Sports - Randolph Record

07 Jun

Wheatmore Warriors wind up special soccer stretch

Bob SuttonSportsClass 2-A, piedmont athletic conference, prep soccer, state playoffs, Wheatmore Warriors

Record careers end for girls' program TRINITY – Wheatmore came up shy of returning to the Class 2A state championship game in girls’ soccer after playing in the final the past two years. Yet the impact produced by the Warriors might be far reaching. “It has been a heckuva ride,” Wheatmore coach Rick Maness said. Wheatmore was the 2022 state champion and the 2023 runner-up. This year, the season ended in the West Region final. “I never dreamed of winning the states,” Maness said of the 2022 season. “This creates energy and people want a part of it.” That’s what…

06 Jun

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Macie Crutchfield

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Class 2-A, Macie Crutchfield, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, State championships

Southwestern Randolph, softball Crutchfield completed her junior season as the Most Valuable Player of the Class 2A state championship series. She pitched every inning in both games as the Cougars captured the title by sweeping Midway in games held at UNC Greensboro. In those 12 innings (because Game 1 was reduced to five innings by the mercy rule), she compiled 19 strikeouts and issued three walks. Crutchfield is a three-year starter for Southwestern Randolph, racking up high strikeout totals most of the time. She’s also has provided the team with boost at the plate. In the state finals, she had…

05 Jun

Archdale golfer casts Spell on Asheboro City Amateur

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro City Amateur, Asheboro Country Club, Asheboro Municipal Golf Course, Connor Carter, JD Bass, Joshua Spell, Pinewood Country Club, Steve Kidd

Joshua Spell holds the winner’s trophy. (Courtesy photo) ASHEBORO – Joshua Spell took a page out of his occupation to help win the Asheboro City Amateur. The Archdale man said the keys for him last weekend were “putting and the mental game.” Spell, a mental coach for college and high school golfers, posted a one-shot victory on Steve Kidd after three rounds at three different courses. It came down to the final hole, with Spell’s birdie on the par-5 18th at Pinewood Country Club lifting him to his first championship in the event. Spell’s 3-under-par 69 gave him the title…

04 Jun

Former Trinity, Asheboro football coach retires

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Kevin Gillespie, prep football, Thomasville, Trinity Bulldogs

Gillespie coached state champions in Greensboro Kevin Gillespie, who made two of his four stops as a high school football head coach in Randolph County, announced his retirement Friday. Gillespie stepped down from his post at Thomasville, where he spent the past four seasons. Gillespie coached at Trinity and Asheboro, with a stop in between to guide Greensboro Page to a state championship. He had an overall record of 172-110 after going 32-12 with Thomasville. Gillespie’s final game came last November in a 40-19 road loss at Eastern Randolph in the third round of the Class 1-A state playoffs. The…

03 Jun

Eagles soar to state baseball crown with stellar pitching

Randolph RecordSportsBrett Smith, Carter Brown, class 1-A, Jake Hunter, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Rob Shore, state playoffs, Ting Stadium, Trey Kennedy, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

The UCA baseball team collected another state championship banner. (NCHSAA photo) HOLLY SPRINGS – Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team won in different fashions in two games in the Class 1A state finals at Ting Stadium. But stellar pitching was one of the staples as the Eagles repeated as state champions. UCA pitcher Brett Smith kept Northside-Pinetown in check and the Eagles were boosted by Trey Kennedy’s go-ahead home run in a 6-1 victory Saturday afternoon against Northside-Pinetown, sweeping the best-of-3 series. While UCA (28-6) needed an extra inning in the series opener Friday night, the Eagles had a less adventurous…

01 Jun

Good to the last play: Cougars claim state title with two runs on final pitch

Bob SuttonSportsClass 2-A, Kami Dunn, Macie Crutchfield, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, State championships, state playoffs, Toby Strider

Here’s the aftermath of the tying and winning runs scoring for Southwestern Randolph on the final play of the Class 2-A softball state championship series. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO – Madelyn Smith’s dash from first base to home plate that sent Southwestern Randolph’s softball team to a Class 2A state championship came amid chaos on the final play of the season. It created more mayhem in terms of a celebration for the Cougars, who won the program’s first title in 14 years. “We have this saying, ‘Why not us?’ ” said third baseman Kami Dunn, who took that…

31 May

Southwestern Randolph in softball, UCA in baseball close in on state titles

Randolph RecordSportsCarter Brown, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Macie Crutchfield, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Southwestern Randolph’s softball team and Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team are both one victory away from state championships after winning Friday night in drastically different manners. Southwestern Randolph opened the Class 2-A state finals with a 13-0 blasting of Midway at UNC Greensboro. The game was reduced to five innings because of the mercy rule. The Cougars (22-7) go for their first title in 14 years with Game 2 at 2 p.m. Saturday. If necessary, Game 3 will be held at 5 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on the status of the Class 4-A finals also taking place on the…

31 May

Racing set to resume at Caraway; Duggins comes off Challengers victory

Randolph RecordSportsBrody Duggins, Caraway speedway, Jimmy Crigger, Josh Lowder, Stock car racing

SOPHIA – The next regular racing night at the track comes Saturday with the Grand National Super Series holding two 50-lap races. There also will be competition in regular divisions such as Challengers, 602 Mods, UCARs, Bootleggers and Mod 4s. Brody Duggins edged Dalton Ledbetter to win the Challengers feature in the David Saunders Memorial competition May 11 at Caraway Speedway. Duggins moved to the front by passing Brian Rose on the 18th lap and held on for less than a 1-second advantage on Ledbetter. It was a double-points feature so Duggins expanded his lead in the track standings. Rose…

30 May

Asheboro ZooKeepers crank up with busy baseball slate

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Zookeepers, Coastal Plain League, College baseball, Hunter Atkins, Korey Dunbar, summer college baseball

James Hankerson Jr. has been active early in the season for the Asheboro ZooKeepers. (Courtesy photo) College summer team looks for right blend ASHEBORO – More winning is one of the objectives for the Asheboro ZooKeepers this year. There have been a few seasons of occupying low spots in the Coastal Plain League standings, but second-year head coach Korey Dunbar said there has been a good tone for the first week of the season. “We definitely want to win,” said shortstop Zach Evans, a rising senior at Lenoir-Rhyne. “There are a lot of people counting on us to win.” Dunbar…

30 May

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Caleb Stickle

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Caleb Stickle, class 1-A, Prep baseball, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy, baseball The senior infielder has been a key member of the back-to-back Class 1A West Region champions. Stickle provided three hits and drove in four runs in the decisive Game 3 of the Class 1A West Region finals Saturday night at Mount Airy. That result sent the Eagles back to the state finals, where they’ll try to repeat as state champions this week in the best-of-3 finals against Northside-Pinetown at Holly Springs. Stickle was solid throughout the regional. He scored the first run when UCA won in the series opener. He had one of the team’s two…