Summer Bowman of Wheatmore heads the ball for a goal against Pine Lake Prep on Tuesday night. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
MOORESVILLE – Wheatmore is heading back to the Class 2-A final with a chance to repeat as state champion in girls’ soccer.
Summer Bowman scored three goals as the Warriors boosted a state record by winning their 49th consecutive game Tuesday night, topping host Pine Lake Prep 5-2 in the West Region final.
Ellie Garrison racked up two goals. She has a single-season state record of 94 goals.
“A special night for us, having a chance to repeat,” Wheatmore coach Ricky Maness said.
Wheatmore (24-0) meets Manteo (24-0-2), a 2-1 winner against top-seeded Clinton in the East Region final, in the state championship game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at UNC Greensboro Soccer Stadium.
For the second year in a row, the Warriors advanced to the title game by winning the West Region final on the road.
Wheatmore was up 3-1 midway through the first half and that held up through halftime.
Pine Lake Prep (20-2-2) had a 13-game unbeaten streak end.
Wheatmore’s Ellie Garrison controls the ball as Wilkes Central’s Lydia Mayes falls during Monday night’s girls’ soccer game in the state playoffs. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
TRINITY – Wheatmore’s girls’ soccer team has been on the fast track in Class 2-A state playoffs.
Looking to repeat as state champions, the Warriors improved their record to 22-0 by defeating seventh-seeded Wilkes Central 6-1 in Monday night’s third-round game.
Ellie Garrison scored three goals, Summer Bowman scored two and Natalie Bowman had one goal. Wilkes Central fell to 15-6.
Next is Thursday night’s home game against No. 14 seed Community School of Davidson.
Monday’s result came after two convincing victories to begin the postseason last week.
Wheatmore’s first-round 9-0 shelling of No. 31 seed Shelby included six goals from Garrison. Summer Bowman had two goals and Mikalah Walls notched the other. Natalie Bowman provided four assists.
In the second round, the Warriors flattened No. 15 seed Forbush 7-0 with Garrison and Summer Bowman each racking up three goals. Kaitlyn Vazquez had the other goal.
Also in Class 2-A, No. 17 seed Providence Grove suffered a 1-0 overtime loss to No. 17 seed Black Mountain Owen in the first round. The Patriots finished with a 12-8-2 record.
No. 28 seed Randleman (7-9-1) lost 3-1 at fifth-seeded East Gaston, while No. 29 seed Southwestern Randolph (9-10-1) was bounced 8-0 by fourth-seeded Hendersonville.
** In Class 1-A, Uwharrie Charter Academy fell 5-2 at second-seeded Christ the King in the second round.
No. 18 seed UCA (8-11-2) began the tournament by defeating No. 15 seed Gray Stone Day School 3-0 with Kendall Jarrell scoring twice and Ivy Redding scoring once. Goalkeeper Abbie Gudino was tracked for 13 saves.
** In Class 3-A, 16th-seeded North Henderson handled 17th-seeded Asheboro 3-0. The Blue Comets ended with a 9-7-4 record.
Wheatmore’s Maggie Messner kicks the ball during a game earlier this month. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Defending Class 2-A state champion Wheatmore will take the No. 2 seed in the West Region into the girls’ soccer state playoffs.
First-round games are slated for Monday night.
Wheatmore (19-0) has outscored opponents 171-8 this year. The Warriors match up with No. 31 seed Shelby (9-10) in the first round.
No. 17 seed Providence Grove (12-7-2) goes to No. 16 seed Black Mountain Owen (10-6).
Randleman (7-8-1) is seeded No. 28, heading to No. 5 seed East Gaston (16-1-2). Southwestern Randolph (9-9-1) holds the No. 29 seed with a trip to fourth-seeded Hendersonville (14-4).
Class 3-A
Asheboro (9-6-4) owns the No. 17 seed with a first-round game at No. 16 North Henderson (12-5).
Class 1-A
No. 18 seed Uwharrie Charter Academy (7-10-2) plays at No. 15 seed Gray Stone Day School (11-7-1).
Morgyn Lassiter of Wheatmore aims to control the ball against Eastern Randolph in last week’s girls’ soccer game in Ramseur. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ARCHDALE – Wheatmore was the team champion in the Piedmont Athletic Conference championships for boys’ golf last week at Holly Ridge Golf Links.
Wheatmore’s Ryan Marshall and Eastern Randolph’s Connor Carter shared medalist honors with even-par 72s, with both golfers shooting 36s on the front and back sides.
