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GAME CHANGERS: The defensive dominance of Eastside's Xavier Joseph
Xavier Joseph Gamechangers
Even with his defensive prowess, senior Xavier Joseph(8) plays a part in the Eagles' offense as well. - photo by Garrett Pitts

The Eastside Eagles football team will look totally different from last year’s team who ended up in the GHSA AAAA state playoffs quarterfinals and losing to the Creekside Seminoles. Now, senior Xavier Joseph  will be a familiar face who will return for a dominant season on the defensive side of the ball for the Eagles in the 2025 season. 

For the past few years, the Eagles defense was led by Bailey Benson and Christian Gass who are playing college football at NC State University and University of Tennessee, respectively. Joseph is looking forward to continuing his dominance in the Eagles front seven, according to head coach Jay Cawthon. 

Joseph has been playing varsity for two years so playing under the bright lights isn’t new to him, but being the “guy” is. 

“Like for me I’ve been playing since I was a sophomore and it has really helped me grow as a player but now it’s my turn to be the focal point,” he said. “Now everyone is looking to see what I will do for the defense.” 

Joseph is currently committed to play football for the Appalachian State Mountaineers next year heading into his senior season, so he’s looked as a captain on that side. 

“Being a captain is a great honor to have but if I’m leading by example by my actions then that will be wrong in my eyes. So I have no choice but to be a dominant force all around,” Joseph said. 

Gass led the team with six sacks and 14 tackles for loss in the 2024 season with Joseph only accumulating just two sacks and five tackles for loss in the same season. He also finished with 30 total tackles. But this year, Joseph wants to have out-of-this-world stats.

“The expectations that I put on myself this year is something I look forward to accomplishing, “ Joseph said. “I want to lead the teams in sacks and tackles for loss because as a d-lineman, it’s our job to make the opposing quarterback’s life miserable every play.”

Joseph will now lead the Eagles’ defense on to the field in a fall scrimmage on the road against Peachtree Ridge Lions on Aug. 7. Then eight days later kick off the regular season against county rival, the Newton Rams at Historic Homer Sharp Stadium with the kickoff being at 7:30 p.m.