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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Gabi Carter

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Randleman, volleyball

Carter was rated among Randleman’s top producers in several categories during her senior season on the volleyball team. She was the leader among the Tigers in service percentage and second on the team in aces.

She also made strong contributions in blocks and kills per set. She played as an outside hitter and defensive specialist.

Randleman racked up a 17-6 record in 2022 for its fifth consecutive winning season.

Carter was also a member of Randleman’s Piedmont Athletic Conference champion girls’ basketball team.

** During the summer, we recognize seniors from the past school year.

Asheboro volleyball coach Kelly Smith headshot

Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

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ASHEBORO – Kelly Smith has been hired as the new volleyball coach at Asheboro.

Smith will be the team’s third volleyball coach in three years. She replaces Kim Black, whose third stint as head coach of the program lasted just one year.

Smith, an Eastern Randolph alum, was coach of her alma mater’s volleyball team in 2017 and 2018 before going to Southern Guilford for three years. She spent time as volleyball and girls’ basketball coach at Southern Guilford, though without a winning season.

She has been away from varsity competition during this school year.

“I felt like I wanted to come back into the gym,” Smith said of returning to the varsity level.

Smith was a volleyball and basketball standout at Eastern Randolph, graduating in 2006. She played basketball collegiately at West Virginia and East Carolina.

In 2022, Asheboro went 7-15 with a 4-6 record in the Mid-Piedmont Conference. Black, who guided the Blue Comets to the 1994 Class 3-A state championship, is the all-time winningest coach in Asheboro volleyball history with a 253-112 record.

Smith works as a physical education teacher at North Asheboro Middle School. She said in her time with Asheboro City Schools that she has felt connected to the high school because of the close relationship between the district’s schools.

While she didn’t attend Blue Comets volleyball matches in 2022, she saw some practices because the high school team used the middle school gym while renovations take place at the high school.

During the past few months, Smith has coached volleyball and girls’ basketball at the middle school. She said she intends to remain as the volleyball coach at North Asheboro Middle School with that season in the second half of the school year. With middle school operating for grades 6-12, she could have a seven-year connection with some players.

“It works perfect,” she said.

Smith, who lives in Franklinville, said an Eastern Randolph-Asheboro non-conference volleyball match has been scheduled for 2023.

SWR volley No 6 Oct2022

Prep volleyball: Cougars’ bid for repeat dashed

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Southwestern Randolph’s Madelyn Smith makes a play near the net against Brevard. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO – There’s no repeat for Southwestern Randolph’s volleyball team in the Class 2-A state playoffs.

The defending state champion Cougars were eliminated in the fourth round with Saturday’s 21-25, 25-923-25, 25-17, 21-19 home loss to Brevard.

The Cougars, who were seeded second in the West Region, finished the season with a 26-4 record. Brevard advanced with a 23-5 record.

Madelyn Smith had 13 kills and Riley Key added 10 kills in the last match for Southwestern Randolph. Raegan Leroy added 26 assists and Carleigh Whiston posted 10 service points.

In the third round, the Cougars bounced No. 23 seed North Stanly 25-12, 25-9, 25-17 behind Key’s 11 kills, Smith’s 10 kills, Gracie Hodgin’s eight kills and Leroy’s 16 service points.

In a second-round victory against No. 15 seed East Davidson, Southwestern Randolph received 14 kills from Hodgin, 12 kills and 18 digs from Smith and 32 digs from Coley Shiflet. Leroy provided 23 assists, Whitson had 14 digs and Micah Wilson added 13 assists in the 25-20, 25-22, 25-16 triumph.

Also in Class 2-A, No. 13 seed Randleman was ousted in the second round with a 25-21, 25-20, 25-12 loss at No. 4 seed East Surry. The Tigers finished with a 17-6 record.

In Class 1-A, Uwharrie Charter Academy made it to the third round.

The fifth-seeded Eagles topped No. 21 seed Hayesville 25-12, 25-18, 25-22 in the second round.

But two nights later, UCA (16-8) was eliminated by fourth-seeded Highland Tech in a 25-22, 25-27, 24-26, 25-18, 15-12 decision in the third round.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Julie Johnston

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Southwestern Randolph  |  volleyball

As the Cougars try to repeat as Class 2-A state champions, underclassmen are playing key roles. But Johnston is among the seniors on the roster.

Last week, the Cougars won three matches. They took down Providence Grove in a sweep and then won a five-set match against Randleman to capture the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament. 

Then on Saturday, the Cougars won against East Surry in the first round of the state playoffs.

Johnston is a setter and outside hitter.

Randleman volleyball in states Oct2022

Prep volleyball: Defending champ SWR starts strong in states; Randleman, UCA also roll

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Randleman’s Gabi Carter, left, and Mollie Hall defend at the net in the Class 2-A first-round matchup against visiting Bandys on Saturday. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

Southwestern Randolph had a strong showing to begin defense of its Class 2-A state championship in volleyball.

