Asheboro’s Brandon Santos, right, is consoled by Hickory goalkeeper Conner Mejia on Monday night. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Asheboro’s finest season in boys’ soccer didn’t end so splendidly.
The Blue Comets gave a strong effort but fell short of reaching the state championship game, dropping a 2-1 decision to visiting Hickory in the Class 3-A West Region final Monday night.
“It just wasn’t our day,” Asheboro coach Nick Arroyo said.
Asheboro (23-2-2) scored first on Daniel Gutierrez Resendez’s goal.
Hickory posted the tying and go-ahead goals late in the first half.
“We had two simple mistakes that just cost us two goals quick in the last two minutes of the first half,” Arroyo said.
Hickory (21-2-3), the reigning West Region champion, will be in the state championship game for the second year in a row. The Red Tornadoes, who held the No. 10 seed in the West Region, will meet either Jacksonville or First Flight.
Arroyo said the Blue Comets, who were the No. 1 seed in the West Region, will miss members of the outgoing senior class. But that doesn’t mean the program won’t excel in the coming seasons.
“We have enough talent that we’re going to grow right back into a solid team again,” Arroyo said.
The boys’ soccer state finals will be held at MacPherson Stadium, home of NC Fusion in Browns Summit. It’s the first time for the boys’ soccer championships in the Greensboro area since the 1980s.
The stadium seats 3,000. Games in the four classifications will be Friday and Saturday.
The Blue Comets won two home games last week to reach the final week of the regular season.
In the regional semifinal against fourth-seeded East Lincoln, Asheboro won 1-0 on Gutierrez Resendez’s goal in the second half. The result also gave the Blue Comets their third shutout of the postseason.
That game followed a game earlier in the week when Gutierrez Resendez, Edwin Perez Vazquez and Cristisn Oritz all scored goals in a 3-0 victory against No. 25 seed West Iredell.
Salem Lee of Asheboro placed again in the state tournament for girls’ golf. (Randolph Record file photo)
Salem Lee placed fifth for the second year in a row in the Class 3-A state tournament for girls’ golf.
Lee shot rounds of 75 and 78 for a 9-over-par 153 in last week’s tournament at Longleaf Golf and Family Club in Southern Pines.
Asheboro’s Morgan Coward (123-99—222) and Addison Allen (116-113—229) were 74th and 75th, respectively.
Eastern Alamnance’s Emily Mathews won her third consecutive Class 3-A state title.
In Class 1-A/2-A, Providence Grove’s Caroline Wright was fourth at Foxfire Resort and Golf’s Red Course in Foxfire Village.
Wright shot rounds of 82 and 83 for 21-over 165.
Providence Grove’s Morgan Heilig (97-97—194) tied for 32nd and teammate Anna Holloway (117-122—239) was 75th.
Eastern Randolph entrants MacKenzie Gee (111-117—228) and Madison Canoy (117-114—231) were tied for 67th and 69th, respectively.
Cross country
At Kernersville, Brecken Snotherly of Eastern Randolph in a time of 20 minutes, 42.06 seconds, won the Class 1-A Midwest Regional at Ivy Redmon Complex. The senior had a winning margin of about 27 seconds.
In Class 2-A girls, Providence Grove was fourth in the Midwest Regional to qualify for states. Mai Browder’s 11th-place finish in 21:57.14 led the Patriots.
In Class 2-A boys, Zach Hazelwood of Wheatmore claimed third place in 17:02.86. Robert Burton of Providence Grove was 10th in 17:35.03. Both runners will be in Saturday’s state meet.
Girls’ tennis
Trinity senior Autumn Gentry lost in the first round of the Class 2-A individual state tournament at Ting Park in Holly Springs.
Ellie Spear of Holmes beat Gentry 6-4, 6-1.
Boys’ soccer
Asheboro is the No. 1 seed for the Class 3-A West Region in the state playoffs.
