Photo Credit: Megan Joyner[/caption]Orange High School is wearing pink throughout October in honor of 2014’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). Clubs and schools are partnering together to raise awareness and collect donations for breast cancer.
Every October, breast cancer charities organize activities and fundraisers in order to support people with breast cancer and fund research. The proceeds donated to the American Cancer Society from these foundations contribute to the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and cure of breast cancer. Started in 1985, NBCAM has been initiated and managed by the American Cancer Society. It was originally started in order to promote mammography, a very important part in the diagnosis of this type of cancer. Throughout the community, radio stations, organizations, and charities alike have been providing free mammograms for women. One of the most well-known campaigns is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. This event is a 5K race in which participants run or walk in honor of the survivors and those who have lost their battle to breast cancer. These races take place not only across the country, but all over the world.
Not all events that take place during October in support of breast cancer awareness have the intended purpose of raising money. Many organizations coalesce with breast cancer patients as well as survivors in order to build support groups for those that are affected. NBCAM is a time where people all across the world come together and seek hope for the future battle with breast cancer.
On a local level, Orange High School is also an active participant in NBCAM. Clubs and sports teams at OHS have taken the initiative to rally students in support of breast cancer. The football team is sporting pink socks and the cheerleaders accessorize with pink bows, all in support of the cause. In addition, the cheerleading team sold tie dyed pink shirts and spray painted hair pink during the annual Ag Day festival. The Student Government Association sold spirit links during Spirit Week for 25 cents apiece and plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to breast cancer research. Friday, October 10, Orange High School played Cedar Ridge in football. Fans on both sides of the field dressed in pink for breast cancer.
Orange High School has played a large role in raising awareness for breast cancer throughout Hillsborough. As clubs finish their campaign against breast cancer, they will continue to seek donations and encourage the community to join them in their quest to find a cure.
Photo Credit: Quinn Dombrowski (Flickr)[/caption]Most kids don’t want to stay in high school for the whole four years. People want to drop out because they don’t feel like getting up early or doing homework. They don’t care about going to college or getting a good job. In this century, you have to at least have a high school diploma to be considered at a fast food restaurant. It would be hard to provide for yourself, much less a family, without a high school diploma. So, why drop out?
“A high school dropout will earn approximately $300,000 less over a lifetime than a high school graduate. An individual that does not possess a high school diploma is more likely to be unemployed because they are not as marketable. In fact, it is estimated that at least half of all welfare recipients do not possess a high school diploma,” said a New Mexico University representative. So, why would you want to live your life without a high school diploma?
If you drop out of high school, you miss out on many memories and opportunities. You don’t get to go to prom, you lose your friends, you don’t go on field trips or learn about life in general. You lose all of these achievements, because you didn’t want to get up early.
If you expect your children to stay in school and get their high school diploma, you might just have to eat your words and practice what you preach. “Children are observational learners, meaning they learn from watching you and others around them. Be a good influence for your children if you want to see them to succeed in their high school career,” said the representative.
A popular reason that teens drop out are friends and peer pressure from other high school dropouts. “Family or other outside relationships can influence teens to drop out of school," the representative stated. This also goes for the teens that choose to drop out to join a gang or to be accepted in other teen groups and street communities all over the country and world.
So why would you risk your financial support, your future, and lose your friends for drugs, peer pressure, and to sleep an extra few hours?
Photo Credit: Will Okun[/caption]To someone reading the stats, the Orange Panthers would have seemed to struggle mightily against cross town rival and fellow Big Eight conference member Cedar Ridge on Friday night. The Panthers managed to just get two first downs and run only 13 offensive games before lightning and rain forced the game to be called with 5:20 remaining in the second quarter.
However, it was the exact opposite, as the Panthers' explosive offense raced out to a 35 to 13 lead over the Red Wolves, which is where the score ended.
Orange was led by senior running back Tay Jones, who scored three touchdowns, including two rushing from eight and 73 yards, while also taking a 97-yard kickoff return to the end zone.
Jones would finish the game with 89 yards on just five carries, while the other Orange scores came on runs of 72 and 15 yards from Eryk Brandon-Dean and Mike Bolden respectively.
Jones' kickoff return fired up the Panthers following a Cedar Ridge opening drive that went 73 yards on five plays and was capped by a Peyton Pappas scramper from 12 yards out.
