For some, the football passion continues past the Friday night lights playing at local high schools.

Several former football standouts from Columbia and Waterloo high schools are getting ready to play this fall for various colleges.

In fact, McKendree University in nearby Lebanon features three Columbia High School graduates on its roster.

Ronnie Hunsaker, a senior running back, ran for 153 yards and also made two tackles last season for the Bearcats, who compete in NCAA Division II athletics. He received academic all-conference honors the past two seasons.

Also playing for McKendree are redshirt senior running back Donavan Bieber and redshirt freshman offensive lineman Thomas Koenigstein, both former Columbia Eagles.

McKendree opens its 2024 campaign on Sept. 5 at the University of West Florida.

Columbia has two other former players gearing up for the college football season.

Londyn Little, who also runs track, is a junior wide receiver/kick returner at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. The speedster caught 18 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns last season and also had 15 returns for 302 yards.

UW-Oshkosh opens its season Sept. 7 at home against Wheaton College.

Yet another former Eagle is recent grad Joe Kish, a freshman offensive lineman at Concordia University Wisconsin.

Concordia, which competes in NCAA Division III athletics, opens its season Sept. 14 against Calvin University.

There are seven former Waterloo Bulldogs playing college football this fall. Three of the seven will see each other on week one.

Bryce Reese, a sophomore defensive back who played in one game last season, and freshman running back Koby Osterhage are now playing for Illinois Wesleyan University.

IWU opens its 2024 campaign Sept. 7 at Central College in Iowa in a NCAA Division III contest.

Playing for Central College is senior offensive lineman Evan Fink, a former teammate of Reese and Osterhage at Waterloo. Fink played in seven college games last season.

Another former Bulldog is AJ Lattimore, a sophomore offensive lineman at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisc. He played in four games last season for Carthage, an NCAA Division III school that opens its season Sept. 7 at St. John’s University in Minnesota.

Greenville University, located just more than an hour northeast of Monroe County, features two former Bulldogs. Cole Glowacki is a senior defensive lineman for the Panthers. He made 11 tackles and registered a sack last season. Eric Williams is a sophomore defensive lineman for the Panthers, who also compete in NCAA Division III athletics and open the season Sept. 7 at Concordia University Chicago.

Playing at the NAIA level is former Waterloo quarterback Aidan Morrow. He is a sophomore at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. St. Ambrose opens its season Aug. 31 at home against Briar Cliff.