state playoffs - Randolph Record

27 Oct

Prep volleyball: Season ends for county teams in state playoffs

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Class 2-A, piedmont athletic conference, Prep volleyball, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles, Vickery

Southwestern Randolph teammates Jade Matias, left, and Bailey Blackmon go up for a block against Newton-Conover during a match in the state playoffs last week. (Thadd Sanders / For Randolph Record) UCA, Randleman reach third round before home defeats ASHEBORO – The volleyball season came to an end during the weekend for Randolph County high school teams. Uwharrie Charter Academy, the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament champion, was the last team standing before suffering a loss to visiting Cornerstone Charter in the Class 1A third round of the state playoffs. Earlier in the day, PAC regular-season champion Randleman went down in…

20 Oct

Prep volleyball: PAC Tournament champ UCA, runner-up Randleman hold high seeds for states

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, Mid-Piedmont Conference, nchsaa, piedmont athletic conference, Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament, Prep volleyball, Randleman Tigers, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy coach Lee Kennell addresses the team during a match earlier this season. (PJ Ward-Brown / Randolph Record) RANDLEMAN – Uwharrie Charter Academy’s volleyball looks all heated up again. The Eagles are Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament champions and hold big aspirations for the state playoffs. UCA upended regular-season champion Randleman to win the PAC Tournament last week. The teams split two matches in the regular season. Both teams received high seeds for the state playoffs The Eagles are seeded fourth in Class 1A West, entering the state playoffs with a 26-3 record. Eastern Randolph is in the bracket…

14 Jul

Wheatmore’s Messner takes turn in soccer spotlight

Bob SuttonSportsClass 2-A, North Carolina East-West All-Star Game, prep soccer, state playoffs, Wheatmore Warriors

Wheatmore’s Maggie Messner, left, makes a play against Wilkes Central’s Riley Huffman during the 2023 state playoffs. (Randolph Record) TRINITY – Maggie Messner had a huge impact for Wheatmore’s historic success in girls’ soccer. She was a bit under the radar with the Warriors, so she’s excited about the recognition that comes with a spot in next week’s North Carolina East-West All-Star Game. “For me, the best part is that because I’m not getting to play at the next level, I get to showcase myself and show what I can do and how I’ve developed,” Messner said. “I get to…

20 Jun

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Hayleigh Thompson

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Class 2-A, Hayleigh Thompson, nchsaa, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state champion, state playoffs

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…

12 Jun

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Troy Carver

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, class 1-A, Prep baseball, state champion, State championships, state playoffs, Troy Carver, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy, baseball Carter has been a key member of back-to-back state championship teams with the Eagles. The senior infielder has been a steady performer in the field and at the plate. Carver scored the winning run in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the state championship series against Northside-Pinetown in Holly Springs. The next day in Game 2, which turned out to be the title-clinching game, he had one of the team’s hits. UCA has racked up 50 victories across the past two seasons.

07 Jun

Wheatmore Warriors wind up special soccer stretch

Bob SuttonSportsClass 2-A, piedmont athletic conference, prep soccer, state playoffs, Wheatmore Warriors

Record careers end for girls' program TRINITY – Wheatmore came up shy of returning to the Class 2A state championship game in girls’ soccer after playing in the final the past two years. Yet the impact produced by the Warriors might be far reaching. “It has been a heckuva ride,” Wheatmore coach Rick Maness said. Wheatmore was the 2022 state champion and the 2023 runner-up. This year, the season ended in the West Region final. “I never dreamed of winning the states,” Maness said of the 2022 season. “This creates energy and people want a part of it.” That’s what…

03 Jun

Eagles soar to state baseball crown with stellar pitching

Randolph RecordSportsBrett Smith, Carter Brown, class 1-A, Jake Hunter, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Rob Shore, state playoffs, Ting Stadium, Trey Kennedy, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

The UCA baseball team collected another state championship banner. (NCHSAA photo) HOLLY SPRINGS – Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team won in different fashions in two games in the Class 1A state finals at Ting Stadium. But stellar pitching was one of the staples as the Eagles repeated as state champions. UCA pitcher Brett Smith kept Northside-Pinetown in check and the Eagles were boosted by Trey Kennedy’s go-ahead home run in a 6-1 victory Saturday afternoon against Northside-Pinetown, sweeping the best-of-3 series. While UCA (28-6) needed an extra inning in the series opener Friday night, the Eagles had a less adventurous…

01 Jun

Good to the last play: Cougars claim state title with two runs on final pitch

Bob SuttonSportsClass 2-A, Kami Dunn, Macie Crutchfield, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, State championships, state playoffs, Toby Strider

Here’s the aftermath of the tying and winning runs scoring for Southwestern Randolph on the final play of the Class 2-A softball state championship series. (Bob Sutton / Randolph Record) GREENSBORO – Madelyn Smith’s dash from first base to home plate that sent Southwestern Randolph’s softball team to a Class 2A state championship came amid chaos on the final play of the season. It created more mayhem in terms of a celebration for the Cougars, who won the program’s first title in 14 years. “We have this saying, ‘Why not us?’ ” said third baseman Kami Dunn, who took that…

31 May

Southwestern Randolph in softball, UCA in baseball close in on state titles

Randolph RecordSportsCarter Brown, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Macie Crutchfield, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Southwestern Randolph’s softball team and Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team are both one victory away from state championships after winning Friday night in drastically different manners. Southwestern Randolph opened the Class 2-A state finals with a 13-0 blasting of Midway at UNC Greensboro. The game was reduced to five innings because of the mercy rule. The Cougars (22-7) go for their first title in 14 years with Game 2 at 2 p.m. Saturday. If necessary, Game 3 will be held at 5 p.m. or 8 p.m., depending on the status of the Class 4-A finals also taking place on the…

30 May

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Caleb Stickle

Randolph RecordSportsathlete of the week, Caleb Stickle, class 1-A, Prep baseball, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Uwharrie Charter Academy, baseball The senior infielder has been a key member of the back-to-back Class 1A West Region champions. Stickle provided three hits and drove in four runs in the decisive Game 3 of the Class 1A West Region finals Saturday night at Mount Airy. That result sent the Eagles back to the state finals, where they’ll try to repeat as state champions this week in the best-of-3 finals against Northside-Pinetown at Holly Springs. Stickle was solid throughout the regional. He scored the first run when UCA won in the series opener. He had one of the team’s two…