Dunham star quarterback Elijah Haven helped send his team to the Division III select title game on Friday night. Earlier in the day, he was named the 2025-2026 Gatorade ถถา๕h Football Player of the Year.
Haven threw for 3,281 yards and 53 touchdowns in his junior season before the Tigers' semifinal game against No. 1 Lafayette Christian. He also ran for 635 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Gatorade Player of the Year award celebrates the nation's best high school athletes for their excellence in sports, academics and community.
Haven, the No. 2 recruit in the nation per 247Sports, played a key role in leading the Tigers (12-1) to the Division III select state title game against Calvary Baptist.
Haven has volunteered locally as a youth football coach and has maintained a weighted 3.86 GPA in the classroom.
โElijah has become more of a complete player,โ said Travis Bourgeois, head coach of Episcopal High School, in a statement from Gatorade's announcement. โHe spreads the ball around to all of his skill players. He trusts his teammates and will not force the deep ball. He makes the players around him better by the confidence he displays.โ
The award also allows Haven to be eligible to be selected as the national Gatorade Player of the Year.