Photo Credit: Will Okun. Megan Joyner goes to kick the ball.[/caption]Megan Joyner, a junior at Orange High School, has recently committed to play soccer for Western Carolina University. As a junior she can’t sign with the school, but as a committee she is able to sign with WCU her senior year.
Joyner visited a number of different colleges including Messiah College in Pennsylvania; Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina; Lee University in Tennessee; and Wingate University, which is also in Charlotte. Of all of these though, she liked Western the best. “My favorite thing about Western was the atmosphere. It really felt like a family,” she said about her visit there.
Joyner started her soccer career at age five when she played on her first team, the Rainbow League in Chapel Hill. Since then, she has played on a variety of teams including the club team Triangle United. “My favorite thing about soccer is that I can stay active and I’ve met a lot of new friends along the way,” she said. “Some of my closest friendships were made through soccer.”
“I’ve played with Meg for about eight years now, that’s actually how we met,” said Rachel Shinnick, a junior on the Orange varsity soccer team. When asked about her favorite part of playing with Joyner, Shinnick said, “Meg is is such a competitive girl. She plays with a lot of heart.”
Tallie Phillips, a senior, also had something to add about Joyner’s contribution on the field. “She’s really feisty,” Phillips said. “She can be counted on and she’s also really nice.”
Joyner is looking forward to her experience as a soccer player at Western Carolina, but in the meantime she is enjoying every minute of playing with the varsity team at Orange. “The Orange soccer team is like my second family, and Coach Hunter has had a really big influence on me as a person and as a soccer player,” she said. “I’m really going to miss this team.”
Photo Credit: Julie Joyner. The girls line up for the beginning of the game.[/caption]The Varsity women’s soccer team played the first game of the season against Southern Durham on Wednesday, February 26. The match was hosted on the Panther’s home field at 6:45 p.m. The team came away with an 8-0 victory over Southern Durham.
Many fans came to see the Panther’s first game. OHS finally beat Southern Durham, who had taken away their state championship previously in football. The game began with a quick start as Natala Phillips, senior, scored the first goal of the match. As the first half progressed, the Panthers scored three more goals, making the score 4-0 by halftime. Junior Rachel Shinnick, #10 on the team, had a powerful game, scoring two consecutive goals of the first four. Although the Panthers took the lead early, the goal keeper for Southern Durham stopped many shots.
As the whistle blew to conclude the game, the OHS varsity team filed off the field, proud of their first win of the season. Southern Durham no longer claimed the victory over OHS and the Panthers were proud to say that they were undefeated for the first time in four years. Junior Lexi Moyer said, “I think that our first game went pretty well and I think the rest of the season we will improve a lot.”
Photo Credit: Brianna Hales[/caption]Originally the men's and women's basketball games were scheduled for Tuesday, February 11 but were moved to Monday, February 10. Both JV teams played at 5:30 pm and both varsity teams played at 7 pm. The games were moved because of the speculation of snow for Tuesday night.
The women's game was at home against Northern Vance High School. This was their senior night so thank you to everyone who came out and supported your lady Panthers.
The men's team played away at Oxford Webb High School. Their senior night will be this Friday, on Valentine's Day, against Cedar Ridge High School at 7 pm. The tickets will be $5 and the game will be held in the big gym at OHS.
Photo Credit: Will Okun. Chandler Compton is making buckets.[/caption]The JV basketball team of Orange High School has had ups and downs this season, but it has been mostly ups. The mighty Panthers have just reached their 17th win, while only recently losing their bid for a perfect season, after starting an astounding 15-0. With only one loss, it is clear that the Panthers can compete with any JV team in the state, especially since they played Oxford Webb JV’s team, the 3A State Champion last season in varsity basketball, and beat them by 16. The team consists of a wide variety of several multi-sport athletes, and their athleticism is unmatched in the Big Eight Conference.
The recipient of both the Rookie of the Year and Athlete of the Year award during his time at Stanford Middle School, sophomore Lionel Reid-Shaw said that, “We have very talented freshmen on our team, and they really help us execute.” When asked about whether or not they should change their play style to face tougher competition, Reid-Shaw said, “No, we should continue doing what we’re doing, because it’s working. We’ve already played pretty much everyone, so I think we should repeat our previous strategies.” Lastly, when asked about whether or not being undefeated affects your confidence, the sophomore responded, “No, because we can’t let that get into our heads.”
