Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week: Jesus Velazquez

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. It was Cedar Ridge’s first win at Orange since 2012 and their first win over the Panthers overall since 2018. Jesus entered Cedar Ridge with success as the middle school level. In the 7th grade, he was a member of Stanback’s Orange Person Athletic Conference championship team. While he was a regular starter at second base, he improved as a pitcher as his freshman season progressed. By the end of the regular season, he started on the mound in a win over Southern Alamance, who went on to reach the state quarterfinals. Velazquez went 2-for-3 in a 5-1 win over Person in Hillsborough. He drove in two runs in a 12-2 win over Clover Garden School on March 19. Velazquez will be one of the vital players for head coach Bryson Massey as Cedar Ridge ventures into the brand new Big Seven Conference next year.