Football

The key players back for the eastern regional runners-up in 2024

HighSchoolOT is back with more football preview coverage in the spring. Today, a look at Cardinal Gibbons, Northern Nash, Northeastern, and West Columbus.

Posted 2024-04-03T17:35:22+00:00 - Updated 2024-04-04T15:05:41+00:00

Christian Powell of Northeastern. Northeastern’s offense jumped out a big lead and the defense held on late to defeat J.H. Rose 40-35 on August 25, 2023 (Photo: Evan Moesta/HighSchoolOT)

Joel Bryant

We've now been through three months without high school football in North Carolina. Today, there's only four months between now and when games start. Throughout the month of April, we'll have some kind of football preview coverage released to HSOT Insiders each day.

First up, let's take a look at the four defending N.C. High School Athletic Association eastern regional runners-up and the pieces that they'll have back under the Friday night lights this fall.

HSOT Insiders: Prepare for the 2024 football season

Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders, 4A East runners-up

Cardinal Gibbons took a beating from a very experienced Hoggard team in the 4A East final, but the Crusaders are potentially set up to make another crack at a run to the state final.

Offensively, the Crusaders have an impressive quarterback returning for his junior season in Gannon Jones. When Jones was forced into the lineup in the middle of his sophomore season, he immediately became a plus starter. Jones completed 132 of his 185 passing attempts (71.4%) for 2,193 yards, 29 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 337 yards and two touchdowns. With a full offseason with starter reps coming up for him, there is reason to believe that Jones can continue to ascend into potentially an FCS-level recruit. The offensive line is going to be a strength for the Crusaders in 2024. Rising senior 6-foot-6, 295-pound tackle Jack Sheehan already holds a couple of handfuls of Division I offers. Rocco Tscheter, a rising senior guard, will be a starter again. Tscheter could become a low-D1 type player with a good offseason and fall. Rising senior guard Matt Moore and rising junior center Aidan Kranick are also back with starting experience. A number of key Crusaders are back at wide receiver, but they'll have to account for the loss of 941-yard, 12 touchdown pass catcher Aiden Smalls, who transferred to Clayton High to play quarterback, and graduating 998-yard, 12-touchdown target Chet Yardley. Joey Jonske (a standout lacrosse player), Sam Dodd, and Sean Manuel could each have a big increase in production as seniors in the fall. Rising junior slot receiver Brayden Karras is a player with a lot of potential that might fill Smalls' role in the offense. Gibbons will look completely different at running back with the graduation of Nic Leonard (617 yards, 3 TDs) and the transfer for Amir Brown to Millbrook (472 yards, 4 TDs).

Flipping sides of the ball, Gibbons also has a good amount of talent back on its defensive line. Rising sophomore Griffin Cockerham has big time potential with his 6-foot-3 frame. He had 46 total tackles, including 4.5 sacks, and two interceptions as a freshman. Rising senior Chris Pinder is another key player on the defensive front. Pinder (47 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks) could be a good get for a D2 school. Pinder's fellow rising senior Conway Kelly is also back after a 39-tackle, nine-tackle for a loss season as a junior. If there is a question on the Cardinal Gibbons defense, it will be at linebacker. Rising junior Billy Tuner (40 tackles) is the only returning starter at that level. The graduation of Ryan Ziegler (74 total tackles, 9 TFL) is a big loss in that group. Despite the graduation of cornerback Nolan Wirick and safety Chip Coleman, the Crusaders are going to be ridiculously talented in the secondary. Safety Braylon Peebles is a major talent with Power 5 offers. He is one of the state's best defenders. Peebles had 169 total tackles, three interceptions, and five forced fumbles as a sophomore last year. Rising senior Corban McDaniel (3 INTs, 8 PBUs) is one of the better cover guys around and could be an FCS-level guy. Rising senior Matthew Greene and rising sophomore Xavier Hasan are expected to round out the secondary after showing promise in spot playing time last fall.

Including rising junior kicker Evan Windley (who also could be a target for the next level) Cardinal Gibbons is returning 17 players who have some starting experience.

Finalized schedules for the 2024 North Carolina high school football season

Northern Nash Knights, 3A East runners-up

The Knights lost to Seventy-First in a 50-36 shootout to cap off their 13-2 overall season in 2023. A year prior, Northern Nash made it to the 3A state championship game. Ten regular starters are expected back for Northern Nash, five on offense and five on defense. Both of the Knights' kickers that played last year - Tristan Murray and Davis Wells - will be back as seniors this fall.

On offense, there will be four familiar faces back on the offensive line: rising senior center Hayden Joyner (270 pounds), rising junior guard Josh Pryor (280 pounds), rising junior tackle Tyler Richardson (285 pounds), and rising senior Mason Moore, who is moving from his tight end spot to guard. Skill players wise, there will not be nearly as much continuity for the Knights. Rising senior Barian Strickland (522 yards, 6 TDs) is a returning starter at running back, but there are no other starters who touched the ball returning. Graduating receivers Jaquille Arrington, Randall King, and Trey Battle combined for 2,319 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Elijay Pitt threw for 2,392 yards, 32 touchdowns, and six interceptions.

