RANDLEMAN – Randleman served up a three-set sweep of Southwestern Randolph last week to hand the Cougars their first loss in Piedmont Athletic Conference volleyball.
The Tigers used 17 digs and six kills from Haley Hinshaw, 23 assists and 14 digs from Kenzie Roach and 13 digs and 11 kills from Chloe Dixon. Karli Kennington supplied 29 digs.
It was the first PAC loss of the season for the Cougars.
Kenzie Roach of Randleman sets the ball as teammate Mollie Hall looks on during last week’s match against Southwestern Randolph. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
That result came as part of a challenging week for Southwestern Randolph, which is the reigning Class 2-A state champion. It began with a non-league loss at McMichael in a rematch of a 2021 match in the state playoffs. The Cougars recovered the next night to beat visiting Trinity in a PAC match before the rare league loss that came in their third match in as many nights.
The outcome gave Randleman a six-match winning streak and avenged a four-set loss on the road in early September. The Tigers moved within one match of first-place Southwestern Randolph in the PAC.
Earlier in the week, Randleman topped Wheatmore 27-29, 26-24, 25-11, 25-18 with Roach logging 24 assists and 19 digs and Camryn Vickery providing 17 assists to go with Camden Scott’s 12 kills and Dixon’s 11 kills and 23 digs.
Boys’ soccer
Asheboro started strong in Mid-Piedmont Conference play by defeating Oak Grove 4-0 and Central Davidson 5-1.
Cristian Ortiz scored three goals in the Central Davidson game after posting two goals in the Oak Grove game.
The Blue Comets entered this week with a 12-1 record. They’ve been rated as the top-ranked Class 3-A team in the state.
Davonte Brooks of Eastern Randolph heads for the end zone against Southwestern Randolph. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Davonte Brooks scored three touchdowns and Eastern Randolph relied on its defense in a 20-12 road victory against Southwestern Randolph in a Piedmont Athletic Conference football opener Thursday night.
“We just all came together and played as one and that’s how we got the job done,” Brooks said.
Eastern Randolph (5-1), which is the reigning PAC champion, won despite its lowest point total of the season.
“It was not our best game,” Eastern Randolph coach Burton Cates said. “Too many mistakes – penalties at the wrong time.”
Southwestern Randolph (4-2) couldn’t crank up enough offense.
“I thought our kids gave everything they had,” Southwestern Randolph coach Seth Baxter said.
The Wildcats stuck to a ground attack in the second half after the Cougars intercepted two first-half passes. Cates said windy conditions impacted the game plan.
“Let’s go with our strength, which is the offensive line and running the football,” Cates said.
Brooks gained 160 rushing yards and teammate Ervodd Cassady ran for 128 yards.
Brooks scored on a 25-yard run to open the scoring and later in the first quarter Southwestern Randolph’s Easton Clapp scored on a 1-yard run.
Adam Cole’s 42-yard punt return for a touchdown put the Cougars on top 12-7 in the third quarter.
Brooks scored on a 1-yard run later in the third quarter. Brooks scored again from 1 yard out in the fourth quarter.
“I thought in the second half they dominated the line of scrimmage,” Baxter said.
Providence Grove 31, Trinity 0: At Trinity, Zane Cheek ran for two touchdowns and Providence Grove (5-1) built a 28-0 halftime lead.
Zander Cheek also scored a touchdown. Brady Collins threw a touchdown pass to Joe Coltrane. Andrew Canter kicked a 37-yard field goal.
Trinity (4-2) suffered a shutout to the Patriots for the second time in three seasons. Dominic Pay had 57 passing yards and 53 rushing yards.
Randleman 49, Wheatmore 0: At Randleman, Christian Long threw four touchdown passes – two each to Chesney Welch and Tyshaun Goldston – as the host Tigers rolled.
Long also ran for a touchdown. Amarion Moton’s 10-yard run opened the scoring in the PAC game.
Randleman quarterback Christian Long picks up yards as Wheatmore’s Ethan Roberts, left, tries to make a stop. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
Randleman (4-2) led 42-0 at halftime. All of Long’s touchdown passes came in the second quarter, hitting Welch for 17 and 10 yards and connecting with Goldston for 9 and 20 yards.
Long finished 11-for-18 for 128 yards. Moton rushed six times for 105 yards.
Wheatmore (1-5) was held to 81 yards of total offense. Jonathan Kelly had 48 rushing yards.
Oak Grove 52, Asheboro 7: At Asheboro, unbeaten Oak Grove in the road victory to open Mid-Piedmont Conference play for both teams.
