Jake Little – Twin City Herald

July 27, 2023

Check on college-bound athletes from area schools

Bob Sutton Sports Asheboro Blue Comets, Cade Hill, Calvin Smith, Caroline Wright, Diego Gutierrez, Dylan Hodges, Jake Little, Mid-Piedmont Conference, piedmont athletic conference, Trinity athletics

Jake Little of Trinity made a big impact in baseball for the Bulldogs and he’ll continue playing in 2024. (File photo)

Here’s a check on some of Randolph County’s top athletes from the Class of 2023 with their college intentions:

** Asheboro’s Nicolas Chavez signed to go to UNC Asheville for men’s track and field. He was a hurdler and pole vaulter for the Blue Comets.

** Katelyn Thomas of Asheboro is headed to Anderson (S.C.) University to play women’s tennis. She has been on the Mid-Piedmont Conference all-conference team the past two years.

** Diego Gutierrez of Asheboro is going to Carolina University for men’s soccer. He also was a wrestling standout for the Blue Comets.

Edwin Perez is slated to play men’s soccer at Chowan, which is the same destination for Asheboro teammate Calvin Smith. Smith was the Defensive Player of the Year in the Mid-Piedmont Conference, while Gutierrez and Perez were all-conference choices.

** Trinity’s baseball team had several players pegged to extend their playing careers. A trio of All-Piedmont Athletic Conference players will make stops in junior college.

Pitcher and outfielder Jake Little is going to Florence-Darlington Tech in Florence, S.C., to play for the Stingers, who’ve been a regional power. Pitcher Cade Hill is heading to Rockingham Community College. Jaxson Coble, who also played football for the Bulldogs, is going to Guilford Tech after being dubbed the Bulldogs’ top offensive player in 2023.

** Three-sport standout Dylan Hodges of Trinity is set to play men’s basketball at Division III Pfeiffer.

Hodges was a high-flying swingman, averaging 17.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and a team-best 2.5 steals per game as a senior. Hodges was also a receiver for the football team, while he excelled as a high jumper and sprinter in track and field.

** From Providence Grove, Caroline Wright is going to Pfeiffer to play women’s golf. She was last year’s Player of the Year in the Piedmont Athletic Conference for girls’ golf.

Previous stories have documented intended destinations for many other Class of 2023 athletes from Randolph County.

March 21, 2023

Prep Roundup: Spring athletes hit strides

Staff Reports Sports Connor Carter, Devonte Brooks, Eastern Randolph athletics, Ellie Garrison, Emma Mazzarone, Jake Little, Stratton Barwick, Tanner Marsh, Tess Moody, Wheatmore athletics

Logan Zepfir of UCA slides in safely at the plate as Trinity catcher Eva Porter applies a late tag during a PAC softball game earlier this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

Three days after appearing in the Class 1-A state championship game for boys’ basketball, Eastern Randolph’s Connor Carter shot 44 for second place in a Piedmont Athletic Conference boys’ golf match at Colonial Country Club.

Ryan Marshall of Wheatmore was the winner with 43.

In a PAC match Thursday at Tot Hill Farm, Carter topped the seven-team field by shooting 37 for a six-shot victory on runner-up Cooper Wright of Providence Grove.

Carter wasn’t the only Eastern Randolph basketball player in action in another sport last week.

Teammate Davonte Brooks placed second in the high jump by clearing 5 feet, 6 inches in a PAC tri-meet that also included host Providence Grove and Southwestern Randolph. Devonte Dukes of Southwestern Randolph won the event at 5-8.

Softball

Eastern Randolph’s Skylar Pugh struck out 10 batters with one walk in a five-inning no-hitter against visiting Wheatmore in a 10-0 victory.

** Providence Grove’s Emma Mazzarone struck out 16 in a no-hitter of host Uwharrie Charter Academy in a 6-1 victory.

Baseball

Asheboro used a nine-run third inning in an 11-9 non-conference home victory against Eastern Randolph. Tanner Marsh’s three-run home run was the big blast.

Stratton Barwick and Rayden West homered for Eastern Randolph, which lost twice during the week to the Blue Comets.

** Trinity thumped Southwestern Randolph twice, winning 16-6 on the road and 10-5 at home. Trinity’s Jake Little homered in the first meeting and then drove in two runs and was the winning pitcher in the rematch. Jaxson Coble knocked in four runs in the first matchup between the teams.

** Randleman claimed two PAC victories against Wheatmore by 9-4 and 12-2 counts. Then came Saturday’s 1-0 loss to undefeated High Point Christian in a non-conference loss in a neutral-site game at Finch Field in Thomasville.

** Jake Hunter of UCA threw a nine-hitter with three strikeouts and no walks in a 5-0 decision against host Providence Grove.

That outcome avenged Providence Grove’s 3-2 victory earlier in the week. Andrew Thomas struck out nine UCA batters in the road victory.

Girls’ soccer

Ellie Garrison of Wheatmore registered seven goals in a 9-1 home victory against East Davidson. Summer Bowman had the other two goals for the Warriors.

** Tess Moody scored three goals as Asheboro topped visiting Southwestern Randolph 5-1.

** Asheboro won again by defeating visiting UCA 3-1 with Moody scoring another goal along one goal apiece for teammates Natalie Flores and Madison Luck.