Grat Dalton

UCA baseball team heads back to state finals after sweeping Eastern Randolph

UCA baseball team heads back to state finals after sweeping Eastern Randolph

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Alex Carver is fired up after scoring in Game 1 of the Class 1A West Region finals. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team is back in the Class 1A state finals, seeking a third consecutive championship. The Eagles swept Eastern Randolph in the West Region’s best-of-3 finals, winning 12-1 in six innings in Thursday night’s Game 2 on the road. Two nights earlier, UCA won 2-1 in the series opener at home. The Eagles (18-11) have leaned on their experienced players, with several seniors in their final high school postseason. “You…
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UCA takes road back to regional baseball finals, will face Eastern Randolph next

UCA takes road back to regional baseball finals, will face Eastern Randolph next

Uwharrie Charter Academy baseball coach Rob Shore talks to his team before Friday night’s Class 1A game in the state playoffs at Cherryville. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) CHERRYVILLE – Uwharrie Charter Academy is back in another Class 1A West Region baseball finals and there’s a familiar tone. The opponent for this week’s best-of-3 finals is Eastern Randolph, a rival in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Both teams won fourth-round road games Friday night to keep their seasons going. One of them will play in the state championship series later this month. “Our guys are resilient,” UCA coach Rob Shore said.…
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UCA boys enter another new era with Mabe as coach

UCA boys enter another new era with Mabe as coach

UCA boys’ basketball coach Roger Mabe addresses his team during a recent game. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) GRAHAM – Roger Mabe spent time in several roles as a coach of school basketball teams, but he sought a head coaching position with a varsity team. He said Uwharrie Charter Academy has been the right fit. “I wanted to get the highest level possible in high school basketball,” Mabe said. Now he’s directing the UCA boys’ team and his son, Jaxon Mabe, is one of the top players. The Eagles are off to a stellar start to the season. Roger Mabe…
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Stickle stays in groove with Randolph County Post 45

Stickle stays in groove with Randolph County Post 45

Caleb Stickle, who began the month helping Uwharrie Charter Academy win a state championship, is a key infielder for Randolph County Post 45. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Some of the tension might have lessened since the thrilling baseball postseason in high school for Caleb Stickle. But he said he doesn’t want his mindset to change with Randolph County Post 45. Fresh of Uwharrie Charter Academy’s second consecutive Class 1A state championship, he has graduated. Last week, he committed to play for Guilford Tech. “It was getting late,” he said of the desire to lock in a plan.…
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Post 45 looking to fit parts together as season launches

Post 45 looking to fit parts together as season launches

Manager Ronnie Pugh says that pitching could be strong for Randolph County Post 45. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) Young team to play for Randolph County  ASHEBORO – It’s going to take time for Randolph County Post 45 to put it all together with a more youthful roster than in the past. But the group still intends to be one of the top American Legion baseball teams in the state. A week into the season, Post 45 split its first two outings. “We’re getting some things done,” manager Ronnie Pugh said. “All of the things we’re going to put in,…
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Post 45 falls in decisive Game 5 in series vs. Rowan County

Post 45 falls in decisive Game 5 in series vs. Rowan County

Members of Randolph County Post 45 gather after a loss in the Area 3 semifinal series in Salisbury. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) SALISBURY – Randolph County Post 45 will have a gap in its schedule before resuming play next month in American Legion baseball. Post 45 wasn’t able to reach the Area 3 championship series based on Monday night’s 5-0 loss to Rowan County Post 342 in Game 5 of the best-of-5 semifinal series. Rowan County won Games 1 and 3, so it won each of its home games at Newman Park on the Catawba College campus. Randolph County (23-6) will…
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Post 45 learns hard lessons as winning streak ends

Post 45 learns hard lessons as winning streak ends

Samuel Asbill of Randolph County Post 45 throws a pitch during a victory at Chatham County. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – A dose of reality during the past week might not be as bad as it looked for Randolph County Post 45. The American Legion baseball team had breezed through much of its schedule for the first month of the season. Then in a pair of Area 3 North Division games against High Point-Thomasville Post 87, things didn’t go its way. “Ego got too high,” catcher Grat Dalton said. “We beat everybody. We thought less of this team and should…
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