Brooks Brannon - Randolph Record

14 Jul

Brannon blasts off with Class A team

Randolph RecordSportsBoston Red Sox, Brooks Brannon, Class A, Randleman baseball

Brooks Brannon’s rise to Class A baseball came with a bang. The 2022 draftee of the Boston Red Sox out of Randleman homered in two of his first three games and three of his first five games with Salem Red Sox of the Carolina League. Brannon, 19, played his first game in the Carolina League on June 29 when Salem played at Fredericksburg. From there, he had a hit in all five games with Salem heading to this week’s break in the schedule. He blasted home runs at Fredericksburg and two at Lynchburg and had nine runs batted in through…

31 Dec

Championships help define 2022 for Randolph County sports

Bob SuttonSportsAldo Hernandez, Asheboro Zookeepers, Brooks Brannon, David Makupson, Grayson Roberts, McCrary Park, nchsaa, prep sports, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, Tot Hill Farm Golf Club, Wheatmore soccer

Summer Bowman of Wheatmore reacts after scoring a goal against Clinton in the Class 2-A state championship game. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Here’s a recap of notable Randolph County-related sports stories for 2022: ** Asheboro’s summer collegiate baseball team undergoes a rebranding that includes a name change. The new name is the Asheboro ZooKeepers in a switch from Asheboro Copperheads. ** Randleman’s girls’ basketball team goes through an undefeated regular season and completes a 25-1 season. The lone loss came in the Class 2-A West Region semifinals to Shelby. ** David Makupson of Trinity captures a state championship in Class 2-A…

15 Aug

Brannon drives in runs in first pro game

Bob SuttonSportsBoston Red Sox, Brooks Brannon, Florida Complex League, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball

Brooks Brannon, shown here with Randleman during the Class 2-A state playoffs in May, has had a strong start to his professional career. (File photo) Ex-Randleman star then triples twice in second game Former Randleman catcher Brooks Brannon’s second professional plate appearance resulted in a two-run single Saturday in the Florida Complex League at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla. “It was amazing,” Brannon said of the feeling in a text to Randolph Record. Brannon, who was a ninth-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox last month, went 1-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout in his debut for…

26 Jul

Brannon takes next steps after draft

Bob SuttonSportsBaseball amateur draft, Boston Red Sox, Brooks Brannon, Jake Smith, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball

Randleman catcher joins Red Sox organization RANDLEMAN – The route for Randleman catcher Brooks Brannon in professional baseball is taking form after he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox last week. Brannon said Monday, while he was traveling to Florida, that he plans to sign with the Red Sox this week in Fort Myers, Fla., where the organization has a training facility. Two days after he was selected in the draft’s ninth round last week, Brannon was headed to Boston. He reportedly was in line to receive a signing bonus that was more in line with a second- or…

18 Jul

Randleman’s Brannon: ‘Feels like a dream’ after Red Sox select him in draft

Bob SuttonNews, SportsBaseball amateur draft, Boston Red Sox, Brooks Brannon, Class 2-A, College baseball, nchsaa, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, UNC Chapel Hill

Brooks Brannon had an award-winning high school career with Randleman. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Catcher Brooks Brannon of Randleman was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the ninth round of baseball’s amateur draft Monday. “It felt like a dream come true,” Brannon said Monday night. “Excited isn’t even the word. It was ecstasy.” Brannon, 18, is enrolled at North Carolina, where he’ll play for the Tar Heels if he decides to pass on this pro opportunity. Brannon was selected with the 279th pick overall during the second day of the three-day draft that concludes Tuesday. In that spot,…

15 Jul

Loud, proud prep career for Brannon

Bob SuttonSportsbaseball, Boston Red Sox, Brooks Brannon, MLB draft, nchsaa, prep sports, Randleman, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball

Brooks Brannon had a record-setting high school season with some incredible power-hitting numbers. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Randleman catcher awaits draft after season filled with thrills RANDLEMAN — For all the noise Brooks Brannon can bring to a ballpark, it might be a level of calmness that helped him – and his teammates – most. Yet there could be more commotion connected to his baseball career this weekend when baseball’s amateur draft begins, and the Randleman catcher is bound to be among those selected. Whether he goes from high school to the pros – or chooses a route playing college baseball…

04 Jun

Tigers cherish title repeat in state finals

Bob SuttonNews, SportsBrooks Brannon, Burlington Athletic Stadium, Class 2-A, nchsaa, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, Ryan White

Randleman baseball players celebrate after the final out of the Class 2-A state finals. (PJ Ward-Brown/North State Journal) Randleman finishes remarkable postseason run BURLINGTON – It was even better this time for Randleman baseball players. They should know. With the core of the team intact, the Tigers repeated as Class 2-A state champions with another emphatic result. “Senior year, a good way to go out,” center fielder Braylen Hayes said. Randleman capped a sterling season with Saturday afternoon’s 12-5 victory against Whiteville in Game 2 of the championship series at Burlington Athletic Stadium. “My last game is winning another state…

04 Jun

Randleman begins state finals with no-hitter, another record

Bob SuttonSportsBrooks Brannon, Burlington Athletic Stadium, Class 2-A, Drake Purvis, nchsaa, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball

Here's Drake Purvis of Randleman after his no-hitter against Whiteville to begin the Class 2-A state finals. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) BURLINGTON – Randleman’s baseball team wants to repeat its Class 2-A state championship this weekend and the Tigers were in a reminiscing mood based on Game 1 of the title series. How does another no-hitter sound? That’s two in a row in the state finals on the same field, dating to last June. Drake Purvis’ masterful 12-strikeout performance boosted the Tigers in a 10-0 victory against Whiteville on Friday night at Burlington Athletic Stadium. There was yet another state record…

21 May

Finding the Way: Randleman takes normal path to another rout

Bob SuttonSportsBrooks Brannon, Class 2-A, Drake Purvis, Prep baseball, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, state playoffs, Trey Way

Trey Way and his teammates react to his game-sealing home run Friday night against East Surry. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Tigers ruin showdown, head to regional final RANDLEMAN – The fourth round of the Class 2-A state playoffs shaped up as an epic showdown between two one-loss baseball teams. As the national anthem played, the line at the entrance gate had dozens of fans waiting to get in – and stayed that way for quite a while. The scene at Joe Brookshire Field had all the makings of a classic. Then Randleman did its thing – again. The Tigers…

16 Mar

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Brooks Brannon

Randolph RecordSportsAOTW, athlete of the week, baseball, Brooks Brannon, Randleman High School

Brooks Brannon | Randleman, baseball Brannon had two big games at the plate as the Tigers opened Piedmont Athletic Conference play with a pair of victories against Eastern Randolph. They had posted a non-league win against North Davidson on a neutral field. Brannon, a senior catcher, drove in 12 runs in two games against Eastern Randolph. In a 13-0 victory, he racked up three hits with a double and a triple and four runs batted in. He was behind the plate as Ryan White, Seth Way and Austin Lemmons combined on a non-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Later in the week,…