prep wrestling

UCA’s Alston places second in wrestling nationals; Others post winning records

UCA’s Alston places second in wrestling nationals; Others post winning records

Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy came close to winning a national tournament. (Randolph Record) Lorenzo Alston of Uwharrie Charter Academy finished as a runner-up in the National High School Coaches Association’s national tournament during the weekend at Virginia Beach Sports Center in Virginia Beach, Va. The three-time state champion had the highest finish of any North Carolina entrant in all of the boys’ high school divisions. Alston, a North Carolina State commit, competed in the 145-pound division for juniors. Alston mostly breezed through the bracket until falling by 6-4 to Pennsylvania’s Michael Turi in the championship bout. Turi is…
Read More
Wheatmore wrestler Hittepole cherishes process of reaching championship moment

Wheatmore wrestler Hittepole cherishes process of reaching championship moment

Wheatmore junior Dominic Hittepole became a state champion last month after coming one victory short of that goal a year earlier. (P.J. Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) TRINITY — Wheatmore wrestler Dominic Hittepole won matches on a regular basis for several months. Yet it seemed like a long climb, waiting for the moments that would define his season. “I’m ready for February,” he said in late January. “I’m really excited where I’m at. It matters a lot. There are a lot of people doubting me. I can’t end up in that runner-up position I was in last year.” So he took…
Read More
Here are the All-PAC selections for winter sports

Here are the All-PAC selections for winter sports

Eastern Randolph senior Timothy Brower goes up for a shot against Uwharrie Charter Academy during a game during the past season. (Jann Ortiz / For Randolph Record Here’s a list of the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s major award winners and all-conference selections for winter sports: Boys’ basketball Player of the Year: Timothy Brower (Eastern Randolph) Coach of the Year: Daniel Mitchell (Randleman) All-conference Eastern Randolph: Julian Brooks, Timothy Brower Providence Grove: Will Dabbs, Andrew Thomas Randleman: Connor Cassidy, Chase Farlow, Tyshaun Goldston Southwestern Randolph: Brayden Chapman, Julian Mosley Trinity: Zy’iveon Holmes Uwharrie Charter Academy: Braeden Lamb, Jaxon Mabe, Aaron Smith Wheatmore: Weston Driggers, Parker Kines   Girls’ basketball Co-Players…
Read More
Trinity wrestler learned to cope with injury on way to state title

Trinity wrestler learned to cope with injury on way to state title

Trinity’s Lawson Coltrane was delighted after winning the Class 2A championship at 165 pounds against Connor Byrd of Bandys. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) TRINITY — By the time the postseason for the high school wrestling season arrived, Trinity senior Lawson Coltrane knew there could be obstacles. He tried not to think about one of the biggest challenges he would face. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament during the season. But if he wanted to achieve his goal, he would have to deal with it. “I don’t even know how to explain it,” Coltrane said. “It kind of happened…
Read More
All-Mid-Piedmont Conference for winter sports

All-Mid-Piedmont Conference for winter sports

Asheboro’s Osiris Rodriguez looks to make a move against North Davidson during the past boys’ basketball season. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Here’s a list of the Mid-Piedmont Conference’s major award winners plus Asheboro’s all-conference selections for winter sports: Boys’ basketball Player of the Year: Adam Grier (Ledford) Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Loucas Shoaf (Oak Grove), Elijah Woodle (Asheboro) Coach of the Year: Ann Ferguson (Ledford) Asheboro: Elijah Woodle, Osiris Rodriguez, Jalial Timmons   Girls’ basketball Co-Players of the Year: Cora Hadley (Oak Grove), Izzy Ferguson (Ledford) Defensive Player of the Year: Emma Hadley (Oak Grove) Coach of the Year: Catlyn Moser (Ledford) Asheboro: None…
Read More
Prep wrestling notes: Southwestern Randolph’s Flores takes pride in career; Wheatmore senior finds spot on board

Prep wrestling notes: Southwestern Randolph’s Flores takes pride in career; Wheatmore senior finds spot on board

Southwestern Randolph’s Jose Flores matches up with Holmes’ Steven Ferebee in the first round of the state tournament. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — Southwestern Randolph wrestler Jose Flores found perspective as his high school wrestling career came to close in eerily quiet fashion. He leaves as a one-time state champion, though he couldn’t repeat that in his last two seasons. “Overall, I’m disappointed I couldn’t get first,” Flores after last week’s tournament ended. “I did do better than I did last year. As I looked at it, I placed three seasons.” Flores placed third in Class 2A at…
Read More
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Braxton Walker

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Braxton Walker

Randleman, wrestling / baseball Walker dominated in four matches in the Class 2A state tournament at 215 pounds, winning the championship last week at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. Walker, a senior, used three technical falls and a major decision in securing the title. He defeated Seaforth’s Ethan Kuball 14-2 in the final, completing the season with a 40-3 record. Walker had placed fourth last year in the 190-pound class. He racked up 89 victories across a two-season period. Later in the week, he went to the mound for the Randleman baseball team and delivered 13 strikeouts against host Northwest…
Read More
Photo gallery of Randolph County’s nine wrestling champions

Photo gallery of Randolph County’s nine wrestling champions

Trinity fans gathered at the state finals at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, where five wrestlers from the school reached individual state finals. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — There were nine individual wrestling state champions from schools in Randolph County schools during the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s state tournament, which ended Monday at First Horizon Coliseum. Those titlists represented five different schools — Eastern Randolph and Uwharrie Charter Academy in Class 1A and Randleman, Trinity and Wheatmore in Class 2A. Here’s a look at some of the scenes from the championship round:  
Read More
Titles at nearly every turn in Class 2A for Randolph County wrestlers

Titles at nearly every turn in Class 2A for Randolph County wrestlers

Wheatmore’s Ayden Sumners leaps into the arms of coach Kyle Spencer after winning the 126-pound state championship in Class 2A. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO — Trinity and Wheatmore shared some of the glory in the Class 2A division of the wrestling state tournament. There was plenty to go around. Randleman’s Braxton Walker joined in the fun as part of Randolph County’s huge presence in the classification during Monday's finals. Trinity’s Aiden Burkholder (106 pounds) and Lawson Coltrane (165) won championships along with Wheatmore’s Ayden Sumners (126) and Dominic Hittepole (175). So of the 14 weight classes in Class…
Read More
Class 1-A state tournament: Eastern Randolph joins UCA with wrestling titles

Class 1-A state tournament: Eastern Randolph joins UCA with wrestling titles

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Michael Shropshire reacts during his 215-pound championship match in Class 1A on Monday. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO – The third consecutive individual state championship for Uwharrie Charter Academy junior Lorenzo Alston was an expected highlight. Then look at what Eastern Randolph did in Class 1A during the state tournament at First Horizon Coliseum. The Wildcats produced a state champion for the first time in 21 years – and they had two of them Monday at First Horizon Coliseum. Junior David Lambright (126 pounds) and sophomore Maddox Carson (285) claimed the championships. Michael Shropshire, a junior…
Read More