The Cougars, who are the No. 2 seed in the West Region, opened the playoffs by defeating visiting Surry Central 25-9, 25-13, 25-11 on Saturday.

Madelyn Smith provided 13 kills and nine digs, Riley Key had 10 kills, Raegan LeRoy provided 30 assists and Carleigh Whitston made 10 digs to go with four aces for Southwestern Randolph (24-3).

Also in Class 2-A, 13th-seeded Randleman dispatched 20th-seeded Bandys 14-25, 25-18, 25-13, 25-22 in a home match behind Chloe Dixon’s 18 kills and 18 digs and Gabi Carter’s 12 kills.

Kenzie Roach supplied 29 assists and 13 digs, Karli Kennington turned in 19 digs, Camryn Vickery added 10 assists for the Tigers (17-5).

Three other teams from Randolph County lost in road matches.

No. 18 seeded Providence Grove fell 25-23, 25-23, 25-23 to No. 15 seed East Davidson. No. 29 seed Wheatmore came up short in a 25-10, 25-5, 25-6 loss at fourth-seeded East Surry. No. 32 seed Trinity was ousted in a 25-12, 25-19, 25-16 loss at top-seeded McMichael.

In Class 1-A, Uwharrie Charter Academy dispatched Piedmont Athletic Conference rival Eastern Randolph 25-18, 25-19, 25-23 in the first round. UCA (15-7) swept the Wildcats (5-14) for the third time this season.

Conference tournament

Southwestern Randolph held momentum going into the Class 2-A state playoffs.

The Cougars followed their regular-season title in the PAC by capturing the conference tournament as well.

Southwestern Randolph defeated visiting Randleman 25-12, 26-24, 23-25, 21-25, 15-11 in Wednesday night’s final.

Madelyn Smith produced 24 kills and 16 digs and Gracie Hodgin had 23 kills and nine digs. Raegan LeRoy’s 64 assists were critical for the offense. Coley Shiflet had 31 digs and Carleigh Whitson made 26 digs for Southwestern Randolph (23-3).

Randleman (16-5), which handed the Cougars their lone PAC regular-season defeat, received 30 digs from Haley Hinshaw, 28 digs from Karli Kennington and 17 digs and 10 kills from Chloe Dixon. Camden Scott had 12 kills and Kenzie Roach chipped in with 17 assists and 10 digs.

Southwestern Randolph took down fourth-seeded Providence Grove a night earlier in the semifinals after receiving bye in the quarterfinals.

Randleman, which had a 12-match winning streak snapped, was playing its third match in three nights after sweeping Eastern Randolph in the quarterfinals and sweeping defending champion Uwharrie Charter Academy in the semifinals.

UCA dig pink students

Dig it Pink: Volleyball teams play for a cause

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Fans enjoy the environment for Dig Pink Night at Uwharrie Charter Academy. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

Randolph County volleyball teams held Dig Pink Nights in recognition of breast cancer awareness.

Those matches and events associated with them served as fundraisers.

Participants and fans were decked out in pink for the matches.

Eastern Randolph’s Addie Flinchum sets up the ball in a match vs. Uwharrie Charter Academy. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

 

Asheboro’s Sarah Hildreth and Ellen Long go for a block against Central Davidson. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

 

Providence Grove’s Emma Mazzarone spikes the ball against Asheboro. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Dacia Lowery

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Uwharrie Charter Academy  |  volleyball

Lowery played a role as the Eagles won two matches last week to stay in contention for the top spot in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

Lowery had 16 kills, and five blocks as UCA topped visiting Providence Grove 21-25, 25-15, 25-21, 13-25, 15-9.

That was followed by UCA’s 24-26, 25-18, 25-22, 25-23 victory at Trinity when Lowery provided 11 kills and five blocks.

Entering this month with two weeks in the regular season remaining, UCA held an 11-3 overall record and 6-2 PAC mark.

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Prep Notes: Randleman pulls volleyball surprise; Asheboro starts strong in soccer league play

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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.

Faith Christian volleyball Cassell

Prep Notes: Dates change for football games; Check on soccer successes, streaks for volleyball teams

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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.

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Liberty Beane

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Providence Grove |  volleyball

Beane came through with a team-high 16 service points as the visiting Patriots defeated Trinity last week.

That outcome helped Providence Grove to its second consecutive victory in the Piedmont Athletic Conference. The Patriots won two of their first three matches in league play after finishing last season with a sub-.500 conference record. 

Combined with a four-set non-league loss at Southeast Guilford, the Patriots had other big contributors during the week. Riley Mazzarone had a total of 66 assists, and Emma Mazzarone compiled 32 kills in the two matches. Allie Frazier notched 15 digs in the Trinity match, and Mailey Way had 18 digs vs. Southeast Guilford.

 

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