Everyone is always on the lookout for the next big contributors on Friday nights in the area.
Today, we profile seven area sophomores that people will soon be getting to know a lot more of. These could be breakout stars from the jump or players who may find their way making a big impact down the stretch of the season.
RB Braylon Burton, Snider
Not many players, regardless of position, see the field for Snider as freshmen.
But Burton did, and saw significant time as RB2 behind Jordan Davis. It culminated in the sectional championship game against Carroll where Burton earned a season-high 16 carries for 41 yards.
For the year, Burton rushed for 495 yards and five touchdowns, a very impressive mark considering he was a freshman in the SAC playing behind a solid talent like Davis.
Expect more from Burton here in Year 2, as he is a versatile and hard-nosed player with the ball in his hands.
RB/S Noah Dove, Eastside
Dove did a little bit of everything for the Blazers in his freshman season.
He rushed for a team-high 769 yards and nine touchdowns.
He manned a spot in the secondary, posting 27 tackles, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery.
He even saw some action at quarterback as the position battled injuries.
Eldridge is incredibly difficult to miss on the football field – all 6-5, 235 pounds of him.
With 14 total starters back, Eastside is poised to be a bigger player in the NECC this year after going 6-6 in 2024. Dove’s continued development will be a big reason why.
DE/TE Javontae Eldridge, Wayne
Eldridge is incredibly difficult to miss on the football field – all 6-5, 235 pounds of him.
As a freshman, Eldridge saw time on the edge for Wayne, a place where he is set to truly blossom over the next three years. In 2024, he finished with 20 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. With just four starters returning under first-year coach Darrion White, the Generals are going to need to rely on some youth on both sides of the ball.
Eldridge may be the best of that swell of underclassmen, and he already has varsity playing time to fall back on.
OLB Deryan Gordon, Churubusco
The Eagles had issues against teams with good offenses last season, but it was also a reasonable young unit. The youngest starter was Gordon, who found the field quickly as a freshman linebacker.
Gordon made 38 tackles last fall to go with seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. With each passing week he looked more and more comfortable on the field as a rookie. His strength is exceptional for his age at 6-foot, 185 pounds, evidenced by the fact that he led the Churubusco baseball team in home runs last spring.
With seven starters back, expect the defense of the Eagles to take a step forward, with Gordon heavily in the mix at the second level.
WR/CB Rory Kelly, Bishop Luers
The sophomore class at Bishop Luers is ridiculous when it comes to talent. Perhaps the most dynamic is Kelly, who is the fastest kid on the roster and one of the fastest in the entire city, evidenced by his second-place finish in the 100m and third in the 200m at the SAC Meet last spring.
Kelly is a big play waiting to happen. He already has the size at 5-11, 170 pounds to win battles for the ball as a wide receiver, and he is rangy with exceptionally quick get-up to be sound in coverage at corner.
There are going to be growing pains for Kelly and the rest of the sophomore class, many of whom are going to be thrust into big spots on Friday nights this year. Kelly is more than ready to perform on the varsity stage, running away from dudes in the process.
DT/RB Jax Litchfield, Heritage
Oh my, can this guy bring it.
Litchfield burst onto the scene last fall as a physical and punishing two-way lineman. He finished the season with 36 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three sacks.
With graduation costing the Patriots some depth at running back behind senior Lucas Weber, don’t be surprised to see the 5-10, 190-pound Litchfield in the backfield more to help carry the rushing load.
Wherever he lines up, Litchfield is a problem in the ACAC.
MLB/DE Brogan Parks, West Noble
In his first opportunity to play on Friday nights in high school, Parks made the most of it last year in Week 1, accounting for five tackles, a half a sack and a pass break-up in a rout of Central Noble.
It was just the start for the then-freshman, as he finished with 72 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss on a very good defense with plenty of veterans.
Now a 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore, Parks will thrive as he is let loose by the Chargers to feast up front and at linebacker.
RB Robert Rembert IV, Northrop
The Bruins had a young stable of running backs a year ago, but Rembert has ascended up the depth chart quickly for various reasons.
Rembert only notched 13 carries on the year as a freshman, but one was an 11-yard touchdown against Huntington North that showed off his skill set, running away from defenders and making guys miss.
A lot is being made of guys like quarterback David Callison and wide receiver (and Ohio State commit) Jerquaden Guilford, and for good reason. But a good running game would open things up in the passing attack. Rembert could be the best option in the offensive backfield despite being just a sophomore.
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