WINCHESTER — When Owen Neal and Aidric Yurish were competing for the starting quarterback job for the second straight year as sophomores in 2024, James Wood coach Todd Wilson noted that their friendship and working relationship was “great for the program.”
As beneficial as it was to have confidence in multiple people to play quarterback, only one prolate spheroid-shaped object can be used on each play of a football game. What’s been even better for the Colonels is an activity that involves both of them on the same play and keeps defenders on the field and chain crews on the sidelines scrambling — the act of Yurish catching a football moments after Neal lets it fly from his right arm.
Neal was The Winchester Star’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, and a big reason why was Yurish’s breakout performance as a wide receiver. After ranking fifth on the Colonels in receptions (14) and fourth in receiving yards (158) as a sophomore in 2024, Yurish was the area’s only 1,000-yard receiver as a junior in 2025.
Yurish’s 1,077 yards were 320 more than any area receiver. His 46 catches tied for the most with Handley’s Will Yoder, his 23.4 yards per catch ranked second just behind teammate Xavier Price (23.6) and his eight receiving TDs ranked third in the area. For his efforts, Yurish was named a First Team All-Region 4D and All-Northwestern District selection.
Wilson said Yurish’s route running and strong hands definitely make a difference for him.
“He attacks the ball,” Wilson said. “He doesn’t wait for the ball to come to him. If you go back and watch some of the tape, he goes over top of people and attacks the football. That kind of separates him from guys who just rely on running by guys.”
On the opening day of practice on July 30, the 6-foot, 175-pound Yurish was plenty ready for the 2026 season.
“The feeling of putting that helmet on for the first day like we had today, being able to get hype and catch a football with a helmet on and gloves on, it’s a phenomenal feeling,” Yurish said.
Yurish has always known plenty about the game. His father, Joey Yurish, was the head coach at Hedgesville (West Virginia) from 2016-19 and has served as the Colonels’ offensive coordinator since 2021.
Aidric Yurish said their relationship isn’t always genial on the football field, but Yurish definitely appreciates that his father has been a constant presence in his Colonels career.
“We get into it all the time at practice,” Aidric said. “I yell at him all the time. But my dad’s been coaching since before I was born.
“I don’t know what I’d do without him or Coach Wilson. They’re both huge coaches and huge role models for me. Even though I don’t always see eye to eye with them, they want the best for me, and I’m very grateful for them.”
Wilson — who is also a history and social studies teacher at James Wood — is grateful to be coaching Yurish.
“Phenomenal kid,” said Wilson, who notes that Yurish is also one of the leaders of James Wood’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes program. “I had him in class last year, and I’ve known him ever since he’s been a part of our program. He’s competitive. Him and his dad butt heads a little bit, but they have a great relationship, and me and him have a great relationship. He’s a worker.”
Aidric says one of the things his father has helped him with the most is not dwelling on the past.
“I’ve had my moments where I dropped the ball, or thrown a bad pass, or didn’t get to the ball fast enough on defense,” Yurish said. “He tells me to move on to the next play.”
As last year showed, Yurish has a chance to make something big happen on any play as a wide receiver.
“When you catch that football in the end zone, and you hear the whole student section and every single fan out there screaming, it’s the best feeling in the world,” Yurish said.
Yurish was a receiver in seventh grade before moving to quarterback. After having some success at receiver as a sophomore, he set out to make an even bigger impact as a junior.
Yurish said workouts at Flow Fitness in Winchester improved his strength and athleticism.
“They helped me out a lot,” Yurish said. “I started to get into the weight room a lot more. I started increasing my [lifting] maxes. Just getting faster, stronger and better.”
Yurish said going to various football camps and spending more time working with Neal also helped elevate his game before his junior year.
“He’s very fundamental,” Neal said. “He’s smart and knows what to do in any situation. We’re on the same page a lot of the time, so it just makes working with him really easy. He reads other people really well, and he’s always asking questions to improve his game.
“He’s really grown into his body. He’s definitely gotten stronger. His route running has definitely improved, and his hands. He doesn’t really have the burnout speed that a lot of people do, but he can get open by doing a lot of the little things that a lot of people take for granted.”
Through six games in 2025, Yurish certainly played well with 13 catches for 337 yards and two TDs. But that was nothing compared to what he did in his last five contests.
The hot streak started with James Wood’s Oct. 10 game with Millbrook. In a 54-35 win, Yurish caught six passes for 176 yards, including TD receptions of 45, 14 and 63 yards.
