, the San Francisco Giants, also bring back a star laden pitching staff and lineup that has contributed to two World Series championships in the past 4 years. The Giants squad includes Buster Posey, Matt Cain, Hunter Pence, Madison Bumgarner, Tim lincecum, and Pablo Sandoval. While Arizona seems to have a promising team, it is doubtful that this will not be another division with two strong teams and a few mediocre squads.
Prediction: Winner- Dodgers
Wild Card Team(s)- Giants
World Series-
The 2014 Major League Baseball World Series will be fought over by the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays. The matchup will be intriguing as it will be the Cardinals potent lineup versus the Rays excellent pitching staff. In the end the Cardinals will be victorious in six games, and will earn their second title in four years.
Awards-
AL MVP- Mike Trout
NL MVP- Yadier Molina
AL CY Young- David Price
NL CY Young- Stephen Strasburg
AL Rookie of the Year- Jose Abreu
NL Rookie of the Year- Kolten Wong
AL Manager of the Year- Joe Girardi
NL Manager of the Year- Mike Matheny
AL Comeback Player of the Year- Derek Jeter
Photo Credit: Jonah Neville[/caption]A little over a month ago, an ice storm hit Hillsborough. This led to the utter destruction of the fencing at the front of the Orange High School baseball field. The Panthers have not played a home game in over a month and are clawing to be back in their friendly confines. A fencing company is currently working to fix it as soon as possible.
The third base side dugout fencing is coming along, but the fencing behind the home plate and the first base side dugout is still currently being worked on. The bricks also still need to be set up. When the baseball coach, Dean Dease, was asked when the field should be finished, he replied, “Well, due to the large amount of damage done to the field, and with three different fencing companies working on it, we’ve been trying to get the communication down, so hopefully the field will be done at the latest by the end of the year.”
Photo Credit: Orange Baseball website http://www.orangepanthersbaseball.com/id4.html.[/caption]The baseball team has had a fantastic season so far, winning all of their games except one against East Chapel Hill. They split series, winning the first game 5-2 but losing the second 4-5. Currently their conference record is 3-0 and overall record is 7-1.
The team played Northern Vance in the Big 8 opener which they won 6-0. Bryse Wilson and Jonah Neville both pitched and only allowed one hit. Wilson struck out nine players on the opposing team. Brad Debo had a triple. They won the next game against Northern Vance 15-0. Joe Piscitelli, Matthew Crabtree, and Debo all got three hits. Debo had four runs and Wilson had three runs.
The Panthers then played Cardinal Gibbons and won 8-5. The next game played against Cardinal Gibbons was suspended due to rain and darkness. The game ended with a tie, 4-4 in the fourth inning. They plan to finish the game April 9 at Cardinal Gibbons at 4:30.
The Hilltop Tournament starts April 3 and continues until April 5. The first two days will be held at Jordan High School but the third day is TBD. April 3, they will play Holly Springs High School but the other two days are TBD who Orange will play.
The severe ice storm that Orange and surrounding counties encountered left the baseball field at OHS in pieces, literally.
The ice storm hit Orange County with an unexpected combination of low temperatures, freezing rain, and snow. Without much of a heads up, there was no time to prepare.
Over the duration of the storm, ice accumulated on the net behind the backstop. After enough of the ice had built up, it started to pull on the support poles, causing them to snap. Since the support poles fell, they brought down the fence that they were also holding up. The chain link fence, brick wall, and the PA system were all damaged.
At the moment, the baseball team isn't doing anything to fix the damage, but it plans on repairing it all around the middle of April.
Senior Joe Piscitelli hits a line drive single during the Panthers 8 to 1 win over Graham.[/caption]Wednesday, March 5 the Orange High School Panther baseball team earned their second win of the season following an 8 to 1 victory over Graham. The win moved the Panthers to 2-0 on the season after defeating Eastern Alamance last week, while knocking Graham to 0-2.
The Varsity Panthers were lead by a strong pitching performance from junior Josh Kiehle. Kiehle tossed four innings, while only ushering four hits and one earned run, and striking out four. Sophomore catcher Brad Debo spoke about Kiehle’s performance, saying, “He[Kiehle] had good command and was hitting his spots and keeping guys off balance.” Orange also received good performances from juniors James Cunningham and Miles Acosta and senior Jonah Neville, who pitched one inning apiece and gave up no runs.
