Asheboro’s Quincey Lee tries to break away from Ledford’s Seth Wiley, while Asheboro’s Elijah Woodle, far left, and Ledford’s Chase Tussey pursue the play Thursday night. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
Eastern Randolph and Randleman football teams have been on a collision course for weeks and neither team took a detour.
With each team posting another blowout Thursday night, the stage is set for the Oct. 27 showdown at Randleman to determine the Piedmont Athletic Conference championship.
Randleman (9-0 overall, 4-0 PAC) and Eastern Randolph (8-1, 4-0)
Here’s a recap of this week’s games, which were moved up to Thursday night because of weather-related concerns for Friday:
Randleman 58, Trinity 21: At Trinity, John Kirkpatrick’s five touchdown tosses came as part of his 279 passing yards and Tyshaun Goldston scored four touchdowns.
Three of Goldston’s touchdowns came on receptions, while he also ran for a 13-yard touchdown. Amari Ferdna, who had 125 receiving yards, scored on two receptions. Edison Hernandez had a 1-yard touchdown run.
Kirkpatrick, who completed 12 of 15 passes, had touchdown throws of 13 and 15 yards to Ferdna and 52, 50 and 13 yards to Goldston.
Jonathan Sampson returned an interception for a touchdown.
Trinity (4-5, 1-3), which trailed 37-0 after the first quarter, benefitted from Dominic Payne’s two touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown. Cam Nelson and Jacob Hodges made touchdown catches.
Eastern Randolph 43, Wheatmore 0: At Ramseur, the Wildcats added their fifth consecutive shutout with the home victory, with DeSean Shamberger’s 85-yard interception return for a touchdown among the highlights.
Adonye Herbert, Rayden West and Nicah Taylor also made interceptions.
The Wildcats benefitted from Lucas Smith’s three touchdowns and 167 rushing yards. Herbert and Troy Green also scored rushing touchdowns. Carter Revelle threw for 106 yards and rushed for 55.
Wheatmore (2-7, 0-4) has lost five games in a row.
Southwestern Randolph 16, Providence Grove 15: At Climax, the visiting Cougars never trailed until the fourth quarter but pulled out the PAC victory with the help of blocking an extra-point kick to move into sole possession of third place.
Southwestern Randolph (6-3, 2-2) was behind 9-8 before taking the lead near the five-minute mark on Nathan Ellis’ run and Noah Stills’ ensuing two-point conversion pass to Colton Law.
The Cougars held on when Tucker Batten’s conversion kick was blocked with about two minutes to play after Providence Grove’s James Ellis scored a touchdown on a 13-yard quarterback keeper. Southwestern Randolph coach Seth Baxter said Ellis and Kempton Reed were credited with blocking the kick.
Stills threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Robertson for the game’s first points, followed by Law’s two-point conversion run. Law set up the first touchdown with an interception return.
Providence Grove’s Ellis ran 17 yards for a second-quarter touchdown. The Patriots had their only lead at 9-8 on Batten’s 37-yard field goal in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.
Providence Grove (5-4, 1-3), which lost its third game in a row, received 81 rushing yards from Logan Fox.
Ledford 48, Asheboro 27: The home finale went awry for the Blue Comets as Ledford’s Alex Sanford ran for seven touchdowns and 423 yards in the Mid-Piedmont Conference game.
Sanford was charted with 34 carries. Ledford (8-1, 3-1) bounced back from a 41-7 home loss to first-place Oak Grove.
Asheboro (1-8, 0-4) plays Montgomery Central, which is also winless in league play, in the season finale.
