Bob Sutton - Randolph Record

01 Sep

Wheatmore aims to sustain athletics excellence

Bob SuttonSportsArchdale, Trinity, Wheatmore

TRINITY – Wheatmore has set a standard in recent years for overall excellence in its athletics department. Now with a slightly different mix of conference membership, the Warriors want to keep it going. “We’ve been fortunate enough,” athletics director Rick Halo said. “You know this goes in peaks and valleys. When one program is down a little bit, there’s another that comes along and moves up.” Wheatmore was the past school year’s Wells Fargo Conference Cup winner for the PAC-7. It marked the fifth year in a row that the school was atop the Conference Cup standings for its league.…

25 Aug

Callicutt enjoys grand opportunity

Bob SuttonEntertainment, NewsAsheboro, Grand Ole Opry, music, Southwestern Randolph, Trent Callicutt

Asheboro native fulfills dream of playing at Grand Ole Opry ASHEBORO — It was a round-about way, but the destination was what mattered for Trent Callicutt. He performed at the Grand Ole Opry. For a musician, Saturday night’s opportunity became a lifetime achievement in Nashville, Tenn. “It was everything I hoped for and more,” Callicutt said. “The Grand Ole Opry is the pinnacle. I was looking around and trying to take it all in.” The Asheboro native and Southwestern Randolph High School graduate played the banjo for Dailey & Vincent, an American bluegrass music group. Timing was on Callicutt’s side.…

24 Aug

County teams send strong opening messages

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro, Eastern Randolph, football, Providence Grove, Randleman, SWR, Trinity, Wheatmore

ASHEBORO — What an opening week for Randolph County football teams. The seven football-playing schools went a combined 6-1, with the lone loss coming in the only intra-county matchup (Asheboro defeating Randleman). In the other five games, the county teams outscored their opponents by a combined score of 177-31. The most notable might have been Eastern Randolph’s whipping of Eastern Alamance, which has been a Class 3-A power for most of the past decade. And don’t discount what Trinity did, with its decision against Chatham Central marking its first triumph against an opponent other than Jordan-Matthews in its last 24…

24 Aug

Baker sets sights on comeback in Caraway standings

Bob SuttonSportsCaraway, racing, Richard Petty

Area driver aims to move up in points race SOPHIA — Johnny Baker needs a fast finish in a true sense at Caraway Speedway. With the season winding down the Asheboro driver is contending for his third track championship in Mini Stocks. But it’s going to be a challenge. “We’re slowly getting there,” Baker said. “But it’s going to take some good luck.” Baker holds second place in the division, but he has been gaining ground. He has won four of the last five races in a division with diminishing entries. Brandon Collins leads with 1,141 points, while Baker has…

24 Aug

Concerns calmed about Asheboro water

Bob SuttonNewsAsheboro, water

Annual changeover brings unusual volume of questions for city ASHEBORO — There has been plenty of curiosity about the status of City of Asheboro water during the past few weeks, but the good news is that there’s really no new news. “Nothing out of the ordinary,” said Bryan Lanier, manager for the city’s water treatment plant. The city’s annual month-long use of a pure chlorine treatment to help ensure a high level of disinfection in water mains concludes this week – with a return to the standard practices set for Aug. 30. For the other 11 months, a chloramines treatment…

22 Aug

Blue Comets collect early prize

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro, Education, football, Randleman, schools, sports

Asheboro pulls opening surprise at Randleman RANDLEMAN — Asheboro’s football team won for the first time in more than 600 days to open the season. Now the Blue Comets will have their sights set on more conquests. After a winless record in seven games when the 2020 season was shifted to this past spring, Asheboro might have been largely dismissed as a factor entering the new campaign. That was far from the case in Friday night’s season-opening 20-7 conquering of Randleman. “We proved that we got the talent,” linebacker / running back Qamelo Butler said. Asheboro plays its home opener…

20 Aug

Uwharrie Charter Academy lends support to South Sudan

Bob SuttonNewsEducation, schools

Local school digs helping role ASHEBORO — It seems like a world away for Uwharrie Charter Academy seventh graders, but helping people on another continent find fresh water tends to hit home. For the past five years, students in Suzanne Bryant’s classes have raised money in what’s called the Iron Giraffe Challenge to support water for South Sudan. “The students were very interested,” Bryant said. “Probably close to 700 students have been involved.” That’s because members of the first group to take part in the project have just entered their senior year at the school. Because the school has sent…

20 Aug

Schools embrace new conferences

Bob SuttonSports

Aside from Asheboro, county schools clustered together ASHEBORO — Randolph County schools largely got what they’ve been hoping for in the latest realignment involving the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. The new sports season begins this week and that means the area teams are clustered together in one conference, with the exception of Asheboro High School. But with seven in-county schools all in the same league, the benefits are numerous. “We have wanted this for a while,” said Charlie Chapman, a longtime athletics administrator and coach in the county. “This worked out real good.” Chapman will be the commissioner…

20 Aug

Two file for mayor’s race in Trinity

Bob SuttonGovernment, Newsgovernment, politics, Trinity

Candidates view dealing with development as key topic ASHEBORO — Two candidates will square off for the mayor’s position in Trinity. Sitting mayor Richard McNabb will be opposed by Veronica (Vickee) Armstrong in the Nov. 2 election. McNabb said he sees unfinished business, while Armstrong said she’ll focus on a long-term vision for the community. McNabb was appointed to the position in February 2020 to fill the unexpired term of late mayor Jesse Hill. Prior to that, McNabb spent about a dozen years on the city’s planning and zoning boards, serving as chairman for about half that time. “Somebody has…

19 Aug

New football season begins with chance to upgrade point totals

Bob SuttonSportsfootball, randolph county, sports

Getting the offenses going could be the main mission for Randolph County football teams as the season begins this week. The scheduled openers come Friday night. The 2020 season was wiped out in its traditional manner because of the pandemic. Teams played that season during the spring semester of 2021, so the offseason was shortened. Area teams will hope that was enough to figure out how to crank up the offenses. RANDLEMAN Randleman was an exception to the sluggish offenses for area teams. The Tigers had nine players score at least one touchdown a year ago. Randleman is 32-3 across…