Members of North Carolina’s congressional delegation donned their madras jackets on Friday, March 24, to honor the late Howard Coble on his 92nd birthday.
A Republican who lived in Greensboro, Coble served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years representing the Triad and surrounding areas. He died in 2015.
Coble was a graduate of Appalachian State University and earned his law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. He served in the Coast Guard and served two terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives following a stint as the state’s Revenue secretary.
Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-09) organizes the bipartisan recognition each year to honor the memory of Coble, who he called a good friend and mentor, and to keep his legacy alive.
Joining Hudson were Rep. Dan Bishop (NC-08), Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02), Rep. Patrick McHenry (NC-10), Rep. Kathy Manning (NC-06), and Rep. David Rouzer (NC-07).
Brandon Ward ended up with the trophy after the SMART Modified Tour feature Saturday night at Caraway Speedway. (Photo courtesy of Caraway Speedway)
SOPHIA – Brandon Ward of Winston-Salem bumped his way past Joey Coulter with eight laps remaining to take the victory in the Warrior 100, an event that was part of SMART Modified Tour, on Saturday night at Caraway Speedway.
Bobby Measmer Jr. placed third, followed by Jonathan Brown and Zach Brewer. Former NASCAR Cup Series standout Bobby Labonte placed 11th.
Measmer led qualifying with a lap at 16.171 seconds but the top-eight redraw put Tim Brown and Burt Myers on the front row.
In other open wheel action, Jeremy Gerstner stepped into the seat of the second Lowder Racing 602 Modified and took the measure of the field in the 40-lapper. Gerstner slipped past Justice Calabro on lap 25 and held off Jaxson Casper. Calabro took third.
In Mini Stocks, A.J. Sanders showed up late for practice but returned to his winning ways after 40 laps. Tyler Bush led the first four laps before Chuck Wall took over the top spot for four laps.
In the Challenger feature, Allen Vance made short work of the field while claiming his second win in as many weeks in the 40-lap race. Brodie Duggins notched his best Caraway Speedway finish in the runner-up slot.
In UCARs, Steven Collins fended off Ron Mock to take his second victory of 2023 with a wire-to-wire effort in the 15-lap race.
In Bootleggers, Jon Morton made it two victories in a row.
This Saturday, all regular divisions at the speedway will have twin features, including two 35-lappers for Late Models.
Wheatmore’s Skylar Pittman tags Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Kenzie Hill at second base during Friday’s softball game. UCA won 11-1 in the home game. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
Southwestern Randolph’s softball team has been listed among highly ranked teams in the state and the Cougars have the results to back that up.
Southwestern Randolph won 1-0 in 10 innings against visiting Oak Grove last week as Carleigh Whitson drove in Kami Dunn to end the game.
Macie Crutchfield had a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts for the Cougars, who entered this week with an 8-0 overall record.
In the Piedmont Athletic Conference, Southwestern Randolph stopped host Wheatmore 12-0 with Alyssa Harris firing a five-inning no-hitter with 12 strikeouts and two walks.
** At Randleman, Providence Grove claimed a 6-2 road victory against the Tigers as Peela Von Der Hey had three hits and Emma Mazzarone struck out 17 with two walks.
Earlier in the week, Providence Grove won 4-0 vs. visiting Uwharrie Charter Academy as Mazzarone posted 15 strikeouts.
Also, Randleman collected a 16-0 PAC road romp past Trinity as Saniyah Deloatch knocked in three runs.
Baseball
Uwharrie Charter Academy delivered the first PAC loss on Trinity with Friday night’s 12-2 home victory, boosted by Jake Hunter’s three hits and two runs scored.
That result gave the Eagles three wins in a four-game stretch.
The Bulldogs (6-5, 5-1) had scored in double figures in their first four PAC games and then defeated visiting UCA 3-0 in last week’s first meeting. Trinity’s runs in that victory came on Jake Little’s two-run home run and Landon Mowery’s solo shot to support pitcher Cade Hill’s six-hitter.
Also, Ben Medinger homered twice as UCA won a non-conference road game against Caldwell Academy by 17-5.
** Trinity suffered a 16-6 non-league road loss to Asheboro in a game reduced to sixth inning when Josh Meadows homered to cause the mercy rule to be activated. Meadows drove in four runs and scored four runs. Connor Adams also drove in four runs for the Blue Comets, while Cohen Caviness homered.
** Providence Grove won 4-3 against visiting Northwood in a non-conference game on JC Cruz’s game-winning pinch-hit single in the seventh inning.
