Sports - Randolph Record

21 Jan

Title chase takes different complexion for PAC girls

Bob SuttonSportsPrep Basketball, Randleman Tigers, Scott Tyson, Seth Baxter, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Southwestern Randolph’s Gracie Hodgin creates a defensive presence against Randleman’s Chenleigh Robinson during a holiday tournament game last month. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Randleman’s girls’ basketball team isn’t much interested in losing the grip it has held on the Piedmont Athletic Conference the past several years. “We’ll see if there’s a changing of the guard,” first-year coach Scott Tyson said. But the Tigers will have work to do to hold ownership of the league championship for a fourth consecutive year. Southwestern Randolph has been a contender in the past and this might be the season that the Cougars take…

20 Jan

Prep wrestling: Busy Trinity team claims tourney title; Others win in Jet Invitational

Bob SuttonSportsAiden Burkholder, Bliss Joyce, Briana Joyce, David Lambright, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Edgar Vasquez, Lawson Coltrane, Maddox Carson, Mitchell Freeman, prep wrestling, Providence Grove Patriots, Simeon Hammett, Stephen Cross, Trinity Bulldogs, Wheatmore Warriors

Five Trinity wrestlers grabbed individual titles and the Bulldogs were team champions in the Sarah Wilkes Invitational on Saturday in Eden. It was the first of two tournaments in three days that at least some of the Bulldogs participated in. Aiden Burkholder (106 pounds), Stephen Cross (113), Edgar Vasquez (126), Simeon Hammett (132) and Lawson Coltrane (165) were the champs for Trinity, which also had three runners-up. Among 12 teams, Trinity was the champion with 198½ points, with host Eden Morehead the runner-up at 179. Burkholder defeated Southeast Guilford’s Jacob Bone with a 56-second pin in the final. Cross edged…

19 Jan

Prep boys’ basketball: Race stays tight among PAC teams

Randolph RecordSportsEastern Randolph Wildcats, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Timothy Brower, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Eastern Randolph’s Tyler Gee puts up a shot against Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Jaxon Mabe during a boys’ basketball game earlier this month at UCA. Eastern Randolph pulled out the Piedmont Athletic Conference victory, but the teams are now tied atop the league standings. (Randolph Record) Eastern Randolph played on back-to-back days with mixed results in boys’ basketball last week, but the Wildcats maintained their status as a Piedmont Athletic Conference contender. Eastern Randolph drilled host Trinity 83-49 behind Timothy Brower’s 24 points and Julian Brooks’ 24 points Friday night. The next day, the Wildcats were in Kinston for a neutral-site,…

18 Jan

Prep girls’ basketball: Cougars stay clean; Trinity halts PAC skid; UCA notches historic comeback

Randolph RecordSportsJordin George, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove Patriots, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph keeps plugging along, staying undefeated in girls’ basketball with Friday night’s 59-45 victory at Uwharrie Charter Academy. Jordin George racked up 19 points and Macy Allred had 15 points for the Cougars in the Piedmont Athletic Conference game. Southwestern Randolph improved to 15-0 overall. Kayla Brown’s 14 points were tops for UCA. ** While most teams in the county played just once during the week because of final exams, it was an eventful week for UCA. The Eagles pulled off the biggest comeback in program history when the topped host Ambassador Christian 53-51 in overtime of…

15 Jan

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Jada Nixon

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Jada Nixon, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove Patriots

Providence Grove, girls’ basketball Nixon has been a key contributor for the Patriots, who won two Piedmont Athletic Conference games last week. In last week’s 43-40 overtime victory against visiting Randleman, she broke a tie with a pair of free throws with 33 seconds to play. Two teammates had fouled out, putting more responsibility on the senior guard. She finished with 11 points. Nixon, who also had eight points against Trinity, is averaging about 13 points per game. The Patriots hold a six-game winning streak. *** *** Photo: Jada Nixon of Providence Grove takes a shot last season at Chatham…