Following a Cedar Ridge three-and-out on the next possession, Jones followed his blocking around the right edge all the way to the end zone on his 73-yard run.
Cedar Ridge would answer on the following possession and again sustain a long drive as they went 77 yards on 10 plays, this time culminating with a five-yard strike from Pappas to a wide open Marquez Hunter.
Those would be the last points put on the board by Cedar Ridge; following a failed extra point, Orange took the first play from scrimmage to the end zone on Brandon-Dean's quick steps and elusive moves. This led to a 72-yard run to put the Panthers up 21 to 13.
After the Bolden touchdown and a fumble on the ensuing kickoff by the Red Wolves at the 24-yard line, the Panthers were looking to again score quickly. However, a pair of sacks, a penalty, and an incomplete pass led to 4th and 25 for the Panthers.
Orange would be able to convert though, as senior quarterback Garrett Cloer found Bryse Wilson across the middle for a 32-yard gain. Jones would take it in for a score on the next play, before the game would be stopped and eventually called.
Photo Credit: Will Okun[/caption]The crowd at Auman Stadium watched with anticipation as the time was winding down until the homecoming announcement was made on October 24. By the time it was halftime and Megan Joyner was crowned the 2014 Homecoming Queen, the Orange Panthers had mounted a 35 to 0 lead over J.F. Webb.
The Panthers' first quarter scores came on a touchdown pass from Garrett Cloer to Eryk Brandon-Dean, a 2-yard run by Michael Bolden, a 15-yard run by Brandon-Dean and an 11-yard run by Cloer.
The Panthers' final score of the half would come on a 2-yard Bolden run, following a 45-yard pass from Cloer to a diving Austin Wood.
Orange dominated the entire contest in route to a 49 to 0 win that moved them to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in conference this season.
The Panthers travel to Raleigh to take on 6-2 Cardinal Gibbons on October 31 at 7 pm.
Joey Ricca kicks the ball.[/caption]The varsity men’s soccer team had their senior night on Monday, October 20. They played at home against JF Webb. The team came away with a 6-0 win over Webb. This was a great celebration for the seniors, who played their last home game as Orange High School Panthers.
It was a bittersweet game for the Panthers. They came out with an astonishing victory over the Warriors, but they had to say goodbye to eight strong players--Morgan Collins, Bowen Collins, Jonathan McLamb, Joey Ricca, Gerardo Figueroa, Luis DeLara, Caleb Anderson, and Eli Lockwood.
The ceremony started at 6:00 p.m. and each senior was recognized for their contributions to the team. After the senior celebrations, the game began. From the start, the Panthers possessed the ball and had many two player combinations around the opposing team. They came up with three goals in the first half, one scored by Lockwood, and the other two scored by junior Lionel Reid-Shaw. After an intense start, the Panthers concluded the first half with a 3-0 lead.
The second half started out at a fast pace, and the Panthers were able to keep possession for the entire game. Orange scored three more goals, and the game concluded with a Panther victory, 6-0.
The Panthers came out with a big win and an even bigger victory for the seniors. They had a great season, and the seniors will definitely be missed. Chandler Compton, a junior on the team, said, “I made really good friendships with some of the senior guys on the team. I’m going to miss sharing the field with them day in and day out.”
Photo Credit: Tammy Mack Adalyn Fleming finishes her race at Orange.[/caption]At the Wendy’s Invitational on October 2, the girl’s team got great times. This race is one of the most important ones of the year, and Wendy’s is a highly competitive race in Charlotte where the best battle it out.
On Saturday, September 27, Orange placed third overall at the Greensboro invitational. They were very close to being champions, but still did fantastic. Everyone ran well, and lots of girls got personal records (PR’s) on the course.
Tuesday, September 23, Adalyn Fleming came in third at Orange’s first home cross country meet, with a time of 21 minutes and 7 seconds. She and many other OHS runners made great leaps to make the first meet a great one.
Fleming was followed closely by sophomores Juliana Lester and Claire Barger, and freshmen Isabelle Hartmond and Melia Weeks. Junior Hannah Phillips finished 6th, and Sophomore Kathryn Obenshain finished seventh on the team.
