Bob Sutton - Randolph Record

19 Jan

Asheboro girls work through growing pains

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro High School, girls' basketball, prep sports

ASHEBORO – It’s a learning season for the Asheboro girls’ basketball team. Last year at about this time, the team was embarking on a shortened season that resulted on a spot in the Class 3-A state championship game. Now the Blue Comets are in a different situation. “We’re working on things and we’re improving and getting better,” coach Don Corry said. It’s not a huge surprise to Corry that there are growing pains this season. The Blue Comets lost personnel that accounted for about 85 percent of the offensive production off last season’s team. This Asheboro team has four freshmen…

12 Jan

Asheboro music, jewelry store to close

Bob SuttonBusiness, FeaturesAsheboro, Monroe's Music and Jewelry, Sunset Avenue

ASHEBORO – Monroe’s Music & Jewelry is closing later this month after more than six decades in business in Asheboro. Business owner Tony Hoover said he wants an opportunity to experience different things. “I feel like it’s time,” Hoover said. “It has been my life. When you’re on your dying bed, you don’t ask God for more money, you ask for more time.” The store on Sunset Avenue will close Jan. 29. Hoover owns the building, but he said he’s not sure what’s next for the site. At one time, there were five employees. Now, it’s just Hoover, 63. The…

07 Jan

Asheboro blacksmith wins competition on reality show

Bob SuttonBusiness, Entertainment, NewsChris Mos

ASHEBORO – Chris Moss kept his secret since last spring. When the answer was revealed, it was rewarding for the Asheboro man. Moss was the winner of an episode of “Forged in Fire,” which aired Wednesday night on the History Channel. “I’ve been sitting on it for nine months,” Moss said. “I kind of wish I could have told people. It was a great thing.” In the final challenge for the show, Moss made a two-handed battle sword that was a replica from Southeast Asia. “I had four days to make it,” Moss said of the sword, which was 4…

05 Jan

Asheboro man cuts through on reality show

Bob SuttonEntertainmentAsheboro, Chris Moss, Forged in Fire, TV

ASHEBORO – This is the week for Chris Moss of Asheboro to be on the air as part of a television reality show. Moss had an appearance slated as part of “Forged in Fire” on the History Channel. The episode was to air Wednesday night. “It was just an absolute blast,” Moss said. In each episode, four bladesmiths compete in a three-round elimination contest to forge bladed weapons, with the overall winner receiving $10,000 and the show's championship title “Forged in Fire Champion.” The episode with Moss, 34, was filmed in the spring in Connecticut. “It’s going to be a…

05 Jan

Recreation center hopping with activities

Bob SuttonNewsAHS, Asheboro High School, basketball, high school sports, recreation center, wrestling

High school’s use of gym works well for all parties ASHEBORO — Use of the Asheboro Recreation Center is almost nonstop and that’s expected to continue through the winter. The boost in activity comes for various reasons, largely with Asheboro High School using the venue for basketball and wrestling as the gym on campus is part of a renovation project. “The relationship we have with Parks and Rec and what they’ve really done for us has been great,” Asheboro High School athletics director Steve Luck said. “They’ve just reached out tremendously. The behind-the-scenes things they’ve done have been great.” The…

29 Dec

Holiday tourneys take new twists for area teams

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro, basketball, Eastern Randolph, high school athletics, prep sports, Providence Grove, Randleman, Southwestern Randolph

Area basketball teams will be in holiday tournament action next week, but the format will look different from past years. Teams will be headed to two sites, with a Davidson County vs. Randolph County flavor. “They agreed to do that this year,” Asheboro athletics director Steve Luck said. “It kind of worked out. We thought this would be neat.” The changes stem from sponsorship changes and the renovations at Asheboro’s gym, which had been used for what were basically Randolph County tournaments on back-to-back weeks. That venue is unavailable this year. This is called the Davidson-Randolph Christmas Classic. Now, the…

16 Dec

Calling it an honor

Bob SuttonSportsnchsaa, prep football, state champion

RALEIGH — Derrick Isley had a grand experience at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s football championships and it didn’t even matter who won. Isley, a Ramseur man, held an officiating assignment for the Class 2-A final between Shelby and Wallace-Rose Hill in Raleigh. “There’s only a few who get this shot,” Isley said. “I’m very honored with this because I never saw it coming.” Isley completed his 21st year of officiating. This was the first time it concluded in the state championships. “That’s 21 years being on the field doing what I love,” he said. He’s an umpire,…

15 Dec

Another agriculture center proposal coming to Randolph

Bob SuttonBusinessagriculture, Asheboro, economy

ASHEBORO — County leaders will again be considering an agriculture center proposal which could bring development to a county-owned parcel on East Dixie Drive in Asheboro. The county bought land in 2016 with a potential agriculture center in mind. Plans for that facility were presented and considered after the land was acquired with costs estimates at $58 million. That earlier proposal would have resulted in tax increases to fund both the construction and operation of the facility. The county commissioners passed a resolution in 2019 asking the state for up to $10 million in funding to support a “first phase”…

08 Dec

Eastern Randolph’s Lilly wants to make most of showcase game

Bob SuttonSportsEastern Randolph, football, high school athletics, high school football, Na'heim Lilly

RAMSEUR — Na’heim Lilly is glad to be playing in a football game this weekend. He just wishes it was a different game. But the Eastern Randolph standout said he’ll aim to make the most of his opportunity in the Carolina Bowl Senior Showcase on Sunday in Gaffney, S.C. “I had a good year,” Lilly said. “Didn’t get as far as I wanted. I didn’t get the job done.” Lilly is one of the running backs for the North Carolina team, which takes on a South Carolina team. For Lilly, who says he likely won’t sign with a college this…