NORTH/SOUTH CLASSIC
When: today.
Where: Welcome Stadium, Dayton.
Times: Noon Divisions IV-VII; 4 p.m. Divisions I-III.
Tickets: $10 at the gate (good for both games).
DIGITAL EXTRA
View video at MyDaytonDailyNews.com
DIGITAL EXTRA
View video at MyDaytonDailyNews.com
As an untested sophomore, Springboro quarterback Elijah Cunningham was thrust into a starter’s role midway into what was shaping up as a championship season back in 2013. Look at him now.
“Everything happens for a reason and that’s my story,” reflected Cunningham, who evolved into one of the most decorated Panthers’ QB’s in program history.
Cunningham will join senior teammate and tight end Justin Rigg in Saturday’s Ohio North/South All-Star Football Classic at Welcome Stadium. They’ll be members of the big-schools South team, a combination of Division I-III players.
The high school football doubleheader will start at noon with the small-schools game for Divisions IV-VII, followed by the big-schools contest at 4 p.m. All the players are seniors and were nominated and chosen by the sponsoring Ohio High School Football Coaches Association members.
Cunningham, 6 feet 3, 185 pounds, signed with Bowling Green State University. He and Deeb Haber of Olentangy are the only QB’s on the South big-schools team, which means both should get plenty of playing time.
Don’t be surprised if Cunningham looks for Rigg often. At 6-6, 245 pounds, Rigg is a large target, an excellent blocker and possession receiver, just the kinds of attributes that enticed Kentucky to sign him.
“I don’t know about signals but it’s definitely nice to have a guy out there that I’ve played with and you know how he operates,” Cunningham said of Rigg.
Cunningham was a central figure for Springboro teams that won nine games each of the last three seasons and went to three straight D-I playoffs. As a senior he completed 263 of 386 passes (68.1 percent) for 2,990 yards, 33 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He had six TD passes in a defeat of Northmont and four more in a first-round playoff upset of Mason.
All the teams have had a few weekend practices prior to arriving in Dayton on Thursday. Both teams worked out twice Thursday and Friday at the stadium. Cunningham said his a-hah moment was the first time he met his South teammates.
“It was definitely Day 1,” he said. “There’s a lot of cats out here who can really play. It’s really neat to see. It’s definitely an honor to be part of an all-star game like this with all the tradition that it’s had and it’s a great way to represent Springboro and my family.”
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