Former Lynchburg-area standouts turn in strong performances, while Clemson's Gideon Davidson navigates a week of public criticism from his head coach.
Marsteller rushes for 97 yards, two touchdowns
Alexander Marsteller delivered one of the week's strongest performances among former Lynchburg-area high school football standouts, rushing for 97 yards and two touchdowns for Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
Marsteller carried the ball 18 times, averaging 5.4 yards per attempt, as he continued to make an impact in the Fightin' Engineers' backfield.
His two touchdowns highlighted another productive outing and earned him top billing in this week's look at former local athletes competing at the college level.
Dixon delivers nine-tackle performance
Avery Dixon turned in one of the week's top defensive performances, recording nine total tackles, including four solo stops.
Dixon's nine tackles were the highest total among the former Lynchburg-area defensive players included in this week's report.
His performance deserves recognition alongside Marsteller's offensive production as one of the week's individual highlights.
Gilbert catches touchdown in Virginia Union rout
Lyvarius Gilbert caught four passes for 33 yards and a touchdown as Virginia Union University rolled to a 62-0 victory over Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. Gilbert's touchdown reception contributed to the Panthers' dominant offensive showing.
Stowers records six tackles
Dillon Stowers finished with six tackles in his team's 49-22 loss to Memphis. Despite the defeat, Stowers contributed defensively with six stops against the Tigers.
Wood remains sidelined by injury
Former E.C. Glass standout Eli Wood remained sidelined by injury as Utah State defeated Colorado State on Saturday. The Aggies earned the victory without one of their top receiving targets. Wood's return timetable remains uncertain.
Davidson plays following Swinney's public criticism
Former Liberty Christian Academy standout Gideon Davidson rushed for 36 yards on 12 carries without a touchdown in Clemson's 36-24 victory over Florida State on Saturday.
Davidson's performance followed a week in which Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney publicly criticized the sophomore running back following Clemson's 20-16 loss to Virginia Tech.
Davidson had rushed for 62 yards on 14 carries against the Hokies, but Swinney publicly described it as his "worst game" of the season, citing missed rushing lanes, pass-protection mistakes and inconsistent execution.
Swinney also acknowledged Davidson's talent, describing him as Clemson's best running back.
The public criticism sparked considerable discussion on social media, including responses from former Liberty University head baseball coach Scott Jackson, Davidson's adoptive father, Brian Davidson, and fans expressing opinions about Swinney.
The controversy was detailed in a report published by The State.
The exchange renewed a familiar debate in coaching: whether criticism of individual players is better handled privately, while public comments emphasize encouragement and team accountability.
For Davidson, who remains a popular figure among Lynchburg-area football followers following his outstanding career at Liberty Christian Academy, attention now returns to his performance on the field.
Seminole District College Football Roster
Gideon Davidson — Clemson
Position: Running back
Class: Sophomore
Davidson is a sophomore running back at Clemson after a record-setting career at Liberty Christian Academy. He rushed for more than 7,700 career yards, second-most in Virginia High School League history, and scored a VHSL-record 122 touchdowns.
Davidson helped lead LCA to the 2024 Class 3 state championship and was named the 2024 Gatorade Virginia Football Player of the Year and Football Friday Player of the Year.
Jayden Cowart — Elon
Position: Defensive back
Class: Freshman
Cowart is in his first season at Elon after a four-year varsity career at LCA. A team captain and two-time state champion, Cowart contributed on both sides of the ball, finishing his high school career with 85 tackles and four interceptions on defense while rushing for 2,700 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Cowart also earned two varsity letters in track and field.
Austin Tremblay — Liberty
Position: Defensive line
Class: Freshman
Tremblay is a freshman defensive lineman at Liberty after a decorated career at LCA.
A three-year varsity starter, Tremblay helped the Bulldogs win back-to-back state championships in 2023 and 2024. As a senior, he was named LCA's 2025 season MVP and earned all-district, all-region and all-state honors at defensive end.
Dillon Stowers — Army
Position: Defensive line
Class: Senior
Stowers is a senior defensive lineman at Army. He appeared in 11 games for the Black Knights in 2025 after seeing action in six games the previous season.
At LCA, Stowers played linebacker and tight end and finished his career with more than 300 tackles, 18 touchdowns, five interceptions and 10 forced fumbles. He earned all-state honors at both linebacker and tight end before attending the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School.
E.C. Glass
Eli Wood — Utah State
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Graduate student
Wood transferred to Utah State after four seasons at Virginia, where he appeared in 35 games. His best season with the Cavaliers came in 2025, when he caught 16 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
Wood originally joined Virginia as a preferred walk-on in 2022 after being lightly recruited out of E.C. Glass. His move to Utah State reunited him with coach Bronco Mendenhall, who previously recruited and coached Wood's older brother, Sackett, at Virginia. Sackett is also a graduate student at Utah State.
At E.C. Glass, Wood caught 50 passes for 1,020 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior, earning Seminole District Player of the Year and VHSL Class 4 first-team all-state honors.
Lyvarius Gilbert — Virginia Union
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt junior
Gilbert is a redshirt junior wide receiver at Virginia Union after graduating from E.C. Glass in 2023.
A multi-sport athlete at Glass, Gilbert played wide receiver and free safety and also contributed as a punt returner.
