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Los Alamitos football player T.A. Cunningham has been cleared to play starting this week.
A hardship waiver by the touted transfer from Georgia has been approved by the CIF Southern Section, clearing the way for the junior to debut with the Griffins, section spokesperson and assistant commissioner Thom Simmons confirmed Monday.
The 6-foot-6, 265-pound defensive end, considered the best nationally in the class of 2024, is expected to play in a game at Newport Harbor on Friday.
“He’s ecstatic,” said attorney Michael Caspino, who represented Cunningham in his bid to attain eligibility. “I could tell he had tears in his eyes and he kept thanking God.”
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Cunningham’s hardship waiver request was originally denied by the section and led to an injunction filed by Caspino seeking his immediate eligibility. But the court denied the request on Sept. 15 and sided with CIF that the governing body should be allowed to complete its review of his transfer.
Cunningham’s hardship centered on his status as homeless but his court filing also detailed his contact with prominent youth sports trainer Chris “Frogg” Flores and his struggles with the NIL (name, image, likeness) process. Flores was charged in August with several counts of molesting a teenager.
This is a breaking story. More news to come.