Dominic Hittepole - Randolph Record

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…

16 Feb

Class 2A wrestling: Trinity, Wheatmore excel in regional with dramatics, upsets

Bob SuttonSportsAiden Burkholder, Alex Raymundo, Ayden Sumners, Brandon Coggins, Braxton Walker, Dominic Hittepole, Jaden Allred, Johnathan Kelly, Jose Flores, Joseph Trahan, Lawson Coltrane, Mitchell Freeman, prep wrestling, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Stephen Cross, Trinity Bulldogs, Wheatmore Warriors

Members of the Trinity wrestling team pose for photos after winning the Class 2A Midwest Regional. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) Wrestlers from Randleman, Providence Grove and Southwestern Randolph also claim regional titles LEXINGTON — Trinity’s wrestling team went out to prove a few points in the Class 2A Midwest Regional and that turned out productive. The Bulldogs got the job done up and down the lineup Saturday at Lexington Middle School. “We didn’t come to play around,” Trinity heavyweight Joseph Trahan said. “It’s solely a business trip. We couldn’t get it done in duals, so we came here ready.…

03 Feb

Reigning champs UCA, Trinity start strong in state duals

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, class 1-A, Class 2-A, David Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jaden Allred, Joseph Trahan, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Brennan Worrell prepares to pin Union Academy’s Nehemiah Parker during a Class 1A second-round meet Saturday. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy and Trinity wrestling teams began their quests to repeat as dual team state champions with two home victories apiece Saturday. UCA, the top seed in Class 1A East Region and the Piedmont Athletic Conference champion, and Trinity, the No. 1 seed for Class 2-A in the West Region, cruised in the opening rounds. If they win regional semifinals and finals Wednesday night, they’ll be headed to state finals Saturday at the coliseum fieldhouse…

31 Jan

UCA, Trinity hold top seeds for state duals; Eastern Randolph, Wheatmore, Asheboro also qualify

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Class 3-A, Cliff Thompson, Dominic Hittepole, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Brennan Worrell, top, works against Avery County’s King Orvosh in a 120-pound match last year in the Class 1A dual team state finals. (Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy and Trinity wrestling teams will begin their quests to repeat as dual team state champions with home meets Saturday. UCA, the top seed in Class 1A East Region and the Piedmont Athletic Conference champion, is home against Lakewood. The winner meets either Union Academy or Albemarle in the second round. Trinity begins Class 2A competition as the top seed in the West Region, facing Brevard and then, if it…

12 Jan

UCA wrestlers buff up with more success

Bob SuttonSportsCaden Bond, Chris Waddell, Dominic Hittepole, Lorenzo Alston, piedmont athletic conference, prep wrestling, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Caden Bond TRINITY — Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team is on target for a league championship and another bid for a dual team state title. Per usual, the Eagles have been doing so by rolling past most opponents. “We’re trying to dominate,” senior Aiden Foster said. “We’re trying to be better every day.” UCA has a new coach in Hayden Waddell, who moved into the position that his father, Chris Waddell, previously held. The elder Waddell remains involved and on the bench with the Eagles. “We’re trying to stay consistent with what we do,” said Hayden Waddell, who was the…

06 Jan

Prep wrestling: Wheatmore’s Hittepole pins way to title; Trinity grapplers excel; UCA racks up duals wins

Randolph RecordSportsBliss Joyce, Dominic Hittepole, Jaden Allred, Joseph Trahan, Lorenzo Alston, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore’s Dominic Hittepole, top, works against an opponent during last year’s state tournament. (Randolph Record file photo) GREENSBORO – Dominic Hittepole of Wheatmore added another individual championship in the wrestling season by capturing first place in the Crosby Invitational on Saturday at Greensboro Dudley. Hittepole pinned Eden Morehead’s Brock Blizzard in 3:45 of the 175-pound title bout. It was his fourth pin of the day after topping Central Davidson’s Ethan Mumford in 31 seconds, Greensboro Page’s Ian Harris in 3:14 and Greensboro Grimsley’s Hayden Rogers in 32 seconds. A week earlier, Hittepole won 6-3 against Blizzard in a consolation-round match…

18 Oct

Area wrestlers compete in Super 32 Challenge

Randolph RecordSportsDavid Lambright, Dominic Hittepole, Greensboro Coliseum complex, Joseph Trahan, Lawson Coltrane, Lorenzo Alston, prep wrestling, Super 32 Challenge, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

GREENSBORO – Two-time state wrestling champion Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy posted a 2-2 record in the Super 32 Challenge last weekend at the coliseum complex in Greensboro. Alston, who has rolled to a pair of Class 1A state titles, is a junior. Several Randolph County wrestlers entered the Super 32 Challenge, which is one of the premier events for wrestlers of high school age and attracted participants from around the country, including those with international age-group championships. Alston lost by a 12-10 decision to Noah Bull of Layton, Utah, in the round of 32 in the 150-pound division.…

03 Sep

Wheatmore Warriors search for winning ways, endure loss at East Davidson

Bob SuttonSportsDominic Hittepole, Jacob Sheffield, Johnathan Kelly, prep football, Wheatmore Warriors

THOMASVILLE – Wheatmore’s bid to make football inroads is bound to be a tussle, so a frustration-filled second half Monday night against East Davidson became troublesome on multiple levels. “The disappointing part is we worked so hard,” Wheatmore two-way lineman Ashtin Bennett said. “No excuse to come out the way we did the second half. I know we can play better.” East Davidson scored two second-half touchdowns to top the visiting Warriors 14-6 in a non-conference make-up game that was postponed from three nights earlier. The Warriors (0-2) had been encouraged by this matchup, looking for a breakthrough early in…