state playoffs

Prep baseball: UCA seeks another state championship; Randleman to open postseason vs. league foe

Prep baseball: UCA seeks another state championship; Randleman to open postseason vs. league foe

Infielder Landon Zephir and the UCA baseball team will try to produce another special postseason. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy’s bid to win a third consecutive state championship in Class 1A baseball will come as the No. 5 seed in the West Region. The pairings and brackets were revealed Monday in advance of Tuesday’s first-round games. UCA is set for a home game against No. 28 seed Bessemer City. If the Eagles win, they’ll be home again Friday night in the second round. Six other teams from Randolph County also are in the state playoffs. Eastern Randolph…
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Prep softball: Cougars’ bid for state-title repeat to begin at home

Prep softball: Cougars’ bid for state-title repeat to begin at home

Defending Class 2A softball state champion Southwestern Randolph will have at least three home games in the state playoffs if it advances based on the pairings and brackets that were revealed Monday. The Cougars are seeded No. 4 in the West Region. They open the postseason Tuesday night at home vs. No. 29 Chase. The winner moves into Friday’s second round against either No. 13 Bunker Hill or No. 20 Maiden. West Wilkes is the No. 1 seed in the West Region. Also in Class 2A, No. 15 seed Randleman opens at home vs. No. 15 Rutherfordton-Spindale Central. The winner…
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Prep basketball: Seasons end for Eastern Randolph boys, UCA girls

Prep basketball: Seasons end for Eastern Randolph boys, UCA girls

Eastern Randolph’s Will Stalker makes a move toward the basket against South Stokes’ Korrin N’Diaye during the Class 1A West Region semifinal. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) The high school basketball season ended for Randolph County high schools after a pair of teams reached the third round of the state playoffs. That’s as far as it went for Eastern Randolph’s boys and Uwharrie Charter Academy’s girls. They went on the road for the first time in the West Region and came up short in Class 1A games earlier this week. Boys Seventh-seeded Eastern Randolph was in a tight game with…
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Basketball roundup: Eastern Randolph seniors soak in special playoff moments

Basketball roundup: Eastern Randolph seniors soak in special playoff moments

Eastern Randolph's Timothy Brower takes a fourth-quarter free throw vs. South Stanly. RAMSEUR — Timothy Brower and Julian Brooks have played dozens of basketball games for Eastern Randolph in their home gym. That’s what happens, in part, when you’re highly seeded for conference tournament and state-playoff games. So Friday night marked a notable occasion for the senior Wildcats. It might have been their final time suiting up for a home game. If so, Brower and Brooks went out with a bang. “I was thinking about that during the national anthem,” Brower said of his time playing in that venue. Brower…
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State playoffs: UCA teams advance; Randleman boys bounced; Mixed results for other schools

State playoffs: UCA teams advance; Randleman boys bounced; Mixed results for other schools

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Aaron Smith goes up between Murphy players during the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs Tuesday night. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) Uwharrie Charter Academy’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams made it through the first round of the state playoffs. Eastern Randolph’s boys and Southwestern Randolph’s girls and Randleman’s girls also advanced with victories Tuesday night. The second round comes Friday night. Not all teams were so fortunate in the opening round. Boys Randleman, the No. 2 seed in Class 2A West Region, was knocked off by No. 31 seed Forest Hills by 70-62. It…
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Prep basketball: Randleman boys, Southwestern Randolph girls hold highest seeds for state playoffs

Prep basketball: Randleman boys, Southwestern Randolph girls hold highest seeds for state playoffs

Randleman’s boys’ team holds the top seed among all Randolph County teams on the bracket for the basketball state playoffs. The Tigers (23-1), who are Piedmont Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champions, are the No. 2 seed in the Class 2A West Region. Southwestern Randolph’s girls’ team is a No. 3 seed in the Class 2-A West Region. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association released the pairings and seeds Sunday night. First-round games are Tuesday night. Boys Randleman opens vs. No. 31 seed Forest Hills (12-14). No. 27 seed Providence Grove (12-14) heads to No. 6 seed Lincoln Charter…
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NCHSAA delays start of wrestling tourney, pushes back release of basketball pairings

NCHSAA delays start of wrestling tourney, pushes back release of basketball pairings

The state tournament for high school wrestling was pushed back two days because of weather-related concerns, so now it will be contested Saturday, Sunday and Monday at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced the changes Tuesday. With mid-week wintry weather anticipated across much of the state, NCHSAA officials consulted with coliseum officials and other necessary parties to make the schedule change. The three-day tournament was scheduled to begin Thursday. Within the tournament, there have been adjustments to the schedule as well. For instance, first-round consolations matches for Class 2A, 3A, 4A and girls…
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Eastern Randolph Wildcats lose grip in playoff loss

Eastern Randolph Wildcats lose grip in playoff loss

Eastern Randolph’s season comes to a close in the third round of the postseason RAMSEUR – Eastern Randolph’s first loss marked the end of its football season, falling 27-14 to Corvian Community in the third round of the Class 1A state playoffs Friday night. An array of turnovers proved critical for the Wildcats (12-1), who were seeded fourth in the West Region. “We worked so hard, and that’s what makes it emotional,” Eastern Randolph running back Lucas Smith said. “This is the worst feeling you can have.” The Wildcats were in just their second tussle across the past two months…
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Lucas Smith

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Lucas Smith

Eastern Randolph, football Eastern Randolph’s high-powered team has had various sources of production in maintaining an undefeated record. One of the main contributors to the offense has been Smith, a senior running back. He has eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark regularly and ended up as a frequent visitor to the end zone. Smith has been an All-Piedmont Athletic Conference selection in each of the past two seasons. The Wildcats have cruised to victories in the Class 1A state playoffs. They’ll have an other home postseason game Friday night in a matchup of unbeatens when Corvian Community visits for a third-round…
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Prep football: Eastern Randolph breezes through second round; Randleman stalls in loss

Prep football: Eastern Randolph breezes through second round; Randleman stalls in loss

RAMSEUR – Eastern Randolph is the last football team standing in Randolph County. The Wildcats whipped visiting Cherokee 42-0 in the second round of the Class 1A state playoffs Friday night. Mason Carson returned an interception for a touchdown for the first points of the game and Eastern Randolph was in control. Cade McCallum threw for two touchdowns and Lucas Smith rushed for 145 yards. Eastern Randolph (12-0), which is the No. 4 seed in the West Region, will next take on fifth-seeded Corvian Community (12-0), a 42-6 winner against No. 12 seed Mitchell, on Friday night at home. Eastern…
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