Beddingfield High School will have a new head football coach in 2025.

Previous Bruin coach Ben Ellis stepped down on Wednesday, he told HighSchoolOT. He took over the program ahead of the fall 2021 season.

The Wilson-based school made progress under Eliis during his first three seasons. They started out with a 2-6 finish in 2021, improved to 5-6 with a playoff appearance in 2022, and went 7-5 with a trip to the second round in 2023. This past fall, Beddingfield finished with a 2-7 overall record and a 2-3 mark in the Neuse 6 2A Conference.

Ellis’ next destination is not known at the time. His father, Dr. Steve Ellis, is the superintendent of Nash County Public Schools.

Beddingfield has an average daily membership of 630 students this school year. As a result of that number, the Bruins will become a 3A program when the N.C. High School Athletic Association officially reclassifies into eight classifications later this year.

In the initial conference proposals, Beddingfield was placed in a 2A/3A league with 2A Tarboro and fellow 3As Ayden-Grifton, Farmville Central, Greene Central, Kinston, and South Lenoir. The conference proposals are subject to change following the appeals period.