Orange was also strong at the plate, scoring eight runs on ten hits, while having a .357 team batting average and 6 different players drive in a run. Senior second baseman and leadoff hitter Joe Piscitelli went 2 for 2 while scoring 3 runs, and reaching base in all four plate appearances. Senior centerfielder Collin Pope and sophomore Bryse Wilson each had two hits and two RBI’s, while senior Matthew Crabtree, sophomore Cameron Mehl, and Wilson all hit a double.
The Panthers lead the entire game and Graham’s only threat came in the sixth inning. The Red Devils were one swing away from making it a one run game when Cunningham pitched out of a bases-loaded jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
Debo, who went 1 for 4 with an RBI single, says the team can still improve, saying, “We just want to get better everyday and win games.” The Panthers play on Saturday at home against Corinth Holders with the first pitch scheduled for 2 pm.
The Panthers are bringing back a good set of seniors including Jordan Toney and Joe Piscitelli and sophomore phenoms Bryse Wilson and Brad Debo. Coming into his 31st year of coaching, Coach Dease stated the expectations are the same as any other year: “Compete in every game and make the playoffs.” When Toney was asked what the expectations are for the upcoming season, he responded confidently, “With our strong chemistry between each other this year, we think it will really help motivate us to win every game and take us deep into the playoffs... We have three goals: win the conference championship, make it through the state playoffs, and bring home the state championship.”
The Panthers started their season with a scrimmage on Monday, February 24, which started the season off well with a 9-7 victory against Southern Alamance High School.
The Panthers’ actual baseball season started on February 27 against Eastern Alamance. The team was working hard for a 3-1 win against the Eagles. The statistics of the game included senior Jordan Toney going four strong innings, giving up only one run, followed by strong relief with James Cunningham, a junior, and Bryse Wilson, a sophomore, getting the save to finish off the game. Senior Adam Gates, junior Josh Kiehle, and Wilson drove in all three runs.
This was an important win. Getting the first win of the season is always critical for a team's confidence and getting prepared for the next game. The Panthers hope to continue with what they think will be a strong season.
Photo Credit: Megan Joyner.[/caption]Update: Currently all try-outs for sports are postponed.
Spring sports are about to start at OHS, as preseason comes to a halt and tryouts begin. Orange High School offers a wide range of spring sport teams, including women’s soccer, men’s lacrosse, track, baseball, softball, men’s tennis, and golf. However, to get ready for the big day, athletes might need to know a few inside secrets about tryouts, what to expect, and what to bring. The following article details each sport and gives some pointers from each coach.
Women’s soccer tryouts will be on Monday, February 17 through Wednesday, February 19. They will be held on the OHS soccer field from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day. It is highly recommended by the coach that potential team members attend each day. It is also important that they have valid physical and soccer eligibility forms and that the forms are turned in before showing up to tryouts. If anyone is in need of any of the soccer forms, they should see Coach Hunter in room 407 as soon as possible. To prepare for the upcoming tryouts, it is important that athletes are in physical shape and prepared to work hard. On the day of tryouts, they should meet at the OHS soccer field ready to go by 4:00. Tryouts will be 4:00 to 6:30 each day. In order to be prepared, it is necessary to bring clothes to run in, tennis shoes, cleats, shin guards, and soccer socks. It is alright if athletes don’t have cleats and other soccer apparel. They just need to show up in an outfit that will help them do their best.
The men’s tennis team will be hosting tryouts February 17 through 19 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the OHS tennis courts. It is important to bring tennis shoes, athletic apparel, and a tennis racket. It may be cold, so athletes should dress appropriately for the weather. Coach Webb is looking for players who have a passion for the game and the team. All players are welcome, whether they are just learning or want to improve their game. He said, “Be ready to come out every day ready to work, compete, and have fun.”
Baseball tryouts will be held on Monday, February 17. They will be held on the OHS baseball field from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. In order to be prepared for the event, people interested in trying out should bring baseball pants, sleeves, a sweatshirt, a jacket, and a baseball cap. They should also have the necessary equipment; baseball gloves, bats, helmets, etc. As a special insider tip as to what Coach Dease expects in a player, he said, “You need to be able to play the game very well.”
