East-West Football All-Star rosters released for December game (2024)

The North Carolina Coaches Association has released its rosters for the East-West Football All-Star Game, scheduled for 2 p.m. on Dec. 17 at Grimsley’s Jamieson Stadium.

Having begun in 1949, the game that pits the best senior players from eastern North Carolina against the best from western North Carolina was played during the summer. It was moved to December in hopes of bringing in more of the top players before they report to college by the summer, unlike in earlier days when players didn’t go to college until August.

“We certainly have a much wider, broader number of kids to pick from because you don’t have anybody going to college yet,” said Games Director Phil Weaver. “That really limited us in the past. You look at the rosters and you’ll see names of kids that you’ll have recognized as signing here, there or wherever. Most of the summer kids we’ve gotten were basically [NCAA]Division III, so we’re now getting some [Division]I’s and II’s and I’m sure there are some III’s there but certainly not many of them and of course some of them will be uncommitted so far.”

The move also allows NCAA Division I football coaches to attend the coaches clinics that are held in conjunction with the game.

Prior to this year, the football game has been held in either July or August, and has been held in July every year since 1975, although the 2020 game was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The West leads the series 41-31-2 after the East won the July 2023 game, 14-0.

On Dec. 14, the Thursday before the game, a college recruiting fair will be held as part of the all-star festivities for the first time. The event, held at the Greensboro Coliseum, is not limited to all-star participants as any unsigned players can attend. Weaver said that invitations to college coaches will probably be sent next week.

The association’s basketball and soccer games will be held on July 15 and 16, respectively, and the football coaches clinic will also remain on the same week.

East

Players: Jaquan Bowen, E.A. Laney; BJ Brown, Lee County; Chris Bryant, St. Pauls; Tavares Carter, Heritage; Tyjhere Crudup, E.A. Laney; Isaiah Crumpler, D.H. Conley; Brandon Crutchfield, Heritage; Jordan Davis, South Brunswick; Malaki Dobbins, Southern Nash; Alex Evans, Clinton; Mason Fortune, Millbrook; Jodi Freeman, Purnell Swett; Juan Hernandez, Pine Forest; Gates Hinton, Fuquay-Varina; Carter Jacobs, Middle Creek; Zay Jones, Scotland; Randall King, Northern Nash; Rodney Lacewell, East Bladen; Braxton Lassiter, Leesville Road; Preston Lilley, Leesville Road; Robert Magwood, New Bern; Jacoby Martin, Richmond; Rico McDonald, Cape Fear; Edward Padgette, Havelock; Josiah Peters, Cleveland; Reagan Printy, John T. Hoggard; Keveon Rodgers, Hertford County; Jymiek Sampson, Clinton; Landon Sargent, Cape Fear; Joel Sheehan, Holly Springs; Matthew Smith, Hillside; Russell Sykes IV, Rolesville; Kamal Thames, Terry Sanford; Gage Tremaine, Cleveland; Thaddeus Tucker, Hunt; Malakahi West, John T. Hoggard

Coaches: Bill Sochovka, Pine Forest (Head); Steve Burdeau, Lee County; Nate Conner, D.H. Conley; Cory Johnson, Clinton; Jeff Morehead, Terry Sanford; Scott Riley, Cleveland

West

Players: John Armstrong, South Point; Spencer Baldwin, Mount Airy; Charlie Birtwistle, South Point; Graham Buckrham, Grimsley; Jaylen Carl, Southwest Guilford; Noah Comer, Forestview; Jamarie Davis, Grimsley; Thomas Dobias, Randleman; Dillan Earp, Hibriten; Caleb Edstrom, Mooresville; CJ Ferguson, West Iredell; Nigel Gay, East Forsyth; Eli Greene, Watauga; Cassidy Harvin, Reagan; Nytavious Huskey, Crest; Jonathan Johnson, Burns; Colt Kluttz, Mount Pleasant; Hayden Lam, Northeast Guilford; Christian Lewis, A.C. Reynolds; Tristen McBride, Carson; Dashawn Medley, Hickory; Tanner Moore, Alexander Central; Michael Mullins Jr., East Forsyth; Jeremiah Norris, Burns; Jaden Pierce, Shelby; Brendan Pohl, A.C. Reynolds; Jackson Pryor, Watauga; Tate Robertson, Page; Antonio Simpson, Polk County; Jaquavion Smith, Forest Hills; Hunter Stalcup, Murphy; Walker Stroup, Mount Airy; Jalen Thomas, Thomasville; Elijah Tillery, Draughn; Marquis Varner-James, Ragsdale; Corbin Wilson, Southwest Guilford

Coaches: Butch Carter, Alexander Central (Head); Derek Anderson, Southwest Guilford; Adam Hodge, South Point; Sam Mackey, Hibriten; James Phillips, Andrews (Andrews); Jeff Snuffer, Western Alamance