The Beddingfield High varsity football program presented head coach Ben Ellis, entering his fourth season, with his first conference championship last season.
Ellis and his Bruins did have to share the distinction with Princeton and Eastern Wayne, but landing the No. 2 spot in the postseason helped Beddingfield advance into the second round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoffs.
The Bruins compiled a 7-5 record and a 13-18 worksheet for his first three seasons.
In the preseason poll for the 2-A Neuse 6 Conference, the Bruins were tabbed No. 2 behind Princeton, a team that an Ellis-coached Beddingfield team has yet to defeat.
Can the Bruins take the next step and seize the league championship outright in 2024?
“Every year, I always kind of feel about the same,” Ellis declared. “You never know until the lights are turned on and you get out there and do it. I feel confident in what they’re going to do. I feel good about where we are.”
With a 30-player roster, the Bruins are thin in numbers. But a definite positive is the presence of at least six returning starters on each side of the football. Newcomers and the less experienced, said Ellis, possess the capability to step into more prominent roles than might have been expected.
In some respects, Ellis might agree the defense, in the preseason, possesses an edge over the offense, but reasons the offense is more technical and harder to simulate.
“We are definitely farther ahead of where we have been before,”he asserted. “We’ve still got a lot of work to do. This is a group that has kind of seen some things.
“Guys have to step into bigger leadership roles, and we look for new guys to carry the torch. They are very capable and up for the challenge. This is kind of their team.
“We have really good energy. The guys enjoy being out here and playing together. They are eager to get out there, play and see what we can do.”
OPENS WITH FIKE
Beddingfield kicks off the new season at home against county rival Fike, another foe an Ellis-coached team has not conquered, on Friday, Aug. 23, at 7 p.m. The Bruins visit Hunt, their other county rival, on Friday, Aug. 30.
The weather, thus far, has cost the Bruins one practice and a scrimmage. Beddingfield welcomed Charles B. Ayco*ck of the 3-A Five County Conference for a scrimmage on Wednesday, Aug. 14.
The coaching staff is virtually intact with the return of Emory Lyndon, who was at Nash Central last year.
Quarterback Sam Finch, a 6-foot-3 sophom*ore, and junior running back/receiver Jamauris Howard lead the offense, while senior linebacker Jayden Anderson and junior Jahtavious Johnson spearhead the defense. Johnson is ticketed for a bigger role, while Finch, Howard and Anderson all started last season.
Nine seniors were lost from last season, and about the same number are available in 2024.
THROWN INTO IT
Last season, an injury to quarterback Bryson Wagner resulted in Finch “being thrown into it” rather than experience a gradual turnover.
How did the strong-armed freshman respond? Finch completed 56-of-87 passes for 827 yards, 10 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
“We knew he had a lot of potential,” Ellis said of Finch. “We wanted to give him a couple of packages and ease him in. But when he was thrown into it, he did really well. Where he is now is miles away from where he started last year. It’s a big jump from freshman to sophom*ore.
“He will grow, learn and has a lot of talent. Sam is starting this year (normally) and without shock. He is stepping into a new role and we are kind of excited to see how he handles it.”
Finch will be throwing to Howard, all-conference last season, Johnson and wideouts Zi Atkinson, a sophom*ore expected to play a bigger role, and junior newcomer Darrian Jones.
As a runner and receiver, Howard amassed 1,000 all-purpose yards. He’ll rotate in the backfield behind crunching 6-0, 200-pound senior Desmond Wooten, who powered for 740 yards and nine TDs a season ago. Also ticketed for backfield duty are returning junior C.J. Sutton and senior Jeremiah Pearson, who was injured last season.
EXPERIENCED UP FRONT
Up front, are 220-pound senior Jahsheed Harris at center, senior four-year starter Ethan Stallings (215 pounds) and 215-pound junior Charles Bradshaw at guards; and 6-3, 230-pound sophom*ore Brayden Winstead, a freshman starter, and 6-1. 230-pound senior Justin Kirby at tackles. Kirby saw mostly defensive action last season.
“The guys we have back have the most playing experience (in the offensive line) since I have been here. We’ll have five guys out there with good varsity experience,” Ellis noted.
Beddingfield’s head coach is optimistic the experience and improved mobility will compensate for a slight lack of size up front.
Senior Chris Aguilera will be handling the kicking duties. He will punt for the first time. Aguilera connected on 11-of-13 extra points and his coach is confident he will be successful on field goals.
“He has one of the better legs in the area,” Ellis said of Aguilera.
