Members of the Uwharrie Charter Academy wrestling team celebrate a dual team state championship last winter. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
There were championships and near misses and an assortment of other superlatives associated with the 2022-23 school year for Randolph County high school teams.
Uwharrie Charter Academy racked up a pair of team state championships in Class 1-A.
The Eagles secured the dual team wrestling title and a few months later picked up the baseball crown.
** Eastern Randolph’s boys’ basketball team had its most successful season ever by advancing to the Class 1-A state championship game. Wilson Prep won the game.
Then in baseball, the Wildcats ended up one round away from a spot in the state finals. They were denied by UCA in the West Region finals.
Those might have been surprise postseason runs, but Eastern Randolph’s football success seemed normal. The Wildcats won the Piedmont Athletic Conference, received a first-round bye in the Class 1-A state playoffs and won two playoff games before they were derailed by Mount Airy.
** Wheatmore’s girls’ soccer team also played for a state championship, but its bid to repeat as the Class 2-A titlist was thwarted in the final by Manteo.
** Asheboro’s boys’ soccer team made it to the Class 3-A West Region final, falling to Hickory.
** Randleman’s baseball and girls’ basketball teams both reached the fourth round of the Class 2-A state playoffs. In baseball, the Tigers were the two-time defending state champions.
** Providence Grove’s football team won one game in the Class 2-A state playoffs. That was notable because it was the school’s first victory in a postseason football game.
** In softball, Southwestern Randolph won three games in the Class 2-A state playoffs before a 10-inning loss to West Wilkes. UCA and Eastern Randolph also reached the fourth round in Class 1-A.
Notes of interest
** Brecken Snotherly of Eastern Randolph was the PAC’s Runner of the Year in girls’ cross country, Player of the Year in girls’ basketball and the Most Valuable Track Athlete for PAC girls’ track and field.
** Shortstop / pitcher Tanner Marsh of Asheboro was a top honoree in two sports in the Mid-Piedmont Conference. He was dubbed the Defensive Player of the Year in boys’ basketball and the Player of the Year in baseball as a senior.
** Connor Carter of Eastern Randolph was the state individual runner-up for the past two seasons in Class 1-A boys’ golf.
** Infielder Hunter Atkins of Randleman was the Player of the Year for PAC baseball in 2021 and 2023. He’s heading to UNC Greensboro, though first he’s playing this summer for Randolph County Post 45 in American Legion baseball.
Most Valuable Track Athlete: Tristan Chriscoe (Randleman)
Most Outstanding Runner: Zach Hazelwood (Wheatmore)
Most Outstanding Field Event Participant: Chase Farlow (Randleman)
Coach of the Year: Marty Collinson (Randleman)
All-conference
Trinity: Jose Castillo, Memphis Chap, Zach Cox, Riley Foster, Dylan Hodges, Jacob Hodges, Giovanni Jaimes, Mitchell Marin-Pulido, Dominic Payne, AJ Poe, Robert Ratliff.
Providence Grove: Robert Burton, Malachi Combo, Jackson Rhyne.
Randleman: Tristan Chriscoe, Chase Farlow, Amari Ferdna, Tyshawn Goldston, Landon McGee, Amarion Moton, Ty Moton, Jonathan Sampson.
Wheatmore: Zach Hazelwood, Peyton McDevitt.
Girls’ track and field
Most Valuable Track Athlete: Brecken Snotherly (Eastern Randolph)
Lowe was an all-conference selection in the Piedmont Athletic Conference for her senior season of softball. She was a three-year regular in the Southwestern Randolph lineup.
She batted .349 with five doubles and two triples for the Cougars (22-2) this year.
Lowe also played as a point guard for the Southwestern Randolph girls’ basketball team.
** During the summer, we recognize seniors from the past school year.
Southwestern Randolph graduate Alex Coleman has joined North Carolina’s softball team. (Courtesy photo)
Former Southwestern Randolph player follows college coach
Alex Coleman said she relished her time as a college softball player at Marshall. She said she’s hoping for something even more as she follows her coach to North Carolina.
The former Southwestern Randolph standout has become a Tar Heel.
“I kind of made a decision to enter the (transfer) portal and it was a really hard decision,” Coleman said.
Megan Smith Lyon left her position as Marshall’s coach to take the position at North Carolina, her alma mater. The good times that Coleman had with the Thundering Herd she hopes will resume with the Tar Heels.
The outfielder has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
“When I was young, I wanted to play there,” Coleman said of the university in Chapel Hill. “Playing for Carolina is a place every girl from North Carolina should really dream of. This will be good for everyone who wants to see me play.”