In their two most recent games against in-conference foes Chapel Hill and Northern Vance, the Panthers came away with two wins, with sophomores Daniel Mulligan and Reggie Bradsher leading the way against Chapel Hill with 16 points. Sophomore forward Chandler Compton also scored all 13 of his points in the 4th quarter, which finished off a great run by the Panthers to lead them to victory. Leading the charge also against Northern Vance was Bradsher again, scoring a game-high 15.
Next, the Panthers take on the Chargers of Northwood. Varsity basketball will have senior night following the JV game. Come out and support the Panthers as they begin to try to cap off an unforgettable season at home on February 7 at 5:30 pm. Orange JV only has two more games after this matchup, against J.F. Webb and Cedar Ridge on the road and at home, respectively.
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 and varsity captain, Cailee Pulido, has also been doing cheer since middle school, and also has a cheer and gymnastics background. She was influenced by her friends and has “fallen in love” with the sport. She said, “As captain, I want my team to keep up spirit for the crowd, smile, be loud, and hit what they've practiced.” When asked why cheer is important to her she said, “Cheer is important to me because it’s an opportunity for the team to show our school spirit and it’s time for us as girls to come together.”
McKenzie Almers, a senior and varsity captain, stated she has also done cheer her whole life. “I started doing dance when I was two years old, and then I had friends who did competitive cheer in middle school, so I tried it out,” she said. This year, she wants her team to “cheer competitively.” “We have a great coach and all the girls have the potential.” As for cheering in college, “It depends on where I go, but I definitely want to do it.”
Varsity captain, Carey Goodwin, wants the team “to be the best that they can be.” She has done cheer all of her life and loves the sport. Goodwin plans on doing cheer in college. When people hear her name, “I want people to think of a kind and caring person.”
Sophomore and junior varsity captain, Cassie Turner, has done cheer since middle school. “Once you've found something that you love, it’s hard to stop.” As captain, “I want to make the team great, and help the girls be the best that they can.” When people think of her as JV captain, she wants them to think of a “understanding person and a leader.”
Junior varsity captain Robyn Woodall, a sophomore, wants her team “to accomplish bigger and do harder stunts.” A cheerleader since the eighth grade, she decided to do it because people told her that she smiled a lot and that her positivity would be great on the team. She continues to do cheer because “it keeps me at a medium. I’m not cocky, too happy, or too sad. I’m in the middle.”
Junior varsity cheerleader captain and freshman Josie Smith, said she wants the team to “work together and be a family.” When asked why she decided to do cheer, she stated, “It’s fun, I love it and I’m very passionate about it.” Smith also cheers competitively outside of school.
The current standings for the junior varsity women’s soccer team is 0-4-0. Varsity’s season record so far is 2-2-1. Megan Joyner and Hannah Mignosa have scored 1 goal, Lexi Moyer has scored 2 goals, and Rachel Shinnick has scored 4 goals.
Regardless of a tough season, the girls’ spirits are still high. They have evidently made progress working together as a team. Junior varsity player Beth Barbee stated, “I feel this season our team has improved tremendously as a team through accomplishing our team and personal goals.”
The next game for varsity will be held April 9, at Southern Vance at 6 pm. Junior varsity will play at home April 10, against J.F. Webb at 5 pm.
[/caption]The Panthers prepared to play against Jordan High School's Falcons, the rivals, on their home turf September 7.
Starting off the game, number 25 James D, better known as junior free safety/wide receiver J.D. Brooks, fumbled the ball, creating a comedy relief for this tense game. The entirety of the first three quarters consisted of sloppy playing and no points were scored.
In the fourth quarter with eleven minutes to go, number 19 Panther senior Jon Evans made an eighty yard touchdown. After that, there were a gap of fumbles made by Orange.
One may wonder where the Panther Power went. Running back Patrick Pettiford, junior, said, “We kept crushing [Jordan] and ending up winning the game.” There were many trips, screw-ups and ball drops but it didn’t affect the way they pulled though. They held the score of 26-0 up until 10:59 in the fourth quarter until the Jordan Falcons pushed hard and scored six points with eleven minutes to go.
Wide receiver Matthew Gattis, senior, commented, “We kind of slipped up but we gained control again.” Although excited, the Falcons realized they couldn't win and played hard until the very end regardless. Panthers beat the Falcons 26-6. The Falcons may have lost but they held their heads high.