The team’s success was surprising considering the team just acquired a new coach, Hendrik Joubert. Joubert is a highly recognized runner. He has run many marathons, ultra marathons, and 55 mile runs.
Photo Credit: Jared Riley[/caption]Friday, September 26, the Orange High Panther football team faced their toughest challenge of the season in the 4-0 Northwood Chargers. It took all the effort the Panthers could muster to fend off the Chargers, but Orange was able to prevail with their fifth consecutive win by a score of 14 to 7. The packed house at Aumond Stadium saw the Panthers move to 5-0 overall and earn their first Big Eight conference win of the year, while Northwood dropped to 4-1 and 0-1 respectively.
The Panthers offense opened the game on fire, scoring 14 points in the first seven minutes with Eryk Brandon Dean taking it in from 10 yard out, and a Garrett Cloer one yard plunge into the endzone. The game appeared to be on the same track as Orange’s previous 54 to 14 thrashing of Graham, however Northwood ensured that would not be the case. The Chargers defense was able to keep the Panthers out of the endzone for the rest of the contest and forced the Panthers to become one dimensional as the passing game was ineffective for most of the night. Cloer finished the night with only 5 completions on 10 attempts and 91 yards. The senior quarterback was on the move for most of the night, as Northwood’s impressive front seven kept the pressure on.
Orange was not the only team having trouble on offense, as Northwood was unable to move the ball for most of the game except for a 39 yard touchdown pass from Ti Pinnix to Jared Worley on a blown assignment by the Orange secondary. Worley, a senior captain for the Chargers, was all over the field, racking in 4 catches for 91 yards on offense, while making several tackles from the linebacker position. Worley and the Charger defense gave a valiant effort in trying to stop the Panthers' two headed monster at the running back position in Brandon-Dean and senior Tay Jones. The two combined for a nice 127 yards on 23 carries, but were unable to break free for the long runs the Panther faithful have become accustomed to seeing. Brandon-Dean was also the Panthers’ leading pass catcher, hauling in three catches for 70 yards.
Northwood struggled extremely in the running game as the Panthers’ front seven were in the back field the entire game, causing many long third downs for the Chargers and Pinnix. The senior signal caller was able to complete 14 of 29 passes for 194 while also rushing 15 times for 33 yards, most of which were scampers out of a collapsing pocket.
The Panthers defense, known as the ‘Orange Crush,’ stood strong on two different goal line stands, as they stopped the Chargers at the 2 yard line shortly before halftime after a false start negated a Northwood touchdown. Northwood was also looking for a tying score as the fourth quarter winded down, as the Chargers were able to get as close as the 8 yard line, before a Pinnix pass on fourth down was batted down by senior defensive lineman Byron Stephenson.
The Panthers travel to Henderson this Friday to take on the 1-4 Vikings of Northern Vance.
Meet the new counselor, Lynn Douglas! She is the counselor for names M-R. Photo Credit: Kathryn Obenshain[/caption]Orange High has a new counselor named Lynn Douglas. She is the counselor for names M-R. She is a very laid back, relaxed counselor, but if a student needs help, she is ready for action. When Douglas was in high school, she had a poor counselor. Her and her classmates were very under-informed about opportunities they needed to be aware of. Having this experience made Douglas want to become a counselor. She applied and got accepted to North Carolina Central College in Durham. Recently, she completed her masters and bachelors degree in school counseling. Although she is a newer counselor, she isn’t new to the school scene.
While completing her masters at NC Central, Douglas was an intern at Dudley High School in Greensboro. Douglas enjoyed her time there, but she needed a real job now that she had her masters. When looking for jobs, she says that she always looks for opportunities where the population is diverse. She sees Orange High School as a place that is not only diverse, but where she can add diversity. Douglas wants to help the Panthers celebrate world cultures, talk to students to fulfill their needs, and make sure Orange High School is well taken care of.
Although Douglas is a devoted counselor, she doesn’t stay at Orange all the time. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, shopping, cooking, traveling, and pageantry. She has been all over the United States with her college marching band. However, she hopes to go out of the country this upcoming summer. Douglas competes in and organizes pageants in her spare time.
A word of advice for the Panthers: “Always, always, always have a plan, a back-up plan, and a back-up plan for your back-up plan,” said Douglas. She loves talking to, interacting with, and helping students. Her door is always open to help anyone.
