Photo Credit: Brianna Hales. Corey Johnson hits as serve.[/caption]The Cedar Ridge Red Wolves came to the OHS tennis courts Monday, April 21 for the last game of the season. Although it was a tough fight, the Panthers lost to the Red Wolves. The Panthers celebrated senior night and recognized three seniors -- Jaden Vines, Corey Johnson, and Matthew McLaughlin.
Vines has been the number one player on the OHS team for four straight years. He joined the team as a freshman and quickly showed his skill, which has continually made him the first seed. He and Jarbari Hargrove have had a very successful season together as doubles partners, as a team they made it to the semi-finals in the Conference Tournament. Vines will be attending the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in the fall.
Johnson was the fourth seed this year on the team and he has also played all four years on the team. He is going to Appalachian State University next year. He had a successful season as a singles player, making it to the quarter-finals in the Conference Tournament.
McLaughlin was one of the newest additions to the team, only playing for one year. He came out onto the team to have fun. He will be attending High Point University next year.
To celebrate senior night, all the seniors and their parents were called out on the courts and given a celebratory orange rose. While this was occurring, each senior had their post-high-school plans read aloud. The mothers of all the seniors also bought the whole team pizza and snacks to celebrate their last night together as a team.
Jaden Vines, the first seed, and Jabari Hargrove, the second seed, went to the semifinals, losing to Chapel Hill in doubles ending with a tie breaker. Fourth seed Lee Oechsle won his first-round match but lost to the first seed of Chapel Hill. Third seed Corey Johnson also won his first-round match but lost his second-round match. Sixth seed Grayson Caudill and fifth seed Benjamin Pickard both lost in the first round of doubles to JF Webb.
Vines finished fourth in the Big Eight conference tournament. Vines and Hargrove made it to the finals, losing in a third set tiebreaker to Chapel Hill. They competed and represented Orange High School in a excellent manner.
In the end, Johnson and Oechsle made it to quarter finals for singles. Corey upset Northern Vance’s first seed 8-6 in the first round and Oechsle defeated Oxford Webb.
All photos taken by Brianna Hales.
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