Bob Sutton - Randolph Record

08 Jan

Full Moon shines on downtown Asheboro

Bob SuttonBusinessAsheboro restaurants, downtown asheboro, Full Moon Oyster Bar

Full Moon Oyster Bar and Seafood Kitchen opened its Asheboro location last week in downtown. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The management of the Full Moon Oyster Bar and Seafood Kitchen couldn’t wait to get started in Asheboro. Vice president and part-owner Rob Russell said the eatery got off to a grand start last week in its downtown location. In some ways, landing in Asheboro was an unexpected development. “I didn’t know if it would suit us,” Russell said of the process that began about 15 months ago. “Like almost all the Full Moons we have, this location kind of…

01 Jan

Plenty of special sports moments to savor in 2023

Bob SuttonSports2023, Brandon Varner, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Johnny Thomas, Prep baseball, Prep Basketball, prep football, Prep volleyball, prep wrestling, Randleman Tigers, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

It was another special season for Southwestern Randolph’s volleyball team and coach Darby Kennedy. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) Here’s a look at some of the top sports-related story topics in Randolph County in 2023: ** The gym at Trinity High School was named in honor of longtime boys’ basketball coach Tim Kelly. ** Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team won the Class 1-A dual team state championship by defeating Avery County in Greensboro. ** Eastern Randolph’s Brecken Snotherly set a school record for points in a girls’ basketball game by posting 51 against Trinity. Snotherly had a stellar senior season before going…

25 Dec

Holiday hoops return to Asheboro after hiatus

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Asheboro High School, holiday tournament, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove Patriots, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs

Asheboro’s Malaika Khan takes a shot against Uwharrie Charter Academy earlier this season. This week, there will be holiday tournament play in Asheboro’s gym. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Holiday high school basketball action returns to Asheboro after a three-year gap with this week’s 16-team event at Asheboro High School. The tournament includes a girls’ bracket and a boys’ bracket, with five schools from Randolph County in the field. It’s called the SportsTone.net Christmas Invitational. Games will be held Wednesday through Friday. Along with host Asheboro, the schools entered are Providence Grove, Randleman, Southwestern Randolph, Trinity, Eastern Guilford, North Carolina…

23 Dec

Norwood begins journey with Tar Heels

Bob SuttonSportscollege football, college recruiting, Eastern Randolph athletics, Eastern Randolph football, Jani Norwood, North Carolina Tar Heels, prep football

Jani Norwood (Courtesy photo) RAMSEUR – Jani Norwood of Eastern Randolph officially became a member of the signing class for the North Carolina football team this week. The senior lineman was a four-year starter on the offensive line. This year, he was named the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year for his work on the defensive front for the Wildcats, who won their third consecutive conference championship. Twenty of North Carolina’s 27 signees, including Norwood, are listed as early enrollees and another comes as a junior college transfer. That explains why Norwood isn’t a member of Eastern Randolph’s…

22 Dec

RCSS board incumbent Sink won’t be on ballot

Bob SuttonNews, Politics2024 elections, board of education, Brian Biggs, Dave Craven Jr., Education, Mike Sink, Randolph County School System

Photo: Mike Sink ASHEBORO – There will be at least one new member of the Randolph County School System’s board of education after the 2024 voting with incumbent Mike Sink choosing not to seek re-election. There are four spots on the 2024 ballot for the seven-member board. Board chairman Gary Cook and fellow incumbents Sharon Petty Farlow of Sophia and Tracy Boyles of Denton have filed to keep seats. Farlow is the board’s vice chair. Rana Gantt of Trinity and Todd Cutler of Asheboro are the other candidates to file by last week’s deadline. Sink, who turns 75 in January,…

19 Dec

Randleman duo pins down tourney titles

Bob SuttonSportsAlex Raymundo, Kolby Garner, prep wrestling, Randleman athletics

Randleman’s Alex Raymundo, left, and Kolby Garner were champions in the Eagle Invitational. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) MEBANE – Two Randleman wrestlers were champions in the Eagle Invitational, a two-day event that ended Saturday at the Mebane Arts & Community Center. Alex Raymundo and Kolby Garner collected the individual titles. “They just wrestled tough,” Randleman coach Andrew Molina said. “I think it being two days was good for them, and getting pins helped.” Raymundo, a 106-pound sophomore, pinned Carson Giannotti of Southern Alamance in 4:35 of the final after an earlier pin and decision. “Just went hard and wrestled,” Raymundo said.…

14 Dec

Randleman linebacker looks to shine in N.C. East-West All-Star Game

Bob SuttonSportsEastern Randolph football, Jani Norwood, North Carolina East-West All-Star Game, prep football, Randleman athletics, Thomas Dobias

Randleman linebacker Thomas Dobias tackles Providence Grove quarterback James Ellis. (Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Randleman senior Thomas Dobias is excited for the chance to put a finishing touch on his high school football career. He hopes that helps lead to other opportunities on the gridiron. Dobias, a linebacker, will play in the North Carolina East-West All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon in Greensboro. “I definitely want to play college football,” Dobias said. “I think this is going to help me.” New for the 2023-24 school year, the North Carolina Coaches Association has moved the game from the mid-July spot to…

12 Dec

Moffitt makes move to Trucks with new team

Bob SuttonSportsCraftsman Truck Series, NASCAR, Richard Petty, Thad Moffitt

Thad Moffitt, center, will move to a new venture with a new team for 2024. Crew chief Doug George, left, and team owner Lane Moore, right, were at the announcement. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) LEVEL CROSS – Thad Moffitt is going up another level in his racing career. He’ll be a full-time driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as part of a new team, Faction46. Lane Moore, owner of Venture Food Stores, is owner of the race team. “This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for,” Moffitt said. “I’m thrilled that Lane has put his trust in me to begin…

11 Dec

Randolph County incumbents file to keep seats

Bob SuttonNews, Politics2024 elections, Brian Biggs, David Craven, Maxton McDowell, Randolph County Board of Commissioners, rep. richard hudson

ASHEBORO – Two incumbents on the Randolph County Board of Commissioners have filed paperwork to run for re-election. Kenny Kidd of Asheboro and Maxton McDowell of Asheboro are seeking to retain their seasons. The filing period for the March primary opened Dec. 4 and closes at noon Friday. The filings include federal offices, numerous statewide positions along with seats on the county level. Also filing for a Randolph County commissioner seat are Christopher McLeod of Denton and Lester Rivenbark of Asheboro. Both challengers filed on the day that filing began. Like the two incumbents, McLeod and Rivenbark are listed as…

07 Dec

Trinity’s first Hall of Fame class includes title-winning coaches

Bob SuttonSportsTim Kelly, Trinity athletics, Trinity Athletics Hall of Fame, Trinity Bulldogs, Trinity High School

Boys’ basketball coach Tim Kelly of Trinity was picked for the first class in the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame. (Randolph Record file photo) TRINITY – Four coaches and three championship teams are among those selected for the first class of the Trinity Athletics Hall of Fame. Two of the coaches are currently in their positions with the Bulldogs. Michael D. Sink, who coaches the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, the girls’ basketball team and also has been an assistant with boys’ basketball, and boys’ basketball coach Tim Kelly, who had the school’s gym named in his honor last January,…