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: Hannah Phillips. A shot of the 3A Mideast Regional, hosted by Northern Guilford High School.[/caption]The NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regional could have gone better for the Panthers that qualified, as some of the six athletes had remarkable performances, and the others leaving with the desire to have a redo. Two Panther athletes achieved the ultimate goal of the meet: qualification for the NCHSAA 3A State Championship.
Freshman Adalyn Fleming and sophomore Montee Mitchell have qualified in the 800m and the 110m hurdles, respectively. Fleming ran her PR (personal record) by over five seconds, an incredible accomplishment in the 800m. The freshman rising star finished in 2:24.87, taking the bronze medal by finishing third. Fleming missed regional runner-up by less than a second, while also becoming the first freshman to place in the top three in the 800m at this regional since 2003, an unbelievable feat. Adalyn also ran the 1600m, finishing seventh in 5:46.
As for Mitchell, the meet’s Performance of the Day winner, the sophomore was actually entered into the meet due to consideration (the process of selecting additional athletes other than the ones who did not meet the qualification mark). Mitchell, different from the hundreds of athletes, coaches, and spectators watching, had an ambition to not only participate, but to show out and prove that he belonged there. The sophomore was seeded thirteenth out of the fourteen entered athletes. In the prelims of the 110m hurdles, Montee took over a half a second off of is PR, finishing sixth in 16.23. The top eight finishers in the prelims qualify for the finals, meaning Mitchell was only one great race away from state qualification. Later in the day, when it was time for the 110 meter hurdle final, the sophomore was ready. Mitchell took almost another quarter of a second of his PR, finishing in 16.02. In his fourth-place finish in the finals (top four qualify), he officially made the state championship. Mitchell was the only non-senior in the top five, and will be facing his toughest competition at states.
Six other Panther athletes competed at this regional meet. Fleming’s partner-in-crime, fellow freshman Claire Barger, ran the 1600m and the 3200m. Barger just missed state qualification herself, finishing fifth in the 1600m. Her 3200m performance was a minor disappointment, with the freshman running well off her PR. The last student-athlete that rounds out the star freshman milers trio here at Orange is Julianna Lester, who actually ended up running the 1600m, despite her running in a local 5k race earlier in the morning. Lester was the second overall female in the 5k, but it was not her best performance in the 1600m. Lester finished in 6:02, 11 seconds off her PR. It was a pretty solid performance for Lester as a whole on the day.
Two other Orange girls competed, junior Morgan Efland and senior De’ja Johnson. Efland finished fifth in the prelims of the 100m hurdles, and eventually ran a 17.49 en route to a sixth-place regional finish. In what was the last Orange High School athletic competition for Johnson, the senior triple jumped almost a whopping two feet farther than her previous PR, leaping her way to a sixth-place finish at 34’2.5”.
In a very unfortunate sequence of events shortly before this regional championship, the more than likely team MVP, senior Brandon Vanhook, sustained two serious injuries in his knees. His ambition for a regional championship pushed him to participate. Shortly before departing to get to Northern Guilford, the site of regionals, Vanhook’s spikes broke. With the combination of replacement shoes and a somewhat crippling injury, the senior leader could not pull of a miracle. In what was thought to be Orange’s greatest chance for a regional champion, Vanhook in the long jump, was an unfortunate disappointment, but adequate considering the circumstances. The senior jumped just under 20’, almost two feet under his PR, finishing sixth. If Brandon would have jumped his PR, he would have won by over a foot. One great performance emerged from Vanhook, however. He ran his PR in the 100m prelims (11.19), in an eighth-place finish. This, unexpectedly, put Vanhook in the 100m championship. Vanhook ran a 12.01 in the finals in another eighth-place finish.
The last Panther who participated was another underclassman, freshman Joseph Pannachia. Pannachia ran alongside Mitchell in the 110m hurdles, and ran his PR by .7 seconds. Pannachia missed finals qualification by two spots, running a 16.91 in a solid tenth-place finish.
Congratulations to our Panther track team for a very successful regional meet! Adalyn Fleming and Montee Mitchell will advance to the NCHSAA 3A State Championship meet, which will be this Friday, May 16 at NC A&T’s Irwin Belk Track. We wish Fleming and Mitchell best of luck at the highest level of competition in the state!
