prep football - Randolph Record

07 Sep

Close connections define matchup for Blue Comets, Patriots

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Calvin Brown, David Hayes, Logan Fox, prep football, Providence Grove athletics

New Providence Grove football coach David Hayes, left, and former coach Calvin Brown talk at a Providence Grove basketball game last winter. (Randolph Record file photo) Asheboro staff stocked with ex-Providence Grove coaches CLIMAX – Providence Grove’s football team has thrived in the opening weeks of the season. Next comes a version of show-and-tell in a reunion of sorts when Asheboro visits Friday night. There’s far from an ordinary vibe for the non-conference matchup. “It’s weird, for sure,” Providence Grove senior running back/linebacker Logan Fox said. “It’s definitely going to be emotional on both sides. It will be more than…

02 Sep

Prep Football: Eastern Randolph, Randleman roll; Providence Grove pulls out victory

Randolph RecordSportsCarter Revelle, Eastern Randolph athletics, James Ellis, John Kirkpatrick, Nicah Taylor, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Randleman athletics

Eastern Randolph’s Nicah Taylor, here with the ball earlier this season, had another big night for the Wildcats. (Randolph Record) RAMSEUR – Nicah Taylor caught three of Carter Revelle’s four touchdown passes in Eastern Randolph’s 36-15 non-conference home victory against Southern Lee on Friday night. Revelle threw for 269 yards, with 212 of those to Taylor. Rayden West made the other touchdown reception for Eastern Randolph (2-1). West also intercepted a pass. Lucas Smith ran for an Eastern Randolph touchdown. Southern Lee (2-1) trailed 22-7 at halftime and neither team scored in the third quarter. Randleman 56: Cedar Ridge…

29 Aug

Trinity’s football team adjusts with Payne taking new role

Bob SuttonSportsBear Bradley, Brandon Campbell, Dominic Payne, Noah Bradley, piedmont athletic conference, prep football, Trinity athletics, Trinity Bulldogs

Dominic Payne continues to play a key role for Trinity's football team. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) TRINITY – When Bear Bradley became Trinity’s football coach in the spring, he had lots of area to address. At or near the top the list was meeting with Dominic Payne. “He was one of the first student-athletes I wanted to talk to,” Bradley said. “I said to him, ‘Where do you see yourself best?’ ” Payne had been the Bulldogs’ quarterback the past two seasons, earning All-Piedmont Athletic Conference honors as a sophomore. Now he’s two games into his senior season and playing…

26 Aug

Prep football: Cougars, Tigers, Patriots move to 2-0; Wildcats top Asheboro

Randolph RecordSportsEastern Randolph Wildcats, Johnathan Kelly, Logan Laughlin, prep football, Providence Grove football, Riley Strickland, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Trinity Bulldogs

Eastern Randolph’s Will Stalker makes a tackle on Asheboro receiver Ben Luck. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) ROBBINS – Southwestern Randolph built a first-half lead on a couple of touchdown passes and held off host North Moore for a 22-12 victory Friday night. Noah Stills threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Robertson for the game’s first points. Nathan Ellis threw to Colton Law for a second-quarter touchdown. The other touchdown came on Stills’ 12-yard scramble on a fourth-and-10 play. The Cougars (2-0) defeated one of the state’s top Class 1-A teams from a year ago. It marked the Mustangs’ first regular-season…

23 Aug

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kai Matthews

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, athlete of the week, prep football, randolph county sports

Asheboro, football Matthews had key plays on offense and defense as the Blue Comets opened the season by defeating visiting Albemarle 24-22. He scored on a rushing play for one of the Blue Comets’ four touchdowns. He also made a late-game interception as Asheboro clung to the lead. The Blue Comets won their season opener for just the second time in a seven-season span. Matthews, a senior, has excelled in track and field as a sprinter for Asheboro as well.

22 Aug

Wheatmore has returning QB, growing confidence

Bob SuttonSportsJohnathan Kelly, Philip Yarbrough, prep football, Riley Strickland, Wheatmore athletics

Wheatmore’s Riley Strickland prepares to throw a pass during a game last year. (Randolph Record file photo) TRINITY – Wheatmore’s football team has something no other Randolph County team has. A returning starting quarterback. “That’s actually pretty cool,” said Wheatmore’s Riley Strickland, who holds that distinction. “I still have two years.” Strickland and the Warriors began the first of those with Friday night’s 33-7 victory at West Davidson. That outcome served as a sign of the development for Wheatmore, which won seven games the past three seasons combined. “My biggest takeaway from Friday night is we’re better than last…

19 Aug

Football Roundup: Asheboro, Providence Grove win openers in debut for coaches

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Calvin Brown, Logan Laughlin, prep football, Providence Grove football, Randleman football, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Wheatmore athletics

Asheboro receiver Elijah Woodle makes a move against Albemarle on Friday night. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Logan Laughlin threw three touchdown passes to Elijah Woodle as Asheboro defeated visiting Albemarle 24-22 in a successful debut for new coach Calvin Brown. The outcome wasn’t secure until Kai Matthews’ interception. Matthews earlier scored a touchdown on a rushing play. Laughlin threw for 225 yards on 16-for-24 passing. TJ Mark also intercepted a pass for Asheboro’s defense. Brown is in his first season with the Blue Comets after coming from Providence Grove. Providence Grove 24, East Davidson 7: At Thomasville, the Patriots…

18 Aug

New eras, altered schedules greet teams for start of football season in Randolph County

Bob SuttonSportsBear Bradley, David Hayes, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, prep football, Providence Grove football, Randleman football, Southwestern Randolph football, Trinity football, Wheatmore athletics

Returning Randleman defenders, here converging on a Southwestern Randolph player last year, include, from left to right, Thomas Dobias, Gregory Price, Bryson Atkins and Tanner Gneiting. (Randolph record file photo) The high school football season starts Friday night. Here are a few items of note involving Randolph County teams: ** Asheboro, Providence Grove and Trinity play under first-year coaches. Asheboro’s Calvin Brown came from Providence Grove to take the coaching role. Asheboro’s non-conference slate has been slightly rearranged, though four of the five non-conference opponents are from within Randolph County. The change from the past couple of years comes…

17 Aug

Brown encouraged as first football season with Asheboro Blue Comets nears

Bob SuttonSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Logan Laughlin, prep football, Providence Grove athletics, Wes Luther

First-year Asheboro coach Calvin Brown, shown here during a practice earlier this month, is encouraged by improvement from the Blue Comets. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) ASHEBORO – Another phase of Asheboro football takes form with the beginning of the season under first-year coach Calvin Brown. There’s a new set of optimism for the Blue Comets, who’ve won a total of two games the past three seasons. The season begins with Friday night’s home game against Albemarle. “There’s a lot of excitement in Asheboro,” said Brown, who arrived after seven seasons as Providence Grove’s coach. “We’re not going to start winning…

15 Aug

Norwood eyes big impact in final season for Eastern Randolph Wildcats

Bob SuttonSportsBurton Cates, Eastern Randolph athletics, Eastern Randolph Wildcats, Jani Norwood, North Carolina Tar Heels, prep football

Eastern Randolph’s Jani Norwood is set for his senior season. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record) North Carolina football commit excels as Eastern Randolph lineman RAMSEUR – Jani Norwood’s goal is to take care of business on the football field for Eastern Randolph in the coming months. The focus became clear after he made a college commitment in the spring. The offensive lineman chose North Carolina for his college destination. “I wanted to do it before the start of my senior season,” Norwood said. “UNC felt like the most home to me.” Eastern Randolph, the two-time defending Piedmont Athletic Conference champion, opens the…