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Tigers to take different test on spring break

Tigers to take different test on spring break

Randleman’s Braylen Hayes (No. 4) is greeted at the plate by teammates after hitting a home run in last month’s 11-1 victory against visiting Southwestern Randolph. The Tigers remained undefeated. RANDLEMAN — Randleman’s baseball team has been dominant this season as the Tigers are fresh off their 2021 state championship.  They’ll be tested in different ways next week when they take part in the highly regarded Hanahan Invitational Tournament (known as H.I.T.) based in Charleston, S.C. “The guys are all really excited about it,” coach Jake Smith said. “Something new, get to travel. I kind of like the fact of…
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Ex-Randleman coach moves on

Former Randleman football coach Shane Handy stepped away from his coaching job after two seasons at Clayton High School. His resignation was announced last week. The Comets went 8-2 in the restructured 2020 season (played in the spring semester of 2021). Then they were 5-6 with a first-round loss to Heritage in the Class 4-A state playoffs in the 2021 fall season. Handy’s teams at Randleman went a combined 95-53 in 12 seasons. Baseball highlights Eastern Randolph pitcher Stratton Barwick struck out 11 batters in a 2-0 blanking of visiting Southwestern Randolph. In the rematch later in the week, Southwestern…
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Commissioners approve budget amendments, hospital funding

Commissioners approve budget amendments, hospital funding

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Commissioners held a meeting Monday to vote on multiple budget amendments as well as to approve a funding for new projects.  To kick off the meeting, Lieutenant Reid Linthicum was recognized before the board for 40 years of voluntary service as a Reserve Deputy for Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. “It’s been an honor,” said Sheriff Greg Seabolt on working with Lt. Linthicum. “I’ve been working some more at night and I’ve observed Reid as he’s working with the younger guys. I’ve seen what kind of mentor he is to them. He’s a great…
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Four charged in catalytic converter theft ring

Four charged in catalytic converter theft ring

ASHEBORO — Members of the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office were involved in weeks of investigating before announcing arrests that what has been described as a theft ring targeting catalytic converters. The investigation stretched to multiple counties. Eventually, charges were filed against James Kennedy Jr., 28; Ricky Shawn Morris, 38; Christopher Allen Bolling, 37; and Christopher Cole Lawson, 35.  Police reported that catalytic converters were taken from a variety of locales. Automobiles owned by some of the victims were simply in parking lots. “It takes a lot of money to replace those converters,” Randolph County Sheriff Greg Seabolt said. “That’s money…
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kara Comer

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kara Comer

Wheatmore  |  girls’ soccer Comer has been a steady producer on offense for the Warriors. She’s often surrounded by high-scoring underclassmen. Comer recorded a goal and five assists in last week’s 10-1 rout of visiting Eastern Randolph in a Piedmont Athletic Conference game. Then in a 4-1 non-league triumph at Southwest Guilford, she supplied another assist. With the Warriors’ 8-1 whipping of visiting Southwestern Randolph on Monday, they improved 9-0, including a 3-0 PAC mark. Comer had a goal and an assist in that game. Comer, a senior, had a standout career on the school’s girls’ tennis team as well.
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Early voting site moves to Trinity

Early voting site moves to Trinity

ASHEBORO — An early voting site for the Archdale and Trinity areas is moving to a new location to help alleviate congestion and create a smoother voting experience, the director of the Randolph County Board of Elections said. The board gave its approval Monday to move the one-stop early voting site to the former Braxton Craven School gym for this spring’s primary. The new location is near Trinity High School. The address is 3037 N.C. Highway 62, Trinity. This is 3.2 miles from the previous location in Archdale. Early voting is scheduled from April 28-May 14. Board director Melissa Johnson…
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Republican candidates debate as primary campaigns kick off

Republican candidates debate as primary campaigns kick off

ASHEBORO — Candidates for Randolph County commissioner and Randolph County sheriff debated Monday night with conservative principles, the role of local leaders and the use of public funds as primary topics. North State Journal editor-in-chief Matt Mercer served as the moderator of the two debates, which featured seven total candidates at the Sunset Avenue Church of God in Asheboro.  Before the debates started, North State Journal publisher Neal Robbins welcomed the crowd of nearly 300 to the first debate sponsored by the newspaper. Sunset Avenue Church of God pastor Boyd Byerly also welcomed the audience and candidates and gave the…
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Heady overcomes Labonte, others in Caraway event

Heady overcomes Labonte, others in Caraway event

SOPHIA – Caleb Heady won a late-lap showdown with Burt Myers in Saturday night’s SMART Modified Tour race at Caraway Speedway. Bobby Labonte, a former NASCAR Cup Series driver, made a late pass of Matt Hirschman to gain third place. Brian Loftin placed fifth. Earlier leaders in the race included pole sitter Jonathan Brown, Luke Fleming, Bobby Measmer Jr. and Labonte. The SMART Tour will return to the track in June. In action among the Caraway Speedway regulars Saturday, Carson Loftin in the Modifieds while pole sitter Cody Norman was the runner-up.  In a 40-lap Mini Stocks event, Tyler Bush…
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Randleman coach picked for special honor

Randleman coach picked for special honor

Coach Brandon Varner of the Randleman girls’ basketball team was selected as Coach of the Year for girls’ basketball in District 8 by the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association. Varner led Randleman to an undefeated regular season and into the Class 2-A regional semifinals of the state tournament. The Tigers finished with a 25-1 record. Players chose for the All-District girls’ teams include teammates Gracyn Hall (first team) and Elizabeth York (third team) of Randleman, Alexis Maness (third team) of Southwestern Randolph and Autumn Gentry (third team) of Trinity. On the boys’ side, the All-District team has Zane Caudle of…
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Randolph entrants excel in hunter skills tourney

Randolph entrants excel in hunter skills tourney

BEAR CREEK — Students from Randolph County were among the top entrants in the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournament held for District 5 earlier this month at Chatham County Wildlife Club. In the high school division, Providence Grove was the overall team runner-up to Southern Alamance among 41 team entries. Wheatmore placed fifth and Randleman was sixth. Austin Williams of Providence Grove had the top score in archery among 203 participants. Second place and third place went to Wheatmore’s Stephen Marshall and Austin Cox. All three of those entrants had scores of 199, but their…
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