Sports - Randolph Record

15 May

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Mollie Bulla

Randolph RecordSportsAppalachian State, athlete of the week, Mollie Bulla, piedmont athletic conference, Prep softball, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

Uwharrie Charter Academy, softball Bulla has been a standout at the plate and from the pitching circle during her senior season for the Eagles. Bulla entered this week with a .391 batting average. Her six home runs and 10 doubles were team-high marks after also leading UCA in those categories last year. As a pitcher, Bulla has averaged nearly two strikeouts per inning this season. Last week, UCA won first- and second-round games – against Mitchell and Swain County – in the Class 1-A state playoffs, giving them 19 victories this season. That tied the program record for wins, a…

13 May

Wingate sweeps series for baseball title in Asheboro

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro, College baseball, McCrary Park, South Atlantic Conference, Wingate Bulldogs

ASHEBORO – Wingate’s baseball team swept the South Atlantic Conference Tournament championship series at McCrary Park. The Bulldogs secured the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament with the title. Third-seeded Wingate won the best-of-3 opener by 11-4 against Lincoln Memorial with Sean Barnett homering twice Friday. That was followed by Saturday’s 9-1 romp, Sean Barnett and Brett Adams both driving in three runs. Wingate (33-23), owner of a six-game winning streak, heads to North Greenville (S.C.) for Southeast Region play. The Bulldogs open against Mount Olive, with Georgia College and North Greenville in the other matchup to start…

12 May

Perfect game marks history for Faith Christian baseball team

Bob SuttonSportsFaith Christian, Mason Taylor, North Carolina Christian School Association, Prep baseball, state playoffs

Faith Christian pitcher Mason Taylor cranked out a perfect game during the state playoffs. (Photo courtesy Faith Christian) RAMSEUR – Mason Taylor made history for Faith Christian’s baseball team by throwing a perfect game. It marked the first such accomplishment in the 60-year history of the school, headmaster Todd Daniel said. For Taylor, a freshman right-hander, it came in the quarterfinals of the North Carolina Christian School Association state playoffs Tuesday. “I feel I’ve definitely improved,” Taylor said. He struck out 12 of 15 Southside Christian batters in the 10-0 home victory. The game ended when the Eagles scored four…

11 May

Two UCA teams plus Randleman in baseball, Cougars in softball move on in states

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Class 2-A, Class 3-A, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Prep softball, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

Southwestern Randolph’s Alyssa Harris slides into the plate as Walkertown catcher Sadie Smith tries to make a play in a first-round game of the Class 2-A state playoffs for softball. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) Two baseball teams and two softball teams from Randolph County made it through the first week of the state playoffs. Now it likely becomes more challenging for Randleman and Uwharrie Charter Academy in baseball and Southwestern Randolph and UCA in softball. In baseball, there was one team from the county guaranteed to advance to the third round when Randleman and visiting Wheatmore met in Friday night’s second-round…

10 May

Wheatmore, UCA girls hold best seeds from area for soccer playoffs

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Class 3-A, piedmont athletic conference, prep soccer, Providence Grove athletics, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics, Wheatmore athletics

Randleman’s Carolina Candelero, left, and Providence Grove’s Taryn Waugh contend for possession during a game last month. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Wheatmore has a challenging path to try to reach the Class 2-A state final for the third year in a row in girls’ soccer. The Warriors hold the No. 6 seed in the West Region based on seeds and pairings unveiled Friday. First-round games are Monday. Wheatmore, which was the 2022 state champion and last year’s runner-up, opens against No. 27 seed Lincoln Charter (4-10-2). The Warriors will be guaranteed another home game if they win. Wheatmore lost a Piedmont…

10 May

Former NASCAR driver Benson tests super modified car at Caraway Speedway

Randolph RecordSportsCaraway speedway, Johnny Benson, NASCAR, racing

A special testing session was held this week at Caraway Speedway. (Photo courtesy of Caraway Speedway) SOPHIA – A test session with former NASCAR driver Johnny Benson in a super modified car was held Tuesday afternoon at Caraway Speedway. Because of weather concerns, the session that had been scheduled for Monday was moved back a day. The testing of the big-blocked winged super modified was in advance of the North-South Shootout that’s about six months away – Nov. 8-9. Caraway Speedway officials are billing this as a throwback to early North-South Shootout days. These are open-wheel vehicles that produce approximately…

09 May

Everhart makes big jumps for Blue Comets

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Class 3-A, Lance Everhart, Mid-Piedmont Conference, prep track and field

Lance Everhart of Asheboro is a versatile track and field athlete with big goals. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) Asheboro senior sets high bar in field events ASHEBORO – Lance Everhart has found plenty of worthwhile events in track and field, but he knows what he likes best. “High jump, most definitely,” the Asheboro senior said. He has jumped into the conversation on a statewide level as one of the top leapers. The next phase of the postseason comes with Saturday’s Class 3-A Midwest Regional at Robinson High School in Concord. Everhart has a personal-best mark of 6 feet, 6 inches –…

09 May

Lincoln Memorial, Wingate to meet in SAC title series in Asheboro

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro, College baseball, McCrary Park, NCAA Division II, South Atlantic Conference

ASHEBORO – Lincoln Memorial and Wingate will meet in the South Atlantic Conference baseball championship series this week at McCrary Park in Asheboro. It’s a best-of-3 championship series to determine an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division II Tournament. The teams will meet in Game 1 at 4 p.m. Friday. Game 2 is at noon Saturday and, if necessary, Game 3 will follow. Lincoln Memorial upset host and top-seeded Catawba in the four-team bracket in Salisbury. The fifth-seeded Railsplitters defeated Catawba 8-3 on Sunday to conclude the double-elimination bracket. In Hartsville, S.C, third-seeded Wingate swept Newberry in two games Sunday,…

08 May

Hoogkamp leaves baseball post following Asheboro’s playoff loss (updated)

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Brett Hoogkamp, Class 3-A, Mid-Piedmont Conference, Prep baseball

Asheboro baseball coach Brett Hoogkamp makes a mound visit during a game this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Asheboro baseball coach Brett Hoogkamp has stepped down, but he’s bound to be involved in area athletics again. Hoogkamp announced his intentions to resign shortly after the Blue Comets lost in the first round of the Class 3-A state playoffs Tuesday night. He finished his eighth season in the position. “It has been a good eight years,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed it. Once I got into coaching, it was kind of a dream of mine (to be a head coach) and I got…

08 May

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Ryan Marshall

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Class 2-A, nchsaa, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep golf, Ryan Marshall, Wheatmore athletics, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore, boys’ golf Ryan Marshall of Wheatmore was the Piedmont Athletic Conference champion by shooting 5-over-par 77 last week at Holly Ridge Golf Links. Marshall, a junior, shot sub-40 on both the front side and backside for a five-stroke edge on Trinity’s Bo Earnhardt. On Monday, Marshall placed third in the Class 2-A Midwest Regional to reserve a spot in next week’s state tournament. In the PAC Tournament, Wheatmore’s 345 team total was 10 shots better than runner-up Uwharrie Charter Academy, while Providence Grove (358) and Southwestern Randolph (360) also contended. The Warriors won the team title for the third…