Nearing the Finish Line: Dunham’s Elijah Haven closes in on college decision
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
Dunham football coach Neil Weiner was walking through LSU’s campus five years ago, wearing a Dunham sweatshirt, when he was stopped by an unfamiliar man.
Weiner recalled the brief interaction, the man having a son who had played against Dunham and came away thoroughly impressed with the Tigers’ quarterback, Elijah Haven.
“He asked me if I coached at Dunham,” Weiner recalled. “He said his son had played against us and just thought Elijah was such a great kid.”
There are several prevailing characteristics that distinguish Haven, such as his 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame. His talents have helped the school to the Division III select state football championship in 2025, and three consecutive trips to the Division III select semifinals in basketball.
He’s accumulated nearly 12,000 yards of total offense and already holds the state record for career touchdowns responsible for with 180. He’s also scored more than 1,000 points in basketball, where he matched his Class 2A All-State recognition in football with a place on this year’s All-State first team in basketball.
Then there’s the gentleman whom people come to respect off the playing fields. Haven’s polite, looks strangers in the eyes when addressing them, and it’s his character that may be his most endearing quality.
“I saw in sixth grade, and he was head and shoulders above everybody,” Weiner said of Haven. “He impressed people with how much he cared and handled himself. He’s respected in the Baton Rouge area because of his character.”
That approach has remained constant in Haven’s winding journey on the recruiting trail; he’s narrowed it to a list of four favorites with an expected announcement sometime this month.
Four years have passed since Texas Tech offered Haven his first scholarship in the spring of his eighth-grade year.
“I got a call with the OC,” Haven said of Texas Tech’s offensive coordinator. “He loved the way that I looked and all of the potential that I had. He said he wanted to jump on me as soon as possible. It was a total surprise. My parents were the first people I told, and they were just ecstatic. It was a big surprise for all of us.”
Haven’s been the envy of his share of Power 4 Conference schools since that first overture from Texas Tech. He whittled his list in late January to Auburn, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, and wants to pick one of those schools, graduate at midterm, and enroll next January for the spring semester.
“Coaches that come on campus – whether they’re from Kentucky to Alabama – he’s going to have the same conversation,” Weiner said. “He treats everyone the same. He shows respect to everyone.”
Haven, 30-5 as a starter, helped Dunham win its first state championship in 21 years with a 31-17 victory over Calvary Baptist.
It was a show of resilience for Haven, who, despite throwing for 300 yards, suffered an interception in the end zone with 46 seconds that sealed a 31-28 defeat in the Division III select state championship game in 2024.
The unflappable Haven bounced back in a big way.
Dunham (13-1) won its last 11 games this past season, including a key road win 49-48 over Lafayette Christian Academy in the Division III semifinals.
Haven accounted for 357 yards and six touchdowns in the state championship game. He completed 21 of 29 passes for 271 yards, adding 136 yards and two scores on 27 attempts.
Haven was named to the Class 2A All-State first team for the second straight season, earned Offensive Most Outstanding Player, and later received the state’s highest honor – Mr. Football.
He set the state’s single-season record for passing touchdowns with 62 and total touchdowns with 73.
Haven completed 72.5% of his passes (240 of 331) for 3,929 yards and 62 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He also rushed 127 times for 847 yards and 11 touchdowns for 4,776 total yards and 73 touchdowns.
Another astronomical season further enhanced Haven’s career totals – 11,796 total yards – 9,311 passing, 2,485 rushing – and his 180 touchdowns surpassed the previous mark of 177 of Vermilion Catholic’s Jonathan Dartez.
“My freshman year was big for me,” Haven said. “It helped set the tone for what I wanted the rest of my high school career to look like. I set the foundation and continued to work hard. I followed that my sophomore and junior years, and I want to have a great senior year as well.”
Jackson House was the starting quarterback who helped Dunham to the Division III state championship game against St. Charles Catholic in 2022.
Haven was an eighth grader on that team, filling in a variety of roles that included back-up quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive end.
A year later, he took control of the team’s offense, where he’s been for the last 35 games of his career that have included a state championship, state runner-up, and second-round playoff finishes.
In his first season to start as a freshman, Haven completed 67.8% of his passes for 2,205 yards and a single-season record of 35 touchdowns. His 641 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns resulted in 2,846 total yards and 47 touchdowns.
“That’s when I felt I could really do something with this thing,” Haven said. “I started to take it more seriously. I started to see the potential I had. I really put the work into it and have continued to do that. I saw that if I really worked hard at this, I could do something with this.”
Haven said that, he drew strength from his sophomore season that ended with his interception in the end zone. He didn’t allow it to become a defining moment, simply a bump in the road toward becoming a state champion last season.