Wheatmore posted a team score of 350 for a 10-shot advantage on runner-up Providence Grove. Trinity was next with 363, followed by Randleman (390), Southwestern Randolph (402), Eastern Randolph (405) and Uwharrie Charter Academy (426).
Individually, third place went to Providence Grove’s Brandon Davis (82), fourth place to Trinity’s Ethan Earnhardt (84) and fifth place to Wheatmore’s Hunter Marshall ()87).
** In the Mid-Piedmont Conference championships at Asheboro’s Pinewood Country Club, Oak Grove was the overwhelming team winner with a 35-stroke advantage on runner-up Ledford. Asheboro placed fourth among the six teams.
Girls’ soccer
Undefeated Wheatmore defeated host Eastern Randolph 14-0, topped visiting Southwestern Randolph 9-0, and blasted visiting Uwharrie Charter Academy 9-0 in a trio of Piedmont Athletic Conference romps.
Summer Bowman’s four goals and Ellie Garrison’s three goals led the way against Southwestern Randolph. Against UCA, Garrison scored six goals and Bowman had two goals and two assists.
** Macy Allred scored three goals in Southwestern Randolph’s 9-0 home victory against Eastern Randolph.
** Alaliyah Loveday and Taryn Waugh both scored two goals when Providence Grove defeated visiting Trinity 4-0. Rori Luther and Noelle Swaim had the goals when Providence Grove nipped host Randleman 2-0.
** Randleman defeated host UCA 4-2 despite two goals from Jazmin Palma.
When UCA defeated host Eastern Randolph 9-0, Ava Cugino had three goals and Katie Jaimes scored twice.
** Madison Luck had two goals when Asheboro lost 4-3 to visiting Central Davidson in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.
Boys’ tennis
All three area qualifiers for the dual team state playoffs were eliminated in first-round matches.
In Class 2-A, sixth-seeded Trinity lost 6-0 at home to No. 11 seed West Stokes, while No. 12 seed Southwestern Randolph fell 6-0 at No. 5 seed Burns.
In Class 1-A, fifth-seeded Bishop McGuinness overwhelmed No. 12 seed Uwharrie Charter Academy 9-0.
Summer Bowman of Wheatmore reacts after scoring a goal against Clinton in the Class 2-A state championship game. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Here’s a recap of notable Randolph County-related sports stories for 2022:
** Asheboro’s summer collegiate baseball team undergoes a rebranding that includes a name change. The new name is the Asheboro ZooKeepers in a switch from Asheboro Copperheads.
Randleman’s girls’ basketball team under the direction of coach Brandon Varner had a stellar season a year ago and the Tigers are off to another strong start this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
** Randleman’s girls’ basketball team goes through an undefeated regular season and completes a 25-1 season. The lone loss came in the Class 2-A West Region semifinals to Shelby.
** David Makupson of Trinity captures a state championship in Class 2-A wrestling at 138 pounds to cap a remarkable high school career. Uwharrie Charter Academy underclassmen Aldo Hernandez (132 pounds) and Grayson Roberts (160 pounds) are Class 1-A state tiltists.
Also, UCA reaches the Class 1-A dual team state final, where it lost to Avery County in Greensboro.
** Steve Luck leaves his position as athletics director at Asheboro High School. Later in the year, he becomes commissioner for the Mid-Piedmont Conference.
** Eastern Randolph’s Connor Carter is the Class 1-A state runner-up in Class 1-A boys’ golf.
** Providence Grove’s softball team racks up an incredible season, going all the way to the Class 2-A West Region’s fourth round before suffering a defeat. The Patriots finish with a 24-1 record.
** Wheatmore’s girls’ soccer team turns in a perfect season with a 25-0-0 record that culminates in a Class 2-A state championship. The Warriors defeat Clinton 4-1 in the title game in Cary.
** Randleman’s baseball team repeats as Class 2-A state champion with a dominating regular season and postseason. The Tigers are stocked with college prospects and churn out a 33-1 record, sweeping Whiteville in the best-of-3 state finals in Burlington.
** McCrary Park undergoes numerous changes at the beginning of a massive renovation project for the baseball facility in Asheboro. The project is off schedule causing Asheboro High School to play at an alternate site and the Asheboro ZooKeepers to begin the season with extra road games.
Off the field, there are changes announced after the 2022 season, including Melissa Godwin joining the club as general manager for the Coastal Plain League team, which is a summer circuit for college players.