Lincoln Funke — Christopher Newport
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Funke is a freshman tight end at Christopher Newport after graduating from E.C. Glass.
He earned all-region and all-district honors as a senior and served as a team captain. Funke helped the Hilltoppers win two district championships and a region title.
Julius Scott — Bridgewater
Position: Defensive line
Class: Freshman
Scott is a freshman defensive lineman at Bridgewater after playing at E.C. Glass. The Lynchburg native is listed at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds
Brookville
Jor'dyn Whitelaw — William & Mary
Position: Running back
Class: Sophomore
Whitelaw is a sophomore running back at William & Mary. As a freshman in 2025, he appeared in all 12 games, primarily as a kick returner, returning 25 kickoffs for 510 yards.
At Brookville, Whitelaw was a team captain and two-time first-team all-district selection. He rushed for 1,119 yards and nine touchdowns and finished with 1,567 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns.
Trevor Johns — Hampden-Sydney
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Redshirt freshman
Johns is a redshirt freshman wide receiver at Hampden-Sydney after playing at Brookville.
Heritage
Terrell Washington — North Texas
Position: Defensive line
Class: Junior
Washington is a junior defensive lineman at North Texas after playing at Heritage. He appeared in all 14 games for the Mean Green in 2025, recording 13 tackles, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hurries.
Before North Texas, Washington played at Northeast Mississippi Community College, where he recorded 27 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 2024. He began his college career at Hampton.
Bre'Andre Horsley — UNC Pembroke
Position: Defensive line
Class: Senior
Horsley transferred to UNC Pembroke after three seasons at West Liberty.
The former Heritage standout earned first-team All-Mountain East Conference honors in 2025 after recording 61 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and two fumble recoveries. Over three seasons at West Liberty, Horsley totaled 102 tackles, eight sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss.
Jayden Miller — Christopher Newport
Position: Defensive back
Class: Freshman
Miller is a freshman defensive back at Christopher Newport after a standout career at Heritage.
He was a three-time all-district selection and earned all-region honors for the Pioneers. Miller served as a team captain, helped Heritage win a district championship and led the district in interceptions twice.
Ayden Slash — Christopher Newport
Position: Defensive back
Class: Freshman
Slash is a freshman defensive back at Christopher Newport after playing at Heritage. A multi-sport athlete for the Pioneers, he competed in football, basketball and track and field.
David Bradley — Christopher Newport
Position: Running back
Class: Freshman
Bradley is a freshman running back at Christopher Newport after a standout career at Heritage.
He was a two-time first-team all-district selection at both running back and linebacker and earned second-team all-region honors at linebacker.
Zaid Holloway — Bridgewater
Position: Defensive back
Class: Freshman
Holloway is a freshman defensive back at Bridgewater after graduating from Heritage. The 5-foot-8, 171-pound Lynchburg native is in his first season with the Eagles.
Jefferson Forest
Britin Witt — Jacksonville State
Position: Offensive line
Class: Senior
Witt is a senior offensive lineman at Jacksonville State after transferring from VMI, where the former Jefferson Forest standout started all 12 games at left guard for the Keydets in 2025.
Witt also appeared in 10 games as a true freshman at VMI, logging 300 snaps. He is listed at 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds.
Logan Candis — Norfolk State
Position: Defensive line
Class: Redshirt freshman
Candis is a 6-foot-3, 345-pound redshirt freshman defensive lineman at Norfolk State after playing at Jefferson Forest.
Camerohn Parker — Hampden-Sydney
Position: Defensive back
Class: Sophomore
Parker is a sophomore defensive back at Hampden-Sydney after appearing in seven games as a freshman in 2025.
The former Jefferson Forest defensive back earned all-district honors as a senior. He also played basketball for the Cavaliers.
Alexander Marsteller — Rose-Hulman
Position: Running back
Class: Senior
Marsteller is a senior running back at Rose-Hulman. He earned honorable mention All-HCAC honors in 2025 after rushing for 579 yards and five touchdowns and adding 118 receiving yards and a touchdown. He returned for 2026 as one of the program's All-HCAC honorees.
The former Jefferson Forest player is majoring in civil engineering.
Spencer Sloan — Johns Hopkins
Position: Tight end
Class: Freshman
Sloan is a freshman tight end at Johns Hopkins after playing at Jefferson Forest. He is listed at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds.
Rustburg
Avery Dixon — Charleston Southern
Position: Safety
Class: Redshirt senior
Dixon is a redshirt senior safety at Charleston Southern after previously playing at Bryant and The Citadel.
The former Rustburg standout started 10 games at strong safety for Charleston Southern in 2025, recording 35 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and two pass breakups.
At Rustburg, Dixon earned first-team all-district and second-team all-region honors as a senior.
Ari Reid — Virginia Union
Position: Linebacker
Class: Freshman
Reid is a freshman linebacker at Virginia Union after playing at Rustburg.
Help us find them
Lynchburg Agenda will update Where Are They Now? throughout the college football season, following former Greater Lynchburg high school players competing at the next level.
Know of a former football player from Amherst County, Brookville, E.C. Glass, Heritage, Jefferson Forest, Liberty, Liberty Christian Academy, Rustburg or Virginia Episcopal School currently playing college football who should be included? Let us know at contact@lynchburgagenda.com.
