Graduation losses took a toll on the George Washington football team after the 2024 season, but Patriots coach Steve Edwards Jr. has built a culture in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s South Hills area that ensures the next line of players moves on up.
Guner Flores, Hunter Giacomo, Sai’Vyon Brown and Solomon Ferrell were among the Patriots who graduated, including seven starters. Those four players are continuing their football careers at the college level this fall.
As significant as their absences could be, Edwards said among GW's returning players are four with experience on both the offensive and defensive lines whose importance will be particularly valuable as the Patriots face a tough 2025 schedule.
“Probably our biggest strength is up front,†said Edwards, whose Patriots finished 7-4 last season with a defeat in the first round of the playoffs at Hurricane. “We’ll have most of our experience up front. I’ve got four out of five offensive linemen who will be back, and three out of four up front on the defensive line will be back.â€
Edwards’ son Brayden, a senior, is among the offensive linemen returning this season. Elijah Krason, Johvan Davis and Seth Allen Boone are others. Juniors stepping up in the trenches for GW on the offensive front will be James Payne, Parker Chapman, Braydon Coulter and Grant Hansel.
The youngest players Edwards has tabbed as linemen who will see significant time are at least juniors.
Senior Clyde May returns as well to the defensive front. He is the top returning tackler from last season with 77 total takedowns. Edwards said May will also get chances to run the ball on offense this season.
Grant Uldrich, a senior, played some at outside linebacker, but other than him, the linebacking corps will be an overhaul from a season ago with the graduation of Flores and Giacomo. Uldrich also played in the secondary last season and Edwards touted his return as “a skill guy who is a very good football player.â€
Seniors Casey Adkins, Kyhon Davis and Landon Hamilton and junior Derek Valentine are the top contenders to play linebacker this season, along with senior newcomer Jude Wisnewski, who is returning to football this season.
Edwards said some of those players could be used in other positions too.
“There’s some good athletes there,†Edwards said. “They’ll be playing somewhere.â€
One settled position will be quarterback with the return of senior Cy Persinger, who started last season for the Patriots.
Persinger completed 71 of 135 passes in the run-heavy offense for 893 yards and 11 touchdowns. Against Hurricane in the playoffs, he completed 7 of 10 passes for 59 yards and a touchdown.
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“I think the experience he got last year made him better,†Edwards said. “He worked on his body. He got bigger, stronger, and I think he realized that he took the game a little bit more serious.â€
Persinger quickly grasped some concept changes put into the GW offense, Edwards said.
At running back, senior Tyree Wesley will be GW’s top ballcarrier, although Edwards said freshman Jaedon Black showed promise in middle school and will have opportunities to play also.
Uldrich, fellow senior Sameje’ Wesley and juniors Kai Martin and Jaedon Wilson will play as receivers on offense. Those players will see time in the secondary but have help, as Edwards said GW's defensive backfield is inexperienced.
Senior Jermare Smith, juniors Jaedon Wilson and Ashtyn Lusk and sophomore Ben McCormick are vying for snaps as defensive backs.
Lusk will also see playing time at receiver and has been tabbed by Edwards to handle punting as well.
Sophomore Teddy Smith will be the Patriots' kicker.
“He’s going to be a good one,†Edwards said.
GW's schedule includes a Mountain State Athletic Conference slate that begins with a Thursday kickoff against Spring Valley on Thursday.
A matchup with Hurricane on The Hill comes the following week. The first road trip on Sept. 12 will be in Ona against Cabell Midland.
Other home games include South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä (Sept. 12), Jefferson (Oct. 11), Huntington (Oct. 17) and the last game of the regular season against Woodrow Wilson (Nov. 7), which is coming back to the MSAC, along with Parkersburg South.
The two Patriots teams don’t face each other this season but will likely play in 2026, Edwards said.
Away games will include a trip to Barnesville, Ohio, to face the Shamrocks on Sept. 26 and league games at Parkersburg (Oct. 3) and Capital (Oct. 24).
