This is the 2025 The Daily News All-Area Football Team, which recognizes the area’s best high school players from this past season by position. Coaches nominated their own players for the first, second or third team.
FIRST TEAM
QB – Reginald Gray III, Northside, Soph., 2,629 yards passing, 26 TD, 113 rushes, 387 yards, 11 TD
RB – Andrew Boucher, Croatan, Jr., 241 rushes, 1,683 yards, 31 TD, 40 catches, 512 yards, 3 TD
RB – Shawn Davis, East Duplin, Sr., 167 rushes, 1,207 yards, 16 TD, 89 tackles, 7 TFL
RB – Amari Pearson, Jacksonville, Jr., 173 rushes, 1,935 yards, 30 TD
WR – Carmello Beasley, Swansboro, Soph., 41 catches, 809 yards, 4 TD
WR – Gavyn Davis, Northside, Jr., 80 catches, 1,011 yards, 8 TD, 41 rushes, 280 yards, 3 TD, 2 KOR for TD
WR – Jamian Johnson, Northside, Jr., 36 catches, 522 yards, 6 TD, 48 tackles, 1 FR
WR – SaRonn Thompson, Jacksonville, Jr., 32 catches, 632 yards, 7 TD
OL – Luke Hall, East Duplin, Sr.
OL – Cayden Sanders, Dixon, Sr.
OL – Anderson Tant, Jacksonville, Sr.
OL – Parker Woolley, Dixon, Sr.
OL – Brandon Watson, White Oak, Sr.
DL – Cutter Bryant, Croatan, Sr., 39 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 FR
DL – Nehemiah Johnson, Jacksonville, Sr., 55 tackles, 13 TFL, 9 sacks, 1 FF
DL – Jamir Mitchell, Northside, Jr., 69 tackles, 5 TFL, 5 sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR, 19 catches, 265 yards, 4 TD
DL – Kapono Tuiasosopo-Seiuli, Jacksonville, Sr., 40 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack
DL – Daniel Wisnewski, Northside, Jr., 108 tackles, 8 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 2 FR, 1 FF
LB – Avery Apicella, Jacksonville, Sr., 75 tackles, 12 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 INT, 2 FR
LB – Jackson Henry, Jacksonville, Sr., 130 tackles, 16 TFL, 2 FR, 2 FF
LB – Anoop Monroe, Northside, Jr., 167 tackles, 4 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FR, 1 FF
LB – Blake Moses, Jacksonville, Sr., 84 tackles, 25 TFL, 9 sacks, 1 INT, 2 FR, 3 FF
LB – Cameron Napier, Northside, Sr., 121 tackles, 1 sack, 2 FR, 1 FF
DB – Zach Ball, East Duplin, Sr., 67 tackles, 7 INT, 2 PD, 1 FF, 2 blocked FG
DB – Keeshon McKinnie, East Duplin, Jr., 130 tackles, 8 TFL, 4 sacks, 3 INT, 5 PD, 3 FF, 1 FR
DB – Riley Robinson, Croatan, Sr., 67 tackles, 12 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 INT , 3 FR, 1 FF, 36 catches, 579 yards, 9 TD
DB – Matthew Smoot, Northside, Jr., 100 tackles, 7 INT, 1 FR, 1 FF, 2 blocked FG, 19 catches, 366 yards, 3 TD
PK – Cameron Nilson, Swansboro, Jr., 17/18 PAT, 3/4 FG
P – Gavin Jarman, East Duplin, Sr., 37 YPP, 45/49 PAT, 4/5 FG
KR – Yondez Baker, Jacksonville, Sr., 3 KOR for TD, 1 PR for TD, 1 INT for TD
ATHLETE – JJ Gulat, Dixon, Sr., 354 rushes, 3,361 yards, 43 TD, 340 yards passing, 2 TD
ATHLETE – Kannon McBride, Croatan, Jr., 2,072 yards passing, 30 TD, 51/63 PAT, 10/14 FG
ATHLETE – Josh Smith, White Oak, Sr., 1,447 yards passing, 17 TD, 1,420 yards rushing, 13 TD, 79 tackles, 1 INT
SECOND TEAM
QB – Anthony Washington, Jacksonville, Sr., 1,082 yards passing, 14 TD, 638 yards rushing, 13 TD
RB – Rahlai Anderson, Northside, Jr., 202 rushes, 1,005 yards, 13 TD
RB – Sean Delaney, Dixon, Sr., 105 rushes, 1,182 yards, 11 TD
RB – Montez Jimenez, White Oak, Jr., 203 rushes, 1,196 yards, 7 TD
WR – Dwight Hooker, Richlands, Jr., 22 catches, 329 yards, 4 TD
WR – Cameron McKinnis, Lejeune, Soph., 43 catches, 443 yards, 3 TD
WR – Edrick Pineda, White Oak, Sr., 23 catches, 349 yards, 5 TD, 65 tackles, 2 FR, 1 for TD
WR – Elliott Pineda, White Oak, Jr., 18 catches, 423 yards, 9 TD, 54 tackles, 2 INT, 1 FF
OL – Tyler Goatcher, Dixon, Sr.
OL – Justin Hardison, Northside, Jr.
OL – Isaiah Hernandez, Jacksonville, Sr.
OL – Tanner Jones, Jacksonville, Jr.
OL – Aidan Wilson, Croatan, Jr.
