Mid-Piedmont Conference

With league play starting, it’s time to sort through possibilities in Randolph County prep football

With league play starting, it’s time to sort through possibilities in Randolph County prep football

Randleman’s Micah Thurston, here carrying the ball against Union Pines, has scored three touchdowns this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) It’s conference time for football teams from Randolph County and there are numerous similarities to recent seasons. Eastern Randolph goes for its third consecutive PAC championship. The Wildcats’ biggest challenge might come from Randleman. Those teams conveniently meet in the regular-season finale Oct. 27 at Randleman. There’s plenty to sort through prior to that potential showdown. Just like last year, the Wildcats are riding a four-game winning streak with a 4-1 mark entering league play. Randleman was last year’s PAC runner-up,…
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Check on college-bound athletes from area schools

Check on college-bound athletes from area schools

Jake Little of Trinity made a big impact in baseball for the Bulldogs and he’ll continue playing in 2024. (File photo) Here’s a check on some of Randolph County’s top athletes from the Class of 2023 with their college intentions: ** Asheboro’s Nicolas Chavez signed to go to UNC Asheville for men’s track and field. He was a hurdler and pole vaulter for the Blue Comets. ** Katelyn Thomas of Asheboro is headed to Anderson (S.C.) University to play women’s tennis. She has been on the Mid-Piedmont Conference all-conference team the past two years. ** Diego Gutierrez of Asheboro is…
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Mid-Piedmont Conference all-conference spring lists

Mid-Piedmont Conference all-conference spring lists

Tanner Marsh of Asheboro was named the Player of the Year for Mid-Piedmont Conference baseball. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Here’s a list of the Mid-Piedmont Conference’s major award winners plus Asheboro’s all-conference selections for spring sports: Baseball Player of the Year: Tanner Marsh (Asheboro) Pitcher of the Year: Garrett Roark (Ledford) Coach of the Year: Kevin Goss (Ledford) Asheboro: Connor Adams, Davis Gore, Tanner Marsh.   Boys’ golf Player of the Year: Aidan Wilson (Oak Grove) Coach of the Year: Randy Mercer (Ledford) Asheboro: David Elliott, Luke Payne   Girls’ soccer Offensive Player of the Year: Keelan Moore (North Davidson) Defensive Player of…
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Asheboro athletes rank high on Mid-Piedmont Conference lists

Asheboro athletes rank high on Mid-Piedmont Conference lists

Jerquarius Stanback of Asheboro takes a shot during a boys’ basketball game at Ledford in the Mid-Piedmont Conference. He was named the league’s Player of the Year. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Here’s a list of the Mid-Piedmont Conference’s major award winners plus Asheboro’s all-conference selections for winter sports: Boys’ basketball Player of the Year: Jerquarius Stanback (Asheboro) Defensive Player of the Year: Tanner Marsh (Asheboro) Coach of the Year: Brian Nance (Asheboro Asheboro: Jerquarius Stanback, Tanner Marsh, Hakeeme Butler, D.J. Headen.   Girls’ basketball Player of the Year: Trista Charles Stanback (Oak Grove) Defensive Player of the Year: Haley Long (Oak Grove) Coach…
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Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

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…
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Prep Basketball: Eastern Randolph teams reach PAC finals; Asheboro boys suffer upset loss

Prep Basketball: Eastern Randolph teams reach PAC finals; Asheboro boys suffer upset loss

Asheboro’s Hakeeme Butler takes a shot against Oak Grove during the Mid-Piedmont Conference Tournament semifinals. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Both Eastern Randolph basketball teams will be in the championship games on their home court Friday night. The finals matchups for Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament were set after Wednesday night’s results. The 6 p.m. girls’ game pits Randleman (23-1) against Eastern Randolph (17-6) followed by the boys’ title game between Trinity (20-6) and Eastern Randolph (23-2) On the girls’ side, second-seeded Eastern Randolph defeated visiting Southwestern Randolph 75-49 behind Brecken Snotherly’s 37 points. The third-seeded Cougars (18-8) received 14 points…
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Prep Boys: Blue Comets hit decades-long high

Prep Boys: Blue Comets hit decades-long high

Asheboro’s Jerquarius Stanback goes up for a shot last week against Ledford’s Whit Denny. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – There are lots of reasons that have made this a special season for the Asheboro boys’ basketball team. The goal will be to keep it going. The Blue Comets won the Mid-Piedmont Conference’s regular season, going through that portion of conference play without a loss for the first time since 1976. “We knew we would have some success in conference,” veteran coach Brian Nance said. “We had a good first half (of league play) and next thing you know, you’re 6-0,…
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Prep Basketball: PAC boys’ race extends to final games

Prep Basketball: PAC boys’ race extends to final games

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…
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Prep Roundup: Cougars, Tigers head toward girls’ showdown

Prep Roundup: Cougars, Tigers head toward girls’ showdown

Kenzie Martin of Southwestern Randolph goes up for a shot during last week’s victory against Trinity. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Southwestern Randolph and Randleman are on course for a showdown in girls’ basketball Friday night in Randleman. The teams have split two meetings this season. Depending on results leading up to the game, Randleman could be in position to clinch at least a share of the PAC regular-season championship. Randleman won 55-41 on Dec. 16 at Southwestern Randolph. The teams met again in the championship game of the Davidson-Randolph Christmas Classic at Providence Grove, with the Cougars pulling out a 49-48…
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Prep football: Brown works on compiling Asheboro staff while finishing duties at Providence Grove

Prep football: Brown works on compiling Asheboro staff while finishing duties at Providence Grove

CLIMAX – New Asheboro football coach Calvin Brown is still finishing his time at Providence Grove. While no longer the football coach of the Patriots, Brown is remaining at the school in other roles, including as athletics director, through Jan. 20. Then he makes the full transition to Asheboro. In more than a month’s time between his introduction as Asheboro’s coach and completely leaving Providence Grove, Brown said he hopes to have in place most of his new staff with the Blue Comets. “I’d like to have everything lined up,” he said. Brown, who spent seven seasons as Providence Grove’s…
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