piedmont athletic conference - Randolph Record

07 Feb

Trinity needs football coach after Morris steps away

Bob SuttonSportsMarlon Morris, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Trinity athletics

Marlon Morris spent three seasons as Trinity’s head coach. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph record) TRINITY – Trinity is amid a coaching change for its football program. Marlon Morris stepped down from his role as head coach after three seasons. “It was kind of a surprise,” Trinity athletics director Robert Mitchell said. “He decided it was best not to stay as coach.” Trinity was 9-16 in three seasons under Morris. The Bulldogs had back-to-back 4-6 seasons after a 1-4 mark in the pandemic-reconfigured 2021 spring season. “We’re going to give it a few weeks and see how the next month goes,” Mitchell said…

06 Feb

Prep Basketball: PAC boys’ race extends to final games

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Ashton Troutman, Brecken Snotherly, Davonte Brooks, Dominic Payne, Dylan Hodges, Eastern Randolph athletics, Gracyn Hall, Hakeeme Butler, Mid-Piedmont Conference, piedmont athletic conference, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Tyshaun Goldston

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…

05 Feb

Hayes ready for challenge at Providence Grove

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Calvin Brown, David Hayes, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove football, Trinity High School

School’s new football coach is Trinity alum CLIMAX – David Hayes has been around high school football teams for more than a decade as an assistant coach. Now it’s something different. He’ll be a head coach. Providence Grove hired Hayes, who has close ties to a couple of other schools in Randolph County, as its next football coach. “I feel like I was ready to take an opportunity like this,” Hayes said. Hayes takes the vacancy left when Calvin Brown departed to become Asheboro’s coach. Most recently, Hayes has been an assistant coach and physical education teacher at Thomasville, which…

01 Feb

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Thomas Leal

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, high school sports, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, prep sports, Thomas Leal

Southwestern Randolph, boys’ basketball The Cougars might have hit their stride, and they’ve been receiving key contributions from a variety of players. Leal is one of them. This has come as Southwestern Randolph cranked up a late-season surge for the second season in a row. Leal, a senior guard, scored 15 points in last week’s 63-58 victory at Providence Grove. He was one of four Cougars in double figures, led by Sean Adkins with 18. The Cougars entered this week with a six-game winning streak, helping them move into second place in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Leal has been a…

28 Jan

Randleman girls set high bar in PAC

Bob SuttonSportsBrandon Varner, Brecken Snotherly, Eastern Randolph athletics, Elizabeth York, Gracyn Hall, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics, Southwestern Randolph

Randleman’s Elizabeth York looks to go up for a shot against Eastern Randolph’s Logan Beaver. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Staying atop the Piedmont Athletic Conference has been a challenge for the Randleman girls’ basketball team. The Tigers have passed the test and that’s one of the rewarding aspects of another stellar season. “Right now, everybody is bringing their ‘A’ game against us, but that’s OK,” coach Brandon Varner said. Randleman withstood threats from Eastern Randolph and Southwestern Randolph during the past week. But it has turned out to be another title season for the Tigers, who are 9-0 in…

27 Jan

At Trinity, they can call it ‘Tim’s Gym’

Bob SuttonFeatures, Sportspiedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Tim Kelly, Trinity athletics, Trinity High School

Trinity’s Tim Kelly poses outside the gym named in his honor. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) School names gym after longtime, championship coach TRINITY – When Tim Kelly took the job as Trinity’s boys’ basketball coach, he didn’t intend for it to be a career-long passion. Now he’ll be connected to the Bulldogs forever. The school’s gym was named in his honor this week – Tim Kelly Gym. Kelly is in his 33rd season leading the team. This stint began as a means to appease his wife. “I came to this area because she wanted to move over here closer to her…

23 Jan

Prep Roundup: Cougars, Tigers head toward girls’ showdown

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Brecken Snotherly, Davonte Brooks, Mid-Piedmont Conference, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, prep wrestling

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…

22 Jan

A new way of doing it works fast for Eastern Randolph boys’ team

Bob SuttonSportsConnor Carter, Davonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Johnny Thomas, piedmont athletic conference, Pierce Leonard, Prep Basketball

Members of the Eastern Randolph boys' basketball team have come together for a special season. MEBANE – No longer in a rut, the Eastern Randolph boys’ basketball program is doing it on its own terms. That’s fast – and to the point. “We practice fast,” senior Davonte Brooks said. “We come to the games just like practice. All fast, all fast. We all knew from the get-go what we were getting into, from Day 1.” Turns out this means getting all sorts of victories under first-year coach Johnny Thomas. The Wildcats are a rapid-paced, action-filled group all the way to…

18 Jan

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Bri Hill

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, bri hill, girls' basketball, piedmont athletic conference, prep baskteball, warriors, Wheatmore

Wheatmore, girls’ basketball Hill helped the Warriors to a three-game winning streak. Wheatmore won home games against Southwestern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy sandwiched around a road triumph at Providence Grove. Hill’s 20 points were huge in the 52-43 conquering of Southwestern Randolph. The sophomore guard had 17 points in the Providence Grove game. Going into this week, the Warriors had won five of their last six games. Wheatmore held a 3-3 record in the Piedmont Athletic Conference after an 0-3 start to league play.

11 Jan

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Tyshaun Goldson, Randleman, boys’ basketball

Randolph RecordSportsathlete, athlete of the week, boys' basketball, piedmont athletic conference, Prep Basketball, Randleman athletics, Tyshaun Goldston

Randleman’s Tyshaun Goldston puts up a shot against South Davidson in last month’s holiday tournament. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Goldston, a sophomore, had quite a week in a pair of victories for the Tigers. He rolled up 19 points and six rebounds when Randleman defeated visiting Uwharrie Charter Academy 68-42. Then came Goldston’s 15 points, six rebounds, and three blocked shots in a 49-43 victory at Providence Grove. Goldston holds team-leading marks of 16.1 points, 7.7 rebounds per game, and 2.1 blocked shots per game. With an 11-5 record entering this week, the Tigers already eclipsed last season’s eight-win mark.