** Wheatmore swept two PAC games from Eastern Randolph, winning 5-2 at home and 9-4 on the road.
Track and field
At Troy, Randleman’s high jumpers were among the top finishers from Randolph County entrants in Saturday’s Timberwolf Invitational at Montgomery Central.
Chase Farlow of Randleman won the boys’ competition with a leap of 6 feet.
Randleman’s Ava Jones placed second in the girls’ high jump at 4-6.
Wheatmore’s Zach Hazelwood was the runner-up in the 3,200 meters with a time of 10 minutes. 53.60 seconds. Hazelwood placed third in the 1,600 in 4:54.38.
Other area entrants did well in field events.
In the boys’ long jump, Randleman’s Tristan Chriscoe was second at 19-4. Randleman’s Amarion Moton claimed fourth in the boys’ shot put at 40-3.
Rylee Reidling of Wheatmore was fourth in the girls’ shot put with a toss of 30 feet and Alexis Vaughn of Randleman was sixth at 27-2.
Chloe Gentry of Wheatmore was fifth in the girls’ triple jump at 28-9.
ASHEBORO — Randolph Health announced Monday that it will lift universal masking requirements for patients, visitors and team members at all facilities effective at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
According to a release from Randolph Health, the decision to make masks optional was made in collaboration with other regional healthcare systems, including Novant Health, Atrium Health, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, CaroMont Health, and Cone Health.
Patients may request their care teams to wear masks during treatment and clinic visits.
While universal masking will no longer be required, certain exceptions apply, including wearing masks when respiratory virus symptoms are present and in treatment areas for high-risk patients, including those in isolation.
ASHEBORO – The North Carolina Zoo closed Monday because of a security threat, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and zoo reported.
Guests line up to leave the North Carolina Zoo after a bomb threat. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
A bomb threat had been received at about 10:47 a.m. through electronic means and reported to law enforcement from a representative of North Carolina Zoo.
A juvenile has been identified as the subject of the threat.
Visitors and staff were evacuated. Later, zoo officials announced that 1,372 guests were evacuated.
Emergency crews were called to the zoo. Law enforcement officials conducted a search of the zoo grounds. By 1:39 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office completed its work at the scene.
The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office’s bomb squad was asked to standby, but wasn’t asked to respond to the scene.
A North Carolina Zoo ranger and law enforcement officer were part of the response to Monday’s bomb threat. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
The Sheriff’s Office said that all “units are working with Zoo Park Rangers to secure the zoo perimeter and evacuate all patrons.”
Guests who spoke to reporters said they were asked to leave because of a “security incident.”
Among the visitors were students from Guilford County on a field trip.
“All school groups have been successfully evacuated from the zoo campus following a security threat,” according to a statement from North Carolina Zoo.
Based on online reports from visitors, the process was orderly and calm in assisting with patrons leaving the zoo grounds.
North Carolina Zoo closed unexpectedly Monday after a bomb threat. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
By Monday afternoon, North Carolina Zoo announced that normal operations would resume Tuesday.
Randolph County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations division identified the origin of the threat. A juvenile petition will be filed with the Department of Juvenile Justice, according to a statement from the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office had five search teams on the scene to check all public areas of the zoo.
Zoo officials will provide refunds or return tickets. They also said they hope to reschedule school groups.
Zoo officials also said that their caretakers have continued animal care. “We are prioritizing ongoing animal care based on medical needs,” the statement said.
The entrance to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro on March 27, 2023. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
Eastern Randolph’s Brecken Snotherly goes up for a shot vs. Wheatmore during the past season. Snotherly was named the Player of the Year in Piedmont Athletic Conference girls’ basketball. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Here’s a list of the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s major award winners and all-conference selections for winter sports:
Boys’ basketball
Player of the Year: Dominic Payne (Trinity)
Coach of the Year: Matt Kiser (Southwestern Randolph)
All-Conference
Eastern Randolph: Davonte Brooks, Timothy Brower, Pierce Leonard, Nicah Taylor
Southwestern Randolph: Sean Adkins, Nathan Ellis, Thomas Leal, Landon Williamson.
Co-Coaches of the Year: Michelle Hinson (Wheatmore), Tammie Swaim (Trinity)
All-conference
Wheatmore: Emily Cribbs, Sydney Hall, Paisley Hollifield, Victoria Joyce, Ava Williamson.
Randleman: Emma Herring, Kendall Fortson, Samantha Marin, Mackenzie Roach.
Trinity: Callie Jones.
