Jeb Stewart has piled up the yards on highway to success for Patrick Henry (copy)
Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart spells his name different than Jeb Stuart (who has a highway named after him in Washington County), but he has made a name for himself by speeding along on the football field.
There’s a stretch of U.S Route 58 in Washington County, Virginia, known as Jeb Stuart Highway, named decades ago in honor of Confederate calvary general James Ewell Brown Stuart.
Not far from that mountain motorway are football fields where Patrick Henry High School’s Jebediah Bronx Stewart has forged a prominent path – one yard at a time over the past four years – in becoming one of the elite football talents currently starring in Southwest Virginia.
There have been obstacles – injuries, disheartening defeats and a personal tragedy – on Jeb Stewart’s avenue to all those achievements and accolades since he first slid on a helmet and buckled up a chinstrap in the fourth grade.
Yet, he has kept moving ahead.
Gaining those tough yards on fourth down.
Hitting the hole hard as he rushes into the heart of those determined defenses keyed on his every movement.
Finding that extra gear in the fourth quarter to avert exhaustion.
In the current environment of Artificial Intelligence embellishments, the kid wearing No. 12 for Patrick Henry is the real deal with a hard-nosed, old-school, tough-minded approach that would fit in during any era.
He doesn’t argue with referees, show up opponents, showboat on his way to the end zone or beat his chest in postgame interviews.
When the work is done, it’s on to the next play or the next game.
Stewart starts on both sides of the ball and competes in four sports.
He spurned high school football’s version of the transfer portal last year after the Rebels struggled to a 2-8 record.
They say all roads lead home and there is nowhere Jeb Stewart would rather be than revving and raring to go in the backfield, while hauling the pigskin for the Patrick Henry Rebels.
“I just come to every game level-headed, knowing my teammates are there to help and the coaches have put me in a position to do what I’m supposed to do,” Stewart said. “I just try to be consistent every Friday night and do the best I can.”
Starting point
Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart (12) weaves through the Virginia High defense on Aug. 28.
Jordan Stewart is 361 days younger than his brother Jeb and his football career actually began a season earlier.
They were living in the Bloomingdale community in Kingsport, Tennessee, when their parents got them involved in the sport for the first time.
Jeb said he wasn’t interested at first but as third graders tend to do, he quickly had a change of heart.
“As the season progressed, he begged me to let him play,” said his mother, Tosha Stewart Buckley. “Unfortunately, weigh-ins had already happened, so he had to spend that whole season just watching his brother play football. I tell him all the time that year he spent studying the game itself had to have helped him and his knowledge that he has today. He never missed a practice or a game and didn’t get to play one time that year. The next season he was the very first kid to sign up and he has loved football and never missed a season since.”
The Raiders were the first squad he played on, but for Stewart every spot was an enjoyable endeavor.
They turned out to provide an emotional escape that helped him cope with the death of his father.
Mark Stewart passed away on Jan. 13, 2023, at the age of 36.
“The day his dad passed away was basketball season and I tried to let each kid decide what they needed to do to get through that day and the only thing he wanted to do was go be with his team and play basketball,” Jeb’s mother said. “I think for him, sports have gotten him through the most challenging days of his life as he’s had to overcome more than most adults.”
The memory of his late dad is never far from his mind.
“I think about him every time I play. I always want to honor him the best I can and I do that by giving it my all every time I get on the field,” Jeb Stewart said. “He was always one of my biggest supporters and I want to always be able to play the game in honor of him. He inspired me to always try my best no matter what I am doing and I will always remember that.”
Mapping it out
Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart (12) eludes a George Wythe defender.
Sports also helped Stewart adapt when he moved to Glade Spring in middle school and he made an immediate impact on the gridiron for Patrick Henry as a freshman.
He had five interceptions while starting the final seven games in the secondary as a ninth grader.
“It kind of shocked me a little bit at first how different varsity football is than middle school,” Stewart said. “I was a little intimidated with the big dudes.”
Stewart became the featured running back as a sophomore but missed two months with a hairline fracture in his left ankle. Shortly after returning he rushed for 214 yards, scored four touchdowns and snagged two interceptions in a first-round playoff win over rival Holston.
Last year, he gained 1,407 yards but PH won just twice and failed to reach the postseason. Many times, he lined up at quarterback in the wildcat formation and took off with the direct snap as defenders swarmed.
Rumors were circulating in the summer that Stewart might wind up at a school in Northeast Tennessee for his senior season.
Stewart wasn’t going to hitch a ride for a different destination via the transfer portal.
He was committed to Patrick Henry.
“Absolutely,” Stewart said. “I think staying home is a big thing. I love it here. When I moved up here, I was accepted. I couldn’t leave my friends hanging. They’ve been here for me whenever I needed them.”
It’s worked out well as Patrick Henry is currently 6-2 and is headed to the playoffs after that one-year hiatus.
“This has been a big thing for us,” Stewart said.
Ideal spot
Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart.
