Bob Sutton - Randolph Record

17 Feb

Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Eastern Randolph athletics, Kelly Smith, Kim Black, Mid-Piedmont Conference, Prep volleyball

ASHEBORO – Kelly Smith has been hired as the new volleyball coach at Asheboro. Smith will be the team’s third volleyball coach in three years. She replaces Kim Black, whose third stint as head coach of the program lasted just one year. Smith, an Eastern Randolph alum, was coach of her alma mater’s volleyball team in 2017 and 2018 before going to Southern Guilford for three years. She spent time as volleyball and girls’ basketball coach at Southern Guilford, though without a winning season. She has been away from varsity competition during this school year. “I felt like I wanted…

16 Feb

Chick-fil-A’s new cauliflower sandwich comes to Asheboro location

Bob SuttonNewsAsheboro restaurants, Cauliflower sandwich

ASHEBORO – Chick-fil-A’s cauliflower sandwich has made its way to Asheboro. The area is one of the test markets for the chicken restaurant chain’s rollout of the new offering. “We’re testing it to see what the reaction is,” said Sam Ramsey, franchisee of two Chick-fil-A locations in Asheboro. “We’re going to see how a plant-based sandwich will go over.” The Triad has been designated as one of the test markets, so that will stretch from Winston-Salem to Mebane and includes Asheboro, Ramsey said. The sandwich became available Monday. So far, Ramsey likes the attention that has come with it. “We’re…

15 Feb

UCA receives 10-year renewal

Bob SuttonNewscharter school, NC Department of Public Instruction, Randolph County Schools, Schools in Randolph County, UCA, Uwharrie Charter Academy

ASHEBORO — Uwharrie Charter Academy has further confirmation that its long-term future appears bright. Randolph County’s only charter school was notified that the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has voted to recommend a 10-year renewal for the school, which has grades K-12. “This is our first renewal, and the max you can get is 10 years,” said Sharon Castelli, the school’s superintendent. “Which means we’re going to be around a little longer.” The final stamp of approval should come from the Charter Schools Advisory Board in the spring, something that’s considered just a formality at this point. UCA is…

13 Feb

Prep Boys: Blue Comets hit decades-long high

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Brian Nance, Davonte Brooks, Dominic Payne, Dylan Hodges, Jerquarius Stanback, Mid-Piedmont Conference, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, sean adkins, Tanner Marsh

Asheboro’s Jerquarius Stanback goes up for a shot last week against Ledford’s Whit Denny. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – There are lots of reasons that have made this a special season for the Asheboro boys’ basketball team. The goal will be to keep it going. The Blue Comets won the Mid-Piedmont Conference’s regular season, going through that portion of conference play without a loss for the first time since 1976. “We knew we would have some success in conference,” veteran coach Brian Nance said. “We had a good first half (of league play) and next thing you know, you’re 6-0,…

11 Feb

Prep Girls: Snotherly achieves history with Eastern Randolph

Bob SuttonSportsBrecken Snotherly, Eastern Randolph, Gracyn Hall, piedmont athletic conference, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep Basketball

Brecken Snotherly goes up for a shot earlier this season at Trinity. (Randolph Record) CLIMAX – It’s already an historic season for Eastern Randolph’s girls’ basketball team. Much of that is coming from senior guard Brecken Snotherly, who racked up a school-record 51 points in Tuesday night’s regular-season home finale against Trinity. “I was kind of surprised to have that many,” she said. “I would say 25 points was a lot for a game.” She hit six 3-point shots. That might have been the difference from some of her other games. “My shot, when you have games that you’re on,”…

10 Feb

Eastern Randolph boys find way to outright PAC title

Bob SuttonSportsChase Whitaker, Connor Carter, Davonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Johnny Thomas, piedmont athletic conference, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove athletics

Eastern Randolph’s Davonte Brooks ties the game with a dunk late in the third quarter at Providence Grove. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Wildcats withstand Providence Grove for rare basketball prize CLIMAX – Eastern Randolph had to make changes to figure out how to topple Providence Grove in Thursday night’s unexpected down-to-the-end tussle in boys’ basketball. Just mark it up as another accomplishment for this group of Wildcats. They’re outright Piedmont Athletic Conference regular-season champions, collecting the school’s first league title of any sort in boys’ basketball in seven years and only second regular-season title in 29 years. “We wanted to bring…

08 Feb

Tillman built big influence on state level

Bob SuttonNews, ObitJerry Tillman, NCGA, north carolina general assembly, obituary, state senator

ARCHDALE — Jerry Tillman’s influence on state politics had a long-lasting impact that’s bound to extend well past his death. “He had a huge impact on our area,” state Sen. Dave Craven said. “He was a champion for our community.” Tillman, a longtime state senator from Randolph County, died Saturday at age 82. Tillman, a retired teacher, administrator, and coach in public schools, was first elected to the state Senate in 2002. He resigned from the chamber in 2020. He served a total of nine terms and became one of two majority whips in the Senate. Craven, while in high…

07 Feb

Trinity needs football coach after Morris steps away

Bob SuttonSportsMarlon Morris, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Trinity athletics

Marlon Morris spent three seasons as Trinity’s head coach. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph record) TRINITY – Trinity is amid a coaching change for its football program. Marlon Morris stepped down from his role as head coach after three seasons. “It was kind of a surprise,” Trinity athletics director Robert Mitchell said. “He decided it was best not to stay as coach.” Trinity was 9-16 in three seasons under Morris. The Bulldogs had back-to-back 4-6 seasons after a 1-4 mark in the pandemic-reconfigured 2021 spring season. “We’re going to give it a few weeks and see how the next month goes,” Mitchell said…

05 Feb

Hayes ready for challenge at Providence Grove

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Calvin Brown, David Hayes, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove football, Trinity High School

School’s new football coach is Trinity alum CLIMAX – David Hayes has been around high school football teams for more than a decade as an assistant coach. Now it’s something different. He’ll be a head coach. Providence Grove hired Hayes, who has close ties to a couple of other schools in Randolph County, as its next football coach. “I feel like I was ready to take an opportunity like this,” Hayes said. Hayes takes the vacancy left when Calvin Brown departed to become Asheboro’s coach. Most recently, Hayes has been an assistant coach and physical education teacher at Thomasville, which…

04 Feb

UCA wrestlers pin down state duals title

Bob SuttonSportsAldo Hernandez, Chris Waddell, class 1-A, Grayson Roberts, Jaden Maness, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Uwharrie Charter Academy

Here’s the Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestling team after winning the Class 1-A dual team state championship by defeating Avery County on Saturday in Greensboro. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) GREENSBORO – All the pieces came together for Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team in another tight battle with Avery County. So this time, the Eagles won the Class 1-A dual team state championship. “Anytime you do something like this, it’s pretty special,” UCA coach Chris Waddell said. “It takes plenty – so moving parts to make it happen. It takes a collective effort.” Both teams won seven matches, but UCA racked up crucial…