Sports - Randolph Record

07 Mar

Prep wrestling notes: Southwestern Randolph’s Flores takes pride in career; Wheatmore senior finds spot on board

Bob SuttonSportsEastern Randolph Wildcats, Jose Flores, Lorenzo Alston, Noah Browning, prep wrestling, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Southwestern Randolph’s Jose Flores matches up with Holmes’ Steven Ferebee in the first round of the state tournament. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — Southwestern Randolph wrestler Jose Flores found perspective as his high school wrestling career came to close in eerily quiet fashion. He leaves as a one-time state champion, though he couldn’t repeat that in his last two seasons. “Overall, I’m disappointed I couldn’t get first,” Flores after last week’s tournament ended. “I did do better than I did last year. As I looked at it, I placed three seasons.” Flores placed third in Class 2A at…

06 Mar

Season set to begin this weekend at Caraway Speedway

Randolph RecordSportsCaraway speedway, Stock car racing

SOPHIA — Caraway Speedway is touting the beginning of its 60th year of racing when the green flag is waved Sunday afternoon. Eight divisions are scheduled to participate in the season-opening event. The main attraction is a 100-lap feature in Limited Lake Models. There will be races in Chargers, 602 Modifieds, Mini Stocks, UCARs, Crown Vic’s, US Legends Cars and Bandoleros. Added up, there will be 257 laps. Racing begins at 2:30 p.m. There are two other racing dates this month on Saturdays. March Modness is slated for March 15, while the Dogwood 200 is set for March 29. This…

05 Mar

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Braxton Walker

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Braxton Walker, Greensboro Coliseum, Prep baseball, prep wrestling, Randleman Tigers, state tournament

Randleman, wrestling / baseball Walker dominated in four matches in the Class 2A state tournament at 215 pounds, winning the championship last week at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. Walker, a senior, used three technical falls and a major decision in securing the title. He defeated Seaforth’s Ethan Kuball 14-2 in the final, completing the season with a 40-3 record. Walker had placed fourth last year in the 190-pound class. He racked up 89 victories across a two-season period. Later in the week, he went to the mound for the Randleman baseball team and delivered 13 strikeouts against host Northwest…

04 Mar

One school nixed from proposed conference involving Wildcats, Cougars, UCA

Bob SuttonSportsEastern Randolph Wildcats, Foster Cates, Matt Kiser, nchsaa, prep football, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Three schools from Randolph County would stay together in the latest realignment draft Eastern Randolph, Southwestern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy remain together in the latest version of North Carolina High School Athletic Association conference realignment proposals, but it’s down to a six-school league. Carrboro is no longer grouped in that conference, which also would include North Moore, Northwood and Jordan-Matthews. UCA doesn’t play football. With Carrboro out of the mix, it’s a relief for at least a couple of schools regarding traveling distance. “We’re OK with that (latest change),” said Matt Kiser, co-athletics director at Southwestern Randolph. “Carrboro isn’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:

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…