piedmont athletic conference - Randolph Record

25 Jun

No speed traps: Cougars’ Cole burns at rapid clip

Bob SuttonSportsAdam Cole, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, prep football, prep track and field, Southwestern Randolph Cougars

Southwestern Randolph’s Adam Cole runs behind teammate Eli Gravely during a 2022 football game. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Southwestern Randolph product seeks more fast times in football ASHEBORO – Adam Cole figured out pretty early that the best way to make an impression was to do it fast. He sprinted to a special high school career for Southwestern Randolph. It mostly came about through football and baseball, allowing his foot speed to set him apart. By his senior year, he became the face of the football program. “It’s kind of a role I have to take,” he said. “It’s not like…

13 Jun

Whitson leaves as Cougars’ softball coach

Randolph RecordSportsChad Whitson, Macie Crutchfield, piedmont athletic conference, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Toby Strider

Chad Whitson coached Southwestern Randolph’s softball team to strong seasons. (Randolph Record file photo) ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph softball coach Chad Whitson has resigned after five seasons, the school announced Monday. The Cougars held a 65-22 record under Whitson’s direction. Toby Strider, who had been an assistant coach, has been promoted to head coach. Strider also previously coached at the middle school. The Cougars positioned a 22-2 record this year, going undefeated in Piedmont Athletic Conference play and ranking among the top teams in the state in Class 2-A. Standout pitcher Macie Crutchfield completed her sophomore season. Infielder Carleigh Whitson,…

26 May

UCA Eagles sweep Eastern Randolph in regional finals

Bob SuttonSportsBen Medinger, Brent Haynes, class 1-A, Eastern Randolph athletics, Jake Hunter, nchsaa, piedmont athletic conference, Pierce Leonard, Prep baseball, Rob Shore, Stratton Barwick, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

UCA team members gather after winning the Class 1-A West Region title. Clutch late-inning work boosts UCA’s baseball team RAMSEUR – It was pretty much a matter of Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team making the best of tough situations Thursday night. By doing so, the Eagles are heading to where they want to go. UCA completed a Class 1-A West Regional finals sweep of Eastern Randolph by winning 8-1 in Game 2, scoring all their runs in the last two innings. “It still hasn’t sunk in,” UCA senior Ben Medinger said of the chance to play for a state title.…

06 May

Wheatmore’s new basketball coach familiar with rivalries

Bob SuttonSportsCraig Shoemaker, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Tim Kelly, Wheatmore athletics

Craig Shoemaker is Wheatmore’s new boys’ basketball coach. (Courtesy photo) TRINITY – The more Craig Shoemaker learned about Wheatmore’s boys’ basketball program, the more he became interested in becoming the next coach. So he accepted the job and he’ll try another rebuilding project. “I was looking for a job,” Shoemaker said. “I didn’t know too much about Wheatmore. Seemed like they want someone to build it. I was very impressed by what I heard and saw.” Shoemaker had huge success during several seasons in 13 years at Ragsdale and more recently coached at Leadership Academy in Kernersville. Last season, the…

05 May

Cruising Cougars collect PAC Tournament title in softball

Randolph RecordSportsCaressa King, Carleigh Whitson, Class 2-A, Emma Mazzarone, Macie Crutchfield, piedmont athletic conference, Prep softball, Providence Grove athletics, Southwestern Randolph Cougars

Southwestern Randolph team members celebrate after the PAC Tournament championship game against visiting Providence Grove. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Macie Crutchfield threw a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts as Southwestern Randolph completed its domination of the Piedmont Athletic Conference with Thursday night’s 7-0 victory against visiting Providence Grove in the league tournament championship game. Carleigh Whitson had two hits and two runs batted in to help the Cougars to their first conference tournament title in eight years. Caressa King, who had a triple, drove in one run and scored a run, while Madelyn Smith and Madison Varner both knocked…

04 May

Lemons sours Trinity in eventful PAC Tournament final for Randleman’s baseball team

Bob SuttonSportsAustin Lemons, Drake Purvis, Hunter Atkins, nchsaa, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Randleman baseball, Seth Way, Trinity athletics

Randleman’s Austin Lemons had a big night on the mound and at the plate in the PAC Tournament final. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – There was so much going on with Randleman’s baseball team in the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament final. Everything from Drake Purvis making his much-anticipated season debut to the Tigers racking up their 20th victory of the year. Yet pretty much nothing could overshadow Austin Lemons. The senior who mostly waited in the wings behind a stacked roster from a year ago emerged as the pitching and hitting standout in Randleman’s 4-0 victory against visiting Trinity on…

03 May

Tigers take different route, end up in PAC final

Bob SuttonSportsChesney Welch, Jake Smith, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Providence Grove athletics, Randleman athletics, Randleman baseball, Seth Way

One strike away from a tournament exit, Randleman overcomes Providence Grove RANDLEMAN – Randleman’s baseball team hadn’t been in many of these situations in recent years. Trailing by two runs and down to their final strike, the Tigers’ stranglehold on the Piedmont Athletic Conference was in jeopardy Tuesday night. Providence Grove was on the cusp of pulling off an upset in the PAC Tournament semifinal. “I haven’t been in that many situations like that.” Randleman junior Seth Way said. “Do what you have to do to win the game.” So he did. Down 0-2 in the count with runners on…

03 May

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Andrew Canter

Randolph RecordSportsAndrew Canter, athlete, athlete of the week, local sports, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, prep sports, Providence Grove

Providence Grove, baseball Canter has been a key hitter and has supplied a huge boost on the mound for Providence Grove in his senior season. Canter, who also played football at the school, rolled up four pitching victories in the regular season. The Patriots bounced back following a rare losing season to hold a 13-9 mark at the end of the regular season. As a quarterback in his final season in football, he tossed 10 touchdown passes and threw for more than 1,000 yards.

30 Apr

Prep track and field: Wheatmore girls, Randleman boys notch PAC titles

Randolph RecordSportsBrecken Snotherly, Gracie Beane, piedmont athletic conference, Randleman athletics, Wheatmore athletics, Zach Hazelwood

Randleman’s Gracie Beane, shown here in the high jump during the state meet last year at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, won four events in this week’s PAC championships. (File photo) Snotherly, Beane, Hazelwood claim most individual events TRINITY – Wheatmore’s girls and Randleman’s boys were team champions in the Piedmont Athletic Conference track and field championships. Wheatmore, the host school, posted 137 points in the girls’ competition to runner-up Providence Grove’s 108 and Randleman’s 101. On the boys’ side, Randleman had 145 to Trinity’s 134. Multiple individual winners were prominent on the girls’ side with Brecken Snotherly of Eastern…

28 Apr

Randleman keeps it close to home with new girls’ coach

Bob SuttonSportspiedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics, Steven Rightmyer

Steven Rightmyer was named coach of the Randleman girls’ basketball team. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – The next step in Steven Rightmyer’s coaching ventures takes him to something different, but he’s also familiar with much of what’s involved in Randleman’s girls’ basketball program. He was named the next coach of the Tigers, who’ve been a power the past few years. “I always wanted to be a varsity coach,” Rightmyer said. “It’s a chance to step outside and try a new challenge.” That’s because Rightmyer has mostly been involved in coaching boys’ sports. He moves from his role as boys’ basketball…