11/2/2012 football Edit

Myles Jack Becomes An All American

Dirk Knudsen

WashingtonPreps.com Editor

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It was a terrific day for Myles Jack. What started out as a sort of dream last night ended up coming to reality today at practice. Because the 4 Star Linebacker and Running Back from Bellevue High School found himself the recipient of some of the best news that a High School kid could ever hope to hear.

His Coach Butch Goncharoff called him over to talk and asked him if he had heard the News.

"I thought I had a dream last night that I was invited to play in the US Army All Ameriacn Bowl Game and then I woke up and realized I was dreaming. That was sort of strange you know. Then you guys called to tell me you had heard I was officially invited and it was sort of hard to figure what was really happening," said Myles. "Then I sort of remember my Mom trying to wake me up last night to tell me something."

That led up to today and of course Jack had heard the news and it was unofficial. But any doubts he had became ultimately clear after talking with his Coach. John Schmid, head of player personnel and selection for the US Army All American Game, had in fact called and extended an official invite to Myles Jack.

Not only that he had also called to invite Goncharoff to be a part of the West Squad this next January in San Antonio. A huge honor only bestowed upon an elite group of Coaches who make up the Nations best.

"Coach said they are sending the invite and that I am invited to play Linebacker for the West Squad. That was just amazing you know. And he said he was probably taking the Coaching position as well and would know on that too soon."

So the question at hand is Myles going to commit to play in the Grand Daddy of all High School All Star Bowls?

"Most Definitely," he replied.

So he will join Max Browne of Skyline High School who will start at QB for the West and Thomas Tyner of Oregon's Aloha High School who should start at Tail Back. The three of them will be huge factors in the Game and should carry a really bright torch for the NW Prep Football Community.

Myles will be the first player in the History of the big game to ever come from Bellevue High School. And it is about time we think! He will be officially invited with a Jersey Ceremony by the Staff of the US Army And the Bowl Staff at the school at a date to be determined very soon. That is a really cool event in and of itself with the presentation of game jerseys and a special award for the Coach too.

Now to go back just a couple of steps we want to tell you, our readers, how this sort of thing happens. And what role we have been able to play these past few years.

The Staff from the US Army All American Bowl Game are some of the best people you could ever hope to meet. They run the Game and The US Army All American Combine and a whole host of US Army All American Band and other events. The week spent in San Antonio every January ends up being the biggest overall week for High School Football in the Nation.

It culminates with the US Army All American Bowl Game being broadcast on National Television with most of the Nations Top 100 athletes playing in this Game.

Now we have been lucky enough over the years to earn the reputation of being unbiased and on the target when it comes to player Nominations for the Northwest Region for both the Game (Seniors) and The Combine (Juniors). It has been our great privilege and Honor to send in our nominations every year the past many years at the request and invitation of the US Army All American Games Staff.

This year we submitted this list to Coach Schmid and he merged that with the other nominations that had been brought forth from their Nomination committee.

In the end all of these outstanding Oregon and Washington Players were officially nominated to the game and all received an official notice of nomination. Just being notified of a Nomination is an huge Honor.

The athletes playing in the Game this season are high lighted in Yellow as we mentioned above.

Here are a few of the names of Top Guys who played over the History of the Game from the Pacific Northwest:

2012- Keivarae Russell- Mariner HS- Wash (Notre Dame)

2012- Zach Banner- Lakes High School- Wash (USC)

2012- Cedric Dozier -Lakes High School – Wash (Cal)

2012- Alex Balducci- Central Catholic HS- Ore- (OREGON)

2011- Austin Seferian-Jenkins-Gig Harbor HS Wash. (UW)

2011- Kasen Wiliams- Skyline HS Wash. (UW)

2011- Brennan Scarlett- Central Catholic-Ore (CAL)

2011- Colt Lyerla – Hillsboro – ORE (OREGON)

2010- Keanon Lowe- Jesuit HS – OR- (OREGON)

2010- Jake Heaps- Skyline- Wash. (BYU)

2010- Owa Odighizuwa- David Douglas- Ore (UCLA)

2010- Sione Potoa'e- Lakes HS Wash. (UW)

2010- Curtis White- Sheldon HS- Ore. (OREGON)

2009- DeAndre Coleman- Garfield HS-Wash (Cal)

2008- Ethan Johnson- Lincoln HS-Ore – (Notre Dame)(Kansas City Chiefs)

2008-Jermaine Kearse- Lakes HS-Wash- (UW)(Seattle Seahawks-Roster Today!!)