The Blue Comets (19-1-2), the Mid-Piedmont Conference champions, are set to begin their quest for a title with a home game Monday night against a one-win West Mecklenburg team.
On Oct. 21, Asheboro played a 0-0 non-conference tie at Burlington Williams, which is the No. 1 seed in the Class 3-A East Region.
In Class 2-A, Wheatmore (17-0-4) entered the state playoffs undefeated and the No. 2 seed with a scheduled matchup against Monroe.
Also in the field were No. 12 seed Trinity, No. 26 seed Randleman and No. 29 seed Southwestern Randolph.
In Class 1-A, Eastern Randolph held the No. 6 seed and Uwharrie Charter Academy was the No. 19 seed.
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.
Wheatmore senior Haley Pease spikes the ball during Monday night’s victory at East Davidson. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – The Asheboro volleyball team is moving practices and matches to South Asheboro Middle School from Sept. 8-26.
For the second season in a row, the Blue Comets have been displaced from the high school’s gym because of the massive construction and renovation project taking place on campus.
The Blue Comets had been using North Asheboro Middle School as its home facility. This latest move comes as repairs to the gym floor at North Asheboro Middle School are scheduled to begin next week.
GOOD STARTS: Trinity’s volleyball team had only 10 wins last year. It had half that many with five across the first two weeks of this season.
Wheatmore’s volleyball team avenged an early loss to East Davidson by picking up a road victory in four sets Monday night.
In boys’ soccer, Wheatmore has secured shutouts in three of its first five games to produce a 3-0-2 record – all in non-conference competition.
Also in soccer, Asheboro improved to 5-0 by winning its road opener with Monday night’s 5-2 triumph at Trinity. Cristian Benitez posted three goals in that game.
ON TARGET: Asheboro’s Salem Lee shot 1-over-par 36 on Monday at Asheboro Municipal Golf Course to claim medalist honors in the first Mid-Piedmont Conference match of the season.
The Blue Comets placed second, 21 shots behind Oak Grove, in the five-team competition.
BIG GATHERING: The North Carolina High School Athletic Association reported the largest crowd for its Hall of Fame banquet in the organization’s history for last week’s gathering in Cary.
The Hall of Fame classes for 2021 and 2022 were honored. More than 500 tickets were reserved.
Coach Kim Black directs her team during Monday night’s season opener vs. Trinity. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Kim Black came back as a winner as Asheboro’s volleyball coach.
Black’s third stint as coach of the Blue Comets began with Monday night’s 25-19, 25-17, 25-14 non-conference sweep of visiting Trinity at North Asheboro Middle School.
Kaylen Nance provided 23 assists and Piper Davidson had 12 digs and eight kills for Asheboro. Sarah Hildreth’s six kills and three aces and Ellen Long’s five kills and four blocks also helped the cause for the Blue Comets.
Black, the winningest coach in the program’s history, made other coaching stops since last guiding Asheboro in 2011. She directed past Blue Comets teams to three state finals, winning the Class 3-A state championship in 1994.
Madison Burgiss’ 21 assists and Sarabeth Johnson’s nine kills and four aces paced Trinity.
Monday marked the first day of competition for fall season sports in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. A slate of boys’ soccer games involving area teams was wiped out because of inclement weather or wet conditions, with make-up dates for those games set for later in the week.
Asheboro boys’ soccer players celebrate a goal during a game last year, which turned out to be a good season for the Blue Comets (File photo)
High school sports games and matches for the 2022-23 school year begin next week with competitions that count on the records.
For most sports in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, the first date for competition comes Monday (Aug. 15).
Here are a few notable events on early schedules:
• On Aug. 15, Southwestern Randolph travels to Central Davidson in the first boys’ soccer game with Jimmy Walker back in charge as coach of the Cougars. He founded the program and returned to the coaching role this summer for his third different stint in charge of the program.