Photo Credit: Mrs. Joyner.[/caption]Friday, May 2, the Lady Panther soccer teams played the Northwood Chargers at OHS. The JV game kicked off at 5 pm and varsity followed at 6:45 pm. It was a perfect 70 degree night for an intense match against a new conference rival. Despite the ideal conditions and packed stands, the Panthers weren’t able to pull through with a victory.
The JV team was prepared for another close game against Northwood, after coming close to a victory in their previous game. Being evenly matched, the ball was possessed by both teams for most of the half. However, midway through, the Chargers went up by one goal, due to a miscommunication between the goalie and center-mid on the Orange team. Thinking the ball was out of bounds, Aaron Collins passed the ball back to the keeper for a goal kick, who let it slip behind her. Aside from the keeper error, the Panthers had a clean game and finished the half with a score of 1-0. By the start of the second half, the Panthers were determined to come back. Lexi Mignosa, starting center-mid for OHS, controlled the ball and drove it up the field. Despite the tenacity that the Panthers showed, the Northwood forwards were too much for their backline, and the Chargers scored two quick goals, ending the game with a 3-0 victory. Mileah Shriner, one of the goalies for Orange, said, “Everyone played really hard. It was a good game.”
Following the JV game, the varsity team came out seeking revenge for their previous matchup against Northwood where they suffered a defeat 3-0. The game was evenly matched and tied at 0-0 for the majority of the half. But with about 20 minutes left in the half, #13 for Northwood, Haley Piester, received a long ball over the top of the Panther’s backline and scored on a breakaway, making the score 1-0 in favor of the Chargers at halftime. The score, however, did not accurately reflect the first half, with the Panthers keeping the majority of the possession and controlling the ball on the Chargers’ defensive side. At the end of the half, the Panthers had three shots on frame, but were unable to finish any of them. At the start of the second half, the game was evenly matched with both teams possessing it on both halves of the field. However, near the middle of the second half, the Panthers broke down and allowed five more goals to slip through. The Chargers finished with a conference win, 6-0 over the Lady Panthers. The outcome did not match up with the level of play. Until the Panthers broke down in the back, the game was fairly even, with the Panthers having most of the possession.
This game was the last one for senior Tallie Philips, who will be unable to attend senior night. She had a great season as an outside defender, holding the team up and making the defense impenetrable. She was not only a huge asset, but a team captain that led the team as they progressed throughout the season. She plans to take a semester or two off after she graduates high school to travel abroad in Europe with her older sister, Mia Philips. She then hopes to attend Alamance Community College and later transfer to a larger university.
Photo Credit: Greensboro Daily Photos. Northern Guilford High School's track, site of the 2014 NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regional Championships.[/caption]As previously mentioned in the OHS track conference meet/wrap-up article, the instance of adding more athletes to the regional championships has occurred, sending four more Orange athletes to the 3A Mideast Regional Championships. The complete list of Panther athletes that will be competing are as follows:
* Claire Barger - 1600m & 3200m
* Morgan Efland - 110m Hurdles
* Adalyn Fleming - 800m & 1600m
* De’ja Johnson - Triple Jump
* Julianna Lester - 1600m (Will Not Participate)
* Montee Mitchell - 110m Hurdles
* Joseph Pannachia - 100m Hurdles
* Brandon Vanhook - 100m & Long Jump
The NCHSAA 3A Mideast Regional for track and field will be this Saturday, May 10, at Northern Guilford High School. Congratulations to all of the Panthers who will be representing us at regionals!
Photo Credit: Megan Joyner[/caption]The Lady Panther soccer team had a busy few weeks as their conference games officially started. The varsity women’s soccer team played Northern Vance on Thursday, March 20, at 6:00 pm. The Panthers came out with a 6-0 victory on their home turf. The JV and varsity Panthers then traveled to Tiger territory on Friday, March 21, to play Chapel Hill High School. This was a tough loss for both OHS teams. Monday, March 25, the Panther team fought hard against the Cardinal Gibbons’ Crusaders. Although both OHS teams suffered a heavy loss, they did so by putting up a fierce battle.
