Unsung Heroes: Gaston County

Matt Morrow January 8, 2026 @ 11:56 PM

We are doing some work on the Class of 2026, and my colleague Will Helms is focusing on some unsigned talents and our rankings update, both of which you can check out on our homepage! I started to sit down and think about how to highlight the 2026 class, and I got the idea to highlight some players who do the dirty work but don't get a ton of recognition. In this edition, we will focus on select players from Gaston County in North Carolina. Let's get started.   Aidan Bornhauser - OL - Mountain Island - It's always impressive to be a 4-year varsity starter in high school, but it's even more impressive to be an offensive lineman as a 4-year starter. Aidan is a tough player who can move defensive linemen off the ball in the running game and pass protect with consistency up front. I talked with Aidan in the early portion of the season. Check it out!   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://youtu.be/6uzDHuWQ6vs?si=phZvYhe1xVptBmse </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1304379' first='Benjamin' last='Gregory'] - LB - Ashbrook - His talented teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1246060' first='Caleb' last='Gordon'] gets a lot of love as the star linebacker and rightfully so, but Benjamin was second for the Green Wave in tackles with 101, and he's a strong tackler in the open field. He was named an All-Conference player, and I think in time he will receive some interest in playing college football.   J'Kwon Wilson - LB - Hunter Huss - I like J'Kwon's physical frame at 6'2 and 215 pounds, and he shows some nice positional versatility on film. I think J'Kwon tackles well from his inside linebacker position, and he shows some potential to continue to grow his game on the next level. He was one of the Huskies' leading tacklers with over 60 tackles on the season.   [player_tooltip player_id='1368110' first='Desmond' last='Simmons'] - OL - North Gaston - Desmond is a very rare 3-time All-Conference offensive lineman who was a bright spot during his Wildcats career. Desmond excelled in both run blocking and pass blocking very well from his left tackle position. He has picked up a couple of offers from Brevard and NC Wesleyan, and should have a chance to continue his career on the college level.   Clee Phillips - QB - Stuart Cramer - Clee had a great season in helping turn around the fortunes of the Stuart Cramer program. With nearly 1500 yards passing, over 800 yards rushing, and 26 total touchdowns, Clee proved to be a dynamic dual-threat quarterback that defenses had to account for on every Friday Night. I hope that he gets the opportunity to keep playing on the college level.   Luke Bryant - ATH - East Gaston - Luke was a dynamic player for the Warriors who made contributions both as a receiver and a defensive back. Luke's biggest impact was as a defensive back, as he recorded 5 interceptions on the season, showing some nice discipline in zone coverage and making the most of the opportunities that came his way.   Khamari Crawford - DB - South Point - Khamari is an excellent athlete, as he also stars on the track for the Red Raiders. Khamari has been an essential part of the South Point defense the past couple of years, as he made some big plays in coverage in the secondary in critical games.

We are doing some work on the Class of 2026, and my colleague Will Helms is focusing on some unsigned talents and our rankings update, both of which you can check out on our homepage! I started to sit down and think about how to highlight the 2026 class, and I got the idea to highlight some players who do the dirty work but don't get a ton of recognition. In this edition, we will focus on select players from Gaston County in North Carolina. Let's get started.