Softball tryouts will be February 17 through 19 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m on the softball fields. Coach Denise wants to remind all players to show up with paperwork and physicals filled out. In preparation for the upcoming event, players will need to wear long pants and any other clothing appropriate for the weather. In addition, they will need to bring softball gear such as gloves, bats, catcher’s equipment, helmets, and any other equipment necessary for their best-suited position. Tryouts will include an extensive skills evaluation of fastpitch softball, which includes throwing accuracy and speed, hitting, bunting, base running, sliding, fielding logistics, and overall comprehension of the game.
The lacrosse team will host tryouts February 17 through 19, from 4:15 to 6:30 p.m. Players should meet at the OHS field house prepared and ready to play. They need to bring tennis shoes and any lacrosse gear that they own. If they don’t have all of the gear, there will be some at the tryout for them to use. The most important thing to bring, according to Coach O’Neal, is a “good attitude.” Tryouts will be very competitive and will include skill and fitness evaluations. Coaches will also be looking at prospective positions for each player and will be deciding which one best suits the needs of the team. Coach O’Neil said, “Obviously, we are looking for skilled lacrosse players, but what people may not know is that we are also looking for athletes who may be new to lacrosse, but have a good attitude and want to learn the game.”
Track began for the indoor track participants on Thursday, February 6, and opened to the rest of the athletes on Friday, February 7 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Players should come dressed in appropriate clothes for the weather and bring tennis shoes, spikes, and any other equipment for specific events. Coach Joubert said, “We want athletes to come with an open mind expecting to learn that they are good at something they did not necessarily consider.” Although the team is looking for athletes, they are also in need of computer experts to record results. In the next week, the coaches will hold a meeting for parents and athletes once they find a date that works for the majority of participants.
Golf will start their season on February 12 at 4:00 p.m. with practice at the Occoneechee golf course. It is necessary to bring golf clubs and appropriate clothing. On the following Monday, the team will start to play. If potential team members have any questions or concerns, they should speak to Coach Moser.
Athletes should remember to show up with a valid physical and be prepared for each and every day. Finally, they should relax, have fun, and work hard.
Along with being interested in journalism, Neville's main interest is in sports. With his knowledge of sports, he can be an important asset for the newspaper. He not only follows sports year round, but plays basketball, tennis, and baseball.
Although many sports have impacted Neville’s life, baseball has been the biggest part of his life ever since he was little. With his father introducing him to the sport at such a young age, his passion for the game was almost immediate. Recently visiting his first Major League Baseball game, he saw his favorite team the Philadelphia Phillies playing against the Atlanta Braves. This was the highlight of his year. He states, “I have always wanted to visit a professional baseball game and now my dream has come true.”
Showing his love for the sport, he is currently a pitcher for the varsity Orange baseball team, with hopes of continuing on his lifelong passion of playing in college next year.
Along with playing and viewing sports on T.V., Neville enjoys attending the games of many different sports. Hockey games are a major pastime for Neville and his father. Attending sporting events has been a tradition between them since he was four years old.
After high school, Neville aims to have a career in sports management or sports marketing. When asked about his future, Neville responded, “I have always had love for sports and I want to have a life that incorporates it.” Although he has been accepted to UNC Pembroke, Neville is still on the lookout for a college that is closer to home and is financially acceptable to his family.
With Neville’s passion for sports, determination and persistent attitude, he will continue to strive to succeed in journalism, future careers, and in any other aspect of his life.
Senior Jon Evans hit a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth ending with the Panthers down 5-3 that led them to victory. Junior Joseph Piscitelli said, “there is nobody else I’d rather have on the plate than him in that situation.” Jon Evans came in to pitch in the fifth inning and earned the win on the mound to get
Seniors Nick Debo and Andrew Toney added an insurance run with back to back doubles following Evan’s homer. Jordan Toney started on the mound for Orange getting a no decision when Braden Weber came on to relieve.
The Panthers now have a record of 25-2 and will face D.H Conley in the Eastern Regional finals. This will be a two out of three series beginning Thursday night at Orange at 7:00 P.M.
Piscitelli said “to win we need to play good defense, try to play as a team and have each others backs, and have more runs than the other team.”
Debo stated “Our team has had a really great year, making it to the top four is really special,” and then continued to talk about the upcoming game, “D.H. Conley is really good, but so are we. It will be a really tough match.”
