Zumwalt South Star Chase Abbington Competes with National Team

 football player Chase Abbington geared up for his senior season by taking the field in Austin, Texas.

Abbington was named to the IFAF Under-19 World Championship in . The team, comprised of 20 players from around the United States, competed in a weeks worth of games against other national teams. Team USA lost in the gold medal game on Saturday 23-17 to Canada. 

The World Championships are an eight-team tournament conducted by the International Federation of American Football. Players and coaches lived at the University of Texas while playing in the tourney. The 2009 U.S. squad won the inaugural 2009 title. Abbington was one of the select group of Division I recruits who made the squad. 

Team USA, the top seed in the tourney, beat American Samoa 27-6 in the opener. In that game, Abbington had 2.5 tackles (two solo, one assist) and a pass breakup. 

In game No. 2, Team USA throttled Austria 70-7 to advance to the gold medal game. As a defensive back, Abbington had one solo tackle, three assists, a tackle for a loss and a pass breakup. 

Taking on Canada in the gold medal game on Saturday, July 7, Abbington picked up an assited tackle in the loss.  

Abbington, who played primarily running back for the Bulldogs, was a scoring machine in South's breakthrough season. As a junior, Abbington carried the ball 213 times for 1,459 years and a staggering 27 touchdowns. As a receiver, he caught nine passes for 135 yards and a score. On the other side of the ball, Abbington had two interceptions and 25 tackles. The big running back—he stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 220 pounds—Abbington has drawn Division I college interest and has verbally committed to Mizzou.