Howard, Johnson and Atkinson are experienced threats as kick returners.
‘BIG PLAY’ TERMINOLOGY
“Big play” will be prominent in offensive as well as defensive terminology. Big plays have been a Beddingfield offensive signature for years.
“On defense, it’s preventing the big play,” Ellis explained, “and on offense, it’s finding a way to make the big play.”
The defense will attack from off odd and/or even fronts because of the wide range of teams the Bruins oppose in conference and nonconference tests.
Up front, 5-11, 250-pound junior tackle Aslan Velasquez will start after not playing last season. Senior Keevie Hooks, at 5-11, 195 pounds, braces for a more prominent role. Winstead and Kirby will see action at tackle.
At linebacker, a bigger role is planned for sophom*ore D.J. Sharpe. Anderson was the 2023 leading tackler, the most experienced and an all-conference performer along with Howard and Wooten. Johnson will be all over the field and junior Jahmezes O’Neal, who did not play last season, has earned a starting slot.
Brian Jones and Atkinson are skilled cornerbacks. Experience looms the leanest at safety — where sophom*ore Cameron Pitt and senior newcomer Johntez Lucas will be tested.
SUMMING IT UP
Ellis doesn’t mention concerns and neither does he discuss injuries. Because of the spring and summer sessions, he believes three weeks is ample time to prepare for the regular season and beyond.
“If I hadn’t seen (the players) over the summer, it would be tough,” he admits. “But as long as you are smart about what you do, we have enough time. Also, everybody has to deal with the same thing.”
But Ellis is not a fan of playing county archrivals back-to-back to begin the season. But how about winning the conference championship?
“It’s always our goal,” Ellis readily responds. “We have done a good job of being competitive since I’ve been here. If we stay that way and compete really hard, our goals will be there for us. We have to execute and play the game the right way.”
Excitement abounds and Ellis grins and acknowledges the unknowns, that can’t be anticipated, add to the excitement.
2024 Schedule
DATE OPPONENT
Aug. 23 Fike^
Aug. 30 @ Hunt^
Sept. 6 @ Greene Central
Sept. 13 Nash Central
Sept. 20 @ Croatan
Sept. 27 OPEN
Oct. 4 Goldsboro*
Oct. 11 North Johnston*
Oct. 18 @ Eastern Wayne*
Oct. 25 @ Princeton*
Nov. 1 Spring Creek*
^ Wilson County Schools championship game
* 2-A Neuse 6 Conference game
2024 ROSTER
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.
1 Brian Jones DB/QB 5-10 170 Jr.
2 C.J. Sutton DB/RB 5-10 170 Jr.
3 Sam Finch QB/DB 6-3 185 So.
4 Jahmezzes O’Neal LB/WR 6-1 175 Jr.
5 Jamauris Howard ATH 5-9 160 Jr.
6 Jahtavious Johnson ATH 5-11 175 Jr.
7 Jayden Anderson LB 5-10 170 Sr.
8 Kam Pitt DB/WR 5-8 150 So.
9 Desmond Wooten RB/LB 5-11 205 Sr.
10 Jeremiah Pierson RB/LB 6-2 225 Sr.
12 Darrian Jones WR/DB 6-0 180 Jr.
15 Johntez Lucas DB/WR 5-8 165 Sr.
18 Jhykies Speight LB/RB 5-10 165 Jr.
20 D.J. Sharpe LB/RB 5-7 200 So.
22 Rashad Dillard LB/WR 6-1 190 So.
25 Ziquis Atkinson DB/WR 5-7 155 So.
30 David Jones LB/RB 5-9 185 Sr.
34 Keevie Hooks DL/RB 5-10 185 Sr.
44 Ivy Dawson DB/WR 5-8 160 Sr.
47 Chris Aguilera K 5-7 150 Sr.
50 Jahsheed Davis OL-DL 6-0 240 Sr.
54 Brayden Winstead OL-DL 6-3 230 So.
55 Justin Kirby OL-DL 6-1 245 Sr.
56 Charles Bradshaw OL-DL 5-11 245 Sr.
57 Nathan Godwin OL-DL 6-3 310 Sr.
60 Deyonta Anderson OL-DL 6-0 205 Sr.
71 Asian Velazquez OL-DL 5-11 245 Jr.
72 Ethan Stallings OL-DL 5-11 230 Sr.
77 Rakim Warren OL-DL 6-3 230 Jr.
80 Kwacie Holiday LB-WR 5-8 150 So.
