Sports

19 Feb

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

Randolph RecordSportsAldo Hernandez, Colton Wood, Diego Gutierrez, Grayson Roberts, Greensboro Coliseum, Jaden Maness, Jose Flores, Lorenzo Alston, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Spencer May, Uwharrie Charter Academy

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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18 Feb

Wildcats capture another prize, top Trinity boys in PAC final

Bob SuttonSportsDavonte Brooks, Dominic Payne, Dylan Hodges, Eastern Randolph athletics, PAC Tournament, piedmont athletic conference, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball, Timothy Brower, Trinity athletics

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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18 Feb

Randleman girls respond, claim PAC Tournament in overtime

Bob SuttonSportsBrandon Varner, Brecken Snotherly, Eastern Randolph athletics, Elizabeth York, Gracyn Hall, Jordan Booker, PAC Tournament, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics

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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17 Feb

Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Eastern Randolph athletics, Kelly Smith, Kim Black, Mid-Piedmont Conference, Prep volleyball

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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16 Feb

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

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Brecken Snotherly, Davonte Brooks, Dominic Payne, Dylan Hodges, Gracyn Hall, Hakeeme Butler, Jerquarius Stanback, Jordan Booker, Mid-Piedmont Conference, PAC Tournament, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics

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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15 Feb

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Diego Gutierrez

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, athlete of the week, Diego Gutierrez, nchsaa, prep wrestling

Asheboro, wrestling Gutierrez is making his senior season a special one as he heads to the state tournament. He’s coming off the Class 3-A Midwest Regional championship at 120 pounds. During the two-day meet at North Davidson, Gutierrez won all four matches. That included a 5-2 decision against Mark Truman of West Rowan in the title bout. He began the regional with a first-period pin of Peyton Hinson of South Rowan. Then came an 8-6 decision against North Iredell’s Andrew Cockerham and a 3-1 decision against Takota Tala of Parkwood in the semifinal. Gutierrez, who was a state qualifier at…

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14 Feb

Prep wrestling: UCA sends 10 to state tournament

Randolph RecordSportsAldo Hernandez, Colton Wood, Diego Gutierrez, Grayson Roberts, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Spencer May, Uwharrie Charter Academy, Xavier Santos

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Carson Robinson, top, works on Eastern Randolph’s Bryce Foland during the 160-pound final in the Class 1-A East Regional. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Five county schools have regional champions ASHEBORO – Aldo Hernandez and Grayson Roberts will try to repeat as state champions as Uwharrie Charter Academy will send 10 wrestlers to the state tournament. UCA, as the host school, rolled through Friday and Saturday’s Class 1-A East Regional. Hernandez at 138 pounds and Roberts at 170 pounds were regional champions, joining 106-pounder Ethan Hines, 145-pounder Lorenzo Alston, 160-pounder Carson Robinson and 195-pounder Jaden Maness with those first-place…

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14 Feb

Prep Basketball: Southwestern Randolph teams reach PAC semifinal rounds

Randolph RecordSportsAshton Troutman, Brecken Snotherly, Christian Long, Dominic Payne, Dylan Hodges, PAC Tournament, piedmont athletic conference, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep Basketball, sean adkins, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Tyshaun Goldston

Southwestern Randolph’s Jordin George shoots against Trinity’s Ava Nance on Monday night. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph’s girls’ basketball team survived the only tight finish on the opening night of the Piedmont Athletic Conference postseason. The Cougars prevailed 47-46 against visiting Trinity in the PAC Tournament quarterfinals Monday night. They needed a defensive stop on the game’s final possession. Senior forward Maddie Small made the second of two free-throw chances to break a tie with 9.5 seconds left following an offensive rebound. Jordin George posted 14 points for the third-seeded Cougars (18-7), who play in the semifinals Wednesday…

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13 Feb

Prep Boys: Blue Comets hit decades-long high

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Brian Nance, Davonte Brooks, Dominic Payne, Dylan Hodges, Jerquarius Stanback, Mid-Piedmont Conference, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, sean adkins, Tanner Marsh

Asheboro’s Jerquarius Stanback goes up for a shot last week against Ledford’s Whit Denny. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – There are lots of reasons that have made this a special season for the Asheboro boys’ basketball team. The goal will be to keep it going. The Blue Comets won the Mid-Piedmont Conference’s regular season, going through that portion of conference play without a loss for the first time since 1976. “We knew we would have some success in conference,” veteran coach Brian Nance said. “We had a good first half (of league play) and next thing you know, you’re 6-0,…

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12 Feb

Prep Roundup: Asheboro’s Becker claims second in freestyle

Randolph RecordSportsnchsaa, Prep swimming, prep track and field

Asheboro swimmer Madison Burnette helped the Blue Comets in a relay during the state championships. (Randolph Record file photo) CARY – Freshman Megan Becker of Asheboro was the runner-up in the Class 3-A girls’ 100-yard freestyle in the state championships Saturday at the Triangle Aquatic Center. Becker finished the race in 53.57 seconds behind Orange’s Katie Belle Sikes, who set a Class 3-A state meet record of 49.45. Becker was also fourth in the 200 freestyle in 1:56.40. Asheboro’s Madison Burnette, Fiona Wolfe-Roberts, Maci Columbia and Becker combined for 10th place in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:48.56. Ninth in…

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