2026 Preview: Westwood Redhawks

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Westwood was well-positioned to undergo a coaching change a year ago.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A massive senior class helped ease the Redhawks' transition into the Stephen Burris era, and those seniors played a key role in helping the team to a 7-5 season with a trip to the second round of the Class 5A, Division II playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But those seniors cleaned out their lockers for the last time in mid-November, meaning it's time for practically an entirely new group to take charge in year two for Burris.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Redhawks have returning talent, plus some players who will soon become household names, and they're looking to silence the doubt that inevitably follows a team breaking in so many new starters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"We graduated 34 seniors. Any time you lose that many seniors, I think you're going to take a hit," Burris said at last week's Prep RedZone Media Days at Westwood. "But we've got a good bunch of kids coming back. I'm really excited about it. We'll be young, but we have kids that are kind of bought-in to what we're doing and what we're preaching where the culture is becoming a part of our day-to-day operations. I'm really excited about the opportunities ahead of these young kids. I think they'll perform and surprise some people."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Three starters return on offense, and the Redhawks have a few questions marks to turn into periods by the time region play rolls around. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1823824' first='Elye' last='Owens'] is currently projected to start at quarterback, and he'll be pushed for the job by some transfers and younger players. Owens appeared in four games last year as an injury fill-in, and he was the starting QB for Westwood's first-round playoff win over St. James.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>His targets and protectors will also be mostly new. [player_tooltip player_id='1603902' first='Angelo' last='Rios'] is back at wide receiver and can also play some running back, and aside from him their current receivers weren't on last year's offensive stat sheet. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1819190' first='Jayven' last='McClain'] played quality snaps at defensive back last year, and now he's slated to pull double duty. Sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='1818975' first='Cameron' last='Coleman'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1818978' first='Will' last='Gibson'] are projected for the other two receiver spots.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Seniors <strong>Kamari Damon</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id='1825459' first='Jimmy' last='Seici'] will hold down the left side of the offensive line, with sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1819302' first='Kylan' last='Young'] stepping into a big spot at center. Junior [player_tooltip player_id='1642673' first='Jerry' last='Rathers'] is the right guard, and sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1818983' first='Donovan' last='Cassellas'] is the right tackle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four starters are back on defense, including a couple of big ones up front. East Carolina commit [player_tooltip player_id='1822066' first='AJ' last='Veal'] and fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id='1822255' first='Ajdrin' last='Mobley'] are the bookends, with senior [player_tooltip player_id='1819201' first='Cannon' last='Whitaker'] in between them. The linebacker group is also senior-heavy, with [player_tooltip player_id='1661229' first='Jayden' last='Hudson'] [player_tooltip player_id='2212349' first='Elijah' last='Smith'] [player_tooltip player_id='1817603' first='Khairo' last='Morant'] and <strong>Willie Caldwell</strong> in line for starting spots. McClain and senior <strong>Ray Cooper</strong> are the corners, and juniors <strong>Jaden McClellan</strong> and [player_tooltip player_id='2074922' first='Elijah' last='Sharper'] are the safeties.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Obviously, everybody knows [player_tooltip player_id='1822066' first='AJ' last='Veal']," Burris said. "[player_tooltip player_id='1603902' first='Angelo' last='Rios'] will be a three-year starter. We've got another two or three guys who have been around for a couple years. They'll make splash plays, but I think we've got some guys that will surprise some people as we get through the season. Our goal right now is just to get some experience."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>SCHSL realignment pushed the Redhawks back down to Class 4A, and their Region IV-4A schedule contains almost entirely new opponents compared to a year ago. Lugoff-Elgin is the lone holdover from Region V-5A, and now Westwood's slate will also include A.C. Flora, Dreher, Lancaster and Richland Northeast.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Dropping down to 4A, you'd think it would help us out, but football and coaching are so good across all levels in this state," Burris said. "I'm not sure there's really a break, no matter what corner you turn. ... We've got our work cut out for us, but we wouldn't have it any other way. We look forward to the challenges ahead and getting a quarterback in that can help us out, and our defense will have some experience but it's still a lot of guys that haven't had to be the guy. So I'm just looking forward to seeing what they can do for us this fall."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STARS SET TO SHINE</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1312448' first='Jovan' last='Howard'] RB, 2028 - Howard was the Redhawks' leading rusher last season, going for 721 yards and nine touchdowns on only 95 carries. He's also the second-leading returning receiver, having caught 10 balls for 108 yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1819190' first='Jayven' last='McClain'] WR/DB, 2027 - McClain brought plenty of physicality to the secondary last season, and this year the 6-foot-3, 180-pounder will also bring that to the wide receiver group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1603902' first='Angelo' last='Rios'] WR, 2027 - Rios led the team in receiving last year, catching 28 passes for 298 yards and three touchdown. He also ran the ball 119 times for 588 yards and 11 more scores a year after leading the team in rushing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1822066' first='AJ' last='Veal'] DL, 2027 (pictured) - The 6-foot-2, 225-pound ECU commit had a productive junior season, making nine tackles for loss with five sacks and 17 QB hurries.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FILM REVIEW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1822255' first='Ajdrin' last='Mobley'] DL, 2027 - Mobley is the kind of guy you want on a three-man defensive front, because he requires the attention of at least two blockers. If the offense commits that extra man to him, it creates a favorable matchup elsewhere on the line and also opens things up for the linebackers to get their hands on the ball carrier. If a second blocker isn't utilized, or just isn't effective, then whoever has the ball is going to have an unfortunate face-to-face meeting with No. 41. Mobley is a high-IQ player and is quick at 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, making him a disruptive force on a dangerous defensive line. He's made a combined 21 tackles for loss over the last two seasons, and he has the potential to challenge that number in his senior year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src=u0022https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16737231/691f4299314869c50550d578u0022 width=u0022640u0022 height=u0022360u0022 frameborder=u00220u0022 allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a64f28013a23"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>BIGGEST LOSSES</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Justin Washington</strong> DB -Washington was an imposing presence on the back end of the defense, and the 6-foot-3 All-State defensive back signed to play collegiately at Tuskegee.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jeremiah Whitmore</strong> OL - Whitmore was a key piece up front who played guard and center. The 6-foot-1, 270-pounder signed in February with Allen University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>UP-AND-COMING POTENTIAL</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1818978' first='Will' last='Gibson'] WR, 2029 - The 5-foot-5, 140-pound Gibson made an impact on the JV roster last year, and now he has a big opportunity to start on Friday nights.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1818975' first='Cameron' last='Coleman'] WR, 2029 - The same is true for Coleman, a 5-foot-8. 140-pounder who played wide receiver and defensive back for the JV squad last year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1818983"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":2255086,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a667fca927cf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Cassellas already has good size, and the 6-foot-3, 235-pound sophomore is slated to start the season as Westwood's starting right tackle. He played on the JV team last year but did get some varsity minutes, including a start early in the season against Lakewood in a 42-0 win. Already having that experience under his belt will help ease the transition to full-time varsity starter, and he also picked up valuable experience in his first year on the wrestling team that he can carry over to the football field. The stage is set for Cassellas to become a longtime leader for this program.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->