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Brandon Varner

Randleman girls coach Brandon Varner Feb2023,jpg

Varner leaves post as Randleman girls’ coach

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Coach Brandon Varner had Randleman’s girls’ basketball team on a winning path. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

RANDLEMAN – Brandon Varner’s wildly successful five-season stretch as Randleman’s girls’ basketball coach has come to an end.

“Just time to step away,” Varner said. “The biggest thing was the time I was putting into basketball. There’s really no breaks.”

Under Varner, the Tigers went 103-20, with half those defeats coming in his first season when the team went 15-10.

Varner, 40, will remain as athletics director at Randleman Middle School, where he also is on the football staff.

“It was just getting to be a lot of time and going back and forth to the high school,” Varner said.

Randleman finished 27-2 during the past season following a 25-1 record in 2021-22. The Tigers were the Class 2-A West Region top seed in each of those seasons, reaching the regional semifinals this year for the fourth season in a row.

“It was so much fun and so many memories,” he said. “So proud of what (the players) accomplished and how hard they worked. They bought in to accomplish everything as a team and were dedicated to being a championship team.”

Varner took charge of the program beginning with the 2018-19 season. The Tigers have rung up a 56-4 record in regular-season conference play during his time.

Randleman was 24-3 in his second season and 12-4 in the pandemic-shortened slate in the 2020-21 academic year.

There will be transition in the lineup as well. Senior standouts Gracyn Hall, Elizabeth York and Jordan Booker completed their eligibility. Gracie Beane and Audra Petty figure to form the nucleus for next season.

“It should be a very appealing job,” Varner said. “There’s a talented group of girls who work really hard and know how to win.”

Varner said his duties with Randleman Middle School that include driving the bus for some teams has kept him on the go. He said he sensed the need for near-constant attention on the girls’ basketball program, particularly without an assistant coach at all practices.

“I felt it needed to be year-round if we’re going to be good,” he said. “I felt like that’s what we needed to do. During the season, if we’re not practicing, I felt like somebody is getting ahead of us.”

Varner said he wouldn’t rule out returning to a coaching role if a season or two away has him itching to return. He also said a small-coaching assistant coaching position might be attractive as well.

Randleman girls after PAC Tourney final Feb2023

Randleman girls respond, claim PAC Tournament in overtime

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Members of the Randleman girls’ basketball team gather with the hardware after defeating host Eastern Randolph in overtime. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

Rally from Eastern Randolph creates drama

RAMSEUR – Randleman’s recovery from a few late-game glitches made the Tigers’ championship that much more impressive Friday night in the girls’ basketball final of the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament.

One thing the Tigers weren’t lacking was that internal belief that they would find a way to successfully defend their title.

“Coach (Brandon) Varner told us ‘You’ve worked so hard for this,’ ” senior center Graycn Hall said. “We’re going to show how hard we’ve worked.”

That was just part of the conclusion as the drama unfolded in Randleman’s 57-55 overtime victory against host and second-seeded Eastern Randolph in front of an overflow crowd.

“They earned this,” Varner said of his players. “You play in a conference tournament championship game on their court. We had to earn it and that’s what we should want.”

The regular-season champion Tigers (24-1) didn’t make a field goal in the overtime period, but they drained more free throws and made key defensive stops to come away with the prize they were seeking.

“That’s all I wanted was this tournament,” senior guard Elizabeth York said. “It’s always a bigger win when you win an away game.”

York sank two free throws at the 12-second mark to put the Tigers ahead and added another foul shot in the final second.

Eastern Randolph (17-7) wiped out a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit and scored the first four points of overtime.

“One more basket,” Wildcats coach Jeff Davis said of what was needed, noting that Randleman “is a great defending team.”

Randleman needed the defense because the Tigers had a late stretch spanning the fourth quarter and overtime when they committed four consecutive turnovers, shot an air ball, had a shot blocked and were guilty of another turnover.

Eastern Randolph’s rally consisted of Mackenzie Gee’s 3-pointer, two Brecken Snotherly free throws and Snotherly’s tying fastbreak basket.

Hall countered with a basket on a low-post move before Whitaker hit a runner. York scored on a backdoor play with 41 seconds to go, but another turnover with a chance to seal the outcome nearly doomed the Tigers.

Snotherly was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 6.1 seconds remaining. She missed the first attempt, then drained the next two. That extended the game.

“We dug deep,” Davis said. “We gave everything we had. This is the one that’s going to keep us up at night.”

Kenly Whitaker’s basket off a rebound and Snotherly’s bucket put Eastern Randolph up 53-49.

“We can’t give up,” Hall said. “We were so close. I was trying to keep (my teammates) believing that we’re not losing.”

Trouble brewed for the Wildcats as Logan Beaver and Kenly Whitaker fouled out in Eastern Randolph’s first overtime game of the season.

Randleman didn’t score in overtime until 1:22 was showing on the clock. In a 19-second span, Jordan Booker was good on four free throws to pull the Tigers even.

