prep football - Randolph Record

19 Jul

College destinations set for area athletes

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, cheerleading, College baseball, college recruiting, Eastern Randolph athletics, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Prep baseball, prep football, prep soccer, Prep volleyball, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Wheatmore Warriors

Alby Pulaski of Wheatmore won’t be going far to play volleyball at the next level. (Randolph Record) Players have selected from a variety of colleges to continue in sports Here are some signees and commitments from the Class of 2024 from around Randolph County: (This list in addition to those previously reported.) Baseball Wheatmore’s Ayden Byrd signed to play for Division II Montreat. ** Jacob Proctor of Trinity is going to Division III Pfeiffer. ** Eastern Randolph’s Samuel Asbill, a pitcher who also plays for Randolph County Post 45’s American Legion team, selected Guilford Tech. ** Outfielders Carter Brown and…

27 Jun

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Tucker Batten

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Prep tennis, Providence Grove athletics, Tucker Batten

Providence Grove, football / tennis He finished the school year as a multi-sport All-Piedmont Athletic Conference selection for his efforts in football and boys’ tennis. Batten was the kicker for Providence Grove’s football team, connecting for several key kicks during the past couple of seasons. He was on the All-PAC football team as a junior and senior. In tennis, Batten moved up to No. 1 singles for Providence Grove as a senior. ** During the summer, we recognize seniors from the past school year.

14 Jun

Wheatmore Warriors use spring to set foundation with new football coach

Bob SuttonSportsDominic Hittepole, Jacob Sheffield, Johnathan Kelly, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Wheatmore athletics, Wheatmore Warriors

Members of the Wheatmore football team gather near the end of a practice session this spring. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) TRINITY – Members of Wheatmore’s football team went through spring workouts adjusting to new coach Jacob Sheffield. “He’s bold. That’s the word,” said Johnathan Kelly, a standout linebacker and running back. “A good fit for us.” Sheffield was hired to replace Philip Yarbrough, who opted to leave the position and take a teaching position in Davidson County in his hometown. Sheffield is a Trinity alum and most recently an assistant coach there, though he’s a former head coach at…

04 Jun

Former Trinity, Asheboro football coach retires

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Kevin Gillespie, prep football, Thomasville, Trinity Bulldogs

Gillespie coached state champions in Greensboro Kevin Gillespie, who made two of his four stops as a high school football head coach in Randolph County, announced his retirement Friday. Gillespie stepped down from his post at Thomasville, where he spent the past four seasons. Gillespie coached at Trinity and Asheboro, with a stop in between to guide Greensboro Page to a state championship. He had an overall record of 172-110 after going 32-12 with Thomasville. Gillespie’s final game came last November in a 40-19 road loss at Eastern Randolph in the third round of the Class 1-A state playoffs. The…

11 Apr

Eastern Randolph coach Burton Cates to be enshrined in hometown

Bob SuttonSportsBurton Cates, Eastern Randolph athletics, Graham, Hall of Fame, prep football

Another honor is coming for Eastern Randolph football coach Burton Cates. (Randolph Record file photo) GRAHAM – Eastern Randolph’s Burton Cates, the winningest active high school football coach in North Carolina, is receiving hometown recognition. He’ll be inducted into the Graham Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday night. “Being from Graham all my life, it’s very special recognition,” Cates said. “What I’ve accomplished isn’t about me by any stretch. It’s about the people around me.” Cates, 71, has more than 360 career coaching victories. Eastern Randolph won the Class 3-AA title in 2006. Even when Cates left the Wildcats for…

04 Mar

Trinity alum Sheffield takes football job at Wheatmore

Bob SuttonSportsJacob Sheffield, Philip Yarbrough, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Trinity athletics, Wheatmore athletics

Jacob Sheffield (Courtesy photo) TRINITY – Jacob Sheffield is the new football coach at Wheatmore, but his ties to the school extend more than a decade. Most recently, Sheffield has been an assistant coach at rival Trinity, his alma mater. He said he has “fallen on both sides of the tracks” when it comes to the neighboring schools. He takes the vacancy left when Philip Yarbrough resigned after seven seasons as Wheatmore’s football coach. The Warriors were 2-8 last year. Sheffield, who’ll turn 37 in May, said it appears a foundation has been established at Wheatmore. When he met with…

01 Feb

Yarbrough leaves Wheatmore football post

Bob SuttonSportsPhilip Yarbrough, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Wheatmore athletics, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore coach Philip Yarbrough, left, talks with quarterback Ben Walker during a 2021 game. (Randolph Record file photo) TRINITY – Philip Yarbrough called it a move that he agonized about before resigning as Wheatmore’s football coach after seven seasons and 13 total years as a coach at the school. But family matters and professional pursuits led him to the conclusion to step down. “It’s bittersweet,” he said. “Going to take a step back and catch my breath. There’s a lot going on that I thought it was best for the program. … This is, by far, the hardest decision I’ve…

01 Jan

Plenty of special sports moments to savor in 2023

Bob SuttonSports2023, Brandon Varner, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Johnny Thomas, Prep baseball, Prep Basketball, prep football, Prep volleyball, prep wrestling, Randleman Tigers, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

It was another special season for Southwestern Randolph’s volleyball team and coach Darby Kennedy. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) Here’s a look at some of the top sports-related story topics in Randolph County in 2023: ** The gym at Trinity High School was named in honor of longtime boys’ basketball coach Tim Kelly. ** Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team won the Class 1-A dual team state championship by defeating Avery County in Greensboro. ** Eastern Randolph’s Brecken Snotherly set a school record for points in a girls’ basketball game by posting 51 against Trinity. Snotherly had a stellar senior season before going…

23 Dec

Norwood begins journey with Tar Heels

Bob SuttonSportscollege football, college recruiting, Eastern Randolph athletics, Eastern Randolph football, Jani Norwood, North Carolina Tar Heels, prep football

Jani Norwood (Courtesy photo) RAMSEUR – Jani Norwood of Eastern Randolph officially became a member of the signing class for the North Carolina football team this week. The senior lineman was a four-year starter on the offensive line. This year, he was named the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year for his work on the defensive front for the Wildcats, who won their third consecutive conference championship. Twenty of North Carolina’s 27 signees, including Norwood, are listed as early enrollees and another comes as a junior college transfer. That explains why Norwood isn’t a member of Eastern Randolph’s…

22 Dec

Here are Piedmont Athletic Conference all-conference teams for fall sports

Randolph RecordSportsall-conference, Coley Shiflet, Fernando Hernandez, Jani Norwood, Madelyn Smith, piedmont athletic conference, prep cross country, prep football, Prep golf, prep soccer, Prep tennis, Prep volleyball, Tyshaun Goldston, Zach Hazelwood

Southwestern Randolph’s Fernando Hernandez, left, and Randleman’s Chris Ayala were two of the top boys’ soccer players in the PAC. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Here’s a list of the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s major award winners and all-conference selections for fall sports: Boys’ cross country Runner of the Year: Zach Hazelwood (Wheatmore) Coach of the Year: Dennis Lewis (Providence Grove) Team: Robbie Clark (Providence Grove), Colin Duvall (Providence Grove), Alden Shelton (Providence Grove), Kelton Shoptaw (Providence Grove), Caleb Ward (Providence Grove), Jedidah Dake (Randleman), Freddie Mercado (Randleman), Austin Luck (Uwharrie Charter Academy), Zeriah Thompson (Uwharrie Charter Academy), Chris White (Uwharrie Charter Academy),…