Sports - Randolph Record

11 Aug

Prep Notes: New quests await top teams such as Southwestern Randolph volleyball, Asheboro soccer

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, prep soccer, Prep volleyball, Providence Grove athletics, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs

Southwestern Randolph’s powerhouse volleyball team will try to keep it going for another season. The Cougars, who’ve had 25 or more victories the past three seasons, begin their schedule Aug. 14 at home against Oak Grove, which had a 22-5 record last year. Southwestern Randolph, under coach Darby Kennedy, went 25-5 in 2023. The Cougars are a combined 79-14 in a three-year span. That stretch began with the 2021 state championship in Class 2A. Fall sports teams, with the exception of football, can begin regular-season competition Aug. 12. Early soccer tests In boys’ soccer, Asheboro has racked up some of…

10 Aug

Prep football: Sudden change puts Heilig in charge at Providence Grove

Bob SuttonSportsDavid Hayes, Mark Heilig, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove Patriots

CLIMAX – Anything awkward about an August coaching change for Providence Grove’s football team isn’t a primary concern for interim coach Mark Heilig. There’s a fast-approaching season to prepare for. “My head has been spinning a little bit,” Heilig said. “(The amount) of time has been the big thing. There are so many things to do.” Heilig, a longtime assistant coach, has taken the position vacated by David Hayes, whose resignation Aug. 2 resulted in a trickle down of changes. That evening, Heilig was overseeing an open practice as part of the community night event on campus. Now it’s a…

09 Aug

Post 45’s season ends with quick ouster in regional

Randolph RecordSportsAmerican Legion baseball, McCrary Park, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Southeast Regional

Randolph County Post 45 second baseman Pierce Leonard makes a play during the team’s opening game of the Southeast Regional earlier this week. Center fielder Cade Hill and pitcher Connor Adams look on. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The host team is out of the Southeast Regional for American Legion baseball. Randolph County Post 45 lost for the second time in as many nights, falling 11-2 to Camden (S.C.) Post 17 in a weather-delayed elimination game Thursday at McCrary Park. Camden scored three first-inning runs and led 9-2 through four innings. Starting pitcher Parker Kines took the loss…

09 Aug

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kenzie Hill

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, piedmont athletic conference, Prep softball, Prep volleyball, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy, volleyball / softball Kenzie Hill made a big impact for Uwharrie Charter Academy in a couple of sports. She played for the highly successful volleyball and softball teams. She was an All-Piedmont Athletic Conference softball player as a sophomore and a senior. This year, she led the Eagles in batting with a .459 average and also turned in team highs with 34 runs batted in and 33 stolen bases. She provided two home runs and 10 triples. UCA compiled a 20-4-1 softball record. Last year, the Eagles racked up a 20-7 volleyball record. During the summer, we…

08 Aug

Post 45 hit by flood of runs in losing Southeast Regional opener

Randolph RecordSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Connor Adams, McCrary Park, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Samuel Asbill, Southeast Regional

Randolph County Post 45’s Samuel Asbill pitches in relief in the American Legion’s Southeast Regional on Wednesday night. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The beginning of the Southeast Regional for American Legion baseball didn’t go well for host Randolph County Post 45. Chesapeake (Va.) Post 280 routed Post 45 by 16-2 on Wednesday night at McCrary Park. It was the final game of the opening day. Post 45 will try to keep its season alive when facing Camden (S.C.) Post 17 in an elimination game at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. Chesapeake drilled Randolph County for eight first-inning runs as…

06 Aug

Pitching depth could be focus for Post 45 in regional

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, Asheboro, Drew Harmon, McCrary Park, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh, Southeast Regional

Drew Harmon throws a pitch for Randolph County Post 45 earlier this season in American Legion baseball. (Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Randolph County Post 45 needs pitching depth to challenge for the American Legion’s Southeast Regional title. Despite a regular season that didn’t pan out well, Post 45 enters this week with a chance to make things right as the host team at McCrary Park. In order to advance as far as Sunday’s title game, Randolph County will rely on pitching. That’s where Drew Harmon and others can make a difference. Harmon emerged as among the key pitchers this year.…

05 Aug

Caraway Speedway reschedules busy slate of events

Randolph RecordSportsCaraway speedway, Stock car racing

SOPHIA – The chaos had to wait for the Crashin’ Hackett’s Night of Destruction. It was rescheduled for Saturday night at Caraway Speedway after last Saturday’s postponement because of wet weather and an unappealing forecast. The speedway is promoting this as the 11th edition of the demolition derby style activities at the track. The race card includes a 50-lap Enduro, 35-lap Challengers, 15-lap UCARs, 20-lap Mod 4s and 15-lap Bootleggers. The specialty events include a demolition derby, trailer / boat race, crawl figure-8 race, bowling with cards and bus races Admission comes with $30 per vehicle load. Races begin at…

04 Aug

Former Randleman pitcher Cooper opts for another year at Liberty

Bob SuttonSportsAppalachian League, Burlington Sock Puppets, College baseball, Liberty Flames, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, summer college baseball, Trey Cooper

Trey Cooper (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) BURLINGTON – Even during a summer of baseball uncertainty for pitcher Trey Cooper, he was focused on development. The former Randleman pitcher wants to be a starting pitcher again. “Trying to get back in the starting routine,” Cooper said. Cooper has one season of college eligibility remaining and he entered the transfer portal after his second season at Liberty. It turns out, he’s staying with the Flames. For the second time in three years, he was pitching with the Burlington Sock Puppets, a collegiate summer team in the Appalachian League. Cooper said he…

03 Aug

After long break, Post 45 set for Southeast Regional

Bob SuttonSportsAmerican Legion baseball, McCrary Park, Post 45, Randolph County Post 45, Ronnie Pugh, Southeast Regional

Randolph County Post 45’s Caleb Stickle passes manager Ronnie Pugh while on a home run trot during a game in June at McCrary Park. (Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The first part of the American Legion baseball season was too short for Randolph County Post 45. There’s still a chance for Post 45 to make it a long season. The team’s month-long layoff will end next week in the Southeast Regional at McCrary Park. As host, Post 45 has an automatic spot in the eight-team, double-elimination bracket. “We’ve had some times when we had a week to 10 days off, but…

02 Aug

Prep Sports Notes: Participant numbers rise; NCHSAA committee set for realignment

Bob SuttonSportsnchsaa, realignment, Stephen Gainey

Participation rose in many sports in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association for the 2023-24 school year in numbers compiled by the governing body. Based on the NCHSAA’s totals that came from member schools and released in July, there were increases in participants in every sport except for baseball compared to 2022-23. This spring, there was a 1.4 percent decline with 10,574 baseball players. There were significant boosts in boys’ golf (7 percent) and boys’ lacrosse (6 percent). The largest increase came in what’s called winter spirit (cheerleading). The uptick came in part because 60 schools joined that competition…