Sports

Prep girls: Randleman finds right mix in second round; E. Randolph also wins

Prep girls: Randleman finds right mix in second round; E. Randolph also wins

Gracie Beane of Randleman makes a pass in the second half against Hendersonville in Thursday night’s Class 2-A state playoffs. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – A great start and a splendid second-half span were enough to extend the season for Randleman’s girls’ basketball team. The Tigers did enough in between in the Class 2-A second-round game to defeat visiting Hendersonville 63-54 on Thursday night. “Give (our players) credit for coming ready to play,” Randleman coach Brandon Varner said. “We did a lot of great stuff.” That came in large doses in the opening minutes and in a game-deciding stretch in…
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Photo gallery: First-round games in prep basketball state playoffs

Photo gallery: First-round games in prep basketball state playoffs

Eastern Randolph’s Julian Brooks takes a shot in the lane over Cherryville’s Darian Floyd, left, and Nate Bookout in the Class 1-A state playoffs Tuesday night. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Numerous Randolph County basketball teams were in action Tuesday night for the start of the state playoffs. Girls’ teams from Eastern Randolph, Randleman, Southwestern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy were winners. Boys’ teams from Asheboro, Eastern Randolph and Trinity advanced. Second-round games are set for Thursday at the home courts of the higher-seeded teams. That means that both Eastern Randolph teams, along with Randleman’s girls and Asheboro’s boys will have home…
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Maddie Small

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Maddie Small

Southwestern Randolph, girls’ basketball Small had a couple of solid games last week in the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament. She’s a senior captain on a team that has several key underclassmen. Small, a forward, provided nine points when the Cougars defeated Trinity 47-46 in the PAC Tournament quarterfinals. She led Southwestern Randolph with 14 points in a 75-49 semifinal loss to Eastern Randolph.  
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Prep basketball: Four Randolph County girls’ teams, three boys’ teams win openers in state playoffs

Prep basketball: Four Randolph County girls’ teams, three boys’ teams win openers in state playoffs

Asheboro’s Jerquarius Stanback heads to the basket in a Class 3-A opening-round game against East Henderson in the state playoffs. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) Four of the six girls’ basketball teams and half of the six boys’ teams from Randolph County entered in the state playoffs won in the West Region’s first round Tuesday night. Winning teams advance to second-round games Thursday night. Higher-seeded teams will play at home. Girls Top-seeded Randleman took care of business with a 52-34 victory against No. 32 seed Bandys in Class 2-A. The Tigers (25-1), who received 15 points from Elizabeth York and 14 points…
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Prep basketball: Teams set to embark on state playoffs

Prep basketball: Teams set to embark on state playoffs

Sean Adkins of Southwestern Randolph shoots over Wheatmore’s Kamdyn Wood in last week’s PAC Tournament. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Randleman’s girls and Eastern Randolph’s boys teams are the highest-seeded teams from Randolph County in the basketball state playoffs. The playoffs begin Tuesday night. All of the teams from the county are in the West Region. Second-round games will be Thursday night and third-round games Saturday, all slated on the courts of the higher seeds. Girls In Class 2-A, Piedmont Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champion Randleman (24-1) is the West Region’s No. 1 seed with a home game against No. 32…
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Prep wrestling: UCA duo, Southwestern Randolph’s Flores secure state titles

Prep wrestling: UCA duo, Southwestern Randolph’s Flores secure state titles

GREENSBORO – Senior wrestler Aldo Hernandez became a three-time state champion, including two seasons in a row for Uwharrie Charter Academy, and two underclassmen from Randolph County schools also won state championships. Hernandez captured the Class 1-A title at 138 pounds with a dominating performance across two days at the Greensboro Coliseum. Freshman teammate Lorenzo Alston won at 145 pounds. In Class 2-A, it was a three-day meet, capped for Southwestern Randolph 220-pound sophomore Jose Flores with Saturday night’s championship. UCA had three runners-up, and finished third in the Class 1-A team standings. Hernandez, who nabbed a state title in…
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Wildcats capture another prize, top Trinity boys in PAC final

Wildcats capture another prize, top Trinity boys in PAC final

Eastern Randolph’s Timothy Brower goes up for a basket as Trinity’s Jacob Hodges, right, defends. Other Trinity players, left to right, Brandon Campbell, Grayson Earls, Dylan Hodges and Dominic Payne look on. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Timothy Brower was down on the court in pain in the first quarter of the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament’s boys’ basketball championship. The Eastern Randolph guard delivered much of the punishment for the rest of Friday night’s game. Brower’s 28 points helped propel the regular-season champion Wildcats in a 74-64 victory against visiting Trinity that marked their first conference tournament title in seven…
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Randleman girls respond, claim PAC Tournament in overtime

Randleman girls respond, claim PAC Tournament in overtime

Members of the Randleman girls’ basketball team gather with the hardware after defeating host Eastern Randolph in overtime. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Rally from Eastern Randolph creates drama RAMSEUR – Randleman’s recovery from a few late-game glitches made the Tigers’ championship that much more impressive Friday night in the girls’ basketball final of the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament. One thing the Tigers weren’t lacking was that internal belief that they would find a way to successfully defend their title. “Coach (Brandon) Varner told us ‘You’ve worked so hard for this,’ ” senior center Graycn Hall said. “We’re going to show how…
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Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

ASHEBORO – Kelly Smith has been hired as the new volleyball coach at Asheboro. Smith will be the team’s third volleyball coach in three years. She replaces Kim Black, whose third stint as head coach of the program lasted just one year. Smith, an Eastern Randolph alum, was coach of her alma mater’s volleyball team in 2017 and 2018 before going to Southern Guilford for three years. She spent time as volleyball and girls’ basketball coach at Southern Guilford, though without a winning season. She has been away from varsity competition during this school year. “I felt like I wanted…
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Prep Basketball: Eastern Randolph teams reach PAC finals; Asheboro boys suffer upset loss

Prep Basketball: Eastern Randolph teams reach PAC finals; Asheboro boys suffer upset loss

Asheboro’s Hakeeme Butler takes a shot against Oak Grove during the Mid-Piedmont Conference Tournament semifinals. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Both Eastern Randolph basketball teams will be in the championship games on their home court Friday night. The finals matchups for Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament were set after Wednesday night’s results. The 6 p.m. girls’ game pits Randleman (23-1) against Eastern Randolph (17-6) followed by the boys’ title game between Trinity (20-6) and Eastern Randolph (23-2) On the girls’ side, second-seeded Eastern Randolph defeated visiting Southwestern Randolph 75-49 behind Brecken Snotherly’s 37 points. The third-seeded Cougars (18-8) received 14 points…
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