Blog - Randolph Record

29 May

UCA coach takes role with college summer team … but state finals are priority

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, High Point-Thomasville HiToms, McCrary Park, summer college baseball

Coach Rob Shore has more time left with the Uwharrie Charter Academy baseball team this season before turning his attention to a new summer league role with the High Point-Thomasville HiToms in the Coastal Plain League. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO — Uwharrie Charter Academy baseball coach Rob Shore added another summer gig and that will have him in Randolph County for some games. Shore has taken the job as head coach of the High Point-Thomasville HiToms of the Coastal Plain League, a collegiate summer circuit. But first, he has the business of guiding UCA into the Class 1A state…

28 May

County checks on election equipment upgrades

Bob SuttonNewsMelissa Kirstner, Randolph County Board of Elections

Michelle Mrozkowski with Printelect gives a demonstration earlier this month of voting equipment at the Randolph County Board of Elections. (Jann Ortiz / For Randolph Record) ASHEBORO — A demonstration of new voting equipment was a step toward possible upgrades for Randolph County machines. Melissa Kirstner, elections director of the Randolph County Board of Elections, said the goal is to provide voting results in a faster manner. “The reason we did (the demonstration) is we have equipment with some of it that is 10 years old,” Kirstner said. “Our board is talking about whether we want to update equipment or software.”…

28 May

Area radio station owner dies

Randolph RecordNewsAsheboro, Fred Keith, radio station, randolph county

ASHEBORO — Fred Keith, a past owner of a Randolph County radio station, died May 13 at age 89. Keith, who lived in Asheboro, was longtime owner of WKXR 1260-AM and WZOO-FM 94.6. “A great gentleman,” station sports director Scott Faglier. “Mr. Keith loved radio.” He first was approved for a radio station in Randolph County more than five decades ago. Keith had been president of the Asheboro station, which has dual signals. His daughter, Dorothy Keith, has been overseeing station operations. Faglier described Keith as “a man with few words, but the words he said meant so much.” Faglier announced Keith’s…

28 May

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Logun Wilkins

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, class 1-A, Logun Wilkins, Prep baseball, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy, baseball Wilkins has carried a big load on the mound during the postseason for the Eagles. UCA is 6-0 in the state playoffs, with Wilkins the winning pitcher in three of those games. The senior right-hander should have another opportunity in the Class 1A state championship series this week against Perquimans. Game 1 of the best-of-3 series comes Friday night at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs. Wilkins was the winning pitcher in the West Region semifinal upset of top-seeded Cherryville followed by the Game 2 victory against Eastern Randolph in the regional finals. He also won a first-round game…

27 May

ZooKeepers set to embark on another season

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, Hunter Atkins, Korey Dunbar, McCrary Park, summer college baseball

ASHEBORO — The Asheboro ZooKeepers begin another baseball season this week, with the home opener set for Friday night at McCrary Park. Third-year coach Korey Dunbar will direct the ZooKeepers, who finished their 2024 season with seven consecutive victories. There’s scheduled free admission as part of what the ZooKeepers, a summer collegiate team, are labeling a fanfest for an exhibition game against Randolph County Post 45 on Tuesday night. Asheboro plays its first Coastal Plain League game Thursday night against the host Holly Springs Salamanders. Friday’s home game is against the High Point-Thomasville HiToms. Game times are set for 6:30…

26 May

UCA heads back to Holly Springs for Class 1A state finals

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Prep baseball, state finals, state playoffs, Ting Stadium, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Here’s the Uwharrie Charter Academy baseball team after winning last week’s Class 1A West Region finals at Eastern Randolph. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team will head back to a popular spot this week. The Eagles will play the Class 1A state finals at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs on Friday and Saturday. It’s the same site where UCA collected state titles the past two years. UCA (18-11) takes on East Region champion Perquimans (25-6) in the best-of-3 championship series. Game 1 is set for 8 p.m. Friday. Game 2 is pegged for 2 p.m. Saturday.…

26 May

American Legion baseball: Post 45 starts season with two victories

Randolph RecordSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Drew Harmon, McCrary Park, Randolph County Post 45

ASHEBORO — Randolph County Post 45 began its baseball season with a pair of victories during the weekend at McCrary Park. Post 45 topped Moore County Post 12 by 13-3 in its opener as Drew Harmon pitched four innings and Elijah Prince worked the fifth. Zack Scruggs had two doubles and Jake Riddle scored three runs. Then came Sunday’s 7-3 decision against Mocksville-Davie Post 54. ** Liberty Post 81 got started a weekend earlier and struggled with losses in its first three games. Liberty lost twice at home to Moore County on separate days, falling 17-9 and 16-5 and then…

26 May

Toyota promotes Stewart to top position in Liberty

Bob SuttonNewsDon Stewart, Greensboro-Randolph megasite, Liberty, Toyota

Don Stewart (Courtesy photo) LIBERTY — There’s a change at the top of the Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina plant as operations at the site continue to ramp up. Sean Suggs, who had been president at the Liberty plant, is retiring. Don Stewart is next up as president at the plant. He has been vice president of manufacturing for the facility. Stewart had been with Toyota since 1997 as a maintenance group leader at a plant in Buffalo, West Virginia. In 2018, he moved to Hino Motor Manufacturing before rejoining Toyota in 2021. He had held a role of plant operations…

23 May

Season ends for Randleman softball team in regional finals

Randolph RecordSportsClass 2-A, nchsaa, Prep softball, Randleman Tigers, state playoffs

RANDLEMAN – Randleman’s softball team made it to the Class 2A West Region finals before hitting glitches against top-seeded West Wilkes. So the season ended Thursday night for the Tigers. West Wilkes topped the 15th-seeded Tigers 6-5 at home and 8-0 on the road to sweep the best-of-3 West Region finals. West Wilkes (25-3) takes on North Lenoir (20-3), which will be in the finals for the first time in 20 years, in the best-of-3 state finals. Randleman (20-7) won six consecutive games before encountering the Blackhawks. For the season, the Tigers had their most victories since winning 18 times…

22 May

UCA baseball team heads back to state finals after sweeping Eastern Randolph

Randolph RecordSportsAlex Carver, Brett Smith, Cade McCallum, class 1-A, Daniel Brandon, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Grat Dalton, Jose Ramirez, Logun Wilkins, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Rob Shore, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Alex Carver is fired up after scoring in Game 1 of the Class 1A West Region finals. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team is back in the Class 1A state finals, seeking a third consecutive championship. The Eagles swept Eastern Randolph in the West Region’s best-of-3 finals, winning 12-1 in six innings in Thursday night’s Game 2 on the road. Two nights earlier, UCA won 2-1 in the series opener at home. The Eagles (18-11) have leaned on their experienced players, with several seniors in their final high school postseason. “You…