The Grizzlies (6-0) were up 28-7 at halftime. Asheboro (1-5) scored early in the second quarter after trailing 21-0.
Smith helped Southwestern Randolph to two more Piedmont Athletic Conference victories last week, including in a showdown with Uwharrie Charter Academy.
She supplied 20 kills, 14 digs, and three blocks in the four-set victory at UCA in a rematch of last year’s conference tournament final. Others to turn in big numbers for the Cougars in that match were Gracie Hodgin, Riley Key, Raegan LeRoy, Coley Shiflet, and Carleigh Whitson.
Smith, a junior outside hitter, had ten kills and seven digs in a three-set sweep of Providence Grove later in the week.
The Cougars, who are the reigning Class 2-A state champions, entered this week with a 16-1 record. More than halfway through their PAC schedule, they’re 7-0 in those matches.
Lyndsey Cassell of Faith Christian spikes the ball last week in a volleyball match vs. visiting North Moore. Faith Christian won the non-conference match in five sets. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Football games for this week in Randolph County have been adjusted because of the potential of an impact to weather in the area coming from Hurricane Ian.
Some announcements about changes came at the beginning of the week.
Asheboro’s game against visiting Oak Grove in a Mid-Piedmont Conference opener has been shifted from Friday night to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
All three games in the Piedmont Athletic Conference also are set for Thursday instead of Friday.
Providence Grove’s game at Trinity has been moved to 7 p.m., while Eastern Randolph’s visit to Southwestern Randolph will begin at 7:30 p.m. All four of those teams take 4-1 records into those league openers.
Also, Randleman’s homecoming game against Wheatmore was set for 7:30 p.m.
Ready to return: Randleman running back/linebacker Thomas Dobias could be on the field for this week’s PAC opener against visiting Wheatmore.
He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee the day before the season opener to repair an injury that occurred during preseason practice. At the beginning of this week, the junior said he has been on a successful rehabilitation timetable that should allow him to be ready for PAC play.
Soccer stuff
Trinity and Wheatmore tied 1-1 the first time they met this season in boys’ soccer. Both teams began this week without a loss in PAC play.
The two teams meet in a rematch Oct. 5 at Trinity. That could be a showdown that decides the conference title.
Streak stopper: Asheboro’s bid for an unbeaten season ended with last week’s 2-0 loss at Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point. That matchup was a late addition to the teams’ schedules. The Trojans are a one-loss team, though they don’t compete in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
Asheboro won its first 10 games before suffering the defeat.
On the court
Trinity’s volleyball team lost its season opener at Asheboro, but the Bulldogs have won their eight other non-conference matches. That stretch included avenging to loss to Asheboro.
But PAC play has been more challenging as Trinity held a 2-5 league mark entering this week.
Keep it going: Southwestern Randolph’s 14-match winning streak entering the week exceeds the longest winning streak for the team in 2021, when it won the Class 2-A state championship.
Last fall, the longest winning streak for the Cougars was 12 matches that stretched from the end of the regular season and into the PAC Tournament. After a loss to Uwharrie Charter Academy, Southwestern Randolph ran off six straight victories in the state playoffs.
Asheboro’s Markell Graham is pursued by Southwestern Randolph’s Danny Jackson and Caleb Shelton, far right, during Friday night’s game. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph scored on the first snap of the game and went on to drub visiting Asheboro 40-2 on Friday night.
Adam Cole took a short pass from Easton Clapp and burst 64 yards for a touchdown for the first points.
“It was open,” Southwestern Randolph coach Seth Baxter said. “I think our wide receivers did a tremendous job of blocking on that play.”
Southwestern Randolph (4-1) heads into Piedmont Athletic Conference play on a two-game winning streak. This puts the Cougars in a good mindset.
“We came in and did what we needed to do up front,” Baxter said of controlling the line of scrimmage.
Cole ended up with two rushing touchdowns to go with the scoring pass play. Clapp threw for two touchdowns and ran for another on his way to 196 passing yards and 126 rushing yards. Marcus Robertson caught a touchdown pass.
Asheboro (1-4) avoided a shutout by tackling a Southwestern Randolph ball carrier in the end zone in the fourth quarter. That accounted for the final points of the game, though it came a couple of plays after the Blue Comets had a possession halted inside the Southwestern Randolph 10-yard line.
“We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board,” Asheboro coach Blake Brewer. “We’re going to have to build some toughness.”
Michael Brady rushed for 97 yards for Asheboro.
Until last year, Southwestern Randolph had never defeated Asheboro in consecutive football meetings. Now, the Cougars have won three straight in the series.