• Also on Aug. 15, Trinity visits Asheboro in a matchup of two of the stronger boys’ soccer teams from Randolph County based on the 2021 season.
These teams held a combined record of 26-9-4 last year, but they didn’t meet. A rematch is scheduled for Aug. 24 at Trinity.
• Also in the second week of the boys’ soccer season, Asheboro has a non-conference home game with Western Alamance on Aug. 22. Western Alamance is the reigning Class 3-A state champion. Asheboro won 3-0 last August at Western Alamance.
• On Aug. 17, Southwestern Randolph’s volleyball team opens its season at Asheboro. There are numerous storylines there.
For reigning Class 2-A state champion Southwestern Randolph, it’s the season debut.
It’s supposed to be the third match for Asheboro since the return of Kim Black, who’s also a former Southwestern Randolph coach, as the Blue Comets coach.
That match is at North Asheboro Middle School, where the Blue Comets are playing again this season because of renovations on campus.
Asheboro starts the season Aug. 15 at home vs. Trinity and goes the next night to Randleman.
Southwestern Randolph has its first home match Aug. 23 vs. Oak Grove.
• In girls’ tennis, Wheatmore was unbeaten in Piedmont Athletic Conference play last season. The Warriors open this season Aug. 15 at East Davidson. The PAC slate starts with a visit from neighboring Trinity on Aug. 22.
• The Aug. 19 football openers include just one matchup involving two teams from Randolph County. That’s when Randleman goes to Asheboro.
A year ago, Asheboro secured its only victory by winning its opener at Randleman.
Other Aug. 19 football openers for county teams are: Jordan-Matthews at Southwestern Randolph, East Davidson at Providence Grove, Eastern Randolph at Eastern Alamance, Trinity at Chatham Central, West Davidson at Wheatmore.
Coley Shiflet is bound to be a key player again for Southwestern Randolph’s volleyball team. (File photo)
Southwestern Randolph gears up for volleyball season after 2021 state title
ASHEBORO — Southwestern Randolph’s volleyball team has a few different components this season.
There will be a new offensive make-up and a key transfer with the Cougars.
But one thing they don’t want to change is the rate of success.
“There’s a lot of excitement in our gym,” coach Darby Kennedy said. “They want to hold onto the title and defend that title.”
Southwestern Randolph is the reigning Class 2-A state champion.
Kennedy said that the core of the defensive unit has been in place since a year ago, but there will be shifting responsibilities from an offensive standpoint.
“It’s interesting because we went from having a strong offensive structure for the past few years,” she said. “Now the ball is going to be shared a lot more.”
The first match of the season comes Aug. 17 in a non-league encounter at Asheboro.
It’s a matter of Southwestern Randolph putting the pieces together, and there’s a good foundation for that.
Junior Coley Shiflet, the Most Valuable Player of the state final, is the libero. She’s joined by defensive specialist Carleigh Whitson, a senior.
Sophomore middle blocker Riley Key might show an upgraded offensive side, while outside hitter Madelyn Smith is a reliable factor. Sophomore outside hitter Gracie Hodgin, an All-Piedmont Athletic Conference selection last year and the daughter of school principal Brian Hodgin, has transferred from Wheatmore and provides good power along with solid service receptions.
Coach Darby Kennedy will hope to direct the Cougars to another special season. (File photo)
“We’re young in the middle,” Kennedy said. “We’ve got some kids who are a little less experienced at some key positions.”
Payton Shiflet and Josie Allred, who were seniors on last season’s 28-5 team, sparked much of the offense.
More responsibilities could fall on the setters in the restructured offense.
“Our strategy has to change so we can be successful all the way around,” Kennedy said. “The more they work on that, I think they’ll gain that confidence and make sure they’re building that chemistry. We’re working on finding that consistency in a new offensive structure.”
The list of potential difference makers also includes senior Julie Johnston and junior Alyssa Harbor.
With such a strong foundation, Southwestern Randolph could be a team capable of another season of excellence.