Joe Vance said to win the team needed to “play solid baseball.”
Almost every American has heard the story of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play Major League Baseball, but how many of them know the details of his story?
The movie 42 depicts Robinson’s (Chadwick Boseman) rise from the Negro Leagues all the way to Brooklyn, where he is met with tons of racial hatred from not only fans, but players and coaches as well. He also receives many death threats, and, despite wanting to fight with many teams, he keeps himself under control and wins the respect of many of his teammates with his abilities on the field.
Being a big sports fan, I found this film to be great, and one of my favorite moments of the movie is when Pee Wee Reese, the star of the Dodgers, says to Jackie, “Maybe tomorrow we'll all wear number 42 and they can't tell us apart.” The film also includes a good mix of music during the 1940s and ends with Jay Z’s song “Brooklyn We Go Hard.”
Overall, the film director did an excellent job in making a movie that not only sports fans would love, but everyone can enjoy. This movie is an inspiring film, that gives moviegoers a break from the common horror and action films. This film is a great representation of a true story of an American hero.
After the NHL lockout ended January 6, 2013, the Carolina Hurricanes took to the ice and began their season. During the course of the season, I had the pleasure of attending two games at PNC Arena. The first game I attended was on January 24, when the team took on the Buffalo Sabres. It was the team’s second home game and the crowd was very excited to see their hometown team back to work. Along with the Hurricanes fans, there were many Sabres fans as well, which is common in Raleigh. In the end, the Hurricanes sent the Caniacs home happy with a 6-3 victory. Overall, you can expect a family-friendly atmosphere with very proud fans, and a Hurricanes staff who loves to get the fans involved with trivia games and fan cameras.
Duke Basketball
November 16, 2013, I attended the Duke game at Cameron Indoor Stadium against the Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast University. As this Eagles team was rarely heard of before this David vs. Goliath match-up with Duke, they made quite a story becoming the only #15 seed in NCAA Tournament history to win their first 2 games and advance to the Sweet 16, where they eventually fell to their now in-state rival Florida University.
According to USA Today, Cameron Indoor Stadium is the #1 ranked college basketball arena in the country, and it was ranked 4th by Sports Illustrated for the best sport venues of the 20. Located near the famous “Krzyzewskiville” sign at the epicenter of Duke Sports, Cameron Indoor Stadium was opened on January 6, 1940, and it’s cost was $400,000 (6.3 million in 2013 dollars). Krzyzewskiville is actually named after a phenomenon in which a pretty lengthy line of undergraduate students wait to get admission to Duke home games (more famously and commonly against UNC), and is often confused as a ticket line (Duke students get admitted to the “Cameron Crazie” student section for free).
Durham Bulls
Did you know that you lived less than an hour away from the minor league baseball team that has had 2 of the last 3 International League MVPs? Well, you do, and according to StadiumJourney.com, the Durham Athletic Park is the #2 ranked AAA minor league baseball stadium in America. The DBAP really is one of the nicest minor league ballparks in America, and if it had a larger seating capacity and city position, it could be home to one of the U.S.’s 30 Major League teams. The experience really is a part of the stadium, and the weather is usually fantastic around the Durham area. Despite the team being more well-known for the 1980’s baseball movie Bull Durham, the Durham Bulls just recently took their third ever International League Championship in 2009, along with their first ever AAA National Championship, championing them as the top overall minor league baseball team in America.
The food at the DBAP really is great too, and in 2012, the DBAP introduced the “Bull Dog,” a mouth-watering hot dog wrapped in bacon and fried in a delicious dough. The Bull Dog was taken off the menu for the 2013 season, however. Never fear because it was replaced by the “Nuke Dog.” The Nuke Dog consists of a famous relish recipe by Cottage Lane Kitchen, and is named after Ebby “Nuke” LaLoosh from the 80’s film. Also on the concourse are national and southern favorites Domino’s Pizza and Moe’s. Also adding to the experience are the between-inning games/rituals. Various mascot skits, races, and sumo wrestling entertain the fans while the action is temporarily shut off. Even the crew that lines the infield in the 5th inning dances to some music for the fans’ enjoyment. Overall, you will have a great experience at the DAP, and it is hands-down one of the best minor league stadiums in the country.
