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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

COLUMBIANA – One of the most dynamic and successful athletes in Cornerstone Christian School’s history has officially signed to play college football as Zeke Adams signed with Faulkner University.

Adams made his decision official at a special signing day ceremony on Tuesday, May 13 at Cornerstone Christian School’s sanctuary in front of his friends and family.

“This to me means everything,” Adams said. “It’s been a long, long journey for sure. Very, very special for me and my school and my coaches. I feel like it’s something that doesn’t happen all the time at a small school like ours and I’m very blessed to have that happen.”

Adams had multiple options to play college football, but what drew him to Faulkner was the culture that they are building. As a Christian university, faith is at the epicenter of what the football program is about, and that was a big positive for him in speaking with people from the team.

“Me and their coach talked quite a bit actually and what really stuck out to me was their culture, their Christian culture to be exact, and just the way the coach came up and talked to me and made sure I know that I’d be a weapon for their school,” Adams said.

Adams is one of multiple Chargers who won back-to-back AISA 8-man football state championships in 2023 and 2024, including a 12-0 campaign that saw them win both the region and Class A state titles. Cornerstone currently has a 21-game win streak in 8-man football.

Adams earned AISA All-Star, Gatlinburg All-American and All-County 8-Man honors for his senior season after amassing 3,422 all-purpose yards, including 1,968 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns off 150 carries and 1,245 passing yards off 46-for-91 passing and 17 touchdowns against seven interceptions.

Adams was also called into action on the defense, and as a linebacker, he racked up 84 tackles, 12 interceptions, three sacks and three defensive touchdowns.

Despite his ability to play multiple positions, including quarterback, running back and linebacker, Faulkner recruited Adams as a quarterback, giving him the opportunity to one day work his way into the signal caller job at the college level.

Adams was grateful for his coaches at Cornerstone, including James Lee, his father Sam Adams and coach Sanchez, for helping him achieve his goal of playing college football. He said that it means just as much, if not more, as being a two-time champion.

“I feel like it is definitely probably number one for me and just behind the back-to-back state championships,” Adams said.

Adams joins Seth Dillard and Hampton Etheredge as Chargers football players to sign to play college football. Dillard and Etheredge signed to play together at Huntingdon earlier this year.