Megan Smith Lyon coached five seasons at Marshall following stops as head coach at Western Carolina and Kansas. Her husband, Corey Lyon, was on the Marshall staff and he has been named an assistant coach with the Tar Heels.
These moves come after Donna Papa retired from the North Carolina coaching position this spring after 38 years.
Marshall was 45-10 this year, marking a school record for wins.
Coleman put together a stellar season, starting all 55 games and batting in the lead-off spot for a majority of the games.
She was named All-Sun Belt Conference first team as she collected 79 hits to lead the Sun Belt and rank fifth nationally. Her 61 runs scored were one short of a Marshall record. Coleman, who batted .427, was sixth nationally with 42 stolen bases.
Her role “is to get on base and run,” she said.
A slap hitter, she said Smith Lyon has guided her the past couple of seasons.
“A lot of my success is due to her,” Coleman said. “I know what I’m getting into.”
The connection between Coleman and Smith Lyon was partly formed when Coleman played travel ball for the Carolina Cardinals.
Colman, 20, mostly played as a center fielder or left fielder as a freshman and then took a spot in right field as a sophomore. She said she received a few calls when her name was in the transfer portal, but the connection to the new coaching staff at North Carolina was clear.
Huntington, W.Va., was about a five-hour drive away for Coleman, so playing closer to home should have benefits.
“I really feel I owe it to myself to come home and compete at the ACC level,” she said. “The Sun Belt is no joke.”
The Thundering Herd with 160-70 under Smith Lyon. For Coleman, changing schools comes with some sadness as well.
“I love Huntington and fell in love with it,” she said. “It will always hold such a special place in my heart. Everybody loves Marshall and I love Marshall and always will.”
Southwestern Randolph’s Adam Cole runs behind teammate Eli Gravely during a 2022 football game. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Southwestern Randolph product seeks more fast times in football
ASHEBORO – Adam Cole figured out pretty early that the best way to make an impression was to do it fast.
He sprinted to a special high school career for Southwestern Randolph.
It mostly came about through football and baseball, allowing his foot speed to set him apart.
By his senior year, he became the face of the football program.
“It’s kind of a role I have to take,” he said. “It’s not like I control it. I definitely like it. It gives me a sense of responsibility, too. I like that. I definitely think I’m a leader on the field.”
That helped translate into a record career, setting the school standard for career touchdowns. He was a receiver and cornerback.
A center fielder on the baseball field, he gave track and field a try and ended up in the Class 2-A state meet as a junior.
But football has had his attention.
“I’m just not this big, huge guy you’d look at and say he’s going D-I,” Cole said this spring. “I’m 180 pounds.”
While the speed component is nice, a commitment to build himself as an overall athlete allowed him to excel.
“I was playing at 150 pounds last year,” he said last August in reference to his junior season. “I’m about 170. I want to be about 185. Just playing baseball and football and going to camps every day, I really haven’t had a day off this summer. It’s definitely not letting me gain as much as I want to.”
The workload largely paid off as Cole ended his high school career by being selected as the Male Athlete of the Year in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.
Faster, faster
Cole’s speed puts others in awe, but he looks at the fine print.
“I’ve always been fast,” he said. “I was running a 4.7 40(-yard dash). That’s honestly terrible for a receiver if you’re trying to go play college football. I’ve put in a lot of work over the summer. I’d get up early before we had baseball practice or before football practice, go do field work. I’d go do work. I work out every day. I went from a 4.7 40 to a 4.4.”
For Southwestern Randolph, Cole’s speed gave the Cougars a valuable weapon.
“Fastest dude I’ve seen around here,” said Easton Clapp, a classmate and quarterback. “No one can keep up with him, if not the best athlete we got. Crazy fast. He can run routes like crazy.”
Opponents knew it, too.
“He’s crazy fast,” Randleman linebacker Thomas Dobias said. “He’s probably the fastest kid in our conference, for sure.”
Prior to his freshman year, Southwestern Randolph coaches had an inkling Cole might be an impact player. They had him work with varsity players in summer camps.
“I started enjoying it because I knew by my sophomore, junior, senior year, I would really be one of the best around,” he said.
A broken ankle mostly derailed that first season in high school. He called his junior season the best when he scored 23 touchdowns.
Cole accepted the attention that followed.
“It makes me play better because I know I have a standard to play up to,” he said. “I know people are watching and really expecting a lot of me. I like that. I like the pressure knowing I have to be something. It just gives me a sense of confidence.”
