Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

29 Aug

UCA’s Hunter hones skills after MVP honor

Bob SuttonSportsAmateur baseball, Jake Hunter, Prep baseball, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics, Uwharrie Charter Academy Eagles

Jake Hunter was the Most Valuable Player in the Class 1A state finals a few months ago. (NCHSAA photo) ASHEBORO – When Jake Hunter was named the Most Valuable Player of the state championship baseball series in the spring, it turns out he was just getting warmed up. The Uwharrie Charter Academy pitcher had a summer filled with travel baseball and has been assessing some of the college recruiting interest that has been directed his way. “I kind of set my focus on travel ball and doing what I need to do to play college baseball,” Hunter said. Yet he…

18 May

Prep softball: Shutouts send Southwestern Randolph Cougars to regional finals

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Class 2-A, nchsaa, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

MILLERS CREEK – Southwestern Randolph’s softball team turned in shutouts on consecutive nights in the Class 2-A state playoffs and that has put the Cougars in the West Region finals. Pitcher Macie Crutchfield logged a pair of shutouts. Fourth-seeded Southwestern Randolph scored a seventh-inning run in Friday night’s 1-0 victory at top-seeded West Wilkes. Southwestern Randolph (19-6) plays in the best-of-3 regional finals for the first time in 14 years against second-seeded North Stanly (20-3-1) next week. North Stanly topped the Cougars 3-0 in a non-conference game March 13. Against West Wilkes, Madelyn Smith became the only Southwestern Randolph base…

17 May

Prep Baseball: UCA survives in 8 innings, advances to West Region finals

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Randleman athletics, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

ASHEBORO – Defending Class 1-A state champion Uwharrie Charter Academy was on the verge of elimination before scoring in three straight innings Friday night to survive. The Eagles pulled out a 4-3, eight-inning victory against visiting Christ the King in the fourth round of the state playoffs. That puts second-seeded UCA (24-5) back in the best-of-3 West Region finals against top-seeded Mount Airy, which edged visiting Cherryville 4-2 on Friday night. Jose Ramirez drove in the winning run in the eighth inning. The Eagles trailed 3-1 before plating a run in the sixth and then benefitting from a seventh-inning error…

15 May

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Mollie Bulla

Randolph RecordSportsAppalachian State, athlete of the week, Mollie Bulla, piedmont athletic conference, Prep softball, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

Uwharrie Charter Academy, softball Bulla has been a standout at the plate and from the pitching circle during her senior season for the Eagles. Bulla entered this week with a .391 batting average. Her six home runs and 10 doubles were team-high marks after also leading UCA in those categories last year. As a pitcher, Bulla has averaged nearly two strikeouts per inning this season. Last week, UCA won first- and second-round games – against Mitchell and Swain County – in the Class 1-A state playoffs, giving them 19 victories this season. That tied the program record for wins, a…

11 May

Two UCA teams plus Randleman in baseball, Cougars in softball move on in states

Randolph RecordSportsclass 1-A, Class 2-A, Class 3-A, nchsaa, Prep baseball, Prep softball, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

Southwestern Randolph’s Alyssa Harris slides into the plate as Walkertown catcher Sadie Smith tries to make a play in a first-round game of the Class 2-A state playoffs for softball. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record) Two baseball teams and two softball teams from Randolph County made it through the first week of the state playoffs. Now it likely becomes more challenging for Randleman and Uwharrie Charter Academy in baseball and Southwestern Randolph and UCA in softball. In baseball, there was one team from the county guaranteed to advance to the third round when Randleman and visiting Wheatmore met in Friday night’s second-round…

10 May

Wheatmore, UCA girls hold best seeds from area for soccer playoffs

Randolph RecordSportsAsheboro Blue Comets, class 1-A, Class 2-A, Class 3-A, piedmont athletic conference, prep soccer, Providence Grove athletics, Randleman Tigers, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, state playoffs, Trinity Bulldogs, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics, Wheatmore athletics