2008- Kavario Middleton- Lakes HS-WASH (UW-MONTANA)-

2007- Myles Wade- Central Catholic HS- (TEXAS TECH-PSU) (Greenbay)

2006- Taylor Mays- O'Dea HS Wash. (USC) (Cincinnati Bengals)

2005- Leon Jackson Junior- Pasco High School- Wash. (Hawaii)

2005- Johnathan Stewart Junior- Timberline HS-Wash (OREGON)(CAROLINA)

2005-Ndamukong Suh- Grant HS-Ore (Nebraska)(DETROIT)

2004- Aaron Klovis- Bethel HS-Wash. (OREGON- Idaho State)

2004- Matt Tuiasasopo- Woodinville-Wash (UW-Pro Baseball)

2003-

2002- Dominic Dixon- O'dea HS-Wash (PSU)

2002- Shelton Sampson-Cloverpark-Wash (UW)

2001- Derek Anderson- Scappoose-Ore (OSU)(Carolina)

That is quite a line of success and those really are the best of the best. At least many of them.

So we take pride in all of these guys and in all who have come before them over these past 11 years. It has been a really great Run. To even have the chance to help to get these sort of guys nominated has been a HUGE Honor! Guys like these earn their own way and gain their own opportunities but the only thing that would make us happier is if they could all play. Look at how many more NW athletes have played these past few years then in the early Years. Clearly all the work the boys have done has brought more and more attention up here and that trend is only going to continue.

"Dirk,

I value our relationship, and appreciate all you have done for the U.S. Army All American Bowl and the U.S. Army National Combine.

Thanks for everything!

John Schmid; Player Personnel Director; US Army All-American Bowl"

Back to Mr. Jack. How does a kid from Suwanee, Georgia who has moved up to Washington and then back to Georgia and then back again get to play in a game like this?

Total domination. On the field we see him do it both ways. The UCLA commit keeps growing and getting faster and bigger too. And his 2012 film was reviewed a week or two ago by the selection staff and their Jaws dropped. Myles is now 230 pounds and is no doubt that good.

He is the #1 recruit in the Region if you look at what he can do on both sides of the football. And man has he torn it up this year against some great opponents. He is one reason that Bellevue is ranked in the Top 5 of virtually every single National Poll.

And boy is he glad he came back to Bellevue 1/2 way through his 10th grade year.

"Looking back I never dreamed of something like this. Not really. It is a thought you have and then it passes. Being able to come back to Washington with my Mom and to be part of Bellevue for the last 2 1/2 years was the key to this. I was speaking to my Mom and my Brother about this as well as my Coaches today," said Jack thoughtfully. "This nomination might be for me but it belongs to the Team and the Coaches and Fans. Without them and our incredible program this would have never happened. So this is our US Army All American Game invite and not mine. And I am going to represent all of us to the best of my abilities."

That is so well said there is nothing to add.

The US Army All American Bowl Jersey will have a chance to hang at the High School and will be a reminder of the 2012 Team. A team that many feel has been the most potent every for this storied program. And they are a team that is working on their 5th Straight 3A WIAA State Football Title.

"We are all about F25. That stand for "First To Five" which is because we would be the first team to get 5 State Titles in a Row. But it also stands for our team mate and brother Ari Morales who is #25. It means "For 25" as well. He was hurt early this year and that was terrible. But he has been a huge part of our success at every game and practice and we honor him by winning it all this year hopefully," concluded Jack.

After the big game he will decide where he is going 100%. He is strongly committed to UCLA and he doubts that will change. But he has always maintained that he is going to take his official visits and that may not happen before the big game. So he will probably not be doing the Hat Ceremony on National TV but might change his mind. Time will tell.

He hopes his Coach makes the trip and is there with him too. He has heard form Grandma and Grandpa and all the Aunts and Uncles in Georgia and down South and they are all ecstatic to have an All American in the Family!

In closing Myles wanted us to express his deep appreciation to the US Army All American Bowl and their staff for this Nomination and Invitation to play. He sends his love and thanks to Wolverine Nation and all the people that make that school and Football Team and Community tick. And there was one last thing.

"I want people to know that when my Football playing days are over I will be back at Bellevue one way or the other. If Coach Butch is still there I will move to Bellevue with my Family just to have them be a part of the Community. Because for me he and all of them have meant absolutely everything."

Beautiful. Said like the All American that he is.

Congratulations to Myles Jack and his Family and to the Bellevue Community and all the NW Kids who were nominated to be a part of this terrific game!

TAGSMyles Jack US Army All American Bowl Game

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About the AuthorDirk Knudsen

Dirk is a lifelong resident of the Pacific NW; athlete and Merit scholar. He runs camps, clinics, and has been a sports writer and analyst for nearly a decade now; mostly with Rivals.com as the editor of OregonPreps and WashingtonPreps.com. Dirk is the founder of NWPR & BrainChampions.org; a charity for injured athletes suffering from Brain Trauma / Concussion. He is a father of three and married.