nchsaa - Randolph Record

21 Mar

Trinity wrestler learned to cope with injury on way to state title

Bob SuttonSportsBrandon Coggins, Greensboro, Lawson Coltrane, nchsaa, prep wrestling, state tournament, Trinity Bulldogs

Trinity’s Lawson Coltrane was delighted after winning the Class 2A championship at 165 pounds against Connor Byrd of Bandys. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) TRINITY — By the time the postseason for the high school wrestling season arrived, Trinity senior Lawson Coltrane knew there could be obstacles. He tried not to think about one of the biggest challenges he would face. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during the season. But if he wanted to achieve his goal, he would have to deal with it. “I don’t even know how to explain it,” Coltrane said. “It kind of happened…

18 Mar

Varner to return to coach Randleman’s girls’ basketball team

Bob SuttonSportsBrandon Varner, nchsaa, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Randleman Tigers

After a two-year absence, Brandon Varner will return to a coaching role with the Randleman girls’ basketball team. (Randolph Record file photo) RANDLEMAN — Brandon Varner is returning to the role as girls’ basketball coach at Randleman, appreciating a strong commitment from school officials to the program. “It was their passion about girls’ basketball and they really wanted me to lead that team,” Varner said. “From the get-go (principal Corey Phillips) was pretty passionate about that girls’ basketball team.” Varner stepped away following five seasons directing the Tigers in the spring of 2023. He’ll be the third coach in three…

16 Mar

Most basketball title teams from state finals come from West Region

Randolph RecordSportsnchsaa, Prep Basketball, state tournament, Stephen Gainey

Stephen Gainey, president of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, helped present awards during the state tournament in Winston-Salem. Gainey is superintendent of the Randolph County School System. Here, he poses with Reidsville’s Johnniyus Sharpe, right, who was named Most Valuable Player of the Class 2A boys' state final. (NCHSAA photo) WINSTON-SALEM — Here’s a look at the state championship results for boys’ and girls’ basketball in the North Carolina High school Athletic Association. State finals were played Friday and Saturday at Joel Coliseum. Friday Class 1A boys: Corvian Community 58, Southern Wake 55, OT Class 1A girls: Cherokee…

14 Mar

State basketball finals set for Friday, Saturday in Winston-Salem

Bob SuttonSportsJoel Coliseum, nchsaa, Prep Basketball, Winston-Salem

Here’s a look at the state championship matchups for boys’ and girls’ basketball in the North Carolina High school Athletic Association. State finals will be played Friday and Saturday at Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem. Friday Class 1A boys: Southern Wake vs. Corvian Community, 1:05 p.m. Class 1A girls: East Bladen vs. Cherokee, 3:35 p.m. Class 3A girls: Western Alamance vs. Cramer, 6:05 p.m. Class 3A boys: Southern Durham vs. Greensboro Smith, 8:35 p.m. Saturday Class 4A girls: Wakefield vs. Lake Norman, 12:05 p.m. Class 4A boys: New Hanover vs. North Mecklenburg, 2:35 p.m. Class 2A girls: Southeast Alamance vs. North…

11 Mar

NCHSAA aims to speed process to set calendar, playoff formats

Bob SuttonSportsnchsaa, Que Tucker, Randolph County School System, realignment, Stephen Gainey

The next step for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association is to set the playing calendar for the 2025-26 school year and devise playoff formats for the new eight-classification set-up. Expect that to be expediated. “If we had it ready, it would be out there,” said NCHSAA president Stephen Gainey, who’s also superintendent of the Randolph County School System. “We know the coaches and the ADs and principals need it.” The NCHAA board of directors completed the conference realignment process last week by approving a final version. Gainey and NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker answered questions last Thursday. The calendar…

08 Mar

Prep basketball: Seasons end for Eastern Randolph boys, UCA girls

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Julian Brooks, nchsaa, Nevaeh Staples, Prep Basketball, state playoffs, Timothy Brower, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Will Stalker

Eastern Randolph’s Will Stalker makes a move toward the basket against South Stokes’ Korrin N’Diaye during the Class 1A West Region semifinal. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) The high school basketball season ended for Randolph County high schools after a pair of teams reached the third round of the state playoffs. That’s as far as it went for Eastern Randolph’s boys and Uwharrie Charter Academy’s girls. They went on the road for the first time in the West Region and came up short in Class 1A games earlier this week. Boys Seventh-seeded Eastern Randolph was in a tight game with…

04 Mar

One school nixed from proposed conference involving Wildcats, Cougars, UCA

Bob SuttonSportsEastern Randolph Wildcats, Foster Cates, Matt Kiser, nchsaa, prep football, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Three schools from Randolph County would stay together in the latest realignment draft Eastern Randolph, Southwestern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy remain together in the latest version of North Carolina High School Athletic Association conference realignment proposals, but it’s down to a six-school league. Carrboro is no longer grouped in that conference, which also would include North Moore, Northwood and Jordan-Matthews. UCA doesn’t play football. With Carrboro out of the mix, it’s a relief for at least a couple of schools regarding traveling distance. “We’re OK with that (latest change),” said Matt Kiser, co-athletics director at Southwestern Randolph. “Carrboro isn’t…

28 Feb

State playoffs: UCA teams advance; Randleman boys bounced; Mixed results for other schools

Bob SuttonSportsAaron Smith, Andrew Thomas, Asheboro Blue Comets, Bella Byman, Chase Farlow, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jacquline McDaniel, Jada Nixon, Jaxon Mabe, Jordin George, Julian Brooks, Kenzie Martin, Laurel Bernhardt, Macy Allred, Maddie Strider, nchsaa, Nevaeh Staples, Osiris Rodriguez, Prep Basketball, Providence Grove Patriots, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Tyshaun Goldston, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Will Dabbs, Will Stalker

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Aaron Smith goes up between Murphy players during the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs Tuesday night. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams made it through the first round of the state playoffs. Eastern Randolph’s boys and Southwestern Randolph’s girls and Randleman’s girls also advanced with victories Tuesday night. The second round comes Friday night. Not all teams were so fortunate in the opening round. Boys Randleman, the No. 2 seed in Class 2A West Region, was knocked off by No. 31 seed Forest Hills by 70-62. It…

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…