Jeff Hamlin

6 days ago | hillsborough-sports.com | Jeff Hamlin

This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is freshman baseball player Jesus Velazquez. In his first varsity season this year, Velazquez hit .250 as the Red Wolves hosted a state playoff game for the first time since 2018. Among the season highlights for Velazquez came on April 15 when he drove in the game-winning runs in the 7th inning as the Red Wolves rallied to defeat Orange 6-1. Cedar Ridge scored six runs in the seventh inning, keyed by Velazquez’s two-run single.

6 days ago | hillsborough-sports.com | Jeff Hamlin

This week’s Orange Panther of the Week is senior softball shortstop Sadie Cecil. This season, Cecil hit .465 for an Orange team that reached the second round of the 3A State Playoffs. She led the team with 33 hits, 27 runs scored and 21 singles. On March 7, Cecil hit two home runs and drove in four runs as the Lady Panthers defeated Roxboro Community School 4-2. She finished 3-for-4 against the Bulldogs. On April 15, Cecil went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Orange defeated Person 13-8 in Hillsborough.

1 week ago | highschoolot.com | Jeff Hamlin |Nick Stevens

DURHAM — Control the face-off circle and you control the game. That's how the Cardinal Gibbons women's lacrosse team secured its eighth state championship in nine years. The Crusaders outscored Weddington 11-2 in the second half after winning nine out of 12 draws. The Crusaders would come away with a 17-7 victory to take the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A Women's Lacrosse State Championship at Durham County Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

1 week ago | highschoolot.com | Jeff Hamlin |Nick Stevens

DURHAM — Somewhere, Jim Ryan is smiling. The veteran Cardinal Gibbons assistant coach passed away from heart complications in April. On Saturday, his Crusaders won their seventh N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A Men’s Lacrosse state championship, outlasting Lake Norman 10-8 at Durham County Stadium. Justin Conly and Zach Kerner each scored three goals for the Crusaders, who beat the Wildcats for the second time this season. Cardinal Gibbons finished the year 24-2.

1 week ago | highschoolot.com | Jeff Hamlin |Nick Stevens

DURHAM — Croatan has ended the Lake Norman Charter dynasty. Dain Sparks scored with 20 seconds remaining to lift the Cougars to a 13-12 win over Lake Norman Charter in the N.C. High School Athletic Association’s 1A/2A/3A Boys Lacrosse State Championship game at Durham County Stadium on Friday night. It’s the first state championship in men’s lacrosse for Croatan, who finish the season 21-2.