VIRGINIA BEACH — Thanksgiving Day is usually pretty simple for Luke Ashcraft.
“Normally on Thanksgiving, I’m sitting at home watching parades, watching football and eating good food,” the Green Run senior quarterback said. “But now, I got practice. And I couldn’t be more blessed to be able to go out and practice on Thanksgiving.”
For the first time in his high school career, Ashcraft is still playing after Thanksgiving.
And not a lot of players can say that.
But on Friday, Ashcraft will lead the Stallions (12-0) against Indian River (10-2) in the Class 5 Region A title game at Green Run High at 2 p.m.
Ashcraft played his first three seasons for Kellam.
But following his junior season, when he threw for less than 500 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions, he decided he needed to make a change.
“I really wanted to make something happen and surround myself with the best future that I could,” he said. “And I felt this is where I needed to be.”
He transferred to Green Run, a school known for its quarterbacks.
In the past four seasons, Green Run quarterbacks have put up amazing numbers.
In 2021, Xavier Davis threw for 3,283 yards and 47 touchdowns during the regular season.
In 2022, Kevin White Jr. threw for 3,610 yards and 49 touchdowns.
In 2023, Ksaan Farrar threw for 2,612 yards and 35 touchdowns. And last season, Farrar, who now plays for Connecticut, threw for 2,422 yards and 31 touchdowns.
“A lot of great quarterbacks have come through here, and I was just trying to be the next one and, you know, make my mark,” said Ashcraft, 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds.
Ashcraft first had to get used to a new system and new players.
It helped that he had Green Run offensive coordinator Qutrell Payton, who worked to get him adjusted.
“I always thought he was talented. Physically, I thought he could make every throw, but I do feel we’re a faster team than he was used to,” Payton said. “So he had to speed up his steps. Speed up letting the ball go. Before, when he’d have to wait for a receiver to make a break, our receivers were already rolling. So that was an adjustment early.”
Ashcraft, who has a 3.85 grade-point-average, caught on quickly as he stayed after practice to get in sync with his receivers.
The season started well as Ashcraft was among the area’s top passers.
His first test would come midway through the season against Salem.
The Stallions came into the contest having not lost a Beach District game since March 12, 2021, during the shortened spring season due to the 2020 pandemic.
Since that loss, the Stallions have won 49 straight district regular-season games and 56 consecutive overall over district opponents.
That streak was in serious jeopardy on Oct. 3 as Salem held a two-touchdown lead in the third quarter.
Sensing Ashcraft was a little rattled, Payton pulled him aside.
“I told him to eliminate the crowd. Eliminate the score. And let’s just play football,” Payton said. “And I told him, ‘Luke, this is your moment. Go be great. You wanted this, so let’s go get it done.’”
Ashcraft remembers that talk with Payton.
“He told me. ‘I believe in you, and this team believes in you, and everybody in the stands believe in you,’” Ashcraft remembered Payton telling him. “He then said, ‘Let’s go out there and show them why they believe in you.’”
And he did, as he helped lead the Stallions to a come-from-behind victory.
Green Run answers with 8 yard TD pass from Ashcraft to Cross. Salem 21, Green Run 14, 3rd pic.twitter.com/0RhFMcK1PB
— Larry Rubama (@LHRubama) October 4, 2025
Ashcraft carried that momentum with him the rest of the regular season as he finished second in passing in Hampton Roads, with 2,568 yards and 31 touchdowns with just four interceptions.
Through 12 games, Ashcraft has completed 181 of 221 passes for 3,011 yards with 36 touchdowns and five interceptions.
“Seeing some of the numbers that past Green Run quarterbacks threw for, I used to say, ‘I can’t imagine throwing for that many yards,’” said Ashcraft, who has offers from Chowan and Ferrum, and interest from many other schools. “Now, to be able to be putting up those kinds of numbers, it’s just amazing.”
Green Run coach Brandon Williams said he couldn’t be more proud of what Ashcraft has accomplished.
“Luke has done a great job since he stepped through the doors. He knows what’s at stake and he’s a competitor at the end of the day,” he said. “That’s all we ask for from our signal-caller is that he competes each and every Friday night, and controls our offense. And he’s done that for 12 games, and I don’t think anything is going to change this Friday.”
And Ashcraft doesn’t want it to end anytime soon.
“It feels great. The longer I’m in pads, the happier I am,” he said. “It’s a little colder, but as long as I’m still playing, I’m happy.”
Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com
