Braxton Walker - Randolph Record

14 May

Randleman keeps the faith, overcomes Trinity in state-playoff baseball thriller

Bob SuttonSportsBraxton Walker, Brody Little, Class 2-A, Ethan Willard, Jackson Hill, Jake Riddle, Jake Smith, John Kirkpatrick, Lincoln Coble, McCrary Park, Prep baseball, Randleman Tigers, Ryan Spencer, state playoffs, Tate Andrews, Trinity Bulldogs

Randleman’s Jackson Hill heads for the plate to score the winning run in the Tigers’ Class 2A state-playoff victory against Trinity. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO — Members of the Randleman baseball team were certain they’d figure out a way to win the third-round round game of the Class 2A state playoffs against Trinity. They just weren't quite sure how. “We always had faith that we were going to win the game,” infielder Tate Andrews said. “That helps us not let the pressure get to us.” The Tigers erased a two-run deficit and then went to the bottom of…

10 May

UCA, E. Randolph, Randleman, Trinity advance in baseball; Cougars, Tigers, Eagles move on in softball

Randolph RecordSportsAlyssa Harris, Braxton Walker, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jake Riddle, Macie Crutchfield, Prep baseball, Prep softball, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Randleman's Jake Riddle made key contributions as the Tigers advanced through two rounds of the baseball state playoffs. (Randolph Record file photo) ASHEBORO — Two-time defending state champion Uwharrie Charter Academy pulled out a 3-2 baseball victory against 12th-seeded East Wilkes in the Class 1-A second round Friday. Brett Smith and Logun Wilkins combined to strike out 10 batters for the fifth-seeded Eagles, who travel to fourth-seeded North Stokes in the third round. UCA opened the playoffs with a 14-2 stomping of No. 28 seed Bessemer City. DJ Brandon, who drove in two runs, and Brody Eagle both supplied three…

25 Apr

Randleman slams Trinity, secures another PAC baseball title

Bob SuttonSportsBraxton Walker, Jake Smith, John Kirkpatrick, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Randleman Tigers, Ryan Spencer, Tate Andrews, Trinity Bulldogs

Randleman’s Braxton Walker unloads for a tiebreaking grand slam against Trinity in the Tigers’ PAC-clinching victory. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN — Randleman’s baseball team ended up in a familiar spot by the time the Piedmont Athletic Conference portion of its season was complete. The Tigers are in first place again. “I had no doubt,” pitcher / first baseman Braxton Walker said. “The guys come to practice and we and the team morale is as high as it ever has been.” The clinching victory came with an 8-1 decision against visiting Trinity on Friday night as John Kirkpatrick threw…

18 Apr

Prep baseball: Area teams collect mixed results during spring break

Randolph RecordSportsAndrew Thomas, Asheboro Blue Comets, Braxton Walker, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jake Riddle, Prep baseball, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Trinity’s Nick Beane dives toward the plate to score a run against Wilmington Christian. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) There were many winners among Randolph County baseball teams during spring break. Asheboro and Randleman both won twice, while other teams largely struggled. Here’s a look at some of the results: ** In the ZooKeepers Classic at McCrary Park in Asheboro, Wheatmore, Southwestern Randolph and Eastern Randolph all finished with losing marks. Southwestern Randolph went 1-2, winning with an 11-1 whipping of Southern Lee behind three runs batted in apiece from Brady Armfield and Jake Gainey combined with Lane Poole’s pitching…

30 Mar

Prep Roundup: Cougars halt Randleman’s long baseball hex

Randolph RecordSportsBraxton Walker, Chase Farlow, Gracie Beane, Jonah Campbell, Prep baseball, Prep softball, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs, Ty Moton, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Here’s a look at high school sports results from last week: Baseball All area teams split in conference competition during the past week, though Southwestern Randolph and Trinity had notable Piedmont Athletic Conference results early in the week. ** Jonah Campbell handled 6 2/3 innings of the pitching and Brady Armfield homered in Southwestern Randolph’s 5-2 road victory against Randleman, which suffered its first league loss. That marked the first time since at least 2009 that the Cougars defeated Randleman, a string of at least 21 games. Randleman prevailed 11-4 in the rematch on the road behind Braxton Walker’s pitching.…