Randleman’s Carolina Candelero, left, and Providence Grove’s Taryn Waugh contend for possession during a game last month. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Wheatmore has a challenging path to try to reach the Class 2-A state final for the third year in a row in girls’ soccer. The Warriors hold the No. 6 seed in the West Region based on seeds and pairings unveiled Friday. First-round games are Monday. Wheatmore, which was the 2022 state champion and last year’s runner-up, opens against No. 27 seed Lincoln Charter (4-10-2). The Warriors will be guaranteed another home game if they win. Wheatmore lost a Piedmont…

02 May

UCA Eagles dethrone Randleman in PAC Tournament for baseball

Bob SuttonSportsAlex Carver, Brett Smith, Carter Brown, PAC Tournament, piedmont athletic conference, Prep baseball, Randleman Tigers, Trey Kennedy, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

RANDLEMAN – Uwharrie Charter Academy’s baseball team went where it had never gone before Thursday night. Claiming the championship in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. Brett Smith pitched a seven-hitter with nine strikeouts and the Eagles came up with clutch hits, with Carter Brown providing three run-producing singles and Alex Carver homering in visiting UCA’s 6-1 victory in the PAC Tournament championship game. “We hadn’t beaten them since we joined the conference,” Brown said. “We had that mindset that we’re going to play good and we should come out and win. We came with the confidence that we could beat them.”…

14 Apr

Prep Roundup: Southwestern Randolph, UCA keep torrid softball paces; Wheatmore girls roll in soccer

Randolph RecordSportsAlyssa Harris, Ellie Garrison, Kinzie Ivey, Macie Crutchfield, Macy Allred, Mollie Bulla, prep soccer, Prep softball, Southwestern Randolph Cougars, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics, Wheatmore athletics

Asheboro’s Chloe Chanmaly looks to make a move on Oak Grove’s Kyrstin Varmer during last week’s girls’ soccer game. Oak Grove claimed a 1-0 home victory. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) Southwestern Randolph’s softball team remained unbeaten in the Piedmont Athletic Conference by winning two league games to go with a non-conference triumph last week. The Cougars completed the week with a 9-0 beating of host Randleman, highlighted by Alyssa Harris’ grand slam. Winning pitcher Macie Crutchfield struck out 11 batters and added to the offense with two runs batted in. Madelyn Smith scored three runs. Southwestern Randolph’s 7-3 triumph at Providence…

17 Feb

Three UCA wrestlers claim state titles

Randolph RecordSportsAlek Millikan, Carson Robinson, class 1-A, Class 3-A, Eastern Randolph athletics, Greensboro Coliseum, Jack McArthur, Jaden Maness, Lorenzo Alston, nchsaa, prep wrestling, state tournament, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Jaden Maness lifts Tyler Stevens of Pamlico County during the Class 1-A final at 215 pounds. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) GREENSBORO – Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestlers were busy in Saturday’s finals of the Class 1-A state tournament, coming away with three championships and two runners-up spots at the Greensboro Coliseum. UCA’s Lorenzo Alston won his second state title by cruising at 150 pounds, while teammates Carson Robinson at 157 and Jaden Maness at 215 also nabbed championships. Eagles seniors Ethan Hines (106 pounds) and Alek Millikan (165) were runners-up, while junior Caden Bond (175) was third. Robbinsville won…

02 Feb

UCA, Trinity head to state finals Saturday in Greensboro

Bob SuttonSportsclass 1-A, Class 2-A, Dual team state finals, Greensboro Coliseum complex, nchsaa, prep wrestling, Trinity Bulldogs, UCA Eagles, Uwharrie Charter Academy athletics

Members of the Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestling team pose for a photo after winning the Class 1-A East Region title Wednesday night at home. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record) GREENSOBORO – Trinity and Uwharrie Charter Academy will try to capture state championships in dual team wrestling Saturday afternoon. Trinity is bidding for its first state crown when it takes on Seaforth in the Class 2-A final at noon. UCA (34-1) will tangle with Avery County (30-1) for the third year in a row and for the fourth time in as many tournaments in Class 1-A at 3 p.m. Avery County won in…