FAIRMONT – Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 125 pounds on a good day, Christian Engeman has grown accustomed to playing against bigger opponents on the prep gridiron.

The Fairmont senior cornerback/wide receiver will be prepared for the challenge one more time when he dons a jersey for the Minnesota Football Showcase game.

The sure-handed Engeman will patrol the defensive secondary for Eden Prairie head coach Mike Grant when he and his South All-Star teammates square off against the North at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

“How many times do you get to play for a legendary high school football coach like Mike Grant?” Engeman said in reference to the son of former Minnesota Vikings mentor Bud Grant – a coaching legend in his own right. “It’ll be a cool experience just to set foot on the Vikings’ new field – let alone have the chance to play against the best players in the state.

“I looked up and down both (all-star) rosters and every player has (the size advantage on) me by 40 pounds. That’s OK – I’m looking forward to seeing how I measure up against them.”

“He’s played undersized from a height and weight perspective throughout his entire high school football career, and he’s still produced big numbers on both sides of the ball,” said Fairmont head coach Mat Mahoney.

Engeman garnered 19 receptions for 248 yards and one touchdown to place second on the Cardinals’ statistical charts this season.

Ironically, Engeman topped all Fairmont receivers during both the 2014 and 2015 campaigns by pocketing 28 passes for 403 yards and six TDs as a junior, while hauling in 32 spirals for 342 yards and two more scores during his sophomore season.

While Engeman exits his three-year varsity prep football career as the program’s single-game record-holder with 13 catches against New Ulm during the 2014 regular season, Mahoney and coaching staff turned to him more for his defensive skills this fall.

“I didn’t catch as many passes this season as in the past, but that’s OK because we had a strong running game this year,” said Engeman. “Whatever was best for the team winning was good with me.

“I made the transition to playing more defense this year, and actually, it was nice to be relied on more to make plays on that side of the ball. Last season, I was just a role player out there.”

Engeman produced five interceptions to share the team lead with Levi Bulfer this fall on the heels of pocketing a team-leading five interceptions – including a pair of pick-6s – in 2015.

“We’ve (coaching staff) put him on the opposing team’s best receiver and he held most of them in check,” said Mahoney. “Tackle-wise, he was one of our best corners to play there.”

Indeed. Engeman recorded 52 tackles this fall after generating 36 stops during the 2015 campaign.

Engeman will venture to the Twin Cities on Wednesday, Nov. 30, for the first of four days of the all-star experience, with one familiar face joining him in the South lockerroom.

“I played AAU basketball a couple of summers ago with Mankato East’s Desmond Bassett, so it’ll be nice to have someone that I know on the team,” said Engeman.

Engeman would like to extend his football career to the collegiate level, but he has not committed to any school yet.

“I’m not sure where I’m going yet, so I’ll have to wait to see how things pan out,” said Engeman. “The all-star game may impact my decision, so I’ll just have to see how it goes.”

Engeman plans to major in business management, but “it’s not set in stone.”

Tickets for the 44th Annual Minnesota High School All-Star Football Game cost $16 for adults and $8 for students ages 13-17, while admission for students age 12 and younger is free. All proceeds from the game go directly to the Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Tackle Cancer Campaign.