“We lost my sophomore year and my eighth-grade year, and they really hurt,” said Haven, who was voted MaxPrep’s Sophomore of the Year. “It’s such a long season, and to get there and not be able to finish it. To do it with these guys, and this team that I’ve kind of become a leader of, is huge. It was a really good feeling.”
Weiner has been privy to high-profile recruiting stories before.
Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was the nation’s No. 1 overall player according to Rivals.com in the Class of 2019. He finished with 27 interceptions at Dunham, graduated early, and enrolled at LSU for the spring semester, and was a catalyst on the Tigers’ national championship team in 2019.
Stingley was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection and was the third overall selection of the Houston Texans in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s signed a three-year contract extension worth $90 million – the highest for a cornerback in NFL history.
“Stingley’s dad said they were taking a risk until they came and toured,” Weiner said. “Dunham didn’t have a reputation as a high-level football school. They had things such as our arts department because their daughter danced. I’ve had the privilege to coach two players with high-level talent. I don’t take the credit for their talent, but we put them in positions to succeed.
“The Dunham School plays a part in the development of kids because we have so much to offer,” Weiner said. “To develop in all areas, and kids will naturally gravitate towards a school like Dunham.”
The spotlight has followed Haven with an intense glare.
He’s a five-star prospect and the nation’s top-rated quarterback in next year’s cycle. He plans to get a jump on his classmates by following Stingley’s map and graduate at mid-term to step onto a college campus in January.
“Having that advantage of getting on campus early,” he said of his decision to graduate early and bypass his final year of basketball at Dunham. “You can get a feel for everything you’re going to do there, the standard that’s been built. It will be huge on the mental side.”
Haven’s basketball career came to a close in a 51-49 semifinal loss to eventual state champion Country Day. He scored a team-high 17 points in the game and averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds for the season.
The conclusion of that sport began his customary transition to the upcoming football season, where he’s training to get his body in peak condition and would like to play his final season between 215-225 pounds.
He also planned to make several unofficial visits and spring practices, which would provide valuable insight into the schools he’s interested in.
“I can see the schools that I want to go to,” he said.
The frenzied world of college football coaching often complicates choices for players trying to nail down their decisions.
In Haven’s case, two of his four finalists changed head coaches, which constituted further staff changes that included a new quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
“Those schools have done a great job of bringing in the new staff and continuing to recruit me,” Haven said. “My family has appreciated that. With new staffs, you never know what type of guys they’re looking for. For them to continue to recruit me, continue to be hard on me, has been huge for us. That’s what makes them among the top.”
Hometown LSU, which is located 20 miles from Dunham’s campus, hired offensive-minded Lane Kiffin to replace Brian Kelly in December. Kiffin brought in Charlie Weiss Jr. to be his offensive coordinator, replacing Joe Sloan, who is now at Kentucky and continues to recruit Haven.
“You start to look at a completely different picture than it was around this time last year,” Haven said. “Coach Weiss came to school and visited. He let me know that I’m a great player and loved my game. They’re great coaches at LSU. I think they’re going to have a great year.”
The recruitment of elite quarterbacks can provide for an intriguing dynamic when such players are looking for a home, Weiner said.
Under Kelly, LSU accepted a commitment last Sept. 15 from four-star prospect Peyton “Pop” Houston, a 5-10, 202-pounder, from Evangel Christian. That pledge was recognized once Kiffin arrived, giving the Tigers one quarterback in their Class of 2027.
“In October, they took a commitment from a great quarterback at Evangel,” Weiner said. “That’s how the dominoes start to fall. That doesn’t mean that he will be there years from now. That’s why coaches still want to build relationships because you never know where quarterbacks will be three or four years from now.”
Haven, who made previous unofficial visits to Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida, LSU, Michigan, and Ohio State, said competition is something he embraces, not a factor that drives him away.
“It’s not a deterrent with them having a QB committed,” he said of LSU. “You have to work wherever you’re going to go. Other opportunities have opened up, and I feel like some other schools may fit me better than the hometown does.”
Haven’s clock is ticking, and all of the hard work he’s put into becoming one of the nation’s top football players will be rewarded.
“He’s handled the process very well from the get-go,” Weiner said of Haven. “He and his parents have been methodical and prayerful.”
Haven believes official visits will play a major role in finding his school of choice. After that, Dunham will conduct spring training in April and May with an eye on returning for another opportunity to reach the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
“It’s just a blessing from God,” Haven said. “I’m so thankful to my family. The Dunham community has supported me throughout my high school career and my whole journey. I continue to stay humble.
“I’m so thankful to everyone that’s been a part of this,” Haven said. “To look on where you started in middle school, eighth grade, to now. It’s definitely something special and something I don’t take for granted.”