Eastern Randolph athletics - Randolph Record

18 Feb

Randleman girls respond, claim PAC Tournament in overtime

Bob SuttonSportsBrandon Varner, Brecken Snotherly, Eastern Randolph athletics, Elizabeth York, Gracyn Hall, Jordan Booker, PAC Tournament, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics

Members of the Randleman girls’ basketball team gather with the hardware after defeating host Eastern Randolph in overtime. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Rally from Eastern Randolph creates drama RAMSEUR – Randleman’s recovery from a few late-game glitches made the Tigers’ championship that much more impressive Friday night in the girls’ basketball final of the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament. One thing the Tigers weren’t lacking was that internal belief that they would find a way to successfully defend their title. “Coach (Brandon) Varner told us ‘You’ve worked so hard for this,’ ” senior center Graycn Hall said. “We’re going to show how…

17 Feb

Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Eastern Randolph athletics, Kelly Smith, Kim Black, Mid-Piedmont Conference, Prep volleyball

ASHEBORO – Kelly Smith has been hired as the new volleyball coach at Asheboro. Smith will be the team’s third volleyball coach in three years. She replaces Kim Black, whose third stint as head coach of the program lasted just one year. Smith, an Eastern Randolph alum, was coach of her alma mater’s volleyball team in 2017 and 2018 before going to Southern Guilford for three years. She spent time as volleyball and girls’ basketball coach at Southern Guilford, though without a winning season. She has been away from varsity competition during this school year. “I felt like I wanted…

10 Feb

Eastern Randolph boys find way to outright PAC title

Bob SuttonSportsChase Whitaker, Connor Carter, Davonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Johnny Thomas, piedmont athletic conference, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove athletics

Eastern Randolph’s Davonte Brooks ties the game with a dunk late in the third quarter at Providence Grove. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Wildcats withstand Providence Grove for rare basketball prize CLIMAX – Eastern Randolph had to make changes to figure out how to topple Providence Grove in Thursday night’s unexpected down-to-the-end tussle in boys’ basketball. Just mark it up as another accomplishment for this group of Wildcats. They’re outright Piedmont Athletic Conference regular-season champions, collecting the school’s first league title of any sort in boys’ basketball in seven years and only second regular-season title in 29 years. “We wanted to bring…

06 Feb

Prep Basketball: PAC boys’ race extends to final games

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Ashton Troutman, Brecken Snotherly, Davonte Brooks, Dominic Payne, Dylan Hodges, Eastern Randolph athletics, Gracyn Hall, Hakeeme Butler, Mid-Piedmont Conference, piedmont athletic conference, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Tyshaun Goldston

Southwestern Randolph’s Nathan Ellis goes up for a shot as Eastern Randolph players, left to right, Timothy Brower, Nicah Taylor, Davonte Brooks and Pierce Leonard look on. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – The big upset from last week came with Southwestern Randolph ending the Eastern Randolph boys’ basketball team’s winning streak at 19 games. The Cougars won 75-66 at home, so that likely will keep the suspense in the Piedmont Athletic Conference going until the final night of the regular season. Nathan Ellis led the way with 21 points, while teammates Thomas Leal (14 points), Sean Adkins (12), Kearns…

30 Jan

Prep Basketball: Asheboro, Eastern Randolph boys remain on rolls

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Brecken Snotherly, Davonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Prep Basketball, Tanner Marsh, Tyshaun Goldston

Asheboro’s Tanner Marsh leads a fastbreak with teammate Jerquarius Stanback on his right during a game against North Davidson earlier this month. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) Asheboro won two more Mid-Piedmont Conference games last week in boys’ basketball to go with a non-conference victory against Uwharrie Charter Academy. The Blue Comets enter this week undefeated in league play. It began when Jerquarius Stanback had 19 points in a 66-54 triumph against visiting UCA. The next night, Asheboro won its first showdown with Ledford in the Mid-Piedmont Conference, prevailing 66-54 for a road triumph behind DJ Headen’s 20 points and Tanner Marsh’s…

28 Jan

Randleman girls set high bar in PAC

Bob SuttonSportsBrandon Varner, Brecken Snotherly, Eastern Randolph athletics, Elizabeth York, Gracyn Hall, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics, Southwestern Randolph

Randleman’s Elizabeth York looks to go up for a shot against Eastern Randolph’s Logan Beaver. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Staying atop the Piedmont Athletic Conference has been a challenge for the Randleman girls’ basketball team. The Tigers have passed the test and that’s one of the rewarding aspects of another stellar season. “Right now, everybody is bringing their ‘A’ game against us, but that’s OK,” coach Brandon Varner said. Randleman withstood threats from Eastern Randolph and Southwestern Randolph during the past week. But it has turned out to be another title season for the Tigers, who are 9-0 in…

22 Jan

A new way of doing it works fast for Eastern Randolph boys’ team

Bob SuttonSportsConnor Carter, Davonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Johnny Thomas, piedmont athletic conference, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball

Members of the Eastern Randolph boys' basketball team have come together for a special season. MEBANE – No longer in a rut, the Eastern Randolph boys’ basketball program is doing it on its own terms. That’s fast – and to the point. “We practice fast,” senior Davonte Brooks said. “We come to the games just like practice. All fast, all fast. We all knew from the get-go what we were getting into, from Day 1.” Turns out this means getting all sorts of victories under first-year coach Johnny Thomas. The Wildcats are a rapid-paced, action-filled group all the way to…

02 Jan

Eastern Randolph boys claim tourney title

Randolph RecordSportsDavonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Prep Basketball

SANFORD – It was quite a week for Eastern Randolph’s basketball teams. The Wildcats won three games in the Lee County Christmas Classic in boys’ basketball to capture the tournament championship. Eastern Randolph nipped host Lee County 81-77, rolled past Western Harnett 103-47 and then took down Middle Creek 75-68 in the championship game. That pushed the Wildcats’ record to 10-1. Eastern Randolph won eight games all of last season. Davonte Brooks scored 17 vs. Lee County, 42 points vs. Western Harnett and 29 points vs. Middle Creek. He grabbed 22 rebounds in the Western Harnett game and had 16…

30 Nov

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: DJ Thomas

Randolph RecordSportsAOTW, athlete of the week, DJ Thomas, Eastern Randolph athletics, Eastern Randolph high school, high school football, piedmont athletic conference, prep football

Eastern Randolph, football Thomas, a senior, had a solid final football season for the Wildcats, who had the longest postseason run among teams from Randolph County. Eastern Randolph finished with an 11-2 record. For the second year in a row, the team was undefeated in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Thomas was a receiver for the Wildcats, who averaged 36 points per game. He also has been a member of the school’s boys’ basketball program.

19 Nov

Wildcats score late to keep alive season

Randolph RecordSportsBurton Cates, Eastern Randolph, Eastern Randolph athletics, Ervodd Cassady, nchsaa

RAMSEUR – Ervodd Cassady scored on a 26-yard run with 6:27 remaining as Eastern Randolph’s football team overcame visiting Robbinsville for a 29-26 victory in a third-round game of the Class 1-A state playoffs Friday night. The Wildcats, who are the top seed in the West Region, made two defensive stops inside their own 20-yard line in the final two minutes to hold on. Linebacker A’donye Herbert made a couple of key tackles. “Just make a play so we can keep moving in,” Herbert said. “It felt great, just one more step to moving in.” Eastern Randolph (11-1) will meet…