Sports - Randolph Record

20 Apr

Maness excels for Wingate softball

Randolph RecordSportsHeaven Maness, softball, Wingate

Southwestern Randolph softball alum Heaven Maness was the Player of the Week for South Atlantic Conference softball earlier this month. Maness is a sophomore infielder for Wingate. She batted 8-for-16 with two home runs, a double and three stolen bases during a four-game stretch. The Bulldogs won each of those games. Maness was last year’s SAC Freshman of the Year. Since the week for which Maness was honored, Division II Wingate has stretched its winning streak to eight games. The Bulldogs entered this week, which marks the last of their regular-season games, with a 32-15 record.

13 Apr

Tigers blank Patriots twice as Randleman closes in on outright PAC title

Bob SuttonSportspiedmont athletic conference, Randleman, Randleman baseball

Randleman’s Hunter Atkins drills the ball during a game against Southwestern Randolph in Piedmont Athletic Conference action last month at Randleman. CLIMAX — Randleman’s baseball team was close to perfect in a couple of ways during a pair of Piedmont Athletic Conference shutouts last week. Those results allowed the Tigers to clinch at least a share of the PAC regular-season championship. “We’ve been swinging it really well,” outfielder Braylen Hayes said. “Pitching is amazing.” Indeed, in Wednesday’s 10-0 victory at Providence Grove, Ryan White retired the first 17 batters he faced. So he had a perfect game until Brady Collins…

13 Apr

Prep Notes: Races brew in PAC standings

Randolph RecordSportsbaseball, piedmont athletic conference, prep sports, soccer, softball

Ethan Frye of Eastern Randolph takes a swing during a baseball game last week against Uwharrie Charter Academy. With schools in the Piedmont Athletic Conference on spring break this week, the schedules are limited in many sports. It’s also a good time to check on some key remaining matchups. For instance, Wheatmore and Uwharrie Charter Academy are unbeaten in PAC girls’ soccer games. Those teams will meet April 22 in what is bound to be a critical clash, though there will be a rematch May 10. In softball, undefeated Providence Grove has defeated second-place Southwestern Randolph twice. The only remaining…

13 Apr

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Madison Arroyo

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro, Asheboro Blue Comets, athlete of the week, Madison Arroyo, prep sports

Asheboro | girls’ soccer Arroyo helped spark the Blue Comets to three victories in a five-day span. It began when she scored three goals in a 4-2 road victory against Oak Grove in a Mid-Piedmont Conference game. In another Mid-Piedmont Conference game, Arroyo scored the first goal in Asheboro’s 3-1 victory against visiting Central Davidson. Arroyo knocked in three goals as the Blue Comets defeated host High Point Central 8-2 in their third game of the week. That was a non-league result. Arroyo, a senior captain, has a team leading 15 goals as the Blue Comets entered this week with…

06 Apr

Beard, Black claim Caraway features

Randolph RecordSportsCaraway speedway, Coy Beard, Late Models division, racing, tony black

SOPHIA – Coy Beard and Tony Black were winners of twin features in the Late Models division Saturday night at Caraway. Two races were contested across each of six divisions. Beard won the first of the 35-lap Late Models races, leading from the start. Beard was second in the second feature, unable to get around Black. The winner in the Modifieds action was Cody Norman for his first victories in the division. He won both races, leading from the front in the first race and coming from the rear in the second event. In Mini Stocks, Johnny Baker and Jimmy…

06 Apr

Tigers to take different test on spring break

Bob SuttonSportshigh school baseball, Randleman baseball, randolph county sports, Tigers

Randleman’s Braylen Hayes (No. 4) is greeted at the plate by teammates after hitting a home run in last month’s 11-1 victory against visiting Southwestern Randolph. The Tigers remained undefeated. RANDLEMAN — Randleman’s baseball team has been dominant this season as the Tigers are fresh off their 2021 state championship. They’ll be tested in different ways next week when they take part in the highly regarded Hanahan Invitational Tournament (known as H.I.T.) based in Charleston, S.C. “The guys are all really excited about it,” coach Jake Smith said. “Something new, get to travel. I kind of like the fact of…

06 Apr

Ex-Randleman coach moves on

Randolph RecordSportsComets, Eastern Randolph baseball, Randleman football, Shane Handy, Southwestern Randolph baseball, Trinity Softball, Wheatmore softball

Former Randleman football coach Shane Handy stepped away from his coaching job after two seasons at Clayton High School. His resignation was announced last week. The Comets went 8-2 in the restructured 2020 season (played in the spring semester of 2021). Then they were 5-6 with a first-round loss to Heritage in the Class 4-A state playoffs in the 2021 fall season. Handy’s teams at Randleman went a combined 95-53 in 12 seasons. Baseball highlights Eastern Randolph pitcher Stratton Barwick struck out 11 batters in a 2-0 blanking of visiting Southwestern Randolph. In the rematch later in the week, Southwestern…

06 Apr

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kara Comer

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, girls soccer, Kara Comer, prep soccer, Wheatmore athletics

Wheatmore | girls’ soccer Comer has been a steady producer on offense for the Warriors. She’s often surrounded by high-scoring underclassmen. Comer recorded a goal and five assists in last week’s 10-1 rout of visiting Eastern Randolph in a Piedmont Athletic Conference game. Then in a 4-1 non-league triumph at Southwest Guilford, she supplied another assist. With the Warriors’ 8-1 whipping of visiting Southwestern Randolph on Monday, they improved 9-0, including a 3-0 PAC mark. Comer had a goal and an assist in that game. Comer, a senior, had a standout career on the school’s girls’ tennis team as well.

30 Mar

Heady overcomes Labonte, others in Caraway event

Randolph RecordSportsBobby Labonte, Caraway speedway, Sophia

SOPHIA – Caleb Heady won a late-lap showdown with Burt Myers in Saturday night’s SMART Modified Tour race at Caraway Speedway. Bobby Labonte, a former NASCAR Cup Series driver, made a late pass of Matt Hirschman to gain third place. Brian Loftin placed fifth. Earlier leaders in the race included pole sitter Jonathan Brown, Luke Fleming, Bobby Measmer Jr. and Labonte. The SMART Tour will return to the track in June. In action among the Caraway Speedway regulars Saturday, Carson Loftin in the Modifieds while pole sitter Cody Norman was the runner-up. In a 40-lap Mini Stocks event, Tyler Bush…

30 Mar

Randleman coach picked for special honor

Randolph RecordSportsBrandon Varner, Coach of the year, Randleman

Coach Brandon Varner of the Randleman girls’ basketball team was selected as Coach of the Year for girls’ basketball in District 8 by the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association. Varner led Randleman to an undefeated regular season and into the Class 2-A regional semifinals of the state tournament. The Tigers finished with a 25-1 record. Players chose for the All-District girls’ teams include teammates Gracyn Hall (first team) and Elizabeth York (third team) of Randleman, Alexis Maness (third team) of Southwestern Randolph and Autumn Gentry (third team) of Trinity. On the boys’ side, the All-District team has Zane Caudle of…