Molly Smith of Southwestern Randolph’s volleyball team sets the ball during Saturday’s multi-team scrimmage at Wheatmore High School. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
“We’ve had a lot of conversations about that you win a state championship, and that’s exciting,” Kennedy said. “You get back in the gym and have to start over. We’re always had girls who are willing to work. They’ve been putting their time in. Now it’s a matter of connecting it all together.”
The Cougars ought to learn more this weekend in a multi-team scrimmage in Raleigh that will also include the 2021 Class 3-A and Class 4-A state champions and several other established teams.
Closer to home, the Cougars will be aiming to regenerate the level of enthusiasm that built throughout last season.
“The games ought to be exciting with people flying all over the place,” Kennedy said.
Above, members of the Randleman boys’ soccer team move the goal at the first practice of the season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Here’s a glimpse of some of the opening practices in Randolph County on Monday, when teams could officially begin practices for the upcoming fall season.
Eddie Soto of the Asheboro football team goes through a tackling drill on the first day of practice Monday. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)Coach Seth Baxter addresses his Southwestern Randolph football team on the first day of practice Monday. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)Asheboro’s volleyball team goes through practice under the direction of Kim Black, who has returned to the program as the coach. The session was held at North Asheboro Middle School because of ongoing renovations at the high school. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
David Makupson of Trinity reacts to winning the Class 2-A state title at 138 pounds during the past season in a match vs. Will Nix of Bandys. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Trinity’s state champion built powerful prep career
TRINITY — In order for Trinity’s David Makupson to become a high school state champion in wrestling, he took a path of nonstop pursuit of that goal.
He thought he worked hard to attain that. Now, he’s aiming even higher.
“I just know I have to work that much harder if I want to be on the D-I level,” Makupson said. “I got a good feel on how that next level is going to be.”
Makupson is heading to Queens University of Charlotte after a stellar high school career that was capped with a 138-pound title in Class 2-A.
“He kind of set the standard for what we’re looking for,” Trinity coach Brandon Coggins said. “He’s leaving his mark.”
A 178-21 career record left him short of the school-record 200 wins set by 2017 graduate Tyler Johnson. Makupson likely would have eclipsed the mark had the 2020-21 season not been shortened because of the reconfigured North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s sports calendar during the pandemic.
Makupson, who turned 18 years old in June, did this while lettering in five sports at Trinity. He said he knew wrestling was the sport that allowed him to flourish the most.
But he received all-conference recognition as a football player, playing as a running back, slot receiver, and outside linebacker. At 5-foot-6, he took a fearless approach to the football field.
“Really not being scared to hit somebody,” he said, noting that his quickness also was an asset.
When the pandemic caused an adjusted sports schedule during his junior year, he added cross country and swimming (though the track and field season conflicted with wrestling). His spot on the swimming team in the 50-yard freestyle might have caught some people off guard.
“My dad (David Makupson Jr.) kind of forced me to do it,” he said.
The workload and variety of sports might have made an impression on others, but it didn’t faze Makupson.
“I don’t really see it,” he said. “I just went out there and did it.”
This spring, he became the Piedmont Athletic Conference champion in the 800 meters and took part in Trinity’s league-winning 3,200 relay.
Grappling greatness
The running success came a couple of months after securing that coveted wrestling title. He had the confidence to go with it.
“Go out there and dominate because nobody can keep up with me,” he said. “I had one mission, to go out there and win it all, and that’s what I did. I’ve been preparing since I first got started since I was 5. It was my dream to win one. Just so happened I got it my senior year. It had been a long time coming.”
Trinity’s David Makupson has a grip on Will Nix of Bandys. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Makupson dominated Will Nix of Bandys with a 10-0 decision in the final after two other major decisions sandwiched around a second-period pin to reach the title bout in February at the Greensboro Coliseum.