Northern Vance was the first conference team that the Lady Panthers played in their season, and they started it out right with a clean score. They went up early in the first half, scoring a couple quick goals. Hannah Mignosa, senior, scored the first goal within 10 minutes of the game starting. Before the half concluded, the Panthers were up 4-0. As the whistle blew and the second half kicked off, the Panthers started off strong, possessing the ball. As the half continued, the Panthers scored three more goals, ending the game with a 6-0 win. Ashley Badstein, in goal for the Panthers, finished the game with a shutout.
The following day, the Panthers traveled to Chapel Hill to play the Tigers. The JV team worked hard but came out with a rough defeat, 9-0. The Tigers went up early taking the lead for the remainder of the game. The Varsity Panthers, despite their tenacity, also suffered a tough loss, 9-0. However, both teams played hard and are now preparing for payback at their next meeting.
The following Monday, March 24, the JV and varsity teams played Cardinal Gibbons at home. JV kicked off first at 5:00 pm. The Lady Panthers came away with a loss 7-0, but not without putting up a fight. Despite the score, the Crusaders had a difficult time getting past Mileah Shriner in goal for the Panthers. She said, “I think we did better than we did against Chapel Hill because we fought hard, but we still have some room to improve.” At 6:45 pm the varsity team played and held their own for most of the first half. The final score, 8-0 in favor of the Crusaders, did not reflect the effort of the Panthers. They put up a grand fight that had each team clawing for the ball throughout the game. Rowan Janes, a sophomore and center defender, held up the Panther back line, which successfully pulled Cardinal Gibbons offsides multiple times throughout the game. The game was tight up until the very end of the game, but the Panthers held on.
Although the Panthers had a difficult week, they look forward to a rematch, and the rest of their conference games.
Photo Credit: Jonah Neville.[/caption]After a very successful season of basketball, Coach Greg Motley has been chosen as the 3A Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year. He started coaching in 1995 and this is one of many playoff seasons he has led the Panthers to. When asked how he felt about winning Coach of the Year, he responded by saying that it was a testament to the kids’ success and how well they played throughout the entire season. With high expectations every year in a tough conference, the Panthers had one of their best seasons, going 26-6 for the year. Expectations for next year will be the same, and although the Panthers will be losing three seniors, they will bring back a good, strong core of guys to compete with next year. With the past couple of years being losing seasons, this was a great bounce-back year for Coach Motley and the basketball team.
When asked about how this year was different than the past few years, Coach Motley said, “We had the same preparation as every year, but this year the team chemistry was better, and we had some guys step up into bigger roles that we didn’t expect them to.” He also said that the fans this year “were very big and very loud, and definitely helped the team pull through some games when they were behind or needed a boost.” It’s no secret that Coach Motley has had much success as the Panthers’ head coach, so when asked who he models his coaching after, he said that it is a combination of coaches he has listened to at college clinics, such as Duke and North Carolina. He also credits Coach Shriner for showing him how a coach should treat the kids the right way. The Panthers had a great season and Coach Motley hopes to continue this year’s success into many more years.
Photo Credit: Will Okun. Orange celebrates after winning the Eastern Guilford Christmas Tournament.[/caption]The Panthers took on second-seeded Hunt on Saturday, in an attempt to reach their first state championship game since 1969. The Panthers put up an incredible fight, but in the end, the Panthers took the L from the Warriors, falling by a final score of 66-60.
Orange kept it close early, closing the first quarter with only a 2-point deficit. The Panthers, almost all season, were not a very good second-half team, as they had scored more points in the first half in two-thirds of their previous 27 games. With this said, it was very important that the Panthers pounce on Hunt throughout the second quarter, reducing the deficit, if not leading, by halftime. That’s exactly what they did. With several pivotal defensive stops and good play inside, Orange regained the lead with less than two minutes to play in the half. They held the lead and even increased their margin, and lead by three at halftime.
Now it was the Warriors time to make a push. This push would be too much for the Panthers to eclipse. With an 11-point swing, Hunt regained the lead by nine at the end of the third. With one of the teams about to experience its final 10 minutes of the season, it was evident there was going to be a good fight to the end.
