Sports - Randolph Record

16 Jul

Trinity’s Payne appreciates role in N.C. East-West All-Star Game

Randolph RecordSportsAudra Petty, Dominic Payne, North Carolina East-West All-Star Game, Prep Basketball, Randleman Tigers, Trinity Bulldogs

Dominic Payne of Trinity eyes the basket on a drive against East’s Zack Noel of White Oak on Monday night in the North Carolina East-West All-Star Game. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) In girls' game, Randleman's Audra Petty pours in 11 points GREENSBORO – Trinity’s Dominic Payne was a late addition to the North Carolina East-West All-Star Game for boys’ basketball and he ended up on the winning team. The West defeated the East 108-92 on Monday night at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex’s fieldhouse. Payne got a spot in the game as a replacement player, filling a vacancy created when…

15 Jul

Kelly leaves basketball vacancy at Trinity

Randolph RecordSportspiedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Tim Kelly, Trinity Bulldogs

Tim Kelly spent more than three decades in charge of the Trinity boys’ basketball team. (Randolph Record file photo) TRINITY – Tim Kelly really is ready to step away from coaching high school basketball this time. Kelly, the longtime coach at Trinity, has retired as the boys’ coach. Kelly spent 34 seasons as Trinity’s coach. That time has included 673 victories and the 2004 Class 3A state championship. Kelly’s final team posted a 19-10 record, snapping a string of two seasons with at least 20 victories. The Bulldogs tied for second place in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Brett Andrews, who…

14 Jul

Wheatmore’s Messner takes turn in soccer spotlight

Bob SuttonSportsClass 2-A, North Carolina East-West All-Star Game, prep soccer, state playoffs, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore’s Maggie Messner, left, makes a play against Wilkes Central’s Riley Huffman during the 2023 state playoffs. (Randolph Record) TRINITY – Maggie Messner had a huge impact for Wheatmore’s historic success in girls’ soccer. She was a bit under the radar with the Warriors, so she’s excited about the recognition that comes with a spot in next week’s North Carolina East-West All-Star Game. “For me, the best part is that because I’m not getting to play at the next level, I get to showcase myself and show what I can do and how I’ve developed,” Messner said. “I get to…

13 Jul

Randleman’s Petty embraces spot in East-West All-Star Game

Bob SuttonSportsAudra Petty, College Basketball, North Carolina East-West All-Star Game, piedmont athletic conference, prep baskteball, Randleman athletics, Randleman Tigers

Audra Petty of Randleman takes a shot during a game against Uwharrie Charter Academy during the past season. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Being part of an elite group of girls’ basketball players is special for Randleman’s Audra Petty. She’ll play in the North Carolina East-West All-Star Game. “It means a lot to be selected for the East-West Game because some of the best players in the state will be there,” Petty said. “I thought maybe I had a chance with my states from this season.” Petty’s 17.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game were huge for the…

12 Jul

Asheboro’s Miller looks for next baseball stop

Bob SuttonSportsAppalachian League, asheboro baseball, Asheboro Blue Comets, Burlington Sock Puppets, College baseball, Gage Miller, summer college baseball

Gage Miller signs a baseball for a young Burlington Sock Puppets fan after a game. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) BURLINGTON – Gage Miller’s winding baseball path has taken him to the Burlington Sock Puppets this summer. The infielder from Asheboro is still trying to carve out a stable college career. “I love baseball every single day,” Miller said. “I’m trying to get back into that groove. I knew once I got in the groove, I’ll be fine.” Miller left Asheboro High School’s team to play his senior season for Pro5 Baseball Academy based in Holly Springs, where he was…

11 Jul

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Noelle Swaim

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Noelle Swaim, piedmont athletic conference, prep soccer, Prep swimming, Prep tennis, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove Patriots

Providence Grove, girls’ soccer, tennis Swaim participated in three sports for the Patriots and made big impacts. Last fall, she was a member of the Piedmont Athletic Conference champion girls’ tennis team. That included a spot on the All-PAC team. As a senior, she was part of the conference’s third-place doubles tandem. Swaim played key roles for Providence Grove’s girls’ soccer team during the spring. The Patriots made a big jump, finishing second in the PAC and posting an overall 14-5-2 record. She filled a variety of roles on the soccer field. She was credited with eight goals and two…

10 Jul

Close games prove costly for ZooKeepers

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, Lenoir-Rhyne, McCrary Park, Owen Blackledge, summer college baseball, Zach Evans

Zach Evans takes a swing during a recent game for the Asheboro ZooKeepers. (P.J. Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The Asheboro ZooKeepers were involved in a bunch of close games heading into the Coastal Plain League’s all-star break. Not all of those outcomes worked out well for the ZooKeepers. So when play resumed this week, the ZooKeepers were in sixth place in the eight-team West Division with a 5-6 second-half record in the split season. The ZooKeepers ended last week with a pair of games with the High Point-Thomasville HiToms. Asheboro outfielder Owen Blackledge was dubbed the top hitter…

09 Jul

Asheboro’s Stanback to miss N.C. East-West All-Star Game

Bob SuttonSportsAppalachian State, Asheboro Blue Comets, Brian Nance, College Basketball, Jerquarius Stanback, North Carolina East-West All-Star Game, Prep Basketball

ASHEBORO – Jerquarius Stanback of Asheboro won’t play in next week’s North Carolina East-West All-Star Game because of an injury stemming from late in the basketball season. Stanback, an Appalachian State signee, is dealing with a wrist injury that might require surgery, Asheboro coach Brian Nance said. “He fell in that playoff game and just landed on it,” Nance said. “There’s something in the wrist.” Stanback was injured in a violent tumble during a first-round game of the Class 3A state playoffs vs. visiting Carson. He suffered a concussion and other ailments and missed Asheboro’s second-round loss to Asheville Reynolds.…

08 Jul

Randleman pitcher finds his Way to Liberty

Bob SuttonSportsCollege baseball, Liberty Flames, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Randleman baseball, Randleman Tigers, Seth Way, Virginia Tech

Pitcher Seth Way, right, confers with coach Jake Smith and catcher Isaac Yates during a game this year. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Seth Way has changed his college destination, but he’ll still be joining a Division I program in the state of Virginia. Way, who has been a standout two-way player for Randleman, announced a commitment to Liberty last week. “I knew as soon as I got on campus that’s where I wanted to go,” said Way, who had a standout high school career for Randleman. The right-handed pitcher had signed in November with Virginia Tech, but…

07 Jul

Labonte surges to SMART Modified Tour victory at Caraway

Randolph RecordSportsBobby Labonte, Caraway speedway, NASCAR, Rusty Harpe Memorial, Stock car racing

Bobby Labonte celebrates the SMART Modified Tour victory at Caraway Speedway. (Photo courtesy of SMART Modified Tour) High-profile drivers helped deliver multiple nights of drama at the track SOPHIA – Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Bobby Labonte won the SMART Modified Tour’s feature Saturday night at Caraway Speedway. Labonte overcame Danny Bohn and Jimmy Blewett for the victory in the 99-lap race. The race came on a card that capped a couple of nights of high-profile drivers visiting the track to race during the past week. The racing card for Rusty Harpe Memorial was dripping with drama, with the…