CANDLER — Enka football’s Jaydyn McElreath can’t take the field with his teammates anymore. But a season-ending injury hasn’t kept him away from practice, where he continues to find ways to lead a Jets team off to a historic start.
McElreath averaged 10 yards per carry on 28 attempts and recorded 44 tackles, 41 solo, as Enka opened the season 5-0 for the first time since 1993. But in the Jets’ 49-7 win over McDowell in Week 5, he suffered a foot injury.
The week after McElreath’s injury, linebacker Bryant Wilcher got advice from his teammate during the Jets game against North Buncombe. McElreath helped him identify what opposing players were doing, adjust his angles and trust his instincts rather than overthink.
“He was telling me who I need to
analyze, how I need to analyze them differently,” Wilcher said. “That I know what to do, and that I just need to get out of my head.”
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McElreath’s leadership started long before he was confined to a knee scooter. During the offseason, he made sure his teammates showed up for every workout, according to first-year Enka coach Jim Beatty.
That commitment hasn’t changed since McElreath’s season ended. He still joins his teammates in the weight room, adjusting his workouts to what he can do with an injured foot. While the rest of the team works on their legs, McElreath focuses on his upper body or back.
For Wilcher, who transferred to Enka from Hawaii ahead of last season, McElreath has been a role model on and off the field.
McElreath needed a couple of days to process what the injury meant for him and his season.
The hardest part, McElreath said, was feeling like he couldn’t help the Jets continue their historic season. Enka is 7-1 and host Reynolds at 7 p.m. on Oct. 23.
“It just really sucked,” McElreath said. “I didn’t really know what to do.”
Eventually, he realized he didn’t have to be on the field to contribute.
McElreath has become an extra set of eyes for linebackers coach Kyle Reagan, watching drills and offering pointers at practice. During games, he shares what he sees with teammates when they come off the field after a drive.
“I just try to talk to them and still try to be a leader,” McElreath said.
Beatty said McElreath was determined to remain involved almost immediately after the injury.
“He knew he was going to be at every game, every practice he could be at,” Beatty said.
Wilcher said McElreath’s continued presence has inspired his teammates, who want to finish the season strong for him.
“Him not being here hurts me,” Wilcher said. “I know for a fact hurts everyone else here. If we could finish strong for him, there would be nothing better for this team.”
Zachary Huber is a high school sports reporter for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him at zhuber@gannett.com or follow him on X @zacharyahuber.
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This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Why a season-ending foot injury hasn't stopped Enka football's Jaydyn McElreath
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