UNC Basketball
The University of North Carolina has one of the top three traditions in college basketball, with 6 National Championships and 18 Final Four appearances. Along with the fact that 29 UNC alumni have went on to win an NBA Championship, which is the most of any school, the Tar Heels also have a beautiful stadium to call home. That would be the Dean E. Smith Center, aka the Dean Dome. Opened in 1986, the Dean Dome has been home to 3 national championship winning teams along with 7 ACC Tournament champions, and 11 regular season ACC champions. During the 2012- 2013, I attended one game at the Dean Dome, when the Tar Heels took on the Florida State Seminoles. When the game had a break the Tar Heels showed numerous videos of all their past moments and a personal favorite of mine called “I am a Tar Heel," during which many of the former Tar Heel greats repeat the phrase, inspiring many striving basketball players. Overall, the Tar Heels have one of the top stadiums in the country, and for a reasonable price you can come to Chapel Hill to witness some of the best basketball around.
UNC Football
While the UNC might be known more for their basketball or women’s soccer, they also have a very solid football program. This year, I was able to attend three Tar Heel football games, two at home, and one on the road, so I am able to compare the experience to opposing teams. The home games I attended were against ACC foe Virginia Tech and in-state rival North Carolina State. The NC State game is now known as one of the best games in Tar Heel history, because with 31 seconds left in a tied ball game, North Carolina running back Gio Bernard returned a 74 yard punt for a touchdown to earn UNC a victory. While watching home games at Kenan Stadium, from the home side you can get a glimpse of the famous bell tower in Chapel Hill. Throughout the game the fans are pumped up by several playings of the AC/DC song “Hells Bells” which reenacts the playing of the tower.
I also attended a game at Wallace Wade Stadium, home of the Duke Blue Devils when they took on the Tar Heels. Wallace Wade Stadium is much smaller than Kenan and more than half of the stadium was filled by UNC fans. The food was poor quality compared to that of UNC games and the PA announcer failed to get the fans pumped up very much. Overall, I would say that there aren't many better ways to spend a Saturday afternoon than watching a Carolina football game at Kenan Stadium.
April 18, the Orange High School baseball team went head to head with rivaling Cedar Ridge High School. Besides the victory for OHS on the field, both teams were able to join together to have a combined victory off the field by raising money for children’s cancer.
With the Saint Baldrick’s Foundation, a foundation for the fight against children’s cancer, baseball teams took advantage of the “BaseBald” program that SBF offers. Baseball teams can participate, and the team agrees that if a set amount of money is earned by a specific date, the team will shave their heads.
The OHS and Cedar Ridge baseball teams joined forces and planned to raise their goal of $1,700 by April 18, and succeeded with soaring colors by collecting a total of $8,952. The OHS varsity team raised $1,509 with their leading contributor being junior Joe Piscitelli with his personal total of $281. The OHS Junior Varsity team raised $5,118.50 with their leading contributor being junior Quinlan Blackmon with a personal total of $1,000. Cedar Ridge raised a total of $2,015.
Both teams followed through by shaving their heads, starting with Piscitelli. Not only did the players contribute in shaving their heads, but the coaches joined in as well. This included the OHS head coach, Dean Dease, who raised a total of $135.
Written by Matt McLaughlinThere was a good turn out for all the spring sports tryouts that started February 13 at Orange High School. The spring sports tryouts include men’s tennis, baseball, softball, women’s soccer, and lacrosse.
Men’s tennis tryouts were February 13 from 4 to 5 PM at the OHS tennis courts with head coach Andy Brown. Some of the tennis players include junior Trevor Samsa and junior Jaden Vines. Jaden Vines has been seed one for the past two years on the OHS tennis team.
Baseball tryouts started February 13 and is continuing to February 15 from 4 to 6:30 PM at the OHS baseball field with head coach Dean Dease. Due to weather, Coach Dease says any players interested should bring clothes for both outside and the gym since the weather might push the tryouts indoors.
Softball tryouts were February 13 from 4 to 6:30 PM at the OHS softball field with head coach Denise Wilson.
Women’s soccer tryouts started February 13 and is continuing to February 15 from 4:15 to 7 PM at the OHS soccer field with head coach Jenna Hunter.
Lacrosse tryouts was February 13 starting at 4 PM at the OHS field house with head coach David O’Neal.
For other information on any sports related inquiries one can contact Melissa Knight in the athletic office at OHS.