Southwestern Randolph Cougars

Southwestern Randolph selects second Hall of Fame class

Southwestern Randolph selects second Hall of Fame class

ASHEBORO – There will be six inductees for the second class of the Southwestern Randolph Sports Hall of Fame. The group of Kaila Craven-Brandenburg, Lauren LaPlant, Randy Miller, Michael Wade Osborne, Donald Strider and Melissia Rogers Sutton comprise the induction class. The ceremony is set for Aug. 30. That night the inductees will be honored at halftime of the school’s football game against North Moore. This is the second class for the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame. There were 14 inductees in the inaugural class last September. Here’s at look at this year’s inductees: ** Craven-Brandenburg had a distinguished girls’…
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Ready to kick off: Teams in Randolph County hope for more early success this year

Ready to kick off: Teams in Randolph County hope for more early success this year

Coach Seth Baxter of Southwestern Randolph will have his team at home this week to begin the football season. (Neal Robbins / Randolph Record) Another season of high school football begins Friday night with Randolph County teams set for a variety of non-conference games. In each case, these are rematches from last year’s openers. In those games, Randolph County teams went a combined 5-2. Looking for more early success won’t come easy, though only three of the teams have road assignments. All games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Here’s an overview of the matchups: Randleman at Thomasville This could be…
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Prep Roundup: Asheboro splits on soccer trip; UCA soars early in volleyball

Prep Roundup: Asheboro splits on soccer trip; UCA soars early in volleyball

Randolph County teams had encouraging moments among their results in the first week of competition for the new school year.     Boys’ soccer   ** Asheboro went to Wilmington and split a pair of games. First came a 6-2 loss to Wilmington Hoggard. Then the Blue Comets edged Wilmington Ashley 1-0 on Juan Uscanga’s goal off Cam Letterlough’s assists. ** Wheatmore had some high-scoring adventures to begin the season. A 4-3 loss to visiting East Davidson was followed by a drubbing of visiting North Stanly 10-1 behind three goals from Jaylen Aquillina and two goals from Carter Queen. **…
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Prep Notes: New quests await top teams such as Southwestern Randolph volleyball, Asheboro soccer

Prep Notes: New quests await top teams such as Southwestern Randolph volleyball, Asheboro soccer

Southwestern Randolph’s powerhouse volleyball team will try to keep it going for another season. The Cougars, who’ve had 25 or more victories the past three seasons, begin their schedule Aug. 14 at home against Oak Grove, which had a 22-5 record last year. Southwestern Randolph, under coach Darby Kennedy, went 25-5 in 2023. The Cougars are a combined 79-14 in a three-year span. That stretch began with the 2021 state championship in Class 2A. Fall sports teams, with the exception of football, can begin regular-season competition Aug. 12. Early soccer tests In boys’ soccer, Asheboro has racked up some of…
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Southwestern Randolph’s Popp cherishes tennis success, NCHSAA award

Southwestern Randolph’s Popp cherishes tennis success, NCHSAA award

Allie Popp (Courtesy of NCHSAA) ASHEBORO – Allie Popp’s senior year at Southwestern Randolph was her best on the tennis courts and beyond. Even with her playing days done, she was reaping awards. Popp was presented with the Pat Gainey Award, which is a student scholarship in memory of Pat Gainey of Dunn. The criteria includes at least a cumulative GPA of 3.2, possess a strong work ethic, demonstrate athletic success during the high school career and demonstrate respect for coaches and teammates. Popp was an ideal fit for that honor. “She is a natural leader who leads by example,…
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Caleb Shelton

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Caleb Shelton

Southwestern Randolph, track and field Shelton capped his high school career by competing in the Class 2A state meet for track and field. He qualified as a high jumper, finishing 11th in the meet in Greensboro. Shelton was the only entrant from Southwestern Randolph in this year’s state meet. He had success in other events as well during the past season. He competed in some competitions as a triple jumper. He was an All-Piedmont Athletic Conference selection in track and field as a sophomore and senior. This year, he was the conference runner-up in the high jump behind eventual state…
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Check on the PAC spring all-conference selections

Check on the PAC spring all-conference selections

Addie Flinchum of Eastern Randolph produced a special softball season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)   Piedmont Athletic Conference all-conference Randolph Record Here’s a list of the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s major award winners and all-conference selections for spring sports:   Baseball Player of the Year: Seth Way (Randleman) Pitcher of the Year: Jake Riddle (Randleman) Coach of the Year: Jake Smith (Randleman) All-conference Randleman: Tate Andrews, Caden Lasley, Jake Riddle, Braxton Walker, Seth Way. Uwharrie Charter Academy: Tory Carver, Trey Kennedy, Brett Smith, Caleb Stickle. Wheatmore: Caleb Coggins, Clay Hill, Parker Kines. Trinity: Gage Griffiths, Brody Little, Andon Simmons, Ethan Willard Southwestern Randolph: Brady Armfield, Jonah Campbell, Lake Lunsford Providence Grove: Jayten Beasley,…
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Hayleigh Thompson

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Hayleigh Thompson

Southwestern Randolph, softball Thompson played a key role as the Cougars captured the Class 2A state championship this spring. The senior had several crucial plate appearances during Southwestern Randolph’s postseason run. She also was the team’s first baseman, helping the infield for a team that rode its pitching and defense for much of the regular season and the state playoffs. Thompson’s single in the final inning of Game 2 of the state championship series against Midway sparked the title-clinching rally. She also had a single and drove in a run during the first game of the title series. Southwestern Randolph…
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Southwestern Randolph Cougars turn to Lagrama as baseball coach

Southwestern Randolph Cougars turn to Lagrama as baseball coach

Ed Lagrama (Courtesy photo) ASHEBORO – Ed Lagrama filled in at the end of the recent season as Southwestern Randolph’s interim baseball coach. Now, he’ll be the coach moving forward. Lagrama is a former softball coach at Southwestern Randolph. His interim role came when the school sought a replacement for first-year coach Brian Gusa. The Cougars went 3-4 under Lagrama’s direction to complete a 9-15 season. Lagrama had a connection to the baseball team as an assistant coach under Tyler Clapp and also helped when Ethan Marsh led the program. So when principal Brian Hodgin called to ask him to…
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Macie Crutchfield

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Macie Crutchfield

Southwestern Randolph, softball Crutchfield completed her junior season as the Most Valuable Player of the Class 2A state championship series. She pitched every inning in both games as the Cougars captured the title by sweeping Midway in games held at UNC Greensboro. In those 12 innings (because Game 1 was reduced to five innings by the mercy rule), she compiled 19 strikeouts and issued three walks. Crutchfield is a three-year starter for Southwestern Randolph, racking up high strikeout totals most of the time. She’s also has provided the team with boost at the plate. In the state finals, she had…
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