As the touchdown totals soared, his reputation as a speedster grew.
“They joke about it all the time. Yeah, they know,” Cole said of reaction from teammates. “I don’t remember any time in four years of high school football, I don’t think I’ve ever been run down.”
Betting on himself
Cole is joining the East Carolina football program as a preferred walk-on. Division I scholarship offers weren’t coming his way, but he didn’t want to settle for anything else.
“I’m not trying to be cocky in any way, but I feel like I’m more talented than to go D-II, D-III,” he said. “I’m just betting on myself. I’m going to work my way up and I think I’ll be on scholarship after a few years if I work as hard as I can and everything goes to plan.”
Here’s Adam Cole at Southwestern Randolph football practice last August. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record)Adam Cole had a notable baseball career while with Southwestern Randolph (here) and Randolph County Post 45. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record)Adam Cole competed in select track and field meets for Southwestern Randolph. (Bob Sutton/Randolph Record)
Yet he sensed interest from the Pirates and assistant coach Roy Tesh, who was his primary recruiter. Cole’s workout last year in Greenville made a difference.
“I just showed out at that camp,” he said. “They talked to me more consistent than really any other school did which is surprising.”
At the outset, he’ll be pegged as a defensive back.
“I would rather be scoring touchdowns, but I like defense, too,” he said.
He might also try punt returns and kickoff returns.
Too fast, this time
While getting to spots on the field faster is generally a bonus, it doesn’t always have the greatest results.
That’s what happened in the Cougars’ third-to-last football game last fall. Randleman’s Chesney Welch made a catch and took off toward the end zone.
“It was a play across the field and I chased him down and punched the ball out,” Cole said. “When I punched, I hit just his elbow with this pinky right here. It snapped this bone right here.”
He was pointing to his right hand.
But on that mid-October night, Cole wasn’t finished. He stayed in the game, ending up filling in at quarterback in the Cougars’ 34-7 loss.
“I played through the game,” he said. “I didn’t really feel it until I came off.”
It marked his final high school football game. The next day he went for an exam. Surgery was scheduled.
Cole sent a photo of X-ray to Welch, who probably could have done without a reminder of the sequence.
“Adam running his 4.3 came down and poked it out,” Welch said. “You don’t want to be chased by him.”
Even now, there’s a sliver of satisfaction for Cole that came from that play. He not only caused the fumble, he recovered the ball.
Cole said he made the most of the rehabilitation.
“My grip strength increased because I did therapy for it,” he said.
Adam Cole puts down a bunt for Randolph County Post 45 during last year’s Southeast Regional. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Burning up base paths
Cole’s baseball numbers might suggest a future in that sport. He led the Cougars this year by batting over .490 in addition to swatting four home runs. He had been a mainstay in the Randolph County Post 45 lineup for two years, and even spent a couple of weeks with the team this spring prior to football commitments in Greenville.
“I don’t really enjoy baseball like I do football,” he said. “I go out of my way to go put in work for football. Baseball, I just kind of go out there and play.”
Played it quite well. Classmate Tyler Parks, a North Carolina baseball signee, saw up close what Cole’s speed could do.
“With baseball, speed doesn’t slump,’ Parks said. “He can fly. He has always been fast. As he got older, he just got faster. He just keeps getting faster. I work out with Adam. It’s just unreal how quick he is.”
Show it on the track
While Cole’s speed wasn’t camouflaged, it hadn’t been on display in the most obvious way – on the track – until his junior year.
“I was joking around with the track coach: When you going to put me on the roster and let me run?” Cole remembered.
Next thing he knew, he was sprinting in the 100 meters and then taking off to go play baseball.
Adam Cole competed in the 2022 Class 2-A state meet. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
It resulted in more than a spring fling. Cole became the Class 2-A Midwest Regional champion in the 100 in 2022.
“I didn’t expect to go out there and win regionals, and went to the states,” he said. “I’d never run track in my life. Definitely pretty cool.”
For the most part, track became a part-time pursuit.
“I don’t practice track,” he said. “I just go to baseball.”
But extra sprinting had side benefits.
“It’s really good for me,” he said. “Because baseball isn’t a ton of running, it’s keeping me in shape. Keeping me fast. Last year when I needed to go to camps to get recruited, it helped my 40-yard dash a lot. It’s helped my form. It’s a good way to compete.”
That might have been the biggest factor. A chance to test himself in a different forum.
“Really, I just like to compete,” he said. “That’s the big thing.”
Still, at this spring’s Randolph County Championships, Cole said there were doubters. He referred to it as guys talking smack.
