Sarasota Christian's Ben Milliken earns fourth place at national quarterback competition
SARASOTA - At The Duel, Ben Milliken was no dud.
Showcasing his skils at the two-day National Football Academies' Quarterback Duel competition last weekend in Atlanta, the Sarasota Christian rising sophomore quarterback used a strong second-day showing to finish fourth in the sophomore age group.
The invitation-only event, touted as the "premier" quarterback competition for rising star QBs, attracted youth, junior-, and high-school signal callers from around the country. The were drilled in all aspects of a QB's ability, including tests in decison-making, strength, speed, stamina, and position-specfic skills.
"Ben had a great experience to compete against some of the best high-school quarterbacks in the nation," said Jacob Spenn, the Blazers' head coach. "The NFA puts on the best quarterback camps that I have taken a lot of players to. Ben is the first to get selected to go to The Duel."
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In leading Sarasota Christian to a 7-5 record last season in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference's 8-man football, Milliken threw for 3,303 yards and 41 touchdowns. The Blazers open their season August 18 at home against Geneva Classical Academy.
And while Milliken was competing in The Duel, his Blazers were at the SSAC State 7-on-7 tournament, a yearly event held in Mount Dora. Among the 20 teams in the tourney, Spenn's team was the only 8-man program. The Blazers finished 2-2 in pool play. Last year, they didn't win a game.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Christian's Ben Milliken 4th at national QB competition
