Trinity, NC Teen Jace Penny, 19, Wheatmore High School Football and Basketball Athlete, Dies Suddenly Leaving His Family!!!

The Trinity, North Carolina community is grieving the sudden and heartbreaking loss of Jace Penny, a 19-year-old athlete and former Wheatmore High School student who passed away on June 13, 2026.

Born on February 6, 2007, Jace was remembered as a dedicated young man who gave everything he had on the football field and basketball court. He was a senior in the class of 2025, wearing jersey number 2 for the Wheatmore Warriors in both varsity football and JV basketball.

The Wheatmore Warriors Athletic Booster Club shared the news on social media, writing that they mourn the loss of “one of our very own former Warriors” and extending prayers and condolences to his family and friends.

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The post drew an outpouring of grief from the community, with dozens of people offering prayers and expressing their sorrow over a young life taken far too soon.

A Warrior Who Showed Up Every Friday Night

Jace Penny suited up as a wide receiver and defensive back for the Wheatmore Warriors during the 2024 football season. He was a consistent presence on the field through a tough stretch of games, recording 15 receptions for 84 yards across the season.

He showed flashes of real ability, including a standout performance against South Stanly where he hauled in five catches for 31 yards, and a two catch, 29 yard outing against West Davidson to open the season. He even earned recognition in the 1A/2A Piedmont leaderboard, ranking 13th in the region in interceptions.

The 2024 season was difficult for Wheatmore, with losses piling up against conference opponents, but Jace was one of the players who kept showing up.

His teammates and coaches knew what kind of character that required. One of the brightest moments came in October 2024 when the Warriors defeated Trinity High School 3 to 0, a game Jace was part of.

He also played two seasons of varsity football overall, having first joined the roster in 2023 when Wheatmore edged Bishop McGuinness 15 to 14 in a memorable win.

A Community United in Grief

Beyond the statistics, it was who Jace was as a person that has left such a deep wound in the hearts of those who knew him. Neighbors, fellow athletes, and community members flooded social media with prayers the moment the news broke.

Comments poured in from people across the area, each one reflecting the same stunned sorrow over a 19 year old whose life had barely begun.

Local community pages shared tributes describing the loss as something that words simply cannot reach. Those closest to him said the pain is unlike anything they have experienced, and that Jace was the kind of person whose presence filled a room and whose absence will be felt for a long time to come.

Jace Penny was a young man who played hard, competed with heart, and meant something real to the people around him. The Wheatmore Warriors community will carry his memory forward.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, teammates, and everyone in the Trinity community who loved him.