For his part, Cole won the 100 and 200 meters.
“It’s in one ear and out the other,” he said. “I’m a baseball player. I’m fast, too, and I can do good in things like this. Coming out here not training for track and just being able to win all these track meets like I am makes me feel good. Really, I like to win.”
Chad Whitson coached Southwestern Randolph’s softball team to strong seasons. (Randolph Record file photo)
ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph softball coach Chad Whitson has resigned after five seasons, the school announced Monday.
The Cougars held a 65-22 record under Whitson’s direction.
Toby Strider, who had been an assistant coach, has been promoted to head coach. Strider also previously coached at the middle school.
The Cougars positioned a 22-2 record this year, going undefeated in Piedmont Athletic Conference play and ranking among the top teams in the state in Class 2-A. Standout pitcher Macie Crutchfield completed her sophomore season.
Infielder Carleigh Whitson, the coach’s daughter, was a senior on this season’s team.
Whitson received conference Coach of the Year honors in 2021 and 2023. The Cougars were league champions or co-champions three times with Whitson as coach.
Uwharrie Charter Academy softball players greet Molly Bulla as she approaches the plate after hitting a home run during a Class 1-A game last week against Highland Tech. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
Several area teams are in action Tuesday in the third round of the state playoffs in baseball and softball.
Here’s a rundown:
Baseball
Class 2-A
East Davidson (20-4) at Randleman (22-4)
Class 1-A
North Stokes (23-5) at Uwharrie Charter Academy (16-10)
Eastern Randolph (6-17) at Highland Tech (13-12)
Softball
Class 2-A
Mount Pleasant (16-10) at Southwestern Randolph (21-1)
Class 1-A
East Wilkes (22-5) at Eastern Randolph (17-5)
North Stokes (7-16) at Uwharrie Charter Academy (14-8)
Southwestern Randolph pitcher Macie Crutchfield delivers to the plate against Providence Grove. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Southwestern Randolph had a challenge from in-county rival Providence Grove in the second round of the Class 2-A state playoffs.
The Cougars had the right combination, riding Macie Crutchfield’s no-hitter to Friday night’s 5-0 victory.
Southwestern Randolph (21-1) has a third-round home game against No. 10 seed Mount Pleasant on Tuesday night.
Ky Perdue went 3-for-3 and scored three runs, while Madison Varner drove in two runs.
Providence Grove pitcher Emma Mazzarone’s prep career ended despite 13 strikeouts without a walk. The Patriots finished with a 14-9 record.
Providence Grove reached the second round by nipping No. 18 seed West Caldwell 1-0 in eight innings as Mazzarone fired a one-hitter with 19 strikeouts. Devon Kelly’s two-out double in the eighth drove in Katie Joe Staley.
Meanwhile, Southwestern Randolph secured a 10-0 triumph against No. 31 seed East Davidson in the first round as Caressa King and Maddie Strider blasted home runs. Crutchfield and Alyssa Harris combined to strike out seven batters in the six-inning game.
** No. 29 seed Randleman lost 11-0 at fourth-seeded West Stanly in the first round.
Class 1-A
Fourth-seeded Eastern Randolph and 15th-seeded Uwharrie Charter Academy both won two games in the opening week of the state playoffs.
Eastern Randolph drilled No. 29 seed Bradford Prep 13-0 in the first round as Addie Flinchump had two home runs among her four hits. She drove in six runs.
Ayanna Mears also homered and Lanie McDaniel had three hits, including a triple.
Eastern Randolph then topped No. 20 seed Starmount 9-0 with Flinchum striking out 15 and walking two in the two-hitter. Skylar Pugh belted a grand slam, Mears scored three runs and Ziera Watson scored two runs.
Next for the Wildcats (17-5) is a home date Tuesday vs. No. 12 seed East Wilkes.
UCA opened the playoffs with a 32-0 whipping of Highland Tech as Kenzie Hill and Molly Bulla homered. Hill, Bulla and Kynley Brewer all scored four runs. Bulla struck out 11 without allowing a hit.
UCA’s second victory of the playoffs came with a 4-1 upset at No. 2 seed South Stanly as pitcher Bulla struck out 14 batters and walked four. Hill scored two runs.
The Eagles (14-8) are slated for Tuesday’s third-round home game against No. 26 seed North Stokes.
Caleb Stickle and the Uwharrie Charter Academy baseball team are diving into the state playoffs this week. (P.J. Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Baseball teams from Randleman and Uwharrie Charter Academy and the Southwestern Randolph softball team all landed No. 2 seeds in the West Region for the state playoffs.