Austin Cooper is in his second season as Patrick Henry’s head coach after serving one year as an assistant on Seth Padgett’s staff and he has seen Stewart’s impact expand during his tenure.
“Three years ago, he was a shy kid who didn’t really talk,” Cooper said. “He wasn’t what you would call a leader, he let his play speak for itself. This year, these kids really look up to him and he leads that locker room.”
Stewart yields to his teammates when asked about his success, detouring the praise to offensive linemen Hunter White, Carter Jenkins, Ben Cuddy, Ryder Thayer and his brother, Jordan Stewart.
He’ll point out the blocks from Colton Frye or Zayne Bolen that sprung him on a long touchdown run or praise the pinpoint passes of quarterback Kolby Hicks.
Hicks hadn’t played football since his freshman season but was coaxed into coming back out for the team this fall with Stewart being an aggressive salesman.
“Jeb was definitely one of the ones who talked me into playing again,” Hicks said. “Jeb is a great teammate. He pushes everyone to be their best each day. He is going to give you his all no matter the situation. You can always rely on Jeb.”
It’s the kind of player a college coach would love, but Cooper remains miffed that Stewart hasn’t gotten more interest from teams at the NCAA or NAIA level. Bluefield University has offered.
He feels the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Stewart’s game translates to the next level.
“Somebody can use him at whatever position,” Cooper said. “Obviously, he’s a great running back, but he can catch the ball and has a big body and I think he’s underrated on defense. He could be a safety, outside linebacker-type guy. He can cover and comes up and makes a lot of tackles.”
The season stats are sublime: 206 carries, 2,068 yards, 26 touchdowns; 325 receiving yards, four TDs.
Stewart has a long list of opponents who can vouch for his skills.
He rushed for 320 yards on a herculean 45 carries in a 32-20 win over George Wythe, which marked PH’s first win over the Maroons since 1998. He also recovered a fumble and snagged an interception that night.
“Jeb Stewart is a tough, physical runner who brings intensity and determination to every carry,” said GW coach Brandon Harner. “A tremendous athlete with great strength, speed, and athleticism, Stewart runs hard, fights for extra yards, and is not afraid of contact. His aggressive running style, competitive nature, and ability to make plays make him a dangerous threat out of the backfield.”
Stewart went for a single-game program record 421 rushing yards and scored seven times in a 55-22 win over Rural Retreat.
“Patient as a runner,” said Rural Retreat boss Quinton Hensley. “Combines speed with power.”
In a 28-14 loss to Holston, Stewart had 101 yards on 13 carries before leaving the game with 10:57 remaining in the second quarter with an ankle injury that did not allow him to return. Cavaliers coach Chris Akers has seen plenty of Stewart in the past four years.
“Jeb is a physical back,” Akers said. “He is a good-sized back and also has speed. When he gets past the first level it usually is a touchdown. Many times, he breaks tackles, so he is hard to tackle one-on-one. He has always been impressive even as a younger player. Each year he has become bigger, faster and stronger.”
Last week in a 21-14 win at Honaker, Stewart threw a 99-yard touchdown pass to Kallum Gobble late in the game for the go-ahead score.
“Great size and speed,” said Honaker coach Aaron Lowe. “What stands out is his ability to make plays and the impact he has on their team. He’s a player you have to account for and prepare for carefully. We knew we had to be disciplined in our assignments, play physical, and do a good job of limiting his opportunities. They did a great job getting him the ball in multiple ways.”
Stewart’s biggest test to date comes Friday against the Chilhowie Warriors (8-0), who have thrown up the roadblock on every running back looking to pile up the yardage this season.
Chilhowie is allowing just 7.5 points per game, has surrendered just one first-half touchdown and the Warriors have yet to trail.
“They’re obviously a great team,” Stewart said. “We have to practice hard and be ready for anything they throw at us and give it our all.”
Count Chilhowie coach Reid Sturgill among those familiar with Stewart’s horsepower.
“Jeb is a great athlete who is versatile and can beat you in a lot of different ways,” Sturgill said. “They do a good job of getting him the ball in multiple ways. “
Journey continues
Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart.
Basketball season is approaching.
Then the spring with baseball, along with track and field is around the corner.
However, Stewart isn’t ready to exit football season yet.
He hopes there’s many more yards on his odometer.
So, about that road sign you’ve seen leaving Abingdon, headed toward Damascus and the connection you might make between the names.
He’s been asked before.
Many times.
No, Jeb Stewart is not named after that J.E.B. Stuart.
His middle name is actually a homage to the New York Yankees with many fans of the Bronx Bombers in his family.
For Jeb Stewart, the path to the end zone is a trip he’s made often and a destination he desires.
Highlights on the 100-yard grassy gridiron highway have helped him make a name for himself.
A journey he takes each Friday night.
“The one thing that gets my adrenaline going is probably the first offensive or defensive play,” Stewart said. “Then I am all go from there. Putting my uniform on gets my head in the game, but that play really gets my adrenaline going.”
