ER boys, RHS girls advance to 4th round

By Mike Duprez

Randleman High School’s girls team, fresh off a conference title and a conference tournament championship, won their first three playoff games to advance to today's fourth round.
The top-seeded Tigers took on No. 5 East Burke at Randleman High School in a game not completed in time for this week’s edition. The winner advances to Saturday’s state semifinals.

They play at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at home against No. 5 East Burke..
Here’s a look at how the playoffs unfolded for all 12 Randolph County teams in the first week of playoff action.

BOYS BASKETBALL

3-A State Playoffs

First round
— Hakeeme Butler scored 23 points and Jerquarius Stanback had 22 in No. 7 Asheboro’s 75-54 win over No. 26 East Henderson. Tanner Marsh added 13 points for the Blue Comets.

Second round
— Butler scored 20 points in No. 7 Asheboro’s 73-46 loss to No. 10 Greensboro Smith.

2-A State Playoffs

First round
— Dylan Hodges led the way with 31 points as No. 15 Trinity thumped No. 18 Newton-Conover 81-55. Dominic Payne contributed 27 points for the Bulldogs and Brandon Campbell had 13.
— Sean Adkins scored 16 points in No. 9 Southwestern Randolph’s 56-50 loss to No. 24 Burns. Marcus Robertson added 13 points and Nathan Ellis had 11. 
— No. 13 High Point Andrews defeated No. 20 Randleman 62-53. Tyshaun Goldston had 23 points and 8 rebounds and Greg Price scored 10 for the Tigers.

Second round
— A bad third quarter doomed No. 15 Trinity’s upset thoughts against No. 2 Reidsville. Payne had 32 points and 10 rebounds while Hodges scored 16 points and Campbell added 10, but the Bulldogs couldn’t climb back from a 28-11 third quarter.

1-A State Playoffs
First round
— Julian Brooks scored 20 points as No. 3 Eastern Randolph routed No. 30 Cherryville 95-60. Davonte Brooks had 16 points while Nicah Taylor contributed 13 and Timothy Brower 11.
— No. 2 South Stokes raced past No. 31 Uwharrie Charter 91-53.

Second round
— Pierce Leonard led the way with 20 points as Eastern Randolph downed Avery County 75-60. Davonte Brooks scored 18 points and Brower added 16.

Third round
— Davonte Brooks scored 28 points and Timothy Brower added 22 in Eastern Randolph’s 83-64 pounding of Robbinsville. Julian Brooks had 11 points for the Wildcats, who reached the fourth round for the first time in program history.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

2-A State Playoffs

First round
— Elizabeth York scored 15 points in No. 1 Randleman’s 52-34 win over No. 32 Bandys. Gracyn Hall scored 14 points and Gracie Beane had 8.
— Jordin George and Caressa King each scored 14 points to lead a balanced effort as No. 15 Southwestern Randolph whipped No. 18 West Lincoln 60-40. Grace Lowe had 11 points and Maddie Small contributed 9.
— No. 8 East Rutherford swamped No. 25 Wheatmore 70-23. Summer Bowman led Wheatmore with six points.
— No. 11 North Wilkes overwhelmed No. 22 Trinity 67-37.

Second round
— Hall scored 24 points and York had 22 in Randleman’s 63-54 win over Hendersonville.
— No. 2 Shelby jumped out to a 38-9 halftime lead en route to a 61-27 route of No. 15 SWR.

Third round
— York scored 19 points to lead four Tigers in double figures as Randleman beat East Rutherford 62-55. Hall had 18 points while Audra Petty and Jordan Booker each scored 10 points.

1-A State Playoffs

First round
— Brecken Snotherly scored 36 points as No. 5 Eastern Randolph shook off a slow start to throttle No. 28 South Davidson 55-36. Snotherly was 15-of-19 from the free throw line.
— Ashara Spruill had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead No. 23 Uwharrie Charter to a 39-38 overtime upset of No. 10 Christ the King. The Crusaders outscored UCA 16-8 in the fourth quarter to force OT, but UCA outscored CTK 3-2 in the extra period. Blakeley Justus had 9 points and 7 rebounds for the Eagles.

Second round
— Snotherly scored 23 points and got 12 rebounds in Eastern Randolph’s 53-40 win over Rosman. Kenly Whitaker added 17 points for the Wildcats.
— No. 7 Bessemer City topped No. 23 Uwharrie Charter 46-39.

Third round
— Snotherly scored 27 points and had 7 rebounds in Eastern Randolph’s 60-45 loss to Robbinsville. Kenly Whitaker had 10 points and 5 rebounds. Logan Beaver produced 9 points and 9 rebounds.