*****
Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Grayson Roberts pins South Davidson’s Jesse Pope during the Class 1-A East Region final at 170 pounds. Roberts was voted as the top upper-weight wrestler in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Wrestling
Lower Weight Wrestler of the Year: Aldo Hernandez (UCA)
Upper Weight Wrestler of the Year: Grayson Roberts (UCA)
Coach of the Year: Chris Waddell (UCA)
All-conference
Uwharrie Charter Academy: Lorenzo Alston, Corbin Grissom, Aldo Hernandez, Ethan Hines, Jadon Maness, Jack McArthur, Grayson Roberts, Carson Robinson, Jair Ulloa, Brennan Worrell.
Trinity: Lawson Coltrane, Levi Dennis, Brayden Hall, Gavin Hardister, Spencer May, Gavin McCall, Bear Schaefer, Joey Smith, Edgard Mora Vasquez.
Southwestern Randolph: Jose Flores, Erick Lopez, Luke White.
Randleman’s Hunter Atkins takes a swing during a game earlier this season at Eastern Randolph. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – The script looks a bit different, but Randleman’s baseball team has kept the winning formula.
The two-time reigning Class 2-A state champions are cranking out victories on a regular basis.
“We’ve had some tough games that we’ve battled through,” shortstop Hunter Atkins said. “We’ve just been competing. It’s just about competing when it comes down to it. Our team has the grit.”
And Randleman owns an 8-2 overall record. The Tigers have made it halfway through their 12-game Piedmont Athletic Conference schedule with a perfect mark.
“You’re learning all the time,” coach Jake Smith said. “Guys are getting challenged. Just facing adversity. Everything hasn’t gone all hunky-dory. We’ve had to compete and play seven innings.”
The latest success came with Friday night’s 12-5 victory at Southwestern Randolph.
While last year the Tigers frequently had shortened games because of blowouts that resulted in the mercy rule, they’re on the field longer these days.
“It’s something getting used to, playing full seven innings – not going five innings and getting out,” catcher Caleb Dunn said. “Our hard work is going to put us over and we will be able to finish out these games that are longer.”
The past couple of seasons were defined by a roster that included eventual Boston Red Sox draft pick Brooks Brannon at catcher and a roster stacked with college prospects. Now, it’s what Smith calls “back to normal.”
For the Tigers, the good thing is that includes winning games.
“We’ve got the guys this year that need to get the job done,” Atkins said. “Just getting after it. That’s how we roll. We just get after it.”
Randleman’s Austin Lemons threw five innings Friday night. Smith said he liked Lemons’ outing even though the right-hander wasn’t always smooth. He was forced to work out of jams.
“Kind of grew up,” Smith said.
Lemons allowed three runs, but only one was earned. He walked four and struck out seven.
“He had a good night,” Dunn said. “He can do better, though. I know he can.”
Seth Way has been the team’s top starting pitcher. The Tigers are waiting for the return of Drake Purvis, who’s rehabbing from an elbow injury. Purvis said he could be on the mound within a couple of weeks.
Randleman’s results have been nice validation through four weeks of the season.
“We really worked hard in this preseason and I think that really helped us in that way, getting our confidence up,” Dunn said. “Playing great competition as many times as we can a week is really good for us and I think that can really help us out throughout the season.”
The Tigers have remaining PAC series left against Uwharrie Charter Academy, Providence Grove and Trinity.
“Going through the conference undefeated right now is definitely a good feeling,” Atkins said. “Can’t ask for much more.”
Randleman’s five-run first inning came in handy against Southwestern Randolph. Chesney Welch had an RBI double and Seth Way, Shawn Miller and Dunn all drove in runs.
The Cougars scored two runs in the second. Adam Cole’s triple drove in a run in the third, and then Southwestern Randolph loaded the bases with no outs. Lemons struck out the next three batters.
“That was the chance to get back in the game,” Southwestern Randolph coach Ethan Marsh said.
The Tigers were back at it in the fifth, scoring on John Kirkpatrick’s two-out single. Way provided an RBI single in the three-run sixth before Atkins’ two-run home run in the seventh. Atkins scored four runs.
Eastern Randolph team members gather after Wednesday night’s loss at Southern Alamance.
MT. HERMON – Brent Haynes took his Eastern Randolph baseball team to face his alma mater Wednesday night, but he was watching from a distance for the final few innings.
So the outcome didn’t go as preferred for the Wildcats, who had late-game struggles in a 17-11 road loss to Southern Alamance.
A controversial play in the bottom of the fourth inning stirred emotions after what already was shaping up as a high-scoring game. Haynes, a first-year coach, was dismissed by the umpires as part of the fallout.
Then Southern Alamance’s nine-run sixth inning turned out to be the big blow.
“It’s kind of embarrassing,” Haynes said of the situation in general, calling out the two-man umpiring crew. “It’s tough to come back here and get run.”