14 Jan

It’s hard to pin down new Asheboro wrestling coach

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Braxton Walker, Cliff Thompson, Gavin Hardister, prep wrestling, Wes Berrier

Asheboro wrestling coach Cliff Thompson, left, shares a laugh with assistant coach Scott Bainville at a recent meet. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Cliff Thompson has coached an assortment of area wrestlers in and around Randolph County. So in his role as first-year Asheboro coach, he’s familiar with just about anyone he comes across on the mats. He has been questioned by his wrestlers: “Why everybody talk to you?” It’s because Thompson is well-known in wrestling circles. He said he’s glad he has landed with the Blue Comets. Thompson, a 1998 Randleman graduate, won a state championship as…

13 Jan

Prep boys’ basketball: UCA Eagles stick Randleman with first loss

Randolph RecordSportsAaron Smith, Andrew Thomas, Braeden Lamb, Brayden Chapman, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Finley Bryant, Jaxon Mabe, Julian Brooks, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Timothy Brower, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Aaron Smith of Uwharrie Charter Academy goes up for a shot against Randleman. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Randleman’s unbeaten status in boys’ basketball was wiped away last week. Uwharrie Charter Academy delivered the first loss of the season on the Tigers, winning 61-56 in a Piedmont Athletic Conference road game. Aaron Smith’s 21 points led the Eagles, while Braeden Lamb added 18 points. Smith, who also grabbed 11 rebounds, shot 7-for-10 from the field and 8-for-9 on free throws. Randleman won its first 11 games this season. The Tigers defeated UCA twice last season by an average…

12 Jan

UCA wrestlers buff up with more success

Bob SuttonSportsCaden Bond, Chris Waddell, Dominic Hittepole, Lorenzo Alston, piedmont athletic conference, prep wrestling, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Caden Bond TRINITY — Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team is on target for a league championship and another bid for a dual team state title. Per usual, the Eagles have been doing so by rolling past most opponents. “We’re trying to dominate,” senior Aiden Foster said. “We’re trying to be better every day.” UCA has a new coach in Hayden Waddell, who moved into the position that his father, Chris Waddell, previously held. The elder Waddell remains involved and on the bench with the Eagles. “We’re trying to stay consistent with what we do,” said Hayden Waddell, who was the…

11 Jan

Prep girls’ basketball: Staples sets UCA record; Providence Grove ends skid vs. neighbor

Randolph RecordSportsLaurel Bernhardt, Nevaeh Staples, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove Patriots, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Nevaeh Staples goes up for a shot against Bethany Community earlier this season. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Junior forward Nevaeh Staples set a Uwharrie Charter Academy single-game program record with 34 points in Thursday night’s 68-49 girls’ basketball victory against visiting Eastern Randolph. Staples shot 13-for-15 from the field and went 8-for-13 on free throws in the Piedmont Athletic Conference game. She had 10 first-quarter points and went to halftime with 18 points before rolling up 10 more points in the third quarter. Sammy Chriscoe added 11 points for UCA (14-3, 3-1). Staples also provided seven rebounds,…

10 Jan

Schools in Randolph County react to NCHSAA league proposals

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Chris Chapman, Chris Waddell, Cody Moran, Corey Phillips, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, nchsaa, piedmont athletic conference, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, realignment, Robert Mitchell, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wes Berrier, Wheatmore Warriors

ASHEBORO – The proposed conference make-ups for the next North Carolina High School Athletic Association realignment look good to officials from most Randolph County schools. That’s not to say adjustments won’t be sought from some schools, including Southwestern Randolph. “We’re researching some things,” athletics director Chris Chapman said. The new league lineups come as the NCHSAA expands from four to eight classifications beginning in the summer to begin a four-year cycle. The initial draft of conferences was unveiled in December. Schools have until Jan. 21 to appeal for changes. “I think the state did a real good job of thinking…