Versatile Garner High School football senior right at home in his new surroundings

Isaiah Dawson is new to Wake County football as a Garner High senior this season, but the all-purpose player’s reputation spread quickly as an explosive athlete. Game plans focus on playing keep away.

When Dawson was back for a kickoff return in last week’s midseason game against Southeast Raleigh, the Bulldogs opted to squib kick. When Dawson was back for a punt return, the boot was directional, away from him.

And that’s not the only way Southeast Raleigh played keep away.

The Bulldogs’ defensive line, led by senior Chase Robinson, took advantage of the Garner’s injury plagued offensive line. There wasn’t time for Dawson, a 5-foot-8, 178-pound receiver, to run deep patterns before his quarterback was in trouble.

Although Dawson retreated to the huddle without the ball or action coming his way, he doesn’t allow that kind of frustration to impact his play.

“You’ve got to stay focused,” he said. “You’ve got to play like you’re being watched every play. You’ve got to be able to block before you can catch the ball.”

Here’s an example of his teamwork: On running plays, Dawson sprinted up the field with authority, but even though the play call to his side was blown up far behind him, he squared up to deliver an otherwise needless block. He didn’t look back to see if he was still part of the action.

“I tell our kids to be active throughout the play,” said Deron Donald, a veteran head coach in his first season at Garner. “He’s a great young man from a great family. He’s been a great leader for us and not just vocal.”

Although Southeast Raleigh limited Dawson to short passes, the Bulldogs weren’t able to keep him out of the end zone. He caught six passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns in Garner’s 22-14 victory in the Greater Neuse 4A Conference game.

Garner (5-2, 3-1 Greater Neuse 4A) remains in conference play this week against Fuquay-Varina (2-5, 1-3 Greater Neuse 4A) at 7 p.m. Friday at the Bengals’ field.

Dawson’s versatility lifts Garner

Dawson, who is committed to the University of Richmond as a wide receiver, plays on both sides of the ball in addition to the return game. Depending on the opponent matchups, some games the Trojans have relied on him more on defense than offense. But Donald is careful to not have him on the field for too many snaps.

“We want him fresh for the rest of the season,” he said.

Dawson’s versatility has been instrumental helping Garner turn around its proud program that slumped to 1-10 a year ago.

Garner, in a scenario similar to other growing Wake County communities, has felt the impact of a one-school town splitting with a new school opening across town. Talent and loyalties have been divided since South Garner played its first varsity season, in 2019.

It happened to Apex when Apex Friendship opened and played its first varsity season in 2016. Apex is 6-1 this season, but the Cougars suffered through five straight losing seasons, 2016 through 2020. Fuquay-Varina is still rebuilding its roster numbers since Willow Spring opened and played its first varsity season in 2022.

Donald, a former Fayetteville State defensive back who got his start in coaching in the Fayetteville area, embraces Garner’s history rather than view “the good old days” as a burden.

“We like to say there is only one real Garner,” said Donald, whose Trojans defeated South Garner 14-6 in their city rivalry game that also was the conference opener. “The Blue and Gold is still great. There has been a split, but Garner is still a strong community. We still have a strong core of support.”

Family and familiarity

If Dawson looks like he’s been playing for Donald since middle school, in a sense he has. Donald was the head coach at Fayetteville’s E.E. Smith when he coached Isaiah’s two older brothers, Jeremiah and Daniel. Isaiah watched wide-eyed when Jeremiah was a senior and Daniel a sophomore in 2019.

“I’ve wanted to play for him since I was in seventh grade,” Dawson said. “I’ve been in the weight room and running with him. He’s been like a daddy to me.”

In 2020 Donald moved on to Smithfield-Selma, inheriting a 1-9 program. Sherman and Batina Dawson, wanting their sons to continue playing for Donald, moved their family. Donald’s first Smithfield-Selma team was 2-5 in the 2020 COVID season, but the next two years Smithfield-Selma advanced to the state 3A playoffs, 8-4 in 2021 and 9-2 in 2022. On the 2021 team, Daniel was a senior and Isaiah a sophomore.

Jeremiah didn’t continue his football career while attending Fayetteville Tech, but Daniel is now a redshirt freshman receiver at Wingate University, near Charlotte.

Dawson’s move to Garner as a senior also raised the tricky tightrope of the “new kid in town,” but he was conscious of the dynamic. He practiced his finish-the-play attitude from the first day he met his new teammates.

“I was humble, kept my head down and worked,” he said. “Gradually I got to know everybody. I’m glad I’m here with Coach D.”