Teammates head SWR’s 2024 Hall of Fame class

ASHEBORO — It seems only fitting.

Although they were one year apart at Southwestern Randolph High School, Kaila Craven-Brandenburg and Lauren LaPlant were inseparable on the basketball court. Each fed off the other as both enjoyed stellar careers as a Cougar.

Teammates for three years at SWR, the two were enshrined together into the Southwestern Randolph High School Hall of Fame last week.

The two were among six honored at last Friday night’s varsity football game against North Moore, earning the prestigious honor of entering the school’s Hall of Fame. 

Coaches Mike Osborne and Randy Miller along with track standout Melissia Rogers and past Booster Club President Donald Strider made up the 2024 Hall of Fame class.

Craven-Brandenburg, who graduated in 2015, was one of the top players to ever play in Randolph County. She scored 2,376 points and was a three-year member of the all-conference team, a three-time member of The Courier-Tribune All-Tournament team and a three time most valuable player for that tournament as well as earning the county’s Player of the Year Award three straight seasons. Over her four-year basketball career, she averaged 24.9 points, 4.3 assists, and 4.4 steals per game. The Cougars were 88-24 in her four seasons, including 49-8 her final two years.

“I was actually vacationing in Florida and Southwestern Randolph came across my phone and I was wondering what did I do?” Craven-Brandenburg said of receiving the phone call. “It’s such an honor and an exclamation point on my career. It was so much fun playing for my school and my community and to be able to represent them. It’s really a great feeling to know the community is still thinking about me nine years later.”

Craven-Bradenburg gave credit to all her teachers and coaches throughout her career.

“Everybody had a hand in my success,” she said. “All my teachers, I loved and adored them. And I have to give all the credit in the world to Coach (Paula) LaPlant. She knows what it takes to get people to be the best of themselves.”

Craven-Brandenburg played at Appalachian State and recently moved back to Boone to accept the position of Assistant Director for Alumni Engagement for the school.

The second half of that dynamic duo was Lauren LaPlant (2016), who not only excelled in basketball, but in volleyball and track as well. She was named the Mid-Piedmont Conference female athlete of the year after her senior season. During her junior year, she helped the SWR basketball team to a 25-2 record and a trip into the third round of the state playoffs. The Cougars were 81-28 in her four campaigns on the basketball court.

“I was pretty surprised,” said LaPlant, who is now attending Tufts University near Boston for dentistry. “I always expected Kaila Craven to be inducted and didn’t expect it for myself. This is something else we can do together.”

LaPlant, like Craven-Brandenburg, said there are so many memories when reflecting about their days at SWR, but both talked about The Courier-Tribune Christmas Invitational as being highlights.

“The whole Christmas tournament, we would be so nervous for every game,” LaPlant said. “The atmosphere. There was a lot of quality time that we spent together. That’s another thing. It was never about basketball, but about the people themselves and the family atmosphere.”

LaPlant went on to a very stellar career at Western Carolina, finishing with 171 three-pointers, the fourth highest in school history. She then played a year professionally overseas in Ireland.

Miller taught and coached at SWR for 30 years. He was instrumental in improving the athletic facilities at the school. During his tenure at the school he was head football coach for five years — winning the county coach of the year honor twice — head wrestling coach for two seasons, head jayvee softball coach for one year and assistant football coach for 13 seasons.

He gained a reputation for clearly caring about the individual student-athlete and would do everything in his power to assure they had every advantage for success.

Another long-tenured teacher and coach, Osborne spent 26 years at SWR. During his SWR career, he was the Athletic Director for four years, head football coach for five years, led the cross country program for four years, head track coach for six years, head softball coach for three years, assistant football coach for 15 years, assistant track coach for one year and the football trainer/first responder for one year. During this time, he was the conference Coach of the Year in softball one time, cross country one time, girls track one time, and boys track seven times. He had an outstanding boy’s track record of 346-96.  

Strider has lived in the same house across the road from the high school since 1967, before the school even opened. From the day the school opened until today, Strider has been one of SWR’s biggest community supporters.

He has been instrumental in helping organize numerous projects for the athletic department as well as physically working on many of the projects. One of the first projects was getting a baseball field built, where he volunteered his time and equipment to clearing the land and rough grading. Over the years, Strider has been seen cutting trees, fine grading infields, digging drainage holes and much more. 

He served as the booster club president from the mid-’80s into the ’90s. He first introduced the $100 raffle draw-down as a major fundraiser for the athletic boosters. 

Sutton won three individual state championships in track. She also ran on an undefeated cross country team and played basketball. Veteran track coach Rachel Cagle calls her the most talented track athlete she has ever coached.

Sutton won numerous awards on her way to her state championships. She was the school female athlete of the year her senior year. She was also the school most valuable track athlete her senior year. She won the state championship in the high jump her junior year and in the high jump and the 400-meter run her senior year. Her track school records still stand 38 years later. Her three state championship banners are in the gym recognizing her accomplishments.  

After graduating from high school, she attended Appalachian State University where she participated in track for four years. She is a founding member and current president of the Winston-Salem track club. She has also been the Teacher of the Year twice at Lawrence Middle School. 

An incredible example of athleticism, academics, love and loyalty for the school are those who make up the 2024 SWR Hall of Fame class.