Class 2-A - Randolph Record

05 May

Cruising Cougars collect PAC Tournament title in softball

Randolph RecordSportsCaressa King, Carleigh Whitson, Class 2-A, Emma Mazzarone, Macie Crutchfield, piedmont athletic conference, Prep softball, Providence Grove athletics, Southwestern Randolph Cougars

Southwestern Randolph team members celebrate after the PAC Tournament championship game against visiting Providence Grove. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Macie Crutchfield threw a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts as Southwestern Randolph completed its domination of the Piedmont Athletic Conference with Thursday night’s 7-0 victory against visiting Providence Grove in the league tournament championship game. Carleigh Whitson had two hits and two runs batted in to help the Cougars to their first conference tournament title in eight years. Caressa King, who had a triple, drove in one run and scored a run, while Madelyn Smith and Madison Varner both knocked…

01 Mar

Prep basketball: Eastern Randolph boys keep season going, win regional semi on road

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Class 2-A, Devonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Elizabeth York, Gracyn Hall, Johnny Thomas, nchsaa, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics, Timothy Brower

Coach Johnny Thomas makes a postgame video with his Eastern Randolph boys’ basketball team after winning the Class 1-A West Region semifinal at South Stokes. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) WALNUT COVE – Pierce Leonard scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and Eastern Randolph rallied past South Stokes to continue its best postseason in program history. The Wildcats put together a strong second half to pull out the Class 1-A West Region semifinal, winning 74-71 on Tuesday night. “I told them, ‘I am proud of you. We’ve had a long season, but this is not it,’ ” first-year…

28 Feb

New-look Tigers keep lofty goals for baseball season

Bob SuttonSportsClass 2-A, Hunter Atkins, Jake Smith, nchsaa, piedmont athletic conference, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, Seth Way

Randleman coach Jake Smith receives a water bath courtesy of Riley Edwards after the Tigers won the 2022 state championship in Burlington. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Randleman’s baseball team embarks on another season of high expectations RANDLEMAN – Randleman has been at the top of the Class 2-A baseball world in the state for the past two years. Going into this season, the Tigers are going to look different. The goals haven’t changed. “It’s exciting for the kids, a lot of them waiting their turn,” coach Jake Smith said. “I think we’ve got a lot of guys who are excited about…

05 Nov

Prep Football: Patriots win for first time in state playoffs; Randleman falls in OT

Randolph RecordSportsClass 2-A, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove football, Randleman athletics, Randleman football, Zander Cheek, Zane Cheek

Randleman’s Chase Farlow chases Lincolnton's Andre Bost during Friday night’s game. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) MAYODAN – Providence Grove won a football game in the state playoffs for the first time in school history Friday night. The visiting Patriots topped McMichael 48-14 in the Class 2-A first round. Next, Providence Grove (8-3) aims for an even more monumental task by going to state power Reidsville, which is the No. 1 seed in the West Region, for a second-round game. Zander Cheek and Zane Cheek both scored three touchdowns. Zane Cheek ran for three touchdowns and Zander Cheek had two rushing touchdowns…

04 Nov

Soccer scenes: Photos and results from key recent games

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Class 2-A, prep soccer

Asheboro’s Cristisn Ortiz Benitez goes airborne in a game against Ledford that helped clinch the Mid-Piedmont Conference title in the final week of the regular season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Asheboro was the only boys’ soccer team in Randolph County to make it through the first two rounds of the state playoffs. The Blue Comets, who are the top seed in the Class 3-A West Region, turned back No. 17 seed West Henderson 2-1 in Thursday night’s home game. Brandon Santos and Cristisn Ortiz Benitez scored in the first half for Asheboro (21-1-2), which was slated for a third-round…

31 Oct

Prep volleyball: Cougars’ bid for repeat dashed

Randolph RecordSportsClass 2-A, Prep volleyball, Southwestern Randolph

Southwestern Randolph’s Madelyn Smith makes a play near the net against Brevard. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – There’s no repeat for Southwestern Randolph’s volleyball team in the Class 2-A state playoffs. The defending state champion Cougars were eliminated in the fourth round with Saturday’s 21-25, 25-923-25, 25-17, 21-19 home loss to Brevard. The Cougars, who were seeded second in the West Region, finished the season with a 26-4 record. Brevard advanced with a 23-5 record. Madelyn Smith had 13 kills and Riley Key added 10 kills in the last match for Southwestern Randolph. Raegan Leroy added 26 assists and Carleigh…

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,…

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

Tears of joy for Warriors: Wheatmore girls capture state title

Randolph RecordNews, SportsClass 2-A, Ellie Garrison, nchsaa, state record, Wheatmore athletics, Wheatmore soccer

Members of the Wheatmore girls' soccer team celebrate the school's first state championship Friday night in Cary. (PJ Ward-Brown/North State Journal) CARY – The Wheatmore girls’ soccer team fit right in at the state finals. The Warriors, who were the first Randolph County team to play in a state championship game in soccer, completed an unblemished season with Friday night’s 4-1 victory against Clinton to secure the Class 2-A title. “We definitely deserved it,” Wheatmore forward Summer Bowman said. The Warriors ended up with a 25-0-0 record. “You go 25-0, you set the bar so high for anybody,” coach Ricky…

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…