BY JOE JOHNSON

jjohnson@heraldsun.com; 419-6667

HILLSBOROUGH -- Orange senior running Drevis Torain had the game of his career with 235 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Panthers to a 42-23 win over Chapel Hill Friday night.

"I thought it was going to come down to smash-mouth and settled by the defense," said Torain, who scored on runs of 9, 11, 20 and 54 yards in the first half. "I'm just glad to get the win against a rival."

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak by the Panthers (6-5, 3-2 Carolina 6 3-A) and ended Chapel Hill's three-game win streak.

"I'm glad we came on and finished with a winning record," first-year Orange coach Pat Moser said. "It says a lot for the boys. They've had four coaches in four years. I wish I could have been here four years ago when they were freshmen. They've worked so hard."

Chapel Hill coach Issac Marsh was resolute about his team's performance.

"Orange was just the better team than us tonight," Marsh said. "We're fortunate to have an opportunity in the playoffs next week. We have to play better."

After Chapel Hill (5-6, 3-2) took the opening kickoff and drove for a field goal to open the scoring, Orange scored on its next two possessions. First, Orange drove 68 yards in 13 plays to make it 7-3 on Torain's 9-yard scamper. Then, after intercepting Chapel Hill quarterback Stephen Wistner near midfield, the Panthers took six plays to reach the end zone and go up 14-3, this time on an 11-yard Torain run.

The teams then alternated touchdowns as Daniel Watson scored on a 1-yard run for Chapel Hill. Torain came back to finish another Orange drive with a 20-yard run that was set up by a 55-yard kickoff return by Donovan McCulley. Winston Washington, who ran out of the wildcat formation for Chapel Hill, pushed in from the 6 to cut the Orange lead to 21-17 with 2:19 left in the half.

The Panthers ate only a minute off the clock before having to punt. Chapel Hill was unable to run the clock out, either, failing to get a first down at the Orange 46 on fourth-and-2. So with 12 seconds left in the half, Orange took over and handed it to Torain. He broke free for 54-yard touchdown that gave the Panthers breathing room again.

"The play before half was a killer," Moser said. "I think they thought we were going to heave it, but we just wanted to run a safe running play. And sometimes Drevis can break it -- and he did. I've had a lot of great running backs, and he has to be one of them."

To start the second half, Chapel Hill took advantage of an Orange miscue on the kickoff and recovered the ball at the Panthers' 30. Chapel Hill drove to the Orange 10 but had to settle for a field goal from Andrew Dejong. But a roughing the kicker penalty enticed Chapel Hill to take the points off the scoreboard and take a first-and-goal from the 5. Orange held and forced another field-goal attempt -- and this time the Panthers broke through and blocked it, snuffing out Chapel Hill's momentum.

Then it was Thomas Jones' turn to score for Orange, as he found the end zone on runs in the third and fourth quarters.

Orange senior linebacker Nick Shriner said he was happy to close the regular season with a win over Chapel Hill.

"We played with heart, and we knew we'd be playing good at the end of the year," Shriner said. "We played as a team. The coaches have been great. Coach Moser came in just before we started. The seniors really pulled us together."

Orange 42, Chapel Hill 23

Chapel Hill 3 14 0 6--23

Orange 7 21 7 7--42

CH--Andrew Dejong 22 FG

O--Drevis Torain 9 run (Conner Kileen kick)

O--Torain 11 run (Kileen kick)

CH--Daniel Watson 1 run (pass failed)

O--Torain 20 run (Kileen kick)

CH--Winston Washington 6 run (Russell Suitt pass from Stephen Wistner)

O--Torain 54 run (Kileen kick)

O--Thomas Jones 11 run (Kileen kick)

CH--Watson 11 run (kick failed)

O--Jones 1 run (Kileen kick)

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--Chapel Hill, Winston Washington 10-40, Daniel Watson 14-46, Stephen Wistner 4-9. Orange, Thomas Jones 11-120, Drevis Torain 22-235, Fred Blanks 1-(minus-5).

PASSING--Chapel Hill:Wistner 15-27-205-1. Orange: Blanks 3-6-37-0.

RECEIVING--Chapel Hill:Kyle Duffy 5-45, Wistner 1-10, Nick Gillespie 2-54, Thomas Pham 1-12, Washington 4-67. Orange: Jamaal Owens 1-16, Donovan McCulley 1-12, John Kenion 1-9.

Records--Chapel Hill 5-6, 3-2 Carolina 6 3-A. Orange 6-5, 3-2.