17 Mar

Prep roundup: Tigers, Cougars excel in softball; Providence Grove keeps winning in soccer

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Braxton Walker, Macie Crutchfield, Prep baseball, prep soccer, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Taryn Waugh, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Here are some highlights from last week’s spring sports competitions: Softball Kaylee Phillips homered and doubled when host Randleman defeated Eastern Randolph 6-1. Kinzie Ivey pitched six innings and Addyson Dees finished in the circle in Randleman’s 4-3 home victory vs. Montgomery Central. Dees had a double and triple in the Tigers’ 6-3 victory at Wheatmore. ** Southwestern Randolph’s Kami Dunn drove in three runs in a 16-1 victory against visiting Trinity. Macie Crutchfield fired a five-hitter as Southwestern Randolph defeated North Davidson 2-1 at home. Then came Crutchfield’s 12-strikeout effort in the Cougars’ 8-0 victory at Providence Grove. **…

05 Mar

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Braxton Walker

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Braxton Walker, Greensboro Coliseum, Prep baseball, prep wrestling, Randleman Tigers, state tournament

Randleman, wrestling / baseball Walker dominated in four matches in the Class 2A state tournament at 215 pounds, winning the championship last week at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. Walker, a senior, used three technical falls and a major decision in securing the title. He defeated Seaforth’s Ethan Kuball 14-2 in the final, completing the season with a 40-3 record. Walker had placed fourth last year in the 190-pound class. He racked up 89 victories across a two-season period. Later in the week, he went to the mound for the Randleman baseball team and delivered 13 strikeouts against host Northwest…

27 Feb

Photo gallery of Randolph County’s nine wrestling champions

Randolph RecordSportsAiden Burkholder, Ayden Sumners, Braxton Walker, David Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, Maddox Carson, Michael Shropshire, nchsaa, prep wrestling

Trinity fans gathered at the state finals at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, where five wrestlers from the school reached individual state finals. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — There were nine individual wrestling state champions from schools in Randolph County schools during the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s state tournament, which ended Monday at First Horizon Coliseum. Those titlists represented five different schools — Eastern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy in Class 1A and Randleman, Trinity and Wheatmore in Class 2A. Here’s a look at some of the scenes from the championship round:

25 Feb

Titles at nearly every turn in Class 2A for Randolph County wrestlers

Bob SuttonSportsAiden Burkholder, Ayden Sumners, Bliss Joyce, Braxton Walker, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum, Jaden Allred, Lawson Coltrane, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Randleman Tigers, state tournament, Trinity Bulldogs, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore’s Ayden Sumners leaps into the arms of coach Kyle Spencer after winning the 126-pound state championship in Class 2A. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — Trinity and Wheatmore shared some of the glory in the Class 2A division of the wrestling state tournament. There was plenty to go around. Randleman’s Braxton Walker joined in the fun as part of Randolph County’s huge presence in the classification during Monday's finals. Trinity’s Aiden Burkholder (106 pounds) and Lawson Coltrane (165) won championships along with Wheatmore’s Ayden Sumners (126) and Dominic Hittepole (175). So of the 14 weight classes in Class…

24 Feb

Dozen Randolph County wrestlers reach state finals

Bob SuttonSportsAiden Burkholder, Ayden Sumners, Bliss Joyce, Braxton Walker, Briana Joyce, David Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum, Jaden Allred, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, Maddox Carson, Michael Shropshire, nchsaa, prep wrestling, state tournament

Randleman’s Braxton Walker has his hand raised after winning a 215-pound quarterfinal bout against Holmes’ Gavin Pierce on Sunday at First Horizon Coliseum. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO – Randolph County wrestling teams will be well-represented in the finals of the high school state tournament. Five Trinity wrestlers (three boys, two girls), two from Wheatmore and Randleman’s Braxton Walker are all in the Class 2A finals, while in Class 1A there are two finalists from both Uwharrie Charter Academy and Eastern Randolph. The finals are slated to begin after the Parade of Champions at 4 p.m. Monday at First…