Orange started off strong, tightening the game to seven with a little over seven minutes to play. Then, it all started to fall apart for the Panthers. Hunt went on a 10-2 run in about 3:30 remaining, and had a 15-point lead with less than four minutes to play. It was not looking good for Orange, but they put up an incredible run to cap off the game. The Panthers got it down to single digits, trailing by nine with 2:34 remaining. Then down to seven, then five, then a three pointer by senior forward Keegan Crabtree cuts it down to four with 51 seconds to play. Following the Warriors’ 10-2 run, the Panthers went on their own 15-4 run. The Panthers were not able to complete the improbable comeback however, as they eventually were defeated by the East Regional Champion, Hunt, 66-60.
The Varsity and Junior Varsity basketball teams truly had incredible seasons, with their combined record finishing at 46-7. Varsity came within one win of competing for their first state championship since five years after the school’s inception in 1964, and the Panthers received several mid- and post-season awards. Orange won the Eastern Guilford Christmas Tournament in late December, and Coach Greg Motley and senior Keegan Crabtree won the Big Eight Conference Coach and Player of the Year Awards, respectively.
Next season, the Panthers will be without two of this year’s starters, but will leave a very talented core in starting guards Jawan Chambers, Eryk Brandon-Dean, and Tay Jones. You can expect forwards Garrett Cloer (who missed all of this season with a torn PCL) and Jace Jordan-Cornell to take seniors Crabtree and JD Brooks’ spots. We look forward to the Mighty Panthers taking the floor for the 2014-2015 Varsity and JV basketball season.
Photo Credit: Spencer Husen[/caption]After a 69-56 victory over West Brunswick High School in the east regional semifinal in the 2013-14 NCHSAA 3A State Playoffs, only two wins separate the Panthers of Orange High School from capturing their first state title in 45 years.
The game took place in Fayetteville, NC at Crown Coliseum, both teams’ first game at a neutral site. The Panthers did a great job adapting to the more hostile environment, as the coliseum had the largest opposing team’s student section that they had seen all year. Fans that took the two-and-a-half hour trip from OHS to Crown Coliseum enjoyed a pretty interesting game, with points of utter desperation to intense moments for both teams.
Orange was up early, with an eight point lead at the end of the first quarter. Continuing their strong push from the first quarter, the Panthers resumed their push by extending their lead to 15 at halftime. Sophomore point guard Eryk Brandon-Dean led the way in the first half with 10 points and 6 assists, the only player in double-figures at the half. The Trojans of Brunswick cut the lead by 9 points at the end of the third, with Orange up by just 6. Despite having a lot of confidence entering the final 10 minutes of the game, the Panthers’ lead was reduced all the way to two with 5:33 remaining. However, those five minutes and 33 seconds proved to be the last bit of time for West Brunswick’s season, thanks to Orange outscoring Brunswick by an unprecedented 28-2 in the transition game.
Brandon-Dean had debatebly the best game of his almost two-year career, with 16 points, eight assists, and seven steals. Senior JD Brooks also dropped 16, while junior guard Jawan Chambers led the charge with 18. The Trojans played a great game, coming all the way back from a near 20-point deficit by cutting the lead to two in the final quarter.
The Panthers will take on the Warriors of James Hunt High School, the two seed in the east, this Saturday at 2 pm, again at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville.
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.
Senior Keegan Crabtree taking it to the rack.Photo Credit: Will Okun[/caption]
The Orange High School men’s basketball squad beat South Brunswick by a final score of 75-51 on Monday, advancing to the second round of the 3A State Playoffs. The Cougars of Brunswick kept it close early in the game, relying on their big men to take advantage of Orange’s relatively small lineup; however, with the score tied 27-27, the Panthers scored 12 straight points to cap off an explosive half. With the lead at 12 going into the second half, it proved to be insurmountable for Brunswick. The Panthers essentially ran away with the game in the second half, forcing several turnovers and scoring lots of transition baskets.
Orange was led by senior Keegan Crabtree and sophomore Eryk Brandon-Dean, who scored 21 and 16 points, respectively.
Orange’s second round game will be tomorrow, February 26, at 7:00 pm against 16-seeded, in-conference foe Chapel Hill.
Photo Credit: Will Okun. Junior Jawan Chambers runs the ball across half court during the Panthers 62 to 59 victory over Cedar Ridge.[/caption]The 2013-14 season has been one of the best for both the Junior Varsity and Varsity men's basketball teams at Orange High School in recent memory. Both teams were able to win the regular season Big Eight conference championship, finishing with records of 20-1 and 20-4 respectively.