Brackets were unveiled Monday. Play begins Tuesday.
Teams that advance will be slated to play second-round games Friday.
Here’s a look where Randolph County teams were seeded:
Baseball
Randleman (20-4) welcomes No. 31 seed Reidsville (11-14) for the first round in Class 2-A.
A victory would mean that No. 15 Forbush (20-7) or No. 18 Providence Grove (14-10) would visit Randleman later in the week. Randleman won two of three games this season vs. Providence Grove.
Southwestern Randolph (9-14) took the last spot in the Class 2-A bracket, meaning a trip to top-seeded Burns (20-4). The winner of that game faces either No. 16 Trinity (15-10) or No. 17 East Gaston (13-9) in the second round.
Wheatmore (8-13) made the field as the No. 29 seed in Class 2-A so the Warriors go to No. 4 seed West Stokes (20-4).
In Class 1-A, UCA (14-10) is home against No. 31 seed Queen’s Grant (8-10). A potential second-round game looms against either No. 15 Murphy or No. 18 Bishop McGuinness.
Eastern Randolph (4-17) is seeded No. 21, visiting No. 12 seed Mount Airy (14-12).
In Class 3-A, No. 26 seed Asheboro (12-11) heads to No. 7 seed Enka (12-10).
Softball
Southwestern Randolph (19-1) takes on No. 31 seed East Davidson (10-8) in the Class 2-A first round.
The Cougars could have a rematch from the PAC Tournament final in the second round later this week. If Southwestern Randolph wins, it would take on the winner between No. 15 seed Providence Grove (13-8) and No. 18 seed West Caldwell (21-6).
Randleman (7-15) is the No. 29 seed and goes to fourth-seeded West Stanly (23-1).
In Class 1-A, fourth-seeded Eastern Randolph (15-5) has a home date with No. 29 seed Bradford Prep (4-7).
No. 15 seed UCA (12-8) is home vs. No. 18 seed Highland Tech (11-7).
Southwestern Randolph team members celebrate after the PAC Tournament championship game against visiting Providence Grove. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Macie Crutchfield threw a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts as Southwestern Randolph completed its domination of the Piedmont Athletic Conference with Thursday night’s 7-0 victory against visiting Providence Grove in the league tournament championship game.
Carleigh Whitson had two hits and two runs batted in to help the Cougars to their first conference tournament title in eight years.
Caressa King, who had a triple, drove in one run and scored a run, while Madelyn Smith and Madison Varner both knocked in one run. Lileigh Payne and Maddie Strider each scored two runs.
Southwestern Randolph (19-1) is expected to be one of the West Region’s top seed for the Class 2-A state playoffs that begin next week.
Crutchfield didn’t issue a walk, but she hit three batters. The Cougars were aided by error-less defense.
Southwestern Randolph’s Carleigh Whitson is about to be tagged out at the plate by Providence Grove pitcher Emma Mazzarone. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
Providence Grove (13-8) lost for the third time this season to the Cougars, scoring a total of one run in those games.
In the latest meeting, Emma Mazzarone, Mailey Way and Maddie Flinchum each had one single for the Patriots. Mazzarone was the losing pitcher, striking out nine and walking three.
Southwestern Randolph avenged a 1-0 loss from last year’s PAC Tournament final at Providence Grove.
Earlier rounds …
Southwestern Randolph won 3-0 against Uwharrie Charter Academy in the semifinals with Crutchfield’s two-hitter including 14 strikeouts. Varner had a triple and scored a run.
Third-seeded Providence Grove edged second-seeded Eastern Randolph 3-2 with Mazzarone’s complete game from the pitching circle.
Providence Grove began the tournament with an 11-1 victory against sixth-seeded Wheatmore with Mazzarone logging 11 strikeouts and driving in three runs. Leela Von Der Hey also knocked in two runs, while Kaylee St. Join joined Mazzarone with two doubles.
Eastern Randolph won 17-0 against seventh-seeded Trinity in the quarterfinals as Quachell Headen knocked in four runs and Skylar Pugh struck out 11 with one walk.
UCA’s Kenzie Hill went 4-for-4 and Kynley Brewer scored two runs in the fourth-seeded Eagles’ 6-3 victory against fifth-seeded Randleman.
Colman, 20, mostly played as a center fielder or left fielder as a freshman and then took a spot in right field as a sophomore. She said she received a few calls when her name was in the transfer portal, but the connection to the new coaching staff at North Carolina was clear.
