Joe Mathis will be the first of three area football players to formally receive his jersey for January’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio. The Upland senior defensive end’s selection to one of the most prestigious high school all-star games in the country will be celebrated at 5:45 p.m. on Friday prior to the Highlanders’ 7 p.m. regular season finale at home against Etiwanda. Mathis is one of 90 players who will participate in the game to be televised on NBC at noon Jan. 5 from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Mathis, a 6-foot-4 senior who is listed at 250 pounds, plans to announce his college destination during the game. The four-star recruit rated as the 15th best prospect in the state by rivals.com has more than 50 scholarship offers including Alabama, USC, UCLA, Michigan, Nebraska Utah and Washington. Mathis has collected 54 tackles and 10 sacks for undefeated Upland, which will secure a second consecutive Baseline League championship if it can follow Friday’s ceremony with a victory.
The Rancho Cucamonga defensive back duo of Tahaan Goodman and Chris Hawkins will receive their U.S. Army All-American Bowl jerseys in a ceremony at their high school on Monday. Hawkins is committed to USC, and Goodman, the No. 4 prospect in the state, according to rivals.com, has yet to decide from more than 40 scholarship offers. Hawkins and Goodman, who will play on the same defensive unit as their Baseline League foe Mathis, will be honored at 10:50 a.m. on Monday.
