Sports - Randolph Record

29 Aug

UCA’s Hunter hones skills after MVP honor

Bob SuttonSportsAmateur baseball, Jake Hunter, Prep baseball, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Jake Hunter was the Most Valuable Player in the Class 1A state finals a few months ago. (NCHSAA photo) ASHEBORO – When Jake Hunter was named the Most Valuable Player of the state championship baseball series in the spring, it turns out he was just getting warmed up. The Uwharrie Charter Academy pitcher had a summer filled with travel baseball and has been assessing some of the college recruiting interest that has been directed his way. “I kind of set my focus on travel ball and doing what I need to do to play college baseball,” Hunter said. Yet he…

28 Aug

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Elijah Woodle

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Elijah Woodle, Mid-Piedmont Conference, prep athletics, prep football

Asheboro, football Woodle, a senior receiver and defensive back, is bound to be a key part of the Blue Comets’ offense this year as one of the top returning playmakers. He made a pair of catches in the team’s season-opening victory at Albemarle. Last year, he racked up 10 touchdown receptions to go with a team-high 780 receiving yards. He made a team-best 47 catches. Woodle doesn’t limit his contributions to football for Asheboro. He also plays basketball and competes in track and field. As a junior, he was an All-Mid-Piedmont Conference selection in all three sports. Photo: Asheboro’s Elijah…

27 Aug

Caraway adds inductees to Wall of Fame before racing

Randolph RecordSportsCaraway speedway, Stock car racing

Homer Allred accepts a plaque upon his induction into the Wall of Fame at Caraway Speedway. (Caraway Speedway photo) SOPHIA – Five men were inducted into Caraway Speedway’s “Wall of Fame” in prerace activities Saturday night. Jesse Coke, Wayne Andrews, Homer Allred, Charles Sweatt and Richard Townsend make up the Class of 2024. On the track, the Lowder family had a big night. Rylan Lowder claimed the Bandoleros feature, pulling away from runner-up Mason Roberts. Michael Scronce, Lincoln Baucom and Kolton Peckish rounded out the top three. Lowder took the checkered flag before his father and grandfather competed in the…

26 Aug

Prep Roundup: Eagles click in volleyball; Southwestern Randolph racks up strong start in soccer

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, prep soccer, Prep volleyball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s volleyball team has had plenty to celebrate across the first couple of weeks of the season. The Eagles have already reached the 10-win mark with a bunch of non-conference matches. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy has won nine of its first 10 volleyball matches of the season. The Eagles added three more triumphs last week with home sweeps of Phoenix Academy and Union Pines and a road conquest of Richmond County. UCA defeated Richmond County 25-19, 25-13, 25-19 as Emory Johnson posted 23 assists and Caroline Way provided nine kills and nine aces. **…

25 Aug

Southwestern Randolph selects second Hall of Fame class

Bob SuttonSportsHall of Fame, Southwestern Randolph, Southwestern Randolph Cougars

ASHEBORO – There will be six inductees for the second class of the Southwestern Randolph Sports Hall of Fame. The group of Kaila Craven-Brandenburg, Lauren LaPlant, Randy Miller, Michael Wade Osborne, Donald Strider and Melissia Rogers Sutton comprise the induction class. The ceremony is set for Aug. 30. That night the inductees will be honored at halftime of the school’s football game against North Moore. This is the second class for the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. There were 14 inductees in the inaugural class last September. Here’s at look at this year’s inductees: ** Craven-Brandenburg had a distinguished girls’…

24 Aug

Prep football: Asheboro, Randleman, Eastern Randolph, Providence Grove win openers

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, DJ Scott, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, John Kirkpatrick, Johnathan Kelly, Mark Heilig, prep football, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers

Defenses for Randleman and Eastern Randolph were in good form and Asheboro’s offense put up the most points of any Randolph County team in the first week of the high school football season. There were a couple of coaches in their first games with Randolph County teams, with a win and a loss in those outcomes. Friday night’s openers provided an array of outcomes and storylines. Here’s a look.: Asheboro 38, Albemarle 14: At Albemarle, DJ Scott gained 226 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns as the visiting Blue Comets won their opener for the second year in a row.…

22 Aug

Ready to kick off: Teams in Randolph County hope for more early success this year

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, prep football, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Wheatmore Warriors

Coach Seth Baxter of Southwestern Randolph will have his team at home this week to begin the football season. (Neal Robbins / Randolph Record) Another season of high school football begins Friday night with Randolph County teams set for a variety of non-conference games. In each case, these are rematches from last year’s openers. In those games, Randolph County teams went a combined 5-2. Looking for more early success won’t come easy, though only three of the teams have road assignments. All games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Here’s an overview of the matchups: Randleman at Thomasville This could be…

21 Aug

Changes come for Providence Grove basketball

Bob SuttonSportsPrep baseball, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove athletics, Shane Worth

Baseball coach Shane Worth is adding basketball coaching to his duties at Providence Grove. (Randolph Record) CLIMAX – There’s changes in the works for Providence Grove’s basketball programs. Shane Worth has been summoned to fill a vacancy as coach of the boys’ basketball team. He recently concluded his first season as baseball coach at the school. Johnathan Gainey has left the Patriots after one season as girls’ basketball coach. He has been hired to coach girls’ basketball at West Forsyth. Both Providence Grove teams will have their third coach in as many seasons. Brett Andrews spent one season…

20 Aug

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Sawyer St. Clair

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, prep soccer, Sawyer St. Clair, Wheatmore, Wheatmore athletics

Wheatmore, boys’ soccer St. Clair, a senior midfielder, helped the Warriors during a productive first week of the season. The team scored a total of 13 goals in two games, with Wheatmore going 1-1 in those games. St. Clair, a captain, provided a goal and an assist in a 10-1 whipping of visiting North Stanly. The Warriors lost only one game in 2022, but they’re trying to rebound from last year’s four-win season. Wheatmore and other Piedmont Athletic Conference teams have a steady diet of non-conference games before league play kicks into gear in mid-September.

19 Aug

Prep Roundup: Asheboro splits on soccer trip; UCA soars early in volleyball

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, prep soccer, Prep tennis, Prep volleyball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, UCA Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Randolph County teams had encouraging moments among their results in the first week of competition for the new school year. Boys’ soccer ** Asheboro went to Wilmington and split a pair of games. First came a 6-2 loss to Wilmington Hoggard. Then the Blue Comets edged Wilmington Ashley 1-0 on Juan Uscanga’s goal off Cam Letterlough’s assists. ** Wheatmore had some high-scoring adventures to begin the season. A 4-3 loss to visiting East Davidson was followed by a drubbing of visiting North Stanly 10-1 behind three goals from Jaylen Aquillina and two goals from Carter Queen. **…