So far this season, both teams have been steadily improving and getting closer and closer as teammates. There is more communication on the field, and teammates are collaborating and figuring out clever plays for certain teams. The synopsis for the season and the lists of team members can be found below.
Aug. 18 Home v Riverside (Rained-out)
Aug. 20 Home v Graham (Both team Loss)
Aug. 25 Away @ Bartlett Yancey (Varsity Win)
Aug. 27 Home v Eastern Alamance (Both team Loss)
Sept. 3 Home v Bartlett Yancey (Varsity Win)
Sept. 4 Away @ Eastern Alamance (Varsity Loss)
Sept. 8 Away @ Cardinal Gibbons (Both team loss)
Varsity Game
Both Team Game
JV Roster
# Name Grade
3 Cameron Krogstad Freshman
4 Ewan McCallum Freshman
5 Luke Wirzba Freshman
6 Hector Rodriguez Freshman
7 Owen Downes Sophomore
8 Ali Rezk Sophomore
9 Juan Jaime Junior
10 Cyrus Rainey Junior
11 Omar Landeros Freshman
13 Jamar Davis Freshman
14 Omar Medina Freshman
16 Noah Miller (GK) Freshman
17 Jesus Chavez Freshman
18 Michael Dubis Freshman
19 Thomas Sikes Freshman
20 Bryan Torres Freshman
23 Olivier Dauverd Freshman
24 Isaiah Dupre (GK) Freshman
25 Caleb Gray Junior
Varsity Roster
# Name Grade
1 Jonathan McLamb Senior
2 Rowan Nygard Junior
3 Davis Dixon Sophomore
4 Robin Walz Junior
5 Daniel Gallardo Junior
6 Morgan Collins Senior
7 Joey Ricca (GK) Senior
8 Gerardo Figueroa Senior
9 Adam Medina Junior
10 Luis DeLara Senior
11 Alfredo Rodriguez (GK) Sophomore
12 Lionel Reid-Shaw Junior
14 Zack Matthews Junior
16 Malcolm Phillips Freshman
17 Eli Lockwood Senior
20 Chandler Compton Junior
22 Bowen Collins Senior
Photo credit: Mr. Okun[/caption]Friday, September 6, the Orange High School Panthers football walked off the field with a 38 to 0 win over Riverside High School in Durham, NC. This moved the Panthers to 3-0 on the season after defeating Roxboro Person and North Durham, 40 to 7 and 42 to 15 respectively.
The team is led by junior quarterback, Garrett Cloer, who has already thrown for 471 yards and has had ten touchdowns in his first year as Orange's varsity starter. Also leading the team will be the running back duo of senior Patrick Pettiford and Junior Tay Jones. The two have combined almost 600 yards rushing and five touchdowns, and have also caught another four touchdown passes. The Panthers have also had a very strong defense, none of the 22 points scored against the team in their first three games have occurred while the starting defense was on the field.
Sophomore Bryse Wilson, who starts at linebacker, said that his goal for the team this season is to simply “go undefeated and win the state championship.” Wilson also spoke highly of his teammates, “They are all hard working and have the will to win.” Wilson, who has been playing football since the age of six says that the football team's success will have a positive impact on the school, “It gives the school more confidence and more of a will to come out and support not only the football team but also other sports.”
Wilson also says that the team embraces a rough style of football, “We like to play a smash mouth kind of game in order to open up the passing. On defense we are told to get to the ball and be angry when you get there.” He also states that being a Panther means something both on and off the field, “It means that when you are walking up and down the halls you are not only representing yourself, but also the team and coaches.”
Orange football had an excellent 2012 season, finishing 11-3 and making it to the semifinals of the 3A State Playoffs before losing to the eventual state champions, Havelock High School.
The next Panthers home game is September 13 at 7 pm against Graham High School. The team has asked all students to sit in the student section and wear white at the game. To learn more about the team and players, visit their website http://ohsfootball.weebly.com/index.html.