Cougars hope to keep the good times coming

ASHEBORO — Five straight years with a winning record and six non-losing seasons in a row are nice accomplishments for a high school football program.

Southwestern Randolph High School has done just that and coach Seth Baxter and his staff are looking to increase those streaks by one more year as the 2026 high school football season gets under way.

The Cougars, who started official practice July 30, open at home August 21 against East Davidson.

“The biggest thing is the energy, they are sponges,” Baxter said of his newest SWR team. “What this program has done in the past five years is something that hasn’t been done before.”

After finishing the 2004 season 7-5, the Cougars had six straight losing seasons, a .500 year, then nine more losing seasons before a 3-3 record during the COVID campaign. That’s 16 straight non-winning seasons that changed in 2021. Baxter’s team went 8-3 that season and he’s followed that with records of 6-4, 6-5, 6-5 and 7-4 last season.

The Cougars will have the same non-league schedule as last year when they finished 4-2 before heading into Four Rivers Conference action. SWR defeated East Davidson, Trinity, Wheatmore and McMichael while falling to Providence Grove and Randleman.

“It’s all about expectations,” Baxter said. “When we first got there, the program was where it was, it wasn’t a good situation. Then COVID. Since, we haven’t been below .500. We’ve done a lot of good things, the kids know what they have to do to be successful.”

Baxter said the program is still based on dedication, discipline and unity:

■ Dedication means being committed both on the field and in the classroom and to each other. 

■ Discipline means doing the right thing, making good decisions and choosing the right way instead of making excuses.

■  Unity, of course, means being together as one team. No factions, no special groups, no one player is above another.

“We have had some teams that have been very top heavy,” Baxter said. “This year, we have a lot of kids where there’s not a big difference between the starter and the second or third team guy behind him.”

The Cougars lost a number of great players from last season, most notably Brody Sheppard, who was the main ball carrier. But with players like quarterback Levi Dalke returning, the team is in very good hands.

“When your quarterback comes to you and tells you to snap the ball directly to the running back and he will be the lead blocker, that says an awful lot about that player,” Baxter said of Dalke. “Last year, everyone in the stands knew (number) four (Sheppard) was going to get the ball. Your quarterback the lead blocker? When he says he’ll do that, you have something going on with your kids.” 

The Cougars have spent a great deal of time in the weight room as well as speed training. The result, Baxter said, is a stronger and faster team in 2026.

The Cougars have plenty of more talent returning in Nathan Garner, Kaiden Mabe, Logan Marsh, Trivett Kennedy, Colton McKee and Dallas Rambo.

 The Cougars have a new coach in former Eastern Randolph High School’s Nate Cockman. Cockman is a former player under Baxter at ER. He’ll coach the offensive line. “He’s an outstanding coach who gets the most out of his kids and he does things the right way,” Baxter said of the newest member of the staff. “As a head coach, you want to surround yourself with great men. I already have two Hall of Famers (Donnie Baxter and Charlie Chapman). A lot of getting new coaches is about timing. He decided to spend more time with his family and Southwestern Randolph will benefit.”