Price entered that game with similar reception and yardage numbers (13 catches for 405 yards), but Price had eight catches for TDs, including five in one game against Warren County. Yurish noted that Price received more of Millbrook’s attention when the Colonels played the Pioneers, so he knew he had to get open to keep James Wood’s offense humming.
“I ended up having a phenomenal game,” Yurish said.
Wilson notes that Neal does a good job of taking what the defense gives him, which is why the Colonels had three of the top four receivers in the area for yards, catches and TDs last year. With players like Price (six catches for 101 yards and two TDs against Millbrook; 32 catches, 756 yards, 14 TDs for the year) and Kaden McCullough (29 catches, 542 yards, five TDs), defenses had to pick their poison with Wood’s receivers last year.
Yurish remained deadly the rest of the season with more than 100 yards receiving in each of the four contests after the Millbrook game. He had six catches for 135 yards and a TD against Liberty; five catches for 118 yards versus Handley; five catches for 143 yards against Fauquier; and 11 catches for 168 yards and two TDs in the playoffs against Sherando.
Wilson said it was encouraging to see Yurish respond the way he did after such an impressive performance against Millbrook.
“Having a great night like that obviously gives you confidence,” Wilson said. “That’s what it did for him, and obviously, he finished the season out phenomenally.”
Yurish makes a big impact on the defensive side of the ball as well at safety.
As a sophomore, Yurish was inserted into the starting lineup in the fifth game of the season, and he finished the 2024 campaign with six tackles and an interception. As a junior, Yurish recorded 32 tackles and two interceptions.
Yurish feels his quarterback background helps him see how opposing offenses’ plays develop.
“They put me back there because I can read everybody,” Yurish said. “I know what I’m doing, and I know what everybody else is doing. I can be where the ball is. I know where that’s going. I can read the quarterback well. If I have to, I can go through a gap.”
Wilson said Yurish’s football IQ makes a big difference on defense.
“If you know what you’re doing, you can find a way on the football field,” Wilson said. “[As a sophomore], he knew what he was doing. He knew how to get guys lined up. Then last year, he was more willing to get in the mix in the run game and fitting things up where they needed to be. He’s put on more size and strength this year, so I expect him to be even more physical in the run game.
“But the No. 1 thing with him is getting our defense, especially our back end, aligned where they need to be. He’s a high-IQ football kid.”
Yurish would love to surpass his offensive numbers from last year, and hopes he can make a bigger impact on defense as well.
“There were a few times last year [on defense] where I slacked and could have made a play that I didn’t,” Yurish said. “I just need to get around, fly around and be the best player that I can.”
In addition to helping James Wood succeed, Yurish looks to continue to build his case for playing at the college level. During this past offseason, for example, he attended the junior days for NCAA Division II Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and Emory & Henry University in Emory. Yurish is also high on NCAA Division III Christopher Newport University after taking a trip to Newport News last month.
“It’s always been my dream to play this game at the college level, and maybe professionally here or overseas,” Yurish said. “I’ve been getting out as much as I can, and hopefully, this year will solidify a spot [at one of those schools].”
Wilson said it helps having coaches with college experience like Joey Yurish and Neal’s father Jared, James Wood’s offensive and defensive line coach, because they have a good understanding of what it takes to play at that level. A former quarterback at Martinsburg (West Virginia), Joey Yurish played at Glenville State University, and Jared Neal played at Shenandoah University. (Note: Jared Neal played on the offensive line, not quarterback, at SU.)
“Aidric knows you can’t just have a big game and expect people to come knocking on your door,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to stack weeks together. He worked hard last offseason, but this offseason, he’s worked even harder.”
Before he heads off to college, Yurish hopes to make his senior year one to remember. James Wood has eight starters on offense back from the highest scoring season in school history last year with 456 points, 116 better than the program’s previous high. The Colonels also have eight players back with starting experience on defense.
The two main obstacles for James Wood’s four-year varsity members have been Handley and Sherando. The Colonels are 0-8 in their careers against those two schools (including two playoff losses to Sherando). James Wood hasn’t beaten Sherando since 2021 and Handley since 2018, but Yurish thinks the Colonels have a chance at being the best local team this year.
“I strongly believe in our team,” Yurish said, “and the compatibility that we have, the leadership that we have, and with the energy we always bring.”
— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at rniedzwiecki@winchesterstar.com
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