The JV team secured a near perfect season against cross-town rival Cedar Ridge on Monday, February 17, with a 77 to 33 win. The Panthers were lead by freshman Connor Crabtree who had 19 points, while Alex Long also added 14 points off the bench. The Junior Varsity’s only loss of the season came on the road against Southern Durham.
The Varsity men's team also locked up the conference championship against the Red Wolves, winning a nail bitter by a score of 62 to 59. Leading the Panthers was senior forward JD Brooks who finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds, with 5 of them being offensive. Also contributing to the win were senior forward Keegan Crabtree and junior guard Jawan Chambers who added 10 and 12 points respectively.
While the JV team’s season has concluded, the Varsity men play on into the conference tournament as the number one seed.
Tay Jones scores a 93 yard touchdown during Orange's 55 to 41 loss to Southern Durham. Photo Credit: Mr. Okun[/caption]Friday, November 8, the Orange High School football team suffered their first loss of the 2013 season, in a 55-41 shootout against Southern Durham. With the win Southern Durham earned the Big Eight conference championship and moved to 9-2 on the season and 7-0 in conference, while the loss put the Panthers at 10-1 and 6-1.
The previously undefeated Panthers began the game on defense, and were able to stall a Southern drive at the Orange 14 yard line, after Southern failed to convert on fourth down. Orange however was unable to stop the Spartans after this, as on their next possession, Southern Durham junior quarterback Kendall Hinton put the first points on the board on a 36 yard rushing touchdown. That was just the start of the scoring that occurred on Friday night.
Hinton, a junior, would finish with 428 yards and five touchdowns through the air, while also picking up another 128 yards and one touchdown rushing. The majority of Hinton’s passing yards went to Maurice Trowell, who caught eight passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns for the Spartans, and Derrick Mason who caught 10 for 157 and also brought in two touchdowns.
The Spartans would also score on their next three possessions and would take a 27 to 0 lead over the Panthers with 11 minutes left in the second quarter. The Orange offense would manage to put 13 points on the board by halftime on two Tay Jones touchdowns, a 93 yard rush, and a 29 yard pass for junior quarterback Garrett Cloer, but would trail at the end of the first half by a score of 34 to 13.
Cloer would end the game with 288 passing yards, which mostly came in the second half, and three touchdowns. While Jones, a junior running back, would finish with 119 yards and one touchdown on seven rushes, to go along with his 29 yard touchdown reception.
Orange sophomore linebacker Bryse Wilson credited Southern Durham’s start to speed and strategy, saying, “They [Southern Durham] were very fast! And they [Southern Durham] were replacing our blitz’s.” Wilson also spoke about some of the adjustment’s the Panthers made at half time saying, “On defense we put in our speed package and on offense we were able to pick up their blitz, and throw the ball.”
Those adjustment’s would pay off, as the Panthers’ came out in the second half and scored on their first possession on a five yard Patrick Pettiford run. The score would cut Southern’s lead to just 14. However, the teams would trade touchdowns on their next two possessions, including a 70 yard pass from Cloer to receiver Ky Muller, and a Pettiford four yard run that would make the game 48 to 34 at the end of the third quarter.
Pettiford, the other half of Orange’s running back duo, finished 78 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, while also catching a 76 yard touchdown pass.
The fourth quarter would not show a touchdown until Pettiford’s 76 yard catch from Cloer that came with three minutes left, which made the score 48 to 41 and cut Southern’s lead to under 10 points for the first time since the first quarter.
However that wouldn't last long as Southern would score the final points of the night, on a 44 yard pass from Hinton to Trowell that secured a 55 to 41 Southern victory.
Wilson believes that the loss will prepare Orange for the playoffs, saying, “We[Orange] will know how to keep up with the speed and we will see that we can lose, so I think we will come together more as a team in the playoffs.”
As for what Wilson’s playoff expectations are, he said, “I think that all of our games will be tough, but I think we will end up playing Southern Durham again in the regional semi-finals, and beating them.”
The Panthers’ will begin the North Carolina 3-AA playoffs on Friday, November 15, as the number six seed against 8-3 Rocky Mount. This game will at home, and will began at 7:30 pm.