Cranbury’s David Beamer named MVP of 20th annual Sunshine Classic

By Bob Nuse, Packet Media LLC
David Beamer’s final high school football game turned out to be one he’ll always remember.
The Princeton High School graduate garnered Most Valuable Player honors after completing 16 of 18 passes for 178 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the West team to a 31-6 win over the East in the 20th annual Sunshine Classic, which was held June 30 at The College of New Jersey.
“It was great,” said Beamer, a Cranbury resident who also ran for a pair of touchdowns. “All week in practice we all seemed to have that sort of connection like everyone was on the same page at the same time. We were all able to pick it up pretty quick and get things down pat.”
Beamer gained MVP honors and West Windsor-Plainsboro High North graduate Malik Thompson was named the Offensive Back of the game. Thompson shared quarterback duties with Beamer and completed three of five passes for 57 yards, ran the ball eight times for 54 yards, and also caught a pass from Beamer.
Hun School graduate Luke Apuzzi also had a big game in his high school finale, catching a pair of touchdown passes from Beamer.
“Malik is a great kid and a great athlete, too,” Beamer said. “It was fun to see our different styles co-exist. He could do a bunch of things super well that I couldn’t do and vice versa. It was fun to have that balance between him and me.
“(Being the MVP) is a great honor. I never really thought it was a possibility. It was just great. This offense was just great. Everything that Coach (Rob) Radice was trying to do I was on the same page with and it was great to just mesh in with all the other guys and have it all come together.”
The 31 points scored by the West were the second highest total in the history of the all-star game. The versatility at the quarterback position proved to be a big plus, with Beamer’s throwing and Thompson being a dual threat.
“Everybody just made plays,” said Beamer, who is heading to Wheaton College in Illinois, where he will play football. “We had receivers who could just go get it and that kept the percentage up. That helped me make completions when maybe the throw wasn’t exactly where it was supposed be.
“All of those guys on the field are great and that is why they are all-stars. They make plays and that is why they are here and it is great when everyone just meshes.”
As quarterbacks, Beamer and Thompson tried to assume the role of leaders on the East squad and judging by the end result, they were successful
“Right away we knew we had some explosive players,” said Thompson, who will play wide receiver at East Stroudsburg. “The coaches did a great job coaching us and getting the right offense for us to open up the field and o what we needed to do. We bonded really quickly and all had great attitudes about it. No one was selfish and it showed up on the scoreboard.
“Our defense was outstanding and our line, too.”
The two quarterbacks may have played different styles, but together they made the position a strong one for the East.
“We’ve known each other,” Beamer said. “He used to live in Princeton and then he moved to West Windsor, so he knows a bunch of kids on the Princeton team. It was fun getting to work with him on this team. I would pick him up every day for practice and we would bond on the car ride.
“I know a bunch of these guys, especially from North and South because I live in Cranbury. It was nice to get to play with them instead of against them. It was a nice experience.”
Added Thompson: “We kind of knew each other. We thought it was our job as quarterbacks, even though this is just an all-star game we take it very seriously, we took it upon ourselves to take this leadership position and just run with it.
"I just feel that if I put the effort in and I show I am able to do it why not let me do it? I came in with the mindset this is an all-star game and to come with a great attitude and try and lead by example.”
Now both players will join many others from the game in getting ready to play at the college level when they head to school next month.
“With practice it was great to sort of get a live look at a live defense with seven on sevens and stuff that normally I wouldn’t get this time of year,” Beamer said. “I would have gone into camp kind of cold but this sort of helped me revamp that part of my game.” 