How one Raleigh high school quarterback went from understudy to playoff-bound leader
Leesville Road High’s Deiondre Goldston entered this season aware his quarterback game needed growth beyond bigger, stronger, faster. To become a field general, he says he takes a little something from everybody.
Let’s start with John Mark Shaw, a UNC Pembroke freshman QB who was The Pride’s starter in 2022 and 2021. Goldston, the understudy as a sophomore a year ago, studied Shaw.
“I picked his brain a lot,” Goldston said. “He’s a buddy. I learned from him that to be a leader, the team has to respect you and trust you. He told me to stay poised and always be doing the right thing.”
Goldston spoke Monday between a team meeting and practice as he prepares for his first post-season start in the NCHSAA 4A East Region playoffs. Leesville (8-2), the No. 15 seed, faces No. 18-seed Richmond (5-5), a Rockingham school, at 7 p.m. Friday on The Pride’s field.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder’s rise to varsity starting quarterback was a goal he set as earlier as youth football.
“When I started playing, I loved having the ball in my hands,” he said.
Goldston moved through his chain of neighborhood schools from Briar Creek Elementary School to Pine Hollow Middle School to wearing The Pride’s colors.
“I’m glad this was where they sent me,” he said. “I love playing for Leesville Road. Our students always show up. We have a great atmosphere here every game.”
Leesville head coach Ben Kolstad said Goldston’s growth this season began with focusing on football as his primary sport.
“We called him a basketball kid playing football before this past year,” Kolstad said. “He has taken the game seriously since the off-season.”
Kolstad added Goldston, a drop-back quarterback, has become a “a student of the game” under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Jim Bob Bryant, a veteran head coach. As Havelock’s head coach, 2008-16, Bryant won three straight 3A state titles, 2011-13. When Kolstad took over at Leesville Road in 2017, Bryant joined his staff out of a desire to relocate in the Triangle.
“Deiondre’s decision-making has really improved,” Kolstad said. “Early in the year, he was holding the ball and taking sacks. It’s good he wasn’t throwing interceptions, but if you hold the ball and take a sack, it effects down-and-distance.”
The Pride’s traditionally strong program again contended for a conference title this season under Goldston’s stewardship. Leesville and Cardinal Gibbons were both unbeaten in 4A Cap 6 play when they met last week in the regular-season finale. At stake, in addition to the title, was a higher seed between the two in the playoffs.
The Crusaders won with a fourth-quarter rally, 33-23, in a game that was closer than the final score suggests. Gibbons (8-2) thus earned a No. 5 seed and is at home at 7 p.m. Friday against face No. 28 seed Overhills (5-5) of Spring Lake.
Goldston directs a balanced offense with 1,726 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns nearly equaling 1,858 passing with 20 TDs. Goldston’s own passing yards totals are 1,759 with 19 touchdowns. He’s completed 170 of 251 passes (68 percent) with only three interceptions.
The competition percentage and limited interceptions are examples of making good reads, said Kolstad. The passing game is largely perimeter routes, but the Pride has Goldston take deep shots.
“He’s good on the short and long balls,” Kolstad said. “He throws a ball that is easy to catch.”
But there is someone else that Goldston is trying to take a little from — his father, Donald Goldston.
Donald, back in the day at Southern Durham High, was a 6-foot-4 football tight end and basketball player. But don’t worry, this story isn’t taking a detour about a meddling father. Deiondre mentions him because he envies his pop’s personality.
“I’m not a talkative guy, and I have to get out of my comfort zone if I want the team to respect me,” Goldston said. “My dad is a big talker, so I can learn from him. Everywhere we go, he’s always talking to somebody.”
Goldston is still hoping to make a mark on the 2023 season, of course, but when asked to look ahead to the recruiting game, he said he plans to attend offseason camps at NC State and Duke and other events. He’ll pick up pointers, no doubt, but Kolstad has eyed something else about his QB he hopes Goldston returns with in the fall of 2024.
“His dad is a big guy,” Kolstad said. “Deiondre has long arms and a long body. He might still have some growing in him.”
