Football

The returning players in 2024 for the defending NCISAA runners-up

HighSchoolOT is back with more football preview coverage in the spring. Today, a look at what the two defending NCISAA runners-up from North Carolina return in 2024.

Posted 2024-04-08T02:00:54+00:00 - Updated 2024-05-08T17:36:12+00:00

Elijiah Oehlke (15) of Trinity Christian. Trinity Christian’s football team defeated North Raleigh Christian Academy 43-14 on Thursday, October 12, 2023. (Photo By: Nick Stevens/HighSchoolOT)

Joel Bryant

The 2024 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association football season will start a week ahead of the NCHSAA on Aug. 16, so there are only 18 Friday nights left until we reach the next season. Throughout the month of April, we'll have some kind of football preview coverage released to HSOT Insiders each day.

Today is a look at the key pieces that are returning from the two defending NCISAA state runners-up that are from North Carolina: Trinity Christian School of Fayetteville and Wayne Christian. The team that lost the Division I state championship is from Georgia.

HSOT Insiders: Prepare for the 2024 football season

Trinity Christian School Crusaders, Division II state runner-up

The Crusaders fell by a couple of scores to Asheville School in the D2 state championship. Some of the key ingredients are back for the Crusaders this fall.

Quarterback Elijiah Oehlke threw for 166.6 yards/game, 26 touchdowns and three interceptions during his junior season in 2023. He also rushed for 216 yards and nine touchdowns. The 6-foot-2 passer has gathered five offers so far: Air Force, Army, Harvard, Liberty, and North Alabama. Trinity Christian's best player was a junior last season: 3-star prospect Karlfonza "Fony" Smith, who holds offers from North Carolina and Cincinnati. Smith had 24 receptions for 544 yards and nine touchdowns over the first nine games of last season. Xayden Watson was third on the team with 17 receptions for 253 yards and five touchdowns during the first nine games. Trinity Christian's second-leading receiver last year, Michael Ross Jr, finished with 20 receptions for 459 yards and 10 touchdowns. Ross Jr. is graduating. The Crusaders' top two rushers from last season were juniors: Zyon Moyd (495 yards, six touchdowns) and Lavarion Peoples (231 yards, four touchdowns).

Fonzy Smith also tied for the team lead with 64 tackles. Fonzy also had two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Watson led the team with an impressive six interceptions during his junior season. Another junior, Jaquavious Crumpler, had five interceptions in seven games for second place on the team. He also had 25 tackles. Returning rising senior linemen Mark Hayes and Isaiah Moore should have big roles in 2024. They averaged 3.8 and 2.3 tackles-per-game, respectively, in 2023. Moore was second on the team with three sacks.

Trinity's kicker was a sophomore last season: Zaquez Richardson.

Finalized schedules for the 2024 North Carolina high school football season

Wayne Christian Eagles, 8-Man state runner-up

The Eagles fell to Rocky Mount Academy by a score of 36-32 in the state championship.

Two players played quarterback for Wayne Christian last year: senior Oliver Thomas and junior Nate Peck. We expect Nate Peck to return for his senior season. He completed 45-of-89 passing attempts for 865 yards, 16 touchdowns, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 95 yards and a score. Thomas is one of two leading rushers that Wayne will be without in 2024. Shiquan Ethridge led the team with 1,285 yards and 21 touchdowns on just 82 carries. Thomas rushed for 832 yards and 13 touchdowns on 100 attempts. Rising senior Jeremiah Winders could take a big leap in the backfield after rushing for 566 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. Ethridge was also the team's far-and-away leading receiver with 28 receptions for 730 yards and 14 touchdowns. Winders was the second-leading pass catcher with seven receptions for 251 yards and four touchdowns. Wayne will need to have some guys step up in the passing game.

Defensively, four of the Eagles' five returning defenders from last fall should be back for their senior seasons. Jonathan Jackson led the team with 157 total tackles, four forced fumbles, 12 tackles for a loss, and seven sacks. He could put up even bigger numbers as a senior. Brandon Benkovics was second on the team with 95 stops and he led the Eagles with nine passes broken up. Peck was fourth on the team with 70 tackles and fellow rising senior Jeremiah Bouknight was right behind with 69 stops. Wayne Christian will lose a lot of production from the secondary. Last season, seniors Colin Millerd and Oliver Thomas combined for eight interceptions.