Prep Notes: Coaches have various results in debuts
Maddie Small of Southwestern Randolph goes up for a shot against Asheboro during last week’s season opener. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Southwestern Randolph ruined the coaching debut for Asheboro’s Mike Headen in girls’ basketball last week.
The host Cougars defeated Asheboro 52-49 in Friday night’s non-conference game.
Headen was promoted from assistant coach to head coach during the summer upon the retirement of Don Corry.
Also in girls’ basketball, a couple of area players who’ve already eclipsed 1,000 career points got off to good starts. They are seniors Gracyn Hall and Autumn Gentry.
Hall of Randleman racked up 16 points in a 73-58 victory against Lexington. Elizabeth York’s 27 points paced Randleman.
Gentry of Trinity had 22 points as the Bulldogs defeated Southern Guilford 50-36.
Wrestling
New coach Jake Berrier of Asheboro has the Blue Comets off to a solid start.
On the first day of action, Asheboro defeated East Gaston 46-27 and West Charlotte 84-0, but sustained a 54-18 loss to host Bandys.
Then in the Forbush Duals, the Blue Comets went 4-1.
They defeated Forbush, Ashe County, Walkertown and Trinity, but suffered a loss to St. Stephens.
Berrier replaced his father, Wes Berrier, as the head coach when the elder Berrier became the school’s athletics director during the summer.
At the Wheatmore Duals, Wheatmore posted a 1-3 team record. Dominic Hittepole and Trey Swinney both went 4-0 for the Warriors. Diego Gutierrez and Matthew Perdue were both 5-0 for Asheboro.
Boys’ soccer
Just a few days after defeating Asheboro in the Class 3-A West Region final, Hickory finished its quest for a state championship.
Hickory, which was the 2021 state runner-up, defeated Jacksonville 2-1 in the championship game Saturday at Browns Summit.