** Randleman catcher Brooks Brannon is a ninth-round draft choice of the Boston Red Sox. So he steps away from a baseball scholarship at North Carolina to launch a professional career.
Randolph County Post 45’s Tyler Parks slides home during an American Legion Southeast Regional game vs. Rock Hill, S.C., in Asheboro. It was one of the games at McCrary Park, where a new field surface was in place this year. Parks is a Southwestern Randolph standout. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record).
** American Legion baseball is a hot summer topic.
Eastern Randolph Post 81 has a breakthrough season and emerges as a contender in Area 3. Randolph County Post 45 is the host team for the Southeast Regional, but its bid to reach the national tournament is foiled on the second-to-last day of the regional tournament so the club finishes with a 31-13 record.
** Asheboro’s boys’ soccer program has unprecedented success, but falls one victory shy of reaching the Class 3-A state championship game. The Blue Comets post a 23-2-2 record.
** Eastern Randolph’s football team goes undefeated in the PAC for the second year in a row. The Wildcats reach the Class 1-A West Region semifinals before falling to eventual state champion Mount Airy.
** Tot Hill Farm Golf Club in Asheboro is sold from its original ownership group to a man who runs courses in the Charleston, S.C., area.
** Football coach Calvin Brown directs Providence Grove to another winning season. That includes the school’s first-ever football victory in the state playoffs by winning at McMichael. Weeks later, Brown accepts the coaching position at Asheboro High School.
Trinity’s Andrew Cox, left, and Wheatmore’s Anakin Leister compete for the ball during a boys’ soccer game earlier this season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
Wheatmore headed into the postseason with another Piedmont Athletic Conference championship to its credit in girls’ tennis.
Wheatmore’s lone conference defeat came by 5-4 at Southwestern Randolph. The Warriors avenged that loss a few weeks later with a 6-3 victory.
Boys’ soccer
Wheatmore remained undefeated through last week, but nothing much has been solved between the Warriors and rival Trinity.
Those teams tied for the second time this year. Last week’s 2-2 outcome left the teams atop the PAC standings. With two weeks left in the regular season, Wheatmore held a 5-0-2 league mark and Trinity was next at 4-0-2.
Trinity scored two first-half goals before Wheatmore responded with goals from Hayden Hemming and Anakin Leister.
Overall, Wheatmore held an 11-0-2 mark, while Trinity was at 9-3-2.
In the Mid-Piedmont Conference, Asheboro topped Ledford 4-0 in the first meeting of the season between teams as Cristian Cruz scored two goals and Cristian Ortiz and Calvin Smith had the other goals.
The Blue Comets moved to 14-1 overall and the lone remaining team with an unbeaten mark in Mid-Piedmont Conference play.
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.
Members of the Wheatmore girls’ soccer team celebrate the school’s first state championship Friday night in Cary. (PJ Ward-Brown/North State Journal)
CARY – The Wheatmore girls’ soccer team fit right in at the state finals.
The Warriors, who were the first Randolph County team to play in a state championship game in soccer, completed an unblemished season with Friday night’s 4-1 victory against Clinton to secure the Class 2-A title.
“You go 25-0, you set the bar so high for anybody,” coach Ricky Maness said. “It’s going to take a lot of time to set in.”
With the mission accomplished, there was great joy for the Warriors.
“I’m very ecstatic for the outcome that we had,” senior goalkeeper Victoria Lowe said. “It’s very emotional for all of us. We’re all crying. At least it’s happy tears.”
Bowman scored twice on the way to receiving Most Valuable Player honors. Ellie Garrison opened the scoring before Bowman’s first goal, with the Warriors going up 2-0 in the first 30 minutes.
“Once you get an early lead, it gets into the other team’s head,” Bowman said.
Kenzy Yang scored for Clinton (25-3), which also was in a state final for the first time, two minutes into the second half. Then with Clinton down a player because of a second yellow card, Bowman’s second goal came in the 75th minute followed four minutes later by Kara Comer’s goal.
The Warriors kept the winning formula.
“Do what you do, have fun,” Maness said of his message to the team.
Wheatmore won every game in the regular season by at least a four-goal margin. In the final two games of the West Region, there was a 3-2 victory against visiting Community School of Davison and a 4-3 overtime escape in the regional final at Wilkes Central.
In the championship game, Wheatmore extended a single-season state record for goals in a season. The Warriors finished with 195, which was 10 more than the standard established by East Forsyth in 1988.
Of those, Garrison tallied 77 goals as a sophomore.
