high school football

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: DJ Thomas

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: DJ Thomas

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.
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Eastern Randolph’s Lilly wants to make most of showcase game

Eastern Randolph’s Lilly wants to make most of showcase game

RAMSEUR — Na’heim Lilly is glad to be playing in a football game this weekend. He just wishes it was a different game. But the Eastern Randolph standout said he’ll aim to make the most of his opportunity in the Carolina Bowl Senior Showcase on Sunday in Gaffney, S.C. “I had a good year,” Lilly said. “Didn’t get as far as I wanted. I didn’t get the job done.” Lilly is one of the running backs for the North Carolina team, which takes on a South Carolina team. For Lilly, who says he likely won’t sign with a college this…
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Eastern Randolph faces reigning state champion next

Eastern Randolph faces reigning state champion next

RAMSEUR — The state playoffs sure become interesting in a hurry for Eastern Randolph. The Wildcats opened play in the Class 1-A West Region with a romp past No. 16 seed Draughn on Friday night. That sends Eastern Randolph (10-0), the No. 1 seed, into a third-round matchup this week with visiting Murphy. Murphy (8-4) is the reigning Class 1-A state champion. “We’ll go to work on it,” Eastern Randolph coach Burton said of the assignment. “We just take one game at a time. Everybody says that, but we really do.” Eastern Randolph, which received a bye in the first…
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County football teams fall in playoff openers

County football teams fall in playoff openers

ASHEBORO — The first round of the Class 2-A state playoffs didn’t go well for Randolph County teams. All three of the entries had their seasons end with losses. That included home games for Providence Grove and Southwestern Randolph. At Climax, Providence Grove fell 27-26 in overtime to Forest Hills, when a failed two-point conversion play resulted in the season ending. Providence Grove, which was seeded eighth in the West Region, ended up with an 8-3 record. The Patriots are 0-10 all-time in state-playoff games. Forest Hills moves on with a 7-4 record. Polk County 29, Southwestern Randolph 14:  At…
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Reid picked for honor at Panthers game

Reid picked for honor at Panthers game

ASHEBORO – Two members of Southwestern Randolph’s football team will go from the state playoffs to the pros this weekend. That’s because senior receiver Bryson Reid of the Cougars was selected as a recipient of a Carolina Panthers Community Captain Award. As part of the program that honors players who excel in the classroom and the community, Reid has been invited by the Panthers for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. “My teammates were so excited for me,” Reid said. He selected Cougars quarterback Keaton Reed to be his guest for the…
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Cougars’ comeback leads to record night

Cougars’ comeback leads to record night

RANDLEMAN — It took a record-breaking performance for Southwestern Randolph to win its latest football game. And that could mean more records for the Cougars this season. Southwestern Randolph overcame host Randleman for a 28-23 victory Friday night. Junior receiver Adam Cole scored two touchdowns to set the single-season school record for victories. The Cougars (7-1, 2-1 Piedmont Athletic Conference) have matched the school record for wins. They’ll try to break that in Friday night’s showdown at Providence Grove. It took plenty to defeat Randleman, which built a 10-0 lead. The Tigers (3-5, 1-2) have been on a conference championship…
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Prep Football Roundup: Cougars keep it going with strong offense

Prep Football Roundup: Cougars keep it going with strong offense

Southwestern Randolph’s football team kept the big offensive numbers coming. The Cougars topped visiting Starmount 42-30 on Friday night in a non-league game. The matchup was a late schedule addition when Southwestern Randolph’s scheduled matchup with Albemarle was nixed. The Cougars have scored more than 40 points in their last three games. Southwestern Randolph has boosted its record to 4-0. Keaton Reed accounted for 250 yards of total offense in the Starmount game. He rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another, with the pass going to Bryson Reid. Adam Cole scored touchdowns on a punt return and an interception…
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Patriots pad early resume

Patriots pad early resume

CLIMAX – Each week there has been something to cherish for Providence Grove’s football team. That came in various doses in Friday night’s 28-14 triumph against visiting Asheboro. “Anytime you can beat one of the bigger schools in the county, that’s huge,” Providence Grove coach Calvin Brown said. Providence Grove is 4-0 for just the second time in school history. It’s shaping up as a potential special season for the Patriots. “They’re aware of it,” Brown said of the place in history early in the season. “I want them to understand that it’s something special.” This week, the Patriots try…
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