Unsung Heroes: Coastal 5A/6A Conference

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While we're in the middle of rankings updates, looking primarily to the future, we're also looking back to break down the 2025 season. The Coastal 5A/6A class was incredibly interesting last season, and here we're looking at some of the underrated players who had a big impact for their team. Here are some unsung heroes for every Coastal 5A/6A Conference team.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Unsung Coastal Conference Heroes</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Editor's Note: While I may mention a couple of graduating seniors, I tried to limit my actual picks to underclassmen, giving fans players to look for this fall.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Croatan | [player_tooltip player_id='2104141' first='Kannon' last='McBride'] | QB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1705645' first='Andrew' last='Boucher']</strong> got most of the attention on offense, as the leading rusher and receiver, McBride had a quietly strong junior season. The multi-sport athlete (he's one of the <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kannon-mcbride/">top-ranked basketball players</a> on our Prep Hoops site) looked comfortable in the pocket, delivering with precision and velocity. He's a guy who could develop into a top 15-20 passer in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Dixon | [player_tooltip player_id='2104147' first='Keoni' last='Terukina'] | LB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Dixon will need to replace <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1604514' first='JJ' last='Gulat']</strong>, who led the state in rushing last season, but the defense should be stronger in 2026. Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='2104147' first='Keoni' last='Terukina'] flew under the radar, despite leading the team in both tackles and sacks. With another step forward, we expect him to be the leader of the Dixon defense in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Havelock | [player_tooltip player_id='2055654' first='Kaleb' last='Montanye'] | QB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We were shocked early in the season to see Havelock's offense struggle. The Rams had to replace a ton of production and got off to a slow start in the non-conference. Montanye, who started the year at the JV level, had few issues, and he ultimately became a big part of the varsity offense by mid-September. The entire offense improved in the midseason, thanks largely to guys like Montanye and senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1705638' first='Zyking' last='Patillo']</strong>. When Montanye played, Havelock went 7-2, and he finished the year with five touchdowns in his final three games. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Northside-Jacksonville | [player_tooltip player_id='1607071' first='Matthew' last='Smoot'] | DB/WR</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've talked a bunch about how Northside-Jacksonville's young corps put them in position for a historic season, specifically on offense. But, as good as <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='534079' first='Rahlai' last='Anderson']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1687459' first='Reginald' last='Gray']</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2127567' first='Gavyn' last='Davis']</strong> were for the offense, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1607071' first='Matthew' last='Smoot']</strong> was as impactful on defense, with 69 solo tackles and seven interceptions. He was a two-way player, as well, finishing third on the team in receiving yards and touchdowns.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Richlands | Dwight Hooker | WR</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Richlands struggled in conference play, but the emergence of Hooker as a viable receiving threat was promising. Despite missing some time, he was at his best in the biggest games, with multi-touchdown performances against both Havelock and Dixon, the latter in one of the biggest upsets of the year in conference.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Carteret | [player_tooltip player_id='2127499' first='Jejuan' last='Tripp'] | WR/DB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>West Carteret was as senior-laden as any team in the state, but Tripp was an exception, and the junior had a fantastic year. The senior trio of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='870217' first='Tanner' last='Payne']</strong>, <strong>Josh Bauman</strong>, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1581460' first='Jay' last='Murray']</strong> all took the headlines, but Tripp finished second in receiving and had 14 solo tackles for the Patriots. He gives them a proven building block in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Swansboro | [player_tooltip player_id='1969799' first='Carmello' last='Beasley'] | WR/RB</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's rare to see a guy go over 1,000 scrimmage yards and finish sixth on the team in tackling and still fly under the radar, but that's what Beasley did. The rising junior is a multi-sport athlete who excels at multiple positions, and he leads an intriguing young group for the Pirates, who will look to build after several close losses in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>This is the time of year when we have the most time to dive into film, reevaluate prospects, and change our minds about players. Send your film on Twitter/X (<a href="https://x.com/whelms21">@whelms21</a>), so I can evaluate you. Want to share Prep Redzone with a friend? Promo Code Helms30 is good for 30% off your first billing cycle.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->