softball

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Skylar Pugh

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Skylar Pugh

Eastern Randolph, softball – Pugh was a force in the pitching circle and at the plate for the Wildcats during her senior season. She posted eight wins to go with two saves as a pitcher. She was credited with 131 strikeouts in 69 innings. Pugh’s four home runs were second on the team. Eastern Randolph finished with an 18-6 record. That’s the most wins for the Wildcats since 2019.
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kynley Brewer

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Kynley Brewer

Uwharrie Charter Academy, softball Brewer drove in runs last week in a pair of victories for the Eagles. Brewer, a senior, scored two runs and knocked in a row against Trinity. She had two hits, two runs batted in, and scored in a run in a game at Asheboro. She was credited with two stolen bases in each game. UCA won 17-0 at Trinity in its Piedmont Athletic Conference opener in a game that lasted three innings as the Eagles posted an eight-run second inning and nine-run third inning. Then there was a 10-0 result in a non-conference game at…
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Makayla McClain

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Makayla McClain

Providence Grove  |  softball McClain completed the season with a team-leading .597 batting average for the Patriots, who were undefeated into the fourth round of the Class 2-A state playoffs. She also was tops on the team with 11 home runs, 41 runs batted in and 34 runs scored for the team that ended up with a 24-1 record for the Piedmont Athletic Conference champions. She also had eight doubles and three triples to go with 14 stolen bases. McClain, a senior infielder, was a four-year member of the Providence Grove team. She’s regarded as one of the program’s top…
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Providence Grove alum receives top honor

Providence Grove alum receives top honor

Former Providence Grove athlete Anna Thomas was named the top female senior athlete at Emory & Henry College. Thomas, a softball player, is the 2021-22 recipient of the Hall Memorial Award, which honors an athlete based on skill, leadership and character. Thomas is considered one of the top outfielders in the Emory & Henry program history. She was part of 87 victories, two NCAA Tournaments on the Division III level and a No. 9 national ranking. During this past spring, she filled in as a pitcher as well. Thomas was the 2019 Rookie of the Year in the Old Dominion…
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Prep Roundup: Special softball season ends for Patriots

Prep Roundup: Special softball season ends for Patriots

Wheatmore’s Ellie Garrison takes a shot and scores a goal against East Davidson during a second-round victory in the Class 2-A state playoffs last Thursday. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL CLIMAX — Providence Grove’s magical softball season came to a close with Friday night’s 1-0 home loss to West Stokes in the fourth round of the Class 2-A state playoffs. The Patriots, who were the top seed in the West Region, were doomed by a lead-off home run in the fourth inning. Fifth-seeded West Stokes advanced to the regional finals.  Providence Grove finished with a 24-1 record. Emma Mazzarone struck out…
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Prep Roundup: Soccer teams start state playoffs strong at home

Prep Roundup: Soccer teams start state playoffs strong at home

Asheboro and Uwharrie Charter Academy won opening-round games in the state playoffs for girls’ soccer Monday night. Asheboro defeated visiting Foard 2-1 behind two goals from Tess Moody in Class 3-A. Natalie Flores had an assist and goalkeeper Sarah Allred made nine saves. UCA topped Piedmont Community 7-0 in Class 1-A, with Ava Cugino posting two goals and one assist, Kendall Jarrell scoring twice and Chloe Douglas, Kaylen Trucks and Ivy Redding all providing one goal. Second-round games are set for Thursday. A pair of Class 2-A teams from Randolph County failed to advance, while undefeated Wheatmore was slated to…
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Prep Roundup: UCA pair takes second in 1-A tennis; Providence Grove sparkles in softball

Prep Roundup: UCA pair takes second in 1-A tennis; Providence Grove sparkles in softball

The Uwharrie Charter Academy doubles team of Joseph Phetmixay and Drew Auman ended up as state runner-up in Class 1-A boys’ tennis at Cary Tennis Park. Phetmixay and Auman won two matches before they were denied in the final. The Bishop McGuinness pairing of Luca Pestana and Timothy Hackman captured the title by winning 6-1, 6-4. For the Villains, it was the fourth time the school has produced a doubles state champion pair, though the first since 2014.  A day earlier, the Phetmixay-Auman tandem defeated Voyager Academy’s Jacob McKenna and Simon Osceanas by 6-0, 6-0 and then claimed the semifinal…
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Prep Notes: Wheatmore golfers claim PAC crown

Prep Notes: Wheatmore golfers claim PAC crown

Asheboro’s David Elliott putts on the fourth green during a match at Asheboro Municipal Golf Course in March. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Wheatmore was the overwhelming winner in the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament for boys’ golf last week at Colonial Country Club in Thomasville. The Warriors posted a score of 324 for a 43-shot advantage on runner-up Providence Grove. Randleman (375) was third, followed by Trinity (376), Uwharrie Charter Academy (417) and Southwestern Randolph (453). Eastern Randolph didn’t have enough entrants for a team score, but that didn’t stop the school from making an impact. The individual champion was…
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Prep Notes: Dominant teams clinch area titles

Prep Notes: Dominant teams clinch area titles

Providence Grove’s undefeated softball team sealed at least a share of the regular-season title in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. The Patriots began this week with a 17-0 overall record and, with two conference games left, a 10-0 record in the PAC. Randleman’s baseball team finished its regular season league schedule with a 12-0 record against PAC opponents. The Tigers will end up with at least a four-game edge in the standings. Randleman outscored PAC opponents by a combined 146-11 in those 12 games. Among the other teams, only Trinity has a chance to finish with a positive run differential in…
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Edi Austin

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Edi Austin

Providence Grove  |  softball Austin had some big outings at the plate as the Patriots maintained their undefeated record entering the last week of the regular season. Providence Grove beat Trinity 15-0, Uwharrie Charter Academy 7-5 and Randleman 4-0. Austin had a total of seven hits in those games. Austin was a big part of an offense in support of pitching standout Emma Mazzarone. Austin, a senior infielder, drove in three runs in the Trinity game. Against UCA, Austin roped two triples and scored two runs. She followed that by going 3-for-4 with a home run and triple and knocking…
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