Blog - Randolph Record

03 Mar

Security breach draws scrutiny at RCSS school

Bob SuttonNewscrime, Education, Hopewell Elementary School, police, Randolph County School System, Stephen Gainey

TRINITY — The head of the Randolph County School system has vowed that the district will be more attentive to safety issues and he said broken hinges on a door that contributed to an intruder entering a school last week have been repaired. Superintendent Stephen Gainey addressed the incident at Hopewell Elementary School in a message to parents and district residents, apologizing for the high level of anxiety that was created last week. “While the situation did occur, it should never have happened,” Gainey said. “This individual had no business on the campus of Hopewell Elementary School, and definitely didn’t…

03 Mar

Roundup: Area teams excel in early spring action

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Prep baseball, prep soccer, Prep softball, Randleman Tigers, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Randleman’s Kadie Green makes a catch in front of teammate Teanna Bostick during last week’s game vs. visiting West Stanly, which won 5-0 in the non-conference softball game. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Here are some notables from the first week of competition in spring sports last week: Baseball Asheboro won its opener with interim coach Glen Hunt, defeating host Southwestern Randolph 6-1 with Cohen Caviness and Adam Curry both driving in two runs. Mason Kotlowski pitched three scoreless innings. ** Eastern Randolph is 3-0 despite missing players who are on the basketball team, drilling host Jordan-Matthews 17-3, beating visiting…

02 Mar

Trinity turns to alum as next football coach

Bob SuttonSportsBear Bradley, Mark Raynor, prep football, Trinity Bulldogs

Mark Raynor is the new Trinity football coach. (Courtesy photo) TRINITY — Mark Raynor was groomed during high school on Trinity football, so he said it’s fitting that he’ll be the next coach of the Bulldogs. “It was a good opportunity for me to go back and be a head coach,” Raynor said. “It’s a great situation. It’s an opportunity to get back home.” The 2006 Trinity alum was named the team’s coach last week. He replaces Bear Bradley, who resigned this winter after two seasons to join the staff at Greensboro Grimsley. Raynor spent last season as defensive coordinator…

01 Mar

Basketball roundup: Eastern Randolph seniors soak in special playoff moments

Bob SuttonSportsclass 1-A, Class 2-A, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Johnny Thomas, Julian Brooks, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Timothy Brower, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Will Stalker

Eastern Randolph's Timothy Brower takes a fourth-quarter free throw vs. South Stanly. RAMSEUR — Timothy Brower and Julian Brooks have played dozens of basketball games for Eastern Randolph in their home gym. That’s what happens, in part, when you’re highly seeded for conference tournament and state-playoff games. So Friday night marked a notable occasion for the senior Wildcats. It might have been their final time suiting up for a home game. If so, Brower and Brooks went out with a bang. “I was thinking about that during the national anthem,” Brower said of his time playing in that venue. Brower…

28 Feb

State playoffs: UCA teams advance; Randleman boys bounced; Mixed results for other schools

Bob SuttonSportsAaron Smith, Andrew Thomas, Asheboro Blue Comets, Bella Byman, Chase Farlow, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jacquline McDaniel, Jada Nixon, Jaxon Mabe, Jordin George, Julian Brooks, Kenzie Martin, Laurel Bernhardt, Macy Allred, Maddie Strider, nchsaa, Nevaeh Staples, Osiris Rodriguez, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Tyshaun Goldston, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Will Dabbs, Will Stalker

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Aaron Smith goes up between Murphy players during the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs Tuesday night. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams made it through the first round of the state playoffs. Eastern Randolph’s boys and Southwestern Randolph’s girls and Randleman’s girls also advanced with victories Tuesday night. The second round comes Friday night. Not all teams were so fortunate in the opening round. Boys Randleman, the No. 2 seed in Class 2A West Region, was knocked off by No. 31 seed Forest Hills by 70-62. It…

27 Feb

Photo gallery of Randolph County’s nine wrestling champions

Randolph RecordSportsAiden Burkholder, Ayden Sumners, Braxton Walker, David Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, Maddox Carson, Michael Shropshire, nchsaa, prep wrestling

Trinity fans gathered at the state finals at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, where five wrestlers from the school reached individual state finals. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — There were nine individual wrestling state champions from schools in Randolph County schools during the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s state tournament, which ended Monday at First Horizon Coliseum. Those titlists represented five different schools — Eastern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy in Class 1A and Randleman, Trinity and Wheatmore in Class 2A. Here’s a look at some of the scenes from the championship round:

27 Feb

New church to launch in Liberty

Bob SuttonEvents, NewsGrowing Faith Church, Liberty

LIBERTY — The timing seemed right for Brian Beasley and others to organize a new church to serve the growing Liberty area. The launch of Growing Faith Church is set for Sunday. “A series of things called me to lead a church,” Beasley said, pointing to the Greensboro-Randolph megasite. “With the growth, it seemed like the Lord was pulling us to assembly there.” The first worship service is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at Liberty Elementary School at 206 North Fayetteville St. Growing Faith Church stems from Pleasant Garden Baptist Church in Guilford County, slightly more than a dozen miles away.…

26 Feb

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Abbie Gudino

Randolph RecordSportsAbbie Gudino, athlete of the week, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep Basketball, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy, girls’ basketball Gudino has been a key part of UCA’s strong season, particularly with the late-season stretch that has come with several accomplishments for the Eagles. Gudino, who’s one of two seniors on the team, was injured when the season began. Her return to action has added to the team’s success. Last week, UCA won the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time. Along the way, the program reached the 20-win level for the first time. Gudino provided a team-high 11 points in a first-round PAC Tournament victory against Eastern Randolph. UCA coach Austin Davis has…

25 Feb

Titles at nearly every turn in Class 2A for Randolph County wrestlers

Bob SuttonSportsAiden Burkholder, Ayden Sumners, Bliss Joyce, Braxton Walker, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum, Jaden Allred, Lawson Coltrane, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Randleman Tigers, state tournament, Trinity Bulldogs, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore’s Ayden Sumners leaps into the arms of coach Kyle Spencer after winning the 126-pound state championship in Class 2A. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — Trinity and Wheatmore shared some of the glory in the Class 2A division of the wrestling state tournament. There was plenty to go around. Randleman’s Braxton Walker joined in the fun as part of Randolph County’s huge presence in the classification during Monday's finals. Trinity’s Aiden Burkholder (106 pounds) and Lawson Coltrane (165) won championships along with Wheatmore’s Ayden Sumners (126) and Dominic Hittepole (175). So of the 14 weight classes in Class…

25 Feb

RCSS Board of Education voices displeasure with school calendar law

Ryan HenkelNewsboard of education, Education, Randolph County School System, RCSS, Stephen Gainey

ASHEBORO – Frustrations have been growing around the state in regard to school calendar law and Randolph County is no exception. At its February business meeting, the Randolph County Schools Board of Education was presented with the 2026-27 school calendar and many of the board members voiced their displeasure with the current law. According to state law, traditional public schools are forbidden from starting earlier than the Monday nearest to Aug. 26. What this then means is that districts are typically unable to finish the first semester before winter break meaning students have to come back to take exams after…