‘Hearts of Lions’
Ward, Moulden leading CCS
He had just finished no. 7 in the nation for the 800-meter event at the AAA Junior Olympics the previous month. Before that, he notched a top spot in the state for the 800-meter and 400-meter events the previous year, having achieved All-American status in the process.
Fast forward 2,468 days, and that same expression is visible on Ward, now 16 years old. He is once again draped in medals, one earned through a state championship finish in the same 400-meter event he dominated as a child. Except now, there are shoulder pads at his feet, too, as the track star-turned-quarterback has turned heads on the field for Concord Christian. And he hasn’t done it alone, either.
Dasani Moulden stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ward, a representation of his similar impact at CCS.
He ranked second in the 200-meter for the Division II-A state meet this past season while Ward finished eighth. His 10.70-second speed counts as the best time in the state for 100-meter competitors in the 2029 class, and he is ranked 33rd in the country for that event among his class with Ward 18th in the 400 nationwide. Moreover, the pair made up half of the 4x200 relay at the state meet, helping CCS to a historic finish that saw nine state champions and 22 All-State outings.
On the field, each member of the speedy duo earned All-State nods for Concord last year.
Ward completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,848 yards and 19 scores with just four interceptions. Moulden, meanwhile, used his physicality as a receiver and defensive back. He totaled 53 tackles and four interceptions in the latter, one of which went for a 108-yard pick-six.
Together, they led the Lions to their first-ever playoff appearance in the team’s first varsity campaign in more than a decade.
But to know why they are dreaming even bigger now, from Junior Olympic aspirations to deeper playoff runs, one must understand the trust they have developed — and the terror they can inflict because of it.
Salt and pepper
They started playing football together at 10 years old, Dasani becoming teammates with Kohbe on a team coached by James Ward Jr.
From that point on, the two became inseparable.
Sleepovers, road trips, even running AAU track together for Ward’s father’s team out of Chattanooga — all of it deepened the friends’ bond as their athleticism developed.
“We call them salt and pepper,” said Ward Jr., Kohbe’s father, “because you don’t get one without the other. Dasani, I feel like he’s my child, too. I can talk to him, train him, have the same expectations of him that I do Kohbe because they’re made up of the same things. He’s a tough dude.”
Through those long weekends on the track, they developed speed that fit another Ward phrase: “You can’t tackle what you can’t catch.”
The friends put that phrase to the test for a young middle school team at Knoxville Catholic, as Ward Jr. had taken a liking to their offensive approach.
So when Irish head coach Steve Matthews landed at Concord Christian, Ward and Moulden went, too.
Mainly, the point was for the friends to be together.
They visit one another four to five times per week at home, swinging by Smoothie King before they throw together and watch TikToks.
They pair off in practice whenever they have a chance, improving each other’s skills while growing in confidence.
And in games, they communicate at every juncture — a result of the long-held trust that becomes crucial when plays break down.
“Usually, I see it before the play,” Dasani Moulden said, “and I’ll say, ‘Kohbe, just throw me the ball right here.’ And he’ll get it to me.”
“It’s been tremendous. Both of them just feed off each other, and they push each other on and off the field,” said Jervis Moulden, Dasani’s father. “Whatever you put in front of them, just know they’re going to get the job done.”
That tenacity has remained in spite of their size — Ward is 5-foot-8, 155 pounds. Moulden, meanwhile, stands an inch shorter and 7 pounds lighter.
But when they put their gifts together, the effect has been magical.
And it should pay off again for Concord this fall.
“Football-wise, both were freshmen last year, and they did a really good job even being thrown in there,” Matthews said. “During track season, they grew up a little bit, and you got to see how fast they are. I always tell them to trust their speed, and I think we saw that. Both of them have extremely bright futures.”
“They both have the same personality where they’re undersized, so it puts them on edge and gives them a chip,” James Ward Jr. added. “They’re small, but they have the hearts of lions.”
