Early interceptions for touchdowns lead Randleman to its first win

ASHEBORO — David Diamont said he noticed something different about his varsity football team the day after the Randleman Tigers suffered a 42-0 setback to Asheboro last Monday night.

“We had a lot of soul searching to do Tuesday and our kids responded,” Diamont said after the Tigers celebrated their first win of the season with a 34-14 victory over previously undefeated Southwestern Randolph on Friday night. “The kids and the coaching staff deserve all the credit. Our staff responded after what I feel was the best week of practice we had all year.”

It’s been a puzzling season thus far for the Tigers, who had ample opportunities in its opener, a 27-19 setback to Providence Grove. Eastern Randolph then recorded a 42-14 win over RHS in Week 2, before Asheboro High School dominated on Sept. 7.

Things were not going well for the Tigers, who finished 7-4 last season. Things had to change.

“I think it was more of a sense of urgency from our kids understanding that some of the things we’ve fallen short of in weeks one through three are fully in our control,” Diamont said. “Maybe effort, attitude, accountability, doing something that is better for the team than themselves. I think that was important to be very self-aware and honest with ourselves. A lot of soul searching.”

And a lot of interceptions against the Cougars, four in all with two of those returned for touchdowns in the first half. Henry Frye returned one for 60 yards and Harold Trey Burnette took advantage of SWR trying to make a play after a miscue on a snap left the ball rolling near the goal line. Burnette returned it 9 yards for a score and a 14-0 lead after the two-point conversion.

“After that first pick by Henry Frye, it was the first lead we had all year and it was one of the first signs of belief and hope in a way,” Diamont said. “All of a sudden it’s 14-0 and then all of a sudden it’s 21-0.”

That third touchdown came courtesy of a 53-yard scoring run by Kayden Saunders.

“For everyone in Randolph County, this has not been your typical first four weeks,” SWR veteran coach Seth Baxter said after the Cougars slipped to 3-1. “All are trying to find out what we are. I thought all week (RHS) would come in desperation mode. We haven’t faced any adversity this year. They made plays that put us on our heels.”

In the Cougars’ first three games of the season, they outscored East Davidson, Trinity and Providence Grove 128-21. But SWR found itself in a 21-0 deficit at halftime.

“We faced a team who played the best we have seen them play all year,” Baxter said. 

The Cougars regrouped after halftime, closing to within 21-14 on an 11-yard scoring pass from Levi Dalke to Kenan Sugg and the two connected again from 35 yards out in the fourth.

Randleman finished the game with a Reid Herring to Burnette TD pass and a Christian McNair rush for a touchdown for the final score.

Saunders had 19 carries for 116 yards and a touchdown for Randleman.

“I really think the kids played with some edge,” Diamont said, adding that this could be the first step in getting back on track. “The tone was set on Tuesday. This could, definitely from an energy and team perspective, a locker room perspective. Hopefully, we have another good week of practice.”

While the Tigers host Fenton Grove, a first-year school that has gone 2-1 this year, the Cougars travel to Wheatmore, which earned its first win of the season Friday.

“As much of a hole we dug for ourselves in the first half, it was a one-possession game in the fourth quarter,” Baxter said. “Randleman played very well.”