Orange wallops Chapel Hill Tigers in Big 8 football
Junior Alex Long scored four touchdowns as Orange defeated Chapel Hill 40-19 on senior night at Culton-Peerman Stadium.
After Southern Durham’s loss to Northwood, the Panthers are now locked in a three-way tie for first in the Big 8 3A with a 5-1 record. Orange faces J.F. Webb next week in its one-week-early regular-season finale.
Long had 121 all-purpose yards as Orange scored on its first two possessions. Long scored on an 11-yard touchdown run to finish off a 13-play, 64-yard drive to start the game. On their second drive, the Panthers pulled off 13-play, 94-yard drive ending with Drew Lemaster scoring on a 4-yard run.
Tigers quarterback Connor Stough, on his senior night, threw three touchdown passes to classmate Albert Nyamayaro. Chapel Hill’s Ricki McDowell, a three-year varsity starter, rushed for 106 yards in his final home game.
Long scored touchdowns on a 10-yard run and a 40-yard pass from quarterback Jackson Schmid in the second half.
Turning point
After Stough threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Nyamayaro with 47 seconds remaining in the first half, Chapel Hill trailed 21-12. Instead of taking a knee to run out the first half clock, Schmid covered 60 yards in 30 seconds, whistling a 35-yard pass to Cody Evans that set up a 13-yard touchdown pass to Long. Orange led 28-12 at the half.
They said it
“Chapel Hill had nine men in the box against us. That’s why we passed the ball so much, because that’s what they were giving us. I think Jackson (Schmid) is getting more poised. He made good decisions out there tonight,” Orange coach Pat Moser said.
Three who mattered
Alex Long, Orange: A career-high four touchdowns.
Right side of offensive line, Orange: Shea Hoffman and Jace Jordan Cornell paved the way as Orange rushed for 310 yards.
Montee Mitchell, Orange: Caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Schmid and made an interception in the third quarter.
By the numbers
1, 253: Yards Orange has rushed for in its last five games.
7: Consecutive wins by Orange over Chapel Hill.
2: Teams that have scored against Orange in the third quarter this year after Stough threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nyamayaro on a drive to open the second drive.
This story was originally published October 23, 2015 at 10:56 PM with the headline "Orange wallops Chapel Hill Tigers in Big 8 football."