Way Too Early: Can Reidsville Reload After Losing the Greatest Senior Class in School History?

April 11, 2026

Let's just say it: the 2024-25 Reidsville Rams might have been the most talented team in the history of the program. And that's saying something for a school with 21 state championships.

They beat Brevard 50-20 in the 4A title game. They led 43-7 at halftime — triggering a running clock — and none of their six first-half scoring drives lasted longer than 2:19. Two of them were a single play. One took eight seconds.

Then they all graduated.

What They Lost

Start with the headline names and work your way down. It gets worse the further you go.

Kendre Harrison — Oregon commit. Finished with 51 career touchdown receptions, the most by a tight end in NCHSAA history and eighth all-time at any position. Three football title game appearances, two championships. Three basketball title game appearances, two championships. In the 4A final: 3 catches, 105 yards, 2 TDs (including a 70-yard scamper), plus 6 tackles, 2 TFL, a sack, and 2 pass breakups on defense. A generational two-sport athlete headed to Eugene.

Dionte Neal — 2026 NC Mr. Basketball and all-time leading scorer in Reidsville history. Played quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back for the football team. In the championship game: 2 carries for 65 yards and a TD, 7 catches for 158 yards and 2 TDs, threw 3 two-point conversions, and on defense added 4 tackles, a fumble recovery, and an interception return. Won the Gatorade Basketball POY. Recently decommitted from UNCG and reopened his recruitment for both football and basketball. His football stat line — 18-of-33, 285 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs — shows he could've been a starting QB somewhere if basketball wasn't calling.

Three 1,000-yard receivers: CJ Neely (conference MVP, 15 TDs), Nasir Newkirk (12 TDs), and Koredell Bartley (10 TDs). Antonio Lee added 600+ yards and 6 more scores. Combined receiving: 4,171 yards, 47 touchdowns.

Two 1,000-yard rushers: LJ Southern (9 TDs) and Jayden Brown (10 TDs). Combined rushing: 3,717 yards, 37 touchdowns.

Tyson Broadway — The championship game QB who went 10-of-11 for 283 yards and 4 touchdowns. Broadway transferred in from Southern Durham mid-season and immediately took over. He had offers from Georgia Tech and NC A&T. He graduated.

Add it up: Reidsville lost approximately 8,000 yards of total offense and 84 touchdowns from the 2025 roster.

What They Return

The news isn't all bad. In fact, there's a reason Reidsville reloads instead of rebuilds.

Braxton Johnson (rising Jr) — The quarterback of the future was already here. Before Broadway's mid-season transfer, Johnson was the primary starter as a sophomore and looked every bit the part: 65.8% completion rate on 79 attempts, 674 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just 2 interceptions. Those are excellent numbers for a 10th grader running one of the state's most explosive offenses. Johnson didn't start the title game, but he's got the arm, the poise, and the system familiarity to run this offense.

Damarien Whitted — Ripped off a 34-yard touchdown run in the championship game. Expect him to step into a bigger role in the backfield.

Jorden Robinson — Returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown in the title game. Special teams weapon with potential offensive upside.

Alex Penaloza — The kicker who hit the clutch 21-yard field goal with 1:48 left to beat West Craven 23-21 in the East Regional Final. In a program defined by offensive firepower, Penaloza might have hit the most important single play of the entire season.

The Braxton Johnson Question

This is the story of Reidsville's 2026 season. Johnson didn't get the spotlight — Broadway transferred in and immediately earned the starting job for the playoff run — but the tape from early in the season suggests a quarterback who can run this offense at a high level.

The question isn't whether Johnson can throw. It's whether he'll have anyone to throw to. The Rams graduated their top four receivers and both starting running backs. The supporting cast that made Broadway look surgical in the title game is gone. Johnson will need to develop chemistry with an entirely new set of skill players, and the learning curve in a program that has averaged nearly 8,000 yards of offense in recent years will be steep.

The Culture Factor

Here's why you never count Reidsville out: this program has won 21 state championships. Coach Steven Davis has built a culture where the next man up isn't just a cliché — it's an expectation. The kids who sat behind Harrison, Neal, Neely, and the rest of the 2025 class have been watching, learning, and waiting.

Reidsville's strength has always been depth and development. The sophomores and juniors who got scout team reps all last year are now the starters, and in a small-town program like Reidsville, those kids have been playing together since middle school.

The Bottom Line

Reidsville will not be as good as they were in 2025. That team was a once-in-a-generation collection of talent. But "not as good as a team that went 13-2 and won a state title by 30 points" still leaves a lot of room to be very, very good.

Braxton Johnson is the real deal. The program is elite. The question is whether the new supporting cast can grow up fast enough to compete for another title — or whether 2026 is a bridge year where Reidsville settles for "just" a deep playoff run while Johnson and the next wave find their footing.

Either way, if you're on Reidsville's schedule this fall, you're not sleeping well the night before.