Sports - Randolph Record

31 Aug

Caraway Speedway honors past, sees fresh winners

Randolph RecordSportsA.J. Sanders, Caraway speedway, Jason York, Josh Lowder, Junior Miller, Stock car racing

Former driver Junior Miller was among the inductees for Caraway Speedway's Wall of Fame during the weekend. (Photo courtesy of Caraway Speedway) SOPHIA – Even on a night to engage in history, there was a sense of newness Saturday at Caraway Speedway. After a Wall of Fame induction that added five to the speedway’s most-honored list, there were relative newcomers to victory lane. The Wall of Fame inductees were ex-drivers John Paul Linville, Donald Tucker and Junior Miller, former race official Lance Childress and Riggs Racing. Jamie York won the 58-lap Late Models feature – the length of the race…

30 Aug

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Karli Kennington

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, high school sports, Karli Kennington, prep sports, Prep volleyball, Randleman athletics

Randleman, volleyball Kennington is one of four seniors on the Tigers’ roster. The defensive specialist has been a key contributor to Randleman’s strong start to the season. She had 26 digs against Oak Grove last week and later in the week provided 18 digs against Northern Guilford. She has had 19 or more digs in three matches so far. Kennington’s stat lines have also included aces, kills and assists. Randleman, a Class 2-A school, set a schedule with Class 3-A opponents for each of its first six non-conference matches. The Tigers entered this week with a 4-1 record.

29 Aug

Trinity’s football team adjusts with Payne taking new role

Bob SuttonSportsBear Bradley, Brandon Campbell, Dominic Payne, Noah Bradley, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Trinity athletics, Trinity Bulldogs

Dominic Payne continues to play a key role for Trinity's football team. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) TRINITY – When Bear Bradley became Trinity’s football coach in the spring, he had lots of area to address. At or near the top the list was meeting with Dominic Payne. “He was one of the first student-athletes I wanted to talk to,” Bradley said. “I said to him, ‘Where do you see yourself best?’ ” Payne had been the Bulldogs’ quarterback the past two seasons, earning All-Piedmont Athletic Conference honors as a sophomore. Now he’s two games into his senior season and playing…

28 Aug

Prep Roundup: Blue Comets win in volleyball under new coach; Cougars roll in soccer

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Kelly Smith, prep soccer, Prep volleyball, Randleman athletics, Southwestern Randolph Cougars

Southwestern Randolph’s Fernando Hernandez takes a shot against Central Davidson during one of the Cougars’ victories last week. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Asheboro secured its first volleyball victory under first-year coach Kelly Smith by defeating host Providence Grove 25-11, 26-24, 26-24 in a match last week. The Blue Comets, who lost their first two matches of the season, won later in the week by sweeping host Wheatmore. Sion Murrain’s 15 kills and four digs, Piper Davidson’s 27 service receptions and 14 digs, and Ellen Long’s 10 kills led the way against Providence Grove. Lia George provided 10 kills and 10 digs…

26 Aug

Prep football: Cougars, Tigers, Patriots move to 2-0; Wildcats top Asheboro

Randolph RecordSportsEastern Randolph Wildcats, Johnathan Kelly, Logan Laughlin, prep football, Providence Grove football, Riley Strickland, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs

Eastern Randolph’s Will Stalker makes a tackle on Asheboro receiver Ben Luck. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ROBBINS – Southwestern Randolph built a first-half lead on a couple of touchdown passes and held off host North Moore for a 22-12 victory Friday night. Noah Stills threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Robertson for the game’s first points. Nathan Ellis threw to Colton Law for a second-quarter touchdown. The other touchdown came on Stills’ 12-yard scramble on a fourth-and-10 play. The Cougars (2-0) defeated one of the state’s top Class 1-A teams from a year ago. It marked the Mustangs’ first regular-season…

25 Aug

Eastern Randolph alum Cockman takes baseball coaching job

Bob SuttonSportsBrent Haynes, Eastern Randolph athletics, Eastern Randolph baseball, Nate Cockman, Prep baseball

New Eastern Randolph baseball coach Nate Cockman talks with his Chatham-Randolph Pony League All-Star team earlier this month. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Nate Cockman’s rise to a head coaching position in high school baseball happened faster than he envisioned. He’s grateful for that. He’s the new coach at Eastern Randolph. “It all happened pretty quick,” Cockman said. “The doors opened at once. I couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough.” The 2017 graduate takes over at his alma mater because Brent Haynes left after one season. Haynes took the coaching job at Burlington Williams. Cockman had been coaching at Southeastern Randolph…

24 Aug

Taking their shots: Area teens hit targets with new passion

Bob SuttonSportsAmateur Trapshooting Association, Trapshooting, Uwharrie Charter Academy

Colson Allen, left, and Isaac McCoy from Randolph County were in Illinois for a major trapshooting competition earlier this month. (Courtesy photo) ASHEBORO – Randolph County teenagers Colson Allen and Isaac McCoy took a school pastime and have made it a full-fledged hobby. Trapshooting has taking them to multiple states for competitions and they’ve come home with recognition for their accuracy. “I started with the school with hunter safety,” Allen said. “My school coach (J.D. Goodwin) got me into ATA.” They recently returned from the Amateur Trapshooting Association’s Grand American event at the World Shooting & Recreational Complex in Sparta,…

23 Aug

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kai Matthews

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, athlete of the week, prep football, randolph county sports

Asheboro, football Matthews had key plays on offense and defense as the Blue Comets opened the season by defeating visiting Albemarle 24-22. He scored on a rushing play for one of the Blue Comets’ four touchdowns. He also made a late-game interception as Asheboro clung to the lead. The Blue Comets won their season opener for just the second time in a seven-season span. Matthews, a senior, has excelled in track and field as a sprinter for Asheboro as well.

22 Aug

Wheatmore has returning QB, growing confidence

Bob SuttonSportsJohnathan Kelly, Philip Yarbrough, prep football, Riley Strickland, Wheatmore athletics

Wheatmore’s Riley Strickland prepares to throw a pass during a game last year. (Randolph Record file photo) TRINITY – Wheatmore’s football team has something no other Randolph County team has. A returning starting quarterback. “That’s actually pretty cool,” said Wheatmore’s Riley Strickland, who holds that distinction. “I still have two years.” Strickland and the Warriors began the first of those with Friday night’s 33-7 victory at West Davidson. That outcome served as a sign of the development for Wheatmore, which won seven games the past three seasons combined. “My biggest takeaway from Friday night is we’re better than last…

21 Aug

Caraway Speedway to add five to Wall of Fame

Randolph RecordSportsCaraway speedway, Junior Miller, Riggs Racing, Stock car racing

SOPHIA – There will be five additions to Caraway Speedway’s Wall of Fame this weekend. The new members are Donald Tucker, John Paul Linville, Junior Miller, long-time official Lance Childress and Riggs Racing. The group will be honored as part of Saturday night’s race card. Tucker was one of the winningest drivers at the speedway during the early dirt-track years. Then during the early years of racing on a paved track, Linville proved to be one of the most consistent drivers. He moved on to the Busch Series, and he’s the father-in-law of NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick. Miller…