After a breakout year, this two-way star aims for more success with West Lincoln football
West Lincoln’s football team has no shortage of two-way talent, but none of them are as explosive as senior Jaylin Winnex.
The running back broke out for nearly 1,500 rushing yards last year while anchoring the Rebels’ defense at safety alongside quarterback Gideon Allen. Winnex enters 2024 as one of the top players in Lincoln County and one of many two-way players on a Rebels team looking to build on last season’s success.
“(He’s) one of the hardest working kids and most dedicated kids that you’ll ever find on top of being a really good athlete,” West Lincoln coach Darren Ponder said of Winnex. “He’s an exceptional player, exceptional kid, exceptional person. … He’s a silent leader, that’s what he is, leads by example.”
That work ethic is evident on both sides of the ball. Like many of West Lincoln’s top players, Winnex is tasked with playing a crucial role in the Rebels offense and defense, something the senior feels is important in order to show younger players what will eventually be required of them at the 2A school in Lincolnton.
“It definitely speaks a lot about somebody when they can play two ways, all three ways sometimes being on special teams too, for a whole game, for a whole season, and holding up and taking care of their body day in and day out,” Allen said. “We just outwork people.”
Winnex’s success in the run game helped the Rebels start last season with five straight wins and lifted them to a 9-3 record in 2023. West Lincoln won its first round matchup of the NCHSAA 2A playoffs against Chase before falling to Monroe. He thrived on both sides of the ball as a junior, finishing the year with 1,472 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on offense while adding 54 tackles and three interceptions on defense.
“We have to come out strong and aggressive like we did last year to have another outbreak,” Winnex said.
The 5-foot-9 senior placed 44th in The Charlotte Observer’s ranking of the top 50 high school football players in the region entering this season.
“Being able to change direction and speed when he needs to and knowing his lineman — he’s gotten so good at that since freshman year, knowing the lineman and knowing where to be and where to go and how to make defenders miss,” Allen said of Winnex. “That’s something I’ve seen him improve on a lot on the offensive side.”
“On the defensive side, I’ve seen him improve on playing on the ball,” Allen added. “He’s always been to come downhill and (been) a hard hitter, but playing the ball is where I’ve seen him improve at.”
Allen and Winnex were both Catawba Valley Athletic Conference all-conference selections last season and hope to take another step with a group of about 10 seniors that have played together since middle school for the West Lincoln Optimist Club.
“It’s great because I’m so used to (playing with them),” Winnex said. “We know if we mess up anything we got each others’ back and we know at the end of the day we’re gonna come out and play.”
The Rebels will have four new offensive lineman for Winnex to run behind this season but retain all of their skill position starters on offense, including Allen at quarterback.
The 6-foot-3 senior only threw 24 completions for 514 yards and four touchdowns last season but complemented Winnex’s success on the ground with 634 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns. Allen added four interceptions and a pair of fumbles recoveries at safety.
With Winnex, Allen and many of West Lincoln’s returning cast serving key roles on both sides of the ball, they’ll have a huge opportunity to build on the Rebels’ best season since joining the Catawba Valley Athletic Conference this year.
“We came from the middle of the conference and we ended up getting second last year,” Allen said. “If we can improve that, maybe win the conference, be better than we were last year, that’s gonna be a tough task, but I think that’s the right goal to have.”
