prep football - Randolph Record

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…

13 Jan

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

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Calvin Brown, Mid-Piedmont Conference, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove football

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…

22 Dec

Prep Football Notes: More changes come in Mid-Piedmont Conference; Asheboro man coaches 13-win team

Bob SuttonSportsAndrew Carrouth, Asheboro Blue Comets, Calvin Brown, Eastern Randolph, Mid-Piedmont Conference, nchsaa, prep football

Mount Airy players cling to Eastern Randolph's Ervodd Cassady during the Class 1-A West Regional semifinal in November. Mount Airy went on to win the state championship. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) The coaching change at Asheboro isn’t the only change atop a football program in the Mid-Piedmont Conference. Calvin Brown is leaving Providence Grove to be Asheboro’s new coach, replacing Blake Brewer. Oak Grove has lost coach Mark Holcomb, who has taken the job at Bishop McGuinness. Holcomb, a former coach at North Davidson, had been at Oak Grove for all six seasons that the program existed. Oak Grove was 11-1…

13 Dec

New Asheboro football coach: ‘A great opportunity’

Bob SuttonBusiness, SportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Asheboro football, Calvin Brown, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove football

Calvin Brown was introduced Monday as Asheboro High School's new football coach. He spent the past seven seasons in that role at Providence Grove. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Calvin Brown will try to get Asheboro’s football program back on a winning path. “We want to compete on Friday nights and I know that’s what Asheboro expects,” Brown said Monday. “We want to change the culture and bring back the winning atmosphere.” Brown is leaving Providence Grove, where he directed sustained success, to become coach of the Blue Comets. Among more than 40 applicants, Brown was a clear choice for the…

11 Dec

Asheboro hires Providence Grove’s Brown as next football coach

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Asheboro football, Blake Brewer, Calvin Brown, prep football, Providence Grove football

Here's Calvin Brown during Providence Grove's 2022 game at Asheboro (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Calvin Brown will try to get Asheboro’s football program back on a winning path. Brown is leaving Providence Grove, where he directed sustained success, to become coach of the Blue Comets. Brown’s Providence Grove teams were 42-34 in seven seasons. He guided the Patriots to their first postseason football victory in school history earlier this fall as part of an 8-4 record. Brown takes the position held by Blake Brewer, a former Asheboro quarterback whose three-season record was 2-25 as head coach. The Blue Comets…

30 Nov

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: DJ Thomas

Randolph RecordSportsAOTW, athlete of the week, DJ Thomas, Eastern Randolph athletics, Eastern Randolph high school, high school football, piedmont athletic conference, prep football

Eastern Randolph, football Thomas, a senior, had a solid final football season for the Wildcats, who had the longest postseason run among teams from Randolph County. Eastern Randolph finished with an 11-2 record. For the second year in a row, the team was undefeated in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Thomas was a receiver for the Wildcats, who averaged 36 points per game. He also has been a member of the school’s boys’ basketball program.

11 Nov

Prep Football: Wildcats move on; Patriots fade at Reidsville

Randolph RecordSportsChase Whitaker, Eastern Randolph athletics, Ervodd Cassady, prep football, Zander Cheek

RAMSEUR – Eastern Randolph began what it hopes is a long journey in the state playoffs with a 28-12 victory against visiting Mountain Heritage on Thursday night. The Wildcats (10-1), which received a first-round bye in Class 1-A, received two touchdowns apiece from Ervodd Cassady and Lucas Smith. Cassady ran for 205 yards. Next for the Wildcats, who are the top seed in the West Region, is a home game next Friday night against eighth-seeded Robbinsville (9-3), which topped No. 24 seed Cherokee 39-12 in the second round for its second win of the season against that foe. Mountain Heritage…

05 Nov

Prep Football: Patriots win for first time in state playoffs; Randleman falls in OT

Randolph RecordSportsClass 2-A, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove football, Randleman athletics, Randleman football, Zander Cheek, Zane Cheek

Randleman’s Chase Farlow chases Lincolnton's Andre Bost during Friday night’s game. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) MAYODAN – Providence Grove won a football game in the state playoffs for the first time in school history Friday night. The visiting Patriots topped McMichael 48-14 in the Class 2-A first round. Next, Providence Grove (8-3) aims for an even more monumental task by going to state power Reidsville, which is the No. 1 seed in the West Region, for a second-round game. Zander Cheek and Zane Cheek both scored three touchdowns. Zane Cheek ran for three touchdowns and Zander Cheek had two rushing touchdowns…

29 Oct

Three area teams land in state playoffs for football

Randolph RecordSportsEastern Randolph athletics, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Providence Grove football, Randleman athletics, Randleman football, state playoffs

Andrew Canter throws a pass for Providence Grove, which is in the state playoffs again. Eastern Randolph’s football team is the top seed in Class 1-A’s West Region for the second year in a row. Randleman and Providence Grove are in the states in Class 2-A West Region. Eastern Randolph (9-1), the Piedmont Athletic Conference champion, receives a first-round bye and will play Nov. 11 at home against the winner of this Friday night’s game between South Stokes (4-6) and Mountain Heritage (4-6). In Class 2-A, Randleman (7-3) is the No. 10 seed with a home date Friday night against…

29 Oct

Prep Football: Eastern Randolph takes PAC title by defeating Randleman

Randolph RecordSportsChase Whitaker, Easton Clapp, Ervodd Cassady, Mid-Piedmont Conference, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Stratton Barwick, Zander Cheek, Zane Cheek

RAMSEUR – Devonte Brooks scored two touchdowns and Eastern Randolph repeated as Piedmont Athletic Conference football champion with a 28-13 victory against visiting Randleman on Friday night. Ervodd Cassady returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown against his former team as part of Eastern Randolph’s scoring plays. The Wildcats (9-1 overall, 5-0 PAC) have won nine games in a row since a season-opening loss at Eastern Alamance. They benefited from three Randleman turnovers. Stratton Barwick threw for a on a 12-yard play with Adonye Herbert. Nicah Taylor had 83 receiving yards among Barwick’s 128 passing yards. Randleman (7-3, 4-1),…