Wildcats, Cougars to clash to set tone in league play
ASHEBORO — It’s easy to recognize all that Southwestern Randolph’s football team has done entering the Piedmont Athletic Conference portion of the schedule. And the opponent Friday night is the team with a No. 1 state ranking. So Eastern Randolph has some clout, too. “It’s a big game for the schools,” Eastern Randolph coach Burton Cates said. “It’s a great way to open conference.” Eastern Randolph (4-0) is the top-ranked team in Class 1-A. Southwestern Randolph (5-0) has cracked the Top 25 in Class 2-A. Southwestern Randolph coach Seth Baxter spent eight years coaching at Eastern Randolph before taking the…