Sports - Randolph Record

13 Mar

Prep Roundup: Tigers begin PAC baseball slate with shutouts

Randolph RecordSportsAndrew Canter, Prep baseball, prep soccer, Randleman baseball, Tanner Marsh

Randleman’s Austin Lemons delivers a pitch last Thursday at Eastern Randolph. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Randleman’s baseball team was in good form on the mound when Piedmont Athletic Conference play began. The Tigers posted two shutouts against Eastern Randolph, winning 9-0 at home in the first matchup and then two nights later prevailing 5-0 in Ramseur. Austin Lemons was the winner in the second meeting. The Tigers haven’t lost a conference game since 2019. Providence Grove and Southwestern Randolph split a pair of games to open their PAC schedules. Providence Grove won 95 at home before the Cougars claimed the rematch…

11 Mar

NOT QUITE ENOUGH: Eastern Randolph boys fall in 1-A state final

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Devonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Johnny Thomas, nchsaa, Prep Basketball

Eastern Randolph coach Johnny Thomas consoles Devonte Brooks, left, as Will Stalker looks on after the Class 1-A state final. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RALEIGH – The greatest basketball season in the history of Eastern Randolph had a sour ending. The Wildcats needed one more comeback and couldn’t quite generate it, falling 84-73 to Wilson Prep in the Class 1-A state championship game for boys' basketball Saturday afternoon at Reynolds Coliseum. “These boys have dedicated everything they possibly could to the sport of basketball the last four months,” Eastern Randolph coach Johnny Thomas said. “We have nothing to be sad over.”…

10 Mar

Ex-Globetrotters guide Eastern Randolph, Wilson Prep to Class 1-A state final

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Eastern Randolph, Eastern Randolph athletics, Johnny Thomas, nchsaa, Prep Basketball

Coach Johnny Thomas has his Eastern Randolph team in the Class 1-A state final. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) The coaches for the two teams in the Class 1-A state championship game for boys’ basketball own a common background. Johnny Thomas of Eastern Randolph and Anthony Atkinson Jr. of Wilson Prep both played for the Harlem Globetrotters. Eastern Randolph is going for the school’s first state championship in basketball when it plays Wilson Prep on Saturday afternoon. The state final is scheduled for noon at Reynolds Coliseum on the North Carolina State campus in Raleigh. The only previous appearance in a state…

09 Mar

Caraway set to begin with Dogwood 250

Randolph RecordSportsCaraway speedway, Stock car racing

SOPHIA – Caraway Speedway opens its 58th season of stock-car racing Sunday with the running of the Dogwood 250. The Dogwood 250 will feature 100-lap features for the SMART Modified Tour and the speedway’s regular Late Models plus a 50-lapper for the 602 Modifieds. Legend cars and Bandoleros also are on the card. Racing is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. The speedway used the Dogwood 250 name to honor the early spring events once held at Martinsville Speedway in the heyday of Modified and Late Model sportsman racing, according to information from the speedway. Many of the SMART Modified…

08 Mar

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Madison Varner

Randolph RecordSportsAOTW, athlete of the week, high school softball, high school sports, Prep softball, prep sports

Southwestern Randolph, softball Varner had a game-winning single in the ninth inning of the Cougars’ season-opening victory against visiting North Stanly. Varner, a senior, is trying to help the Cougars to another winning season. She was a regular in the lineup a year ago. This week, the Cougars begin Piedmont Athletic Conference play. They won their final five PAC regular-season games last spring.

07 Mar

College baseball: Thomas notches wins at UNCG; Gardner receives USA South honors

Bob SuttonSportsBrody Gardner, College baseball, Eastern Randolph, Luke Thomas, Providence Grove, Randleman, Randleman baseball, Ryan White

Luke Thomas at UNCG Several alums from Randolph County schools have produced notable opening stretches in their collegiate baseball careers. Providence Grove alum Luke Thomas was the winning pitcher in his collegiate debut, throwing 1 2/3 shutout innings when UNC Greensboro defeated Northeastern on Feb. 18 in the second game of the season. The Spartans scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. The next day, Thomas took the loss when giving up four late-inning runs to Northeastern. In the season’s second week, Thomas had two outings against Notre Dame, throwing one hitless inning in the second game…

06 Mar

Prep Roundup: Wheatmore girls start in good soccer groove; Mixed results in baseball, softball

Randolph RecordSportsBrent Haynes, Eli Gravely, Ellie Garrison, Emma Mazzarone, Hunter Atkins, Macie Crutchfield, prep athletics, Prep baseball, prep soccer, Prep softball, Rob Shore, Stratton Barwick, Summer Bowman

Providence Grove’s Rori Luther makes a move with West Davidson’s Marly Gouker approaching during last week’s game. West Davidson won 1-0. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Wheatmore opened the season with a 6-0 victory with Ellie Garrison scoring four goals against visiting Ledford last week in girls’ soccer. Natalie Bowman and Summer Bowman had the other goals. It was a nice start for the Warriors, who were undefeated Class 2-A state champions with a 25-0 record last year. Here are some other items of note from the opening week of the spring season: Baseball ** Randleman suffered an 11-0, six-inning loss March…

05 Mar

Wildcats to play at noon Saturday in Raleigh in basketball title game

Bob SuttonSportsclass 1-A, Eastern Randolph athletics, Johnny Thomas, nchsaa, Prep Basketball, Wilson Prep

Eastern Randolph hopes to add state-championship hardware to the West Region prize claimed Saturday. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Eastern Randolph’s bid for its first state championship in boys’ basketball comes in the Class 1-A final at noon Saturday at Reynolds Coliseum on the North Carolina State campus in Raleigh. The Wildcats (29-2) meet East Region champion Wilson Prep (26-7) in the title game. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced game times and sites for the eight championship games – four for boys and four for girls – on Sunday afternoon. Eastern Randolph is coming off two comeback…

04 Mar

Huge comeback propels Eastern Randolph boys to state final

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Davonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph, Johnny Thomas, nchsaa, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball

Eastern Randolph team members and coach Johnny Thomas – with arms raised – celebrate the Class 1-A West Region title. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) MORGANTON – Eastern Randolph rallied from a 21-point halftime deficit to keep its season alive and advance to a state championship in boys’ basketball for the first time. The Wildcats pulled out a 62-59 victory against Bishop McGuinness in the Class 1-A West Region final Saturday afternoon at Freedom High School. “As the coach, even I’m at awe at what they just did,” first-year Eastern Randolph coach Johnny Thomas said of his players. Eastern Randolph (29-2) will…

02 Mar

Regional path sends Eastern Randolph boys on trek

Bob SuttonSportsBishop McGuinness, class 1-A, Eastern Randolph athletics, nchsaa, Prep Basketball, state playoffs

Eastern Randolph’s Nicah Taylor soars in the lane for a shot against South Stokes. (PJ. Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Eastern Randolph will head to Morganton as part of the best season in history of the school’s boys’ basketball team. That’s where the Wildcats will take on Bishop McGuinness in the Class 1-A West Region final at 1 p.m. Saturday. The game will be at Freedom High School. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced the venues for the neutral-site regional finals Wednesday morning, a day after Tuesday night’s semifinals set the matchups across the state. Third-seeded Eastern Randolph (28-2)…