Written by Megan Joyner
The Orange High JV and varsity boys soccer teams had a busy schedule the week of September 3 with the JV playing two games and varsity playing three games in one week. The varsity team played Person High School at home on September 4, resulting in a tie at 3-3. varsity and JV played at Jordan High on September 5, ending with both teams walking away defeated. Varsity and JV played at Bartlett Yancey on September 7, ending in victory for both teams.
The varsity team fought hard against Person High School at their home field September 4 and came away with a 3-3 draw. The Panthers started the game at a steady pace, keeping most of the possession. In the middle of the second half, the Panthers tore away from the Rockets, scoring two goals. The goals were scored by sophomore Eli Lockwood and freshman Lionel Reid-Shaw. The Rockets refueled at halftime and came out ready to battle. With around twenty minutes left to play, the Person Rockets scored three quick goals. The Panthers were running out of time, now down 3-2. They toughed it out and found a gap in the Person defensive line. An Orange sophomore and center back, Bowen Collins, scored the third goal for the Panthers, tying up the game. The final whistle blew, making the final score 3-3. Brianna Hales, a junior at Orange, said, “I thought we looked really good, we were really holding the ball and moving down the field.”
September 5, the JV and varsity teams played at Jordan High School. The JV team came away with a defeat. The score was 7-0, but the Panthers fought hard throughout the game, making the Falcons earn their goals. According to a blog run by the Orange head coach, Jenna Hunter, the Panthers played good defense against Jordan. The Panthers went down 2-0 in the first half and gave up five more goals in the second half. This was a tough game for the JV team, but they plan to get revenge next time they play Jordan High School.
The varsity team also had a rough game, coming away with a 6-1 defeat. The Panthers played hard for the entire game despite their loss and showed much tenacity. RJ Jackson, junior, scored the goal for the Panthers.
The Orange Panthers traveled to Bartlett Yancey High School on September 7. The JV soccer team came out with a 2-0 win. The JV team held good possession and ended the game with two goals. The goals were scored by sophomore Joey Ricca and freshman Lionel Reid-Shaw.
The varsity Panthers soccer team came away with a 1-0 victory over the Bartlett Yancey varsity team. The two teams were both evenly matched, making for a tough competition. The goal for the Panthers was scored by junior Silas Anderson.
For further updates and schedules, visit Coach Hunter's blog at http://orangehighsoccer.blogspot.com.
The varsity Panthers came out strong, fired up and full of intensity, beating back the Red Wolves and securing a strong lead in the first half. They were passing well and working like an oiled machine, with Tyler Taubenheim, Mitchell Pittman, Omar Rezk, and Eli Lockwood each scoring a point on the Red Wolves. However, the team relaxed too much in the last half, and lost some of their former intensity. While they still played hard, the Red Wolves managed to slip some goals in and secure a win.
When varsity soccer coach Palmer Bowman and goalie Thomas Doyle were asked which play of the game was best, they both agreed that all four goals were spectacular. "It's the most we've scored all year," Coach Bowman reports. "All the goals were phenomenal - great work, lots of hustle to put us in those positions."
When Coach Bowman was asked what the team would be improving for future games, he responded that they would focus on closing out games; playing not just a good forty minutes, but a full eighty minute complete game. "We do that, we'll be dangerous," he says.
Team member Kevin Sips commented on the varsity game: "I liked our performance in the first half, but I was disappointed in the second; the whole team's performance shut down." When asked about his thoughts on the remaining season, Sips responded, "I'm hoping we'll be able to win more games and make playoffs."
Orange JV Panthers played a great game, keeping pressure on the Red Wolves for most all of the game, getting lots of shots at the goal and keeping the ball on Cedar Ridge's side of the field. The Wolves' managed to fend off the Panthers' offense until the last five minutes of the game, with Panthers' turning up the heat and going all out, scoring on Cedar Ridge and bringing home a win for Orange and a promising outlook on the rest of the season.
Bowman comments, "JV dominated. They've been progressing throughout the year, Coach Hunter is doing a great job and it's turning into wins."
When JV team member Daniel Allred was asked how he felt about the Panthers' 1-0 win, he commented, "It was pretty good, we played well and beat them. It was a close game," he said. "We scored in the final five minutes." When asked about his outlook on the season ahead, Allred made a down-to-earth goal. "I think we can win at least half our games, but there will be some hard ones."