KINSTON IS STATE-BOUND! Vikings Slay #1 Seed James Kenan, Punch Their Ticket to First State Championship Since 2015
KINSTON IS STATE-BOUND! Vikings Slay the James Kenan Giant, Punch Ticket to First State Championship Since 2015
Kinston 30, James Kenan 7 Eastern Regional Championship – December 4, 2025 Warsaw, NC
For the first time in a decade, Kinston High School football is headed to the state championship.
Behind a suffocating defense, timely explosive plays from Tyler Jones and his playmakers, and a senior class that simply refused to be denied, the Vikings stormed into hostile territory and ended James Kenan’s 14-game home winning streak with a commanding 30-7 victory in the 3A Eastern Regional Final.
This wasn’t just a win. This was a statement.
The Tigers came in 4-0 all-time against Kinston, averaging 390 rushing yards in the playoffs and scoring at least 26 points in every game this season. They left Thursday game being held to 165 total rushing yards (4.3 ypc — their lowest of the year), one touchdown, and their first home loss since October 2023.
Kinston’s defense answered every question. Jahmeire Brown chased down QB Eli Avent to force an early fumble. The Vikings stuffed Jeremiah Hall and the JK run game all night. They forced a safety on a botched punt snap. They turned the Tigers away on downs twice inside their own 20. Physicality? Mission accomplished. Senior Exzavion Croom continued to lay the hammer on opponents and Jemorris Poole was lights out in the run game and coverage. Many different players played MAJOR roles on the defensive side.
Head coach Ryan Gieselman said it best on Monday: “The word is physicality.” Thursday night, his team wrote it in capital letters across Duplin County.
Game Flow – How Kinston Took Control
First quarter was a defensive slugfest — three punts, a fumble, 0-0 after one.
Early 2Q: Another JK fumble. Kinston capitalizes when Tyler Jones, on 3rd-and-19, rifles a dart to Brennan Chambers in double coverage for 38 yards. Two plays later, Jones finds Reginald “Reggie” McNeil for a 10-yard TD. 7-0 Vikings (XP by Jonathan Schultis).
James Kenan answers with a Jeremiah Hall 5-yard TD run after an offsides penalty on 4th down. 7-7.
With :14 left in the half, Tyler Jones goes 3-for-4 on the two-minute drill and hits Tyreek Copper on a 19-yard strike to the pylon. Kinston converts the 2-point try. 15-7 at the break.
Second half belonged to the Green & Gold.
James Kenan opened with two chunk runs but the Viking defense slammed the door — four straight stops, turnover on downs.
Kinston drove to the 10 but settled for no points. No problem. Four plays later JK went backwards again. On 3rd down Tyler Jones flipped a 17-yard screen to Genesis Wiggins who made one man miss and ran into the end zone. 22-7 late 3Q.
Early 4Q the snap sailed over the JK punter’s head — safety. 24-7.
Genesis Wiggins iced it with a 13-yard TD run — his second score of the night.
Ballgame.
Stat Lines That Tell the Story
Tyler Jones 18-29, 196 yards, 3 TD (1 rushing TD on the 2-pt conversion) First career offer came this week from Elizabeth City State — expect many more.
Receiving Tyreek Copper – 6 rec, 60 yds, 1 TD (extends state record streak to 16 straight games with a receiving TD) Brennan Chambers – 6 rec, 68 yds (including the ridiculous 38-yard grab in traffic) Pap Brown – 5 rec, 43 yds Reggie McNeil – 1 rec, 12 yds, 1 TD Genesis Wiggins – 1 rec, 17 yds, 1 TD + 12 rush, 83 yds, 1 TD
Defense Forced 2 fumbles, 1 safety, multiple 4th-down stops Held JK’s vaunted run game 225 yards below their playoff average
The Seniors Delivered When It Mattered Most
The day before the biggest game of their lives: Tyreek Copper signed with NC State Brennan Chambers signed with Marshall
Then they went out and played like it meant something.
Copper, already third in the nation in receiving yards and first in receiving TDs coming in, was “just locked in trying to get a ring.” Chambers made the catch of the night on that 3rd-and-19 dagger.
Coach Gieselman – Second Trip to States as Head Coach
“I’m excited and very happy for our team and the work we have put in all season long… to earn one more week and a chance at a state championship next week. We will be ready to go.”
On the defense: “We knew we had to be very, very physical, and I think our guys answered the call.”
History Made
First regional championship since 2015
First win over James Kenan in school history
Ended the Duplin County dominance over Kinston in the old East Central Conference
Kinston will play for a state title next week — site and opponent TBD
From a program that was 0-4 lifetime against James Kenan… to the team that finally turned the tide.
Kinston, your Vikings are one win away.
RESPECT THE PROGRAM. And now the entire state has to.
