The first home game of the high school football season for Northpoint Christian School will include a special pre-game ceremony remembering one of the school’s top running backs ever.
On Friday, Aug. 25 before the Trojans take on Magnolia Heights, the football program will retire the jersey of Christian Saulsberry, part of a 2015 TSSAA Division II-A state runner-up team, who went on to play professionally in Canada before his life was cut short late last year.
Saulsberry went on to play college football at Itawamba Community College and the University of West Alabama before being signed last season by the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
Friends and family of Christian Saulsberry will be joined by school administration and coaches for a special presentation from midfield at about 6:55 p.m. before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
At Northpoint, Saulsberry earned Tennessee Sports Writers Association first-team all-state honors after a season that included 13 wins, 1,390 yards rushing for 16 touchdowns, 22 pass catches and 315 yards and three more touchdowns scored as a pass receiver.
As a special teams player with the Trojans, Saulsberry had 872 combined kickoff and punt return yards, scoring six more touchdowns. On defense, Saulsberry made 33 tackles and picked off five passes, returning two for scores.
As a result, Saulsberry was named Division II-A West Region overall district most valuable player and regional offensive player of the year.
In his brief time with the Elks, Saulsberry was named the team’s most outstanding special teams player and a fan favorite.
In eight games with Edmonton last season, Saulsberry racked up nearly 1,000 yards combined from kickoffs, punts, and missed field goals. Additionally, he recorded the 2022 CFL season single-game high for kick returns with 175 yards and his punt return average of 12.4 yards was the highest of any Edmonton player with at least 15 punt returns over the past 25 years.
Christian Saulsberry (Courtesy Edmonton Elks CFL)Christian SaulsberrySaulsberry playing at West AlabamaChristian SaulsberryChristian Saulsberry, former Northpoint Christian School running back (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Bob Bakken is the most recognized and most trusted name in DeSoto County news and sports reporting, as readers continue to express their appreciation for his accuracy and fairness in the stories he writes. Bob is also heard on 95.3 The Rebel twice a week with sports updates and high school football play-by-play broadcasts in the fall. A former newspaper editor and writer, his award-winning background also includes television news producing, sports media relations, and radio broadcasting.