Defensively, starting defensive ends Torrence Porter Jr. (66 total tackles, 2 sacks) and Jordan Jones (23 total tackles, 1 sack) are expected back for their senior seasons. Strickland also is a returning starter at linebacker after finishing with 45 tackles last fall. Outside of Strickland, no starting linebackers will return, so that will be a point of emphasis for coach Farriss' defense during spring ball and the summer. In the secondary, Kaleb Staton and Damante Adams will be back in key roles. Staton was only able to play in four games last year, but he recorded three interceptions and forced two fumbles during his sophomore year in 2022. Between King, Arrington, and Garrett Graham, Northern Nash is graduating players that combined for 10 interceptions in 2023.

Northeastern Eagles, 2A East runners-up

Northeastern came up a bit short against a stacked, senior-heavy Clinton squad in the regional round. The Eagles are expected to be back in nearly full force this fall.

The Eagles' offense has eight starters back, including rising senior passer Trey Jones, who threw for 3,359 yards, 39 touchdowns, and nine interceptions on a 64.1% completion percentage. Should something happen to Jones, the Eagles should be well equipped behind him with rising sophomore Zak Ishman, who has boundless upside. Ishman completed 82.1% of his passes for 364 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions in his varsity moments as a freshman. Most of the receiving corps is in tact. Starting outside wide receiver Tyell Saunders will return after putting up 42 receptions for 863 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior. Starting slot receivers Unique Blount (240 yards, 3 TDs) and Ty'jae Simpson (341 yards, 4 TDs) are also back. The big loss to graduation in the receiving corps is Tyquan Harney, who had 968 yards and 14 touchdowns on 39 receptions during his senior season.

The big difference for Northeastern skill player wise is at running back, where the Eagles need someone to replace HSOT All-State back Tyselle Spencer (2,587 yards, 35 TDs). Rising sophomore running back Damari McNeill has a load of potential with his 6-foot, nearly-200-pound frame. McNeill is the son of Deronte McNeill, a former Northeastern standout who is in the top 10 all time for career rushing yards in the NCHSAA. The Eagles' running backs are in a good position with four starters returning on the offensive line in rising senior tackle Chandler Powell, rising senior guard Christopher Perry-Powell, rising senior guard Dakari Adams, and rising senior tackle Joshua Outlaw.

Two of the three starters on Northeastern's defensive line will return: rising senior defensive end Zion Demps (86 tackles, 3 sacks) and Chandler Powell at defensive tackle. In the linebacker group, three of the four starters return: rising senior outside linebacker Carren Armstrong (77 stops, 8 sacks in 2023), rising junior outside linebacker Jaylin Mallory (119 tackles), and rising junior linebacker Maurice Bowser (115 tackles). In the secondary, Saunders (2 INTs) and Simpson (3 INTs) will also start in addition to their receiving duties. Northeastern also will return rising senior starter J'Quan Douglas. The Eagles' kicker Payton Paris is also back in the fold.

2023-2024 North Carolina high school football coaching changes

West Columbus Vikings, 1A East runners-up

The Vikings had a terrific 12-2 overall season. They fell on the road at Tarboro in the regional final after defeating a talented Wilson Prep quad in the fourth round. West Columbus is set to return seven starters in 2024.

West Columbus' skill payers on offense were senior-heavy last fall. Quarterback Unqiue Kelly was a stud, throwing for 1,513 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while adding 869 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Jaylen Bellamy was a dynamic weapon on the ground and through the air. Bellamy had 627 rushing yards, 584 receiving yards, and had 17 total touchdowns. A key skill returner will be rising junior Jahan Lesane-Powell, who had 544 yards and nine touchdowns as a rotational running back in 2023. Up front, the Vikings will have more continuity. Three offensive line starters are back in rising seniors Hervon Rouse (344 pounds), guard Wyatt Powell (250 pounds), and tackle Ashton Grainger (295 pounds).

Defensively, look for uber productive linebacker Ryder Haynes to lead the way again. As a junior, Haynes racked up 172 total tackles, including 121 of the solo variety and 21 tackles for a loss. Next to Haynes, West Columbus has to replace quality linebackers Lannon Stewart and Junior Stewart. Like the offensive line, there are some pieces back on the defensive line. Rouse also starts here, along with returning starting defensive end Tony Jordan and rising junior defensive tackle Shawn Murchison. Jordan had a strong 2023 season with 77 total tackles and seven tackles. Murchison had a sack and six tackles for a loss to go with his 42 stops in the fall. Those three guys will need to step up in the absence of graduating senior DJ Bryant, who managed to compile 103 total tackles and 24 tackles for a loss. Bellamy and Kelly were also big factors in the secondary and came up with a combined seven interceptions last season, so their production will need to be replaced on the back end. Rising junior Demond Williams is back to start after finding 40 tackles and making 11 pass breakups to go with an interception as a sophomore.