Gone But Not Forgotten

I was out watching Lake Orion open the baseball season the other day and I wished I would have seen Cody Campbell in the lineup for the Dragons.

Now, don't get me wrong. Lake Orion will still be one of the best diamond crew's in the area again this spring. SUPERSTUDS like Nick Deeg, Dalton Oveson and Roman Kuester wouldn't let it be any other way.

But, Burney hates it when awesome prep athletic talent leaves town and doesn't finish out their high school careers in the OC!!!

Campbell was a two-sport star for the Dragons, starting on the line for the state-champion LO football squad in 2010 and on the baseball field, a member of the program's varsity since he was a freshman. The fact that my man CC cracked the Dragons' pitching rotation as a mere ninth-grader tells you all you need to know about his skill chucking the pill.

His family moved to suburban Chicago over the summer due to Cody's dad changing jobs and now he's prepping at Naperville Central. Recent rankings by ESPN, rate Campbell, only a junior, as one of the top 50 players in the state of Illinois.

This kid threw FIRE BOMBS. Not to mention, sported a KILLER red beard that made him look as intimidating as he played.

Let's grab a look at some other recent local high school sports stars that left the OC to head out of state to complete their respective prep careers;

De Marquise Johnson – Started on the OAA White champ AH Avondale hoop squad as a sophomore in 2009 before heading to Arizona and starring on his high school team there and earning a scholarship to Washington State of the Pac 12.

Juwan Moody – Was a crafty, high-scoring cager extraordinaire at OL St. Mary's as a freshman and sophomore and then at Pontiac as a junior prior to following Johnson to AZ and becoming his high school teammate there. "The Surgeon", as he was known on the hardwood for his ability to carve up defenses, had a great senior campaign out West and is currently mulling over a half-dozen D1 offers for his college plans.