BY P.K. JOHNSON – Not just a police chief, but a sports writer, too! (Now we know)
Two Stanhope Elmore senior football players have not played their last game as high school seniors just yet. Conner Bradford, a sure handed wide receiver for the Mustangs and Jeremy Thompson, a ball hawking defensive back who set both the season and career school records for interceptions this year, have been selected to play in one of the three prestigious all-star football games put on by the Blue-Grey All-American organization. The game will be played in Atlanta Georgia, on January 13, 2020, at 6:00 PM (EST) and may be viewed on ESPN 3.
Bradford and Thompson were selected for the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl based on their performance at a local combine, attended by rising senior athletes from around the state. The combine is run by former college and professional football players and coaches. The athletes competed in the 40-yard dash, Bench Presses, Shuttle Runs and Position Drills. Both had outstanding years at their respective positions, leading the Mustangs to a 9 and 3 record and a second round play-off appearance.
Their Coach is Brian Bradford, who is just in his third year as Stanhope Elmore head football coach, led the Mustangs to the second round of the 2019 Class 6A State Football Playoffs, losing a heart breaker to Park Crossing High School, of Montgomery. Admittedly, he is somewhat partial to one of the athletes, who is also his son Conner. He said he is extremely proud of both young men.
Conner made several clutch catches this past year, scoring several touchdowns or extending offensive drives. Jeremy Thompson intercepted seven passes during his senior season, which earned him both the season and career interception records, finishing with 13 career interceptions.
Coach Bradford stated, “These are two of the greatest kids I’ve ever had the privilege to coach. Both are the epitome of what you want to see in a student athlete. They strive to do everything the right way. They take pride in what they are trying to accomplish, put forth outstanding effort and lead by example. They are both great athletes but more importantly they are outstanding young men. I couldn’t be any prouder of these guys.”
While it’s an honor to be selected to play in this game, it’s also an expensive endeavor. It costs $2,500.00 for each athlete selected to participate. Both athletes have set up GoFundMe accounts in an effort to raise the funds needed to participate. Each is listed below for anyone interested in assisting these two young athletes showcase their talents in front of college recruiters from across the nation. Each athlete has a direct link to their GoFundMe Account on their Facebook page.
Below are the links for each player’s GoFundMe. Simply copy and paste into your browser to go directly to their individual pages.
Conner Bradford – gofundme.com/f/1tn70drvuo
Jeremy Thompson – gofundme.com/f/1tnro986s0?