DL – Lazarus Bloomer, White Oak, Jr., 62 tackles, 11 TFL, 7 sacks, 2 PD, 1 blocked punt
DL – Muhamed Diouf, Northside, Sr., 60 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 3 FR, 1 FF
DL – Blair Morrison, Jacksonville, Sr., 45 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 sacks
DL – Christian Taylor, Croatan, Sr., 36 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks
DL – Quentin Xavier-Burns, Sr., 60 tackles, 10 TFL
LB – Carter Abalos, Croatan, Sr., 84 tackles, 14 TFL, 3 sacks, 3 FR, 1 FF
LB – Payton Hughes, Richlands, Jr., 100 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 2 FF
LB – Brody Lombard, White Oak, Sr., 89 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 sacks
LB – Vincent Petitto, Northside, Sr., 77 tackles, 2 INT, 1 FF
LB – Bradley Ruse, Jacksonville, Sr., 82 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack
DB – Dylan Casebolt, Jacksonville, Sr., 40 tackles, 3 INT, 1 FR
DB – Dwayne Davis, East Duplin, Soph., 92 tackles, 4 INT, 3 FR, 1 FF, 383 yards rushing, 7 TD, 7 catches, 133 yards
DB – Jason Morales, Swansboro, Sr., 49 tackles, 5 INT, 1 FR, 1 FF, 1 blocked FG
DB – DJ Williams, Jacksonville, Soph., 45 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 INT, 16 PD
PK – Sam Summers, Northside, Jr., 34/38 PAT, 2/2 FG
P – Josiah Benton, Jacksonville, Jr.,34.9 YPP
KR – Aaron Hall, East Duplin, Sr., 28.1 YPR, 1 TD, 919 yards rushing, 10 TD, 7 catches, 114 yards, 1 TD
ATHLETE – JP Baccoli, Croatan, Sr., 29 catches, 531 yards, 11 TD, 3 INT, 1 FR
ATHLETE – Eddie Deptola, Liberty Christian, Soph., 1,016 yards passing, 14 TD, 740 yards rushing, 13 TD, 17 tackles, 3 INT, 1 FF
ATHLETE – Grady Maffey, Lejeune, Soph., 641 yards passing, 5 TD, 209 yards rushing, 4 TD, 86 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FR, 1 FF
THIRD TEAM
QB – CJ DiBenedetto, Richlands, Sr., 1,252 yards passing, 9 TD
QB – Kevin Till, Swansboro, Sr., 1,384 yards passing, 12 TD
RB – Amare Betton, Sr., 100 rushes, 670 yards, 9 TD
RB – Ton Bolden, Jr., 80 rushes, 420 yards, 6 TD
RB – Jakell Howard, Sr., 104 rushes, 523 yards, 2 TD
WR – Isaiah Greene, Southwest, Sr., 11 catches, 126 yards
WR – Jessie James, Jacksonville, Sr., 7 catches, 142 yards, 2 TD
WR – Azik Smith, Jacksonville, Sr., 12 catches, 129 yards, 1 TD
WR – Mikhail White, Northside, Jr., 20 catches, 278 yards, 2 TD
OL – Sergio Ivory, Northside, Jr.
OL – Cole Jarman, Southwest, Sr.
OL – Nate Joseph, Northside, Jr.
OL – Connor Mead, Swansboro, Jr.
OL – Zion Morris, Northside, Soph.
OL – Keoni Riley, White Oak, Sr.
OL – Kaleb Sparks, Richlands, Jr.
OL – Jack Tuck, East Duplin, Sr.
DL – Trea’vaun Flanagan, Richlands, Sr., 60 tackles, 9 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 FF
DL – Jacauri Hill, East Duplin, Jr., 89 tackles, 9 TFL
DL – Caleb Malpass, Liberty Christian, Jr., 45 tackles, 14 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 2 FF, 8 catches, 178 yards, 3 TD
DL – Connor Roth, Swansboro, Jr., 50 tackles, 6 TFL, 5 sacks
DL – Trent Scribner, Southwest, Sr., 46 tackles, 4.5 sacks
DL – Connor Wagers, Swansboro, Jr., 49 tackles, 7 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF
LB – Connor McInnis, Swansboro, Sr., 81 tackles, 6 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 1 FF
LB – Cameron McQueen, Lejeune, Sr., 45 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FR
LB – Beau Mills, Richlands, Sr., 67 tackles, 1 sack, 4 PD, 3 INT, 2 FR, 1 FF
LB – Dylan Myers, Swansboro, Sr., 45 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 1 sack, 5 FR, 1 FF
LB – Keoni Terukina, Dixon, Soph., 104 tackles, 7 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 FF
DB – Kaiden Bell, Northside, Jr., 37 tackles, 2 INT
DB – Carter Boal, Croatan, Jr., 56 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FR
DB – Sammie Rogers, Jacksonville, Jr., 60 tackles, 4 INT, 10 PD
DB – Keyondre Wright, White Oak, Jr., 29 tackles, 1 INT
PK – Isaiah Betton, Richlands, Jr., 8/9 PAT, 6/10 FG
P – Camden Warren, Richlands, Jr., 32 YPP
KR – Daniel Canales, Liberty Christian, Jr., 1 KOR for TD, 6 past 50
ATHLETE – Holden Smith, Liberty Christian, Sr., 21 catches, 320 yards, 6 TD, 18 tackles, 1 INT, 3 FF, 2 FR, 9 PD
ATHLETE – Sawyer Smith, Liberty Christian, Sr., 71 tackles, 8 TFL, 1 INT, 5 PD, 2 FR, 1 FF, 10 catches, 211 yards, 2 TD