Four of the finest high school football players in the nation were announced Thursday, as the first selections to the 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
The first member of the East team is defensive end Ishaq Williams of Abraham Lincoln High School, Brooklyn, N.Y. First additions to the West team include defensive tackle Marquis Anderson and running back Malcolm Brown from Steele High School in Cibolo, Texas, as well as linebacker Tre Madden of Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo, Calif. The remaining athletes making up the East and West teams will be announced at selection tour stops throughout the fall.
Players selected will participate in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The game will be televised live on NBC at 1:00 p.m. EST. These athletes will also be joined by the nation’s top high school musicians, who will represent the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band during the Bowl’s halftime show.
“The U.S. Army All-American Bowl selection tour travels the country allowing the Army to recognize these outstanding athletes for their many achievements,” said Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, Commanding General U.S. Army Accessions Command. “Football players possess similar mental, emotional and physical strengths to Army Strong Soldiers. We are proud to honor all of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl players and musicians on their selection.”
Each of the 90 U.S. Army All-American Bowl players will be teamed with an Army Soldier Hero. Army Soldier Heroes are Bronze Star with “V” Device for valor, Silver Star and/or Purple Heart recipients and have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
For more than 10 years, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl has been the nation’s premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America’s future college and NFL stars. Adrian Peterson, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Michael Oher, and Terrelle Pryor all made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans.
Last year, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl drew more than 34,000 fans to the Alamodome, and was the most watched sporting event on television over the weekend, other than the NFL Playoffs. A record 37 U.S. Army All-American Bowl alumni were selected in the 2010 NFL Draft, including a record-tying eight in the first round.