Asheboro leads the all-time series 26-4.
The Blue Comets open Mid-Piedmont Conference play next Friday at home against undefeated Oak Grove (5-0), which is coming off an open week.
“We’re going to have to find an identity and do it quick,” Brewer said.
Eastern Randolph 42, West Stanly 0: At Oakboro, the visiting Wildcats tuned up for Piedmont Athletic Conference play by winning their fifth consecutive game.
Among the scoring plays for Eastern Randolph (5-1) were two touchdown runs for Davonte Brooks and one touchdown apiece for D.J. Thomas, Ervodd Cassady and Angel Hernandez. Stratton Barwick threw a touchdown pass to Jake Fesmire.
West Stanly (3-3) has lost three straight games, though the first two defeats came by a combined 15 points.
Quarterback Stratton Barwick of Eastern Randolph bulls his way for a touchdown against Walkertown earlier this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
RAMSEUR – The thought of the quarterback for Eastern Randolph’s wildly successful football team being the big man on campus wasn’t a grand idea for veteran coach Burton Cates.
He put Stratton Barwick on a diet.
Now a bit swifter, Barwick hopes to put the Wildcats on the fast track again this year.
Listed at 6-foot-1, Barwick is down to about 235 pounds after playing the 2021 season at 250.
“He has gotten a step quicker,” Cates said.
This weight trimming didn’t happen by accident.
“He had to lose some,” Cates said. “I weighed him in every Monday morning. I’d say, ‘Good weekend or bad weekend?’ If it was a bad weekend, he’d say, ‘Can I work out, and then you weigh me?’”
Sometimes, Barwick arrived to begin another week of school, knowing he needed to cut a little more to reach that next goal.
“I’d let him make me go run a bit,” Barwick said.
He worked on speed drills last winter. By the summer, the senior said the rewards of the weight reduction were clear.
“Once I started losing some weight, I started feeling a lot better,” Barwick said.
He said he drinks more water and started cutting down on soda consumption. Self-described as “a really picky eater,” he said he developed a plan.
“I put it in my mind that I definitely wanted to do something about it,” Barwick said.
Earlier in his career, Barwick made an impact at another position. As a freshman, he was a starter at defensive tackle in a state-playoff game.
He’s also a key member of Eastern Randolph’s baseball program as a left-handed pitcher, first baseman, and left fielder.
But football seems to be where he’s leaving his biggest mark. While he might still blend in with some of his offensive linemen, he knows his role.
Barwick, a three-year starting quarterback, threw for 39 touchdowns last season when the Wildcats went undefeated in the regular season and advanced to the third round of the Class 1-A state playoffs.
He’s a nice piece of the offensive puzzle for the Wildcats to build around.
“He’s definitely got the experience,” Cates said.
Eastern Randolph (3-1) plays its final non-conference game Friday night at West Stanly. Then the Wildcats embark on a five-week quest to repeat as Piedmont Athletic Conference champions.
Queen has been an offensive force early in the season as the Warriors have been on a tear.
A senior forward, Queen has 12 goals and four assists in nine games. That helped the Warriors to a 6-0-3 start.
Queen scored Wheatmore’s only goal in last week’s 1-1 overtime tie at home with rival Trinity in a Piedmont Athletic Conference game. Later in the week, he notched two goals and an assist as the Warriors won 7-1 at Randleman.
Henry Santos also had two goals in the Randleman game, while Hayden Hemming, Anakin Leister, and Collin Burgess also scored. Leister provided three assists, and Ryan Baynard added two assists. Burgess racked up eight goals across the first nine games.
Members of the 2022 Wheatmore girls’ soccer team receive rings for winning last spring’s Class 2-A state championship. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Asheboro boys keep
rolling in soccer
ASHEBORO – The Asheboro boys’ soccer team has picked up state rankings on the way to a perfect record through 10 games of the season.
The Blue Comets have made some schedule adjustments, but those didn’t slow down the team.
Asheboro added a home game against Langtree Charter Academy, winning 1-0 on Thursday night for the 10th win of the season. Cristian Ortiz scored the second-half goal on an assist from Ozmar Martinez.
This week, a road game against Southwestern Randolph has been wiped off the schedule. In its place, the Blue Comets instead will visit Wesleyan Christian Academy on Tuesday night.
Asheboro opens Mid-Piedmont Conference play next Monday night against Oak Grove.
Wheatmore team receives
rings for state title
TRINITY – Members of the 2022 Wheatmore girls’ soccer team received rings for winning the Class 2-A state championship last spring.
The ceremony took place Friday night at halftime of the school’s football game against Asheboro.
