Eastern Randolph’s Rayden West looks to make a move against Randleman’s Jay Richards during Friday night’s game. (Thadd Sanders / For Randolph Record)
RAMSEUR – Eastern Randolph barely preserved its undefeated mark but the Wildcats did enough to capture another championship.
Eastern Randolph held on to defeat visiting Randleman in Friday night’s Piedmont Athletic Conference showdown, winning 27-26.
Eastern Randolph is undefeated in PAC play for four consecutive seasons with a 20-0 record across that span.
The Wildcats (10-0 overall, 5-0 PAC) should be among the highest seeds in the Class 1A West Region for the state playoffs when those pairings come out Nov. 10.
Eastern Randolph took the lead on Lucas Smith’s fourth-quarter run. Cade McCallum threw a two-point conversion pass to Julian Brooks. Randleman responded with John Kirkpatrick’s 30-yard pass to Chase Farlow, but the potential tying conversion kick was off the mark.
Randleman (8-2, 3-2), which lost for the second week in a row, will be in the Class 2A state playoffs. Kirkpatrick fired three TD passes.
Smith gave Eastern Randolph an early lead with an 11-yard run.
Farlow caught a touchdown pass and intercepted a pass, with Randleman going up 14-6 with Daylan Atkins scoring on a 2-yard run.
Kobe Walker’s 38-yard and 11-yard runs helped Eastern Randolph rally to a 19-14 lead.
Randleman led at the half on Kirkpatrick’s 20-yard pass to Tyshaun Goldston.
Southwestern Randolph 49, Trinity 33: At Trinity, Brody Sheppard ran for four touchdowns for the Cougars.
Southwestern Randolph built a 35-19 lead through three quarters of the PAC game. Noah Stills threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score.
The Cougars (6-4, 3-2) scored at least 40 points in their three PAC victories.
Trinity (3-7, 1-4) received two touchdown passes from Noah Bradley and another from Kha’Dn Fuller also each run for a touchdown. Bradley and Fuller also each ran for a touchdown, with Fuller rolling up 88 yards on the ground.
Gage Griffiths caught two touchdown passes and Simeon Hammett had the other receiving TD.
Providence Grove 43, Wheatmore 19: At Climax, Holden Swift returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns and Malachi Combo also ran back an interception for a touchdown for the host Patriots.
Jackson Lawver ran for two touchdowns for Providence Grove (3-7, 2-3), which led 30-6 at halftime. Jacob Flinchum also carried the ball for a touchdown.
Carson Jones kicked a 28-yard field goal.
Wheatmore (1-9, 1-4) had its highest point total since a 27-20 season-opening loss to West Davidson.
Montgomery Central 26, Asheboro 21: At Asheboro, the visiting Timberwolves scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to go ahead and held on for the Mid-Piedmont Conference victory.
Connor Brinton rushed for 148 yards on 30 carries for Asheboro (4-6, 2-3), which was trying to post a winning record in conference play for the first time since 2016.
Montgomery Central (6-4, 2-3) tied for fourth place with the Blue Comets.
