Lake Stevens (Wash.) quarterback Jacob Eason was named the U.S. Army Player of the Year on Friday night in San Antonio as part of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Awards Show.
Eason, who starts classes Monday at Georgia, added the honor to the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Offensive Player of the Year and Gatorade National Player of the Year recognition he already has received.
The 6-5 quarterback completed his senior year with 3,585 yards and 43 passing touchdowns with a 70% completion rate and six interceptions. He added four touchdowns on the ground.
Eason is ranked as the No. 5 overall player in the nation by 247Sports.
“While every U.S. Army All-American player has shown excellence both on and off the field, one player has distinguished himself from the rest,” said Mark S. Davis, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for marketing. “This year, we would like to recognize Jacob for demonstrating character, leadership and athletic excellence. We congratulate Jacob on his achievements and selection as the 2016 U.S. Army Player of the Year.”
The other finalists were: wide receiver Donnie Corley (Detroit Martin Luther King), wide receiver Simi Fehoko (Brighton; Cottonwood Heights, Utah); defensive lineman Derrick Brown (Lanier; Buford, Ga.); quarterbac Shea Patterson (IMG Academy; Bradenton, Fla.); and quarterback Brandon Peters (Avon, Ind.).
Also awarded Friday:
- Brown was named the Anthony Munoz Lineman of the Year, and presented the award by the Hall of Famer, and also was named the American Family Insurance Defensive Player of the Year. Brown is one of the top defensive tackles in the nation and remains uncommitted.
- Matt Logan from Centennial High in Corona, Calif., was named the Coach of the Year. The award recognizes “exceptional coaching abilities and leadership skills as well as serving as a positive influence to the youth of America on and off the field.” Logan led his team to a 14-1 season, the No. 7 spot in the final Super 25 football rankings, a second consecutive Pac-5 title and a runner-up finish in state Open Division. He also was named the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Coach of the Year. The other finalists were Justin Alumbaugh (De La Salle; Concord, Calfi.), John Holecek (Loyola Academy; Wilmette, Ill.), Gary Joseph (Katy, Texas), Scott Lehnhoff (Byron P. Steele;, Cibolo, Texas), and Kenny Sanchez (Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas).
- Lavert Hill from Martin Luther King in Detroit was named the Lockeed Martin Air Defender of the Year, given to the top senior DB “who performs above and beyond the competition throughout the high school football season.” The award is the newest of the honors in the Army program. Past winners are Tarvarus McFadden, who went on to Florida State, in 2015 and Damon Webb, who went on to Ohio State in 2014.
- The Glenn Davis Award, given to the Army All-American who epitomize the Army’s high standard of excellence in community service, education and athletic distinction for the West team, went to Sewo Olonilua, a running back from Kingwood in Humble, Texas. He is a TCU commit.
- The Doc Blanchard Award, the related honor to the Davis award for a player from the East, went to Cameron Chambers, a wide receiver from Timber Creek (Sicklerville, N.J.). He is a Michigan State commit.
- The U.S. Army National Combine MVP went to D’Andre Swift, a junior running back from St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia.
Band awards
- The American Family Insurance Marching Band Family of the Year was presented to Dr. Robert and Marilyn Miller-Gutierrez, parents of Army All-American Marching Band member Sophia Miller-Gutierrez of Mountain Ridge High School in Arizona. This honor recognizes an All-American family that has contributed substantially to the dream of becoming an All-American, according to a news release.
- The Calvin Titus Awards also were presented by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee and the National Association for Music Education to the two U.S. Army All-American Marching Band members who best epitomize the Army’s high standard of excellence during their high school careers. The winner from the East was Rebecca Spendley, a piccolo player from Arlington High in Lagrangeville, N.Y., and the winner from the West was Kayla Toy, a clarinet player from Los Alamitos High in California.
- Scott Ciesla, director of bands at Oswego (N.Y.) High School, was named the 2016 NAME National Band Director of the Year. Oswego is the lone school to produce at least one All-American Marching Band member in the history of the program, for a total of 14 in nine years. Ciesla has been director since 2010 at the school.