Hall’s foul shot gave Randleman a one-point edge before Snotherly connected on two free throws with 13.5 seconds to play. York did the rest of the scoring.

Snotherly, who was short on a would-be go-ahead shot in the final seconds of overtime, finished with 27 points despite double- and triple-team schemes to slow her down. She still found ways to create openings for herself and teammates.

“She freelanced a little bit,” Davis said.

Hall racked up 21 points and 21 rebounds, and York and Booker both scored 15 points. The Tigers shot 21-for-24 on free throws.

Beaver added 10 points and Whitaker had nine points for Eastern Randolph.

Randleman has gone two full seasons without a loss in PAC competition.

Randleman girls Elizabeth York v ER 012423

Randleman girls set high bar in PAC

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Randleman’s Elizabeth York looks to go up for a shot against Eastern Randolph’s Logan Beaver. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

RANDLEMAN – Staying atop the Piedmont Athletic Conference has been a challenge for the Randleman girls’ basketball team.

The Tigers have passed the test and that’s one of the rewarding aspects of another stellar season.

“Right now, everybody is bringing their ‘A’ game against us, but that’s OK,” coach Brandon Varner said.

Randleman withstood threats from Eastern Randolph and Southwestern Randolph during the past week. But it has turned out to be another title season for the Tigers, who are 9-0 in PAC play and 19-1 overall.

So if the Tigers might have looked vulnerable at times, they found the gumption to withstand those situations.

“We’re like their championship (game),” senior Gracyn Hall said of opponents. “Everybody is wanting to beat Randleman because we have that target on our back.”

Randleman’s only regular-season loss in a two-season span came in late December in the final of the Davidson-Randolph Christmas Classic. The Tigers were knocked off by Southwestern Randolph.

But with Friday night’s 55-40 home victory against the Cougars, Randleman made it a sweep of Southwestern Randolph in conference competition and clinched another league championship with three games remaining.

“We’re definitely getting everybody’s best shot,” senior Elizabeth York said. “You learn from it. We didn’t like losing. We had (that defeat) midyear and we don’t want that again.”

Earlier in the week, a 59-54 decision against Eastern Randolph came despite Brecken Snotherly’s 38 points for the Wildcats. York and Jordan Booker each drained a pair of free throws in the last 40 seconds to help the Tigers, who scored the last four points, claim the victory.

Hall ended up with 18 points and 16 rebounds, Audra Petty scored 14 points and York provided 13 points and five assists.

Audra Petty of Randleman looks for a teammate as Eastern Randolph’s Brecken Snotherly defends. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

A few tight games might be advantageous for the Tigers in the big picture.

“You get the playoff atmosphere,” Varner said. “You don’t want games when you’re blowing everybody out. You get more out of (closer games). We’re like everybody’s Super Bowl right now. You’ve got to battle through that.”

Hall said, “Closer games will end up helping us in the long run.”

Yet a chaotic late-game stretch with Eastern Randolph wasn’t totally ideal.

“I like things to be exciting, but not this close,” York said.

In Friday’s game, York had 18 points and Hall posted 16 points.

Hall and York provide a nice foundation as four-year contributors for the Tigers. Petty, Booker and Gracie Beane are clutch players as well.

“It’s just fun,” Hall said. “We don’t want to let each other down.”

Because some of the Tigers have had key roles for several seasons, opponents are familiar with what Randleman is all about, York said.

“We’ve got experience and everybody is coming for us right now,” Varner said. “Since Christmas, we’ve learned some things about ourselves. It’s character building.”

Randleman is heading for a third 20-win season in four years, the exception coming with a 12-4 record in the pandemic-shortened 2021 season.

And the Tigers are hoping there are more good times to come.

“We don’t always make the best decisions,” York said. “Our effort is what wins the games for us.”

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Randleman coach picked for special honor

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Coach Brandon Varner of the Randleman girls’ basketball team was selected as Coach of the Year for girls’ basketball in District 8 by the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association.

Varner led Randleman to an undefeated regular season and into the Class 2-A regional semifinals of the state tournament. The Tigers finished with a 25-1 record.

Players chose for the All-District girls’ teams include teammates Gracyn Hall (first team) and Elizabeth York (third team) of Randleman, Alexis Maness (third team) of Southwestern Randolph and Autumn Gentry (third team) of Trinity.

On the boys’ side, the All-District team has Zane Caudle of Providence Grove and Ashton Troutman of Uwharrie Charter Academy on the first team, Dominic Payne of Trinity on the second team and Tramir Martin of Asheboro on the third team.

Last week, the NCBCA named all-state teams. Senior Indya Nivar of Apex Friendship was the Player of the Year for girls and senior Chase Lowe of Weddington received that distinction for the girls.

For statewide Coach of the Year, Kerri Snipes of Northwood was picked for the girls’ honor and Gary Ellington of Weddington was tabbed for the boys’ honor.

Dunn picks college

Senior Dawson Dunn of the Uwharrie Charter Academy boys’ basketball team announced last week that he’ll play in college for Pfeiffer, a Division III school in Misenheimer, Dunn is a guard.