All along, the key for Makupson was “being physical in neutral positions and being heavy on the hips” when on top,” he said.
“It really comes down to mental toughness and conditioning,” Makupson said. “I think what won me most of the matches was just wearing guys down.”
His only loss as a senior came in a season-opening tournament by a 7-4 decision to Rolesville’s Frank Bianco in the finals of the Wolverine Challenge.
“It was really a down-to-earth moment,” Makupson said of the defeat. “To this day, I still think about that one loss.”
By February, Makupson held a 54-1 record.
“Just getting my mind right and going through all the preparation,” he said. “There was going to be pressure being ranked No. 1 (in the weight division) before the season started.”
He placed fourth in the two previous state tournaments. That included defeating Nix in the opening round of the 2021 version.
“I needed to work harder,” he said. “I wasn’t trying to get fourth again.”
Coggins said he’s glad that Makupson is going to have the chance to compete at the Division I level. Queens made the move to Division I this summer.
Makupson chose Queens ahead of Division II Belmont Abbey.
The wrestler said he’ll likely redshirt during the 2022-23 season. Then Makupson said he’ll attempt to take a spot in the Queens lineup at 133 pounds.
“He fills out pretty good,” Coggins said.
There figures to be no challenge too large for him.
“The main thing I’m really focused on is getting adjusted to the college level,” Makupson said.
Brooks Brannon had an award-winning high school career with Randleman. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
RANDLEMAN – Catcher Brooks Brannon of Randleman was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the ninth round of baseball’s amateur draft Monday.
“It felt like a dream come true,” Brannon said Monday night. “Excited isn’t even the word. It was ecstasy.”
Brannon, 18, is enrolled at North Carolina, where he’ll play for the Tar Heels if he decides to pass on this pro opportunity.
Brannon was selected with the 279th pick overall during the second day of the three-day draft that concludes Tuesday. In that spot, the projected signing bonus is about $158,000, but he could be in line to sign for over slot because draft projections had him going in earlier rounds.
Brannon said he expects a decision about his next steps to be revealed this week, perhaps as early as Tuesday.
Pro scouts were regulars at Randleman games this season to watch Brannon. The Tigers posted a 33-1 record, winning the Class 2-A state championship for the second year in a row.
Brannon was the 20th catcher picked in the draft, and the first taken by the Red Sox. Only one other high school catcher was selected ahead of Brannon, with Lamar King Jr. out of Calvert Hall College High School in Maryland going in the fourth round to the San Diego Padres. King, a Georgia Tech signee, is a native of Canada.
Red Sox scout Spencer Brown had a good attendance rate at Randleman games.
“He was at so many games,” Brannon said. “Some of the scouts joked that he was there so much that he was going to get a locker (in the field house).”
Brannon watched the draft unfold on television from his Randleman home.
“There were definitely some anxious moments, for sure,” Brannon said. “God rewards people’s patience.”
Brannon’s draft status had been a curiosity for many of his now-former Randleman teammates.
“I feel like he’s going to get out there and do his thing and he’s going to work his butt to the majors,” said center fielder Braylen Hayes, a classmate. “That’s what I want to see.”
Randleman coach Jake Smith said Brannon did so much through his high school days that he’s in position to pick between two good choices.
“He has the hard part out of the way because he has a great opportunity at Carolina to go in and make an impact right away,” Smith said. “He’s in a win-win situation the way I look at it.”
Since Randleman won the state title in early June, Brannon stayed away from playing.
“Summer school at Carolina and then whatever happens after that,” he said following the championship series. “I’m just excited to get to Carolina.”
Brannon said his five weeks in Chapel Hill were worthwhile. He was limited to individual workouts, but he said he got better through those.
Brannon had gained scouts’ attention well before the record-setting 2022 season. His 20 home runs were the most in the nation among high school players this year, tying the single-season North Carolina record set by his father, Paul Brannon. He also set state records for a season with 91 runs batted in and 70 hits.