Eastern Randolph appeared to escape the bottom of the fourth inning when Southern Alamance’s Nathan Teague was called out on an attempted steal of third base. The umpires conferred and changed the call, so the Wildcats had to go back onto the field following a prolonged argument.
Tensions grew when Southern Alamance’s Braxton Cain extended the inning with a two-run single to trim Eastern Randolph’s lead to 9-8.
“There’s no way a home plate umpire can overturn a stolen base,” Haynes said.
Before the top of the fifth, Eastern Randolph assistant coach Logan Beasley was ejected. Per high school rules, that led to the disqualification of Haynes as well.
“I hate that it went down like that,” said Southern Alamance coach Jason Smith, who was Haynes’ high school coach.
The game already had various twists and turns.
Starting pitcher Lucas Smith of Eastern Randolph hit a two-run home run in the second inning.
The Wildcats trailed 6-2 before rallying with two outs in the third. Alex Kivett provided a two-run single on a full-count pitch before a pair of wild pitches allowed Eastern Randolph to tie the score.
Pierce Leonard’s three-run double with two outs in the fourth put the Wildcats on top 9-6.
Later, Leonard was hit by a pitch to force in a run in the sixth for a 10-8 lead before Southern Alamance’s big uprising.
Haynes, who was a member of Southern Alamance’s 2005 state championship team, had been an assistant coach with the Patriots. Last summer, he left to take the Eastern Randolph job.
“I’m glad to be in Randolph County with different umpires,” Haynes said.
Eastern Randolph (1-8) has lost five games by three runs or less.
“We’re the best 1-8 team in the state,” Haynes said. “We should be sitting in a lot different situation than we are. … We’re right there. It hasn’t completely gotten there yet.”
Southern Alamance’s four pitchers issued a combined 13 walks. The Patriots improved to 5-4.
RALEIGH – Kaitlyn Gainey of Asheboro is one of 30 first-year North Carolina State students selected as part of the Caldwell Fellows at the university.
Gainey is a graduate of Southwestern Randolph.
Caldwell Fellows are selected for demonstrating an aptitude for servant-leadership development. Students selected for the Caldwell Fellows program undergo intensive leadership development programming that includes a sophomore seminar on their personal philosophy of leadership and a capstone training at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro.
“Each year we embark on the challenge of identifying first-year NC State committed to developing their leadership and serving in North Carolina and beyond,” Dr. Janice Odom, director of the Caldwell Fellows, said in a statement. “I am delighted that the members of the Caldwell Fellows Class of 2026 are dedicated to NC State’s land grant mission of empowering themselves and others to build brighter futures for their communities.”
The program is named for former N.C. State chancellor John T. Caldwell. It’s the university’s oldest scholarship and fellowship program dedicated to leadership development.
This is the 56th class of Caldwell Fellows. There were a record 315 applicants. More than 150 Caldwell Fellows alums and friends participated in the selection process.
Gainey is the daughter of Randolph County School System superintendent Stephen Gainey.
SOPHIA – Ross “Boo Boo” Dalton of Liberty won the 100-lap feature for the Late Models division at Caraway Speedway on Sunday afternoon in the 58th season-opening event.
After past weather-related postponements, the track’s first event of the season was skated to consist of a total of 270 laps of racing.
Dalton survived a skirmish with Blaise Brinkley late in the feature to finish ahead of Jason York and Toby Lane. Eric Wallace finished fourth ahead of Brian Rose and Camden Thomas.
Jaxson Casper captured the victory in the Modifieds feature. Rookie Justice Calabro, who was in his debut with GrayCo Performance Racing, finished second ahead of early race leader Cody Norman. Josh Lowder was the fast qualifier, but he finished in the pits and in 10th place.
In Challengers, Allen Vance started the season on a winning note. The runner-up was Anthony Bennett and third place went to D.J. Dean.
Steven Collins took the victory in UCARs ahead of Daniel Hughes.
In Bootleggers, Jon Morton was the winner and Steven Collins was the runner-up.
In Legends Car, Alex Meggs drove to the victory ahead of Conner Yonchuk.
In the Bandolero class, Bryson Brinkley was first and Alison Johnson took second.
For many drivers, it was the beginning of a hectic stretch near the start of the season.
For instance, Luke Baldwin was entered in the Modifieds that was the beginning of five races across two weeks for the Tommy Baldwin Racing team.
On Saturday night, the SMART Modified tour roars into Caraway Speedway for the Warrior 100. This will be the second 2023 race on the SMART circuit after last weekend’s weather-related postponement of the Lonesome Pine card in Coeburn, Va.
Also on the docket for Saturday is racing for Challengers, UCARs, Modifieds and Mini Stocks.
