National selection team zeros in on Destrehan senior as top cornerback in the country

DESTREHAN,– Recognized as one of the top football players in the nation, Jai Eugene of Destrehan, La., has been named a 2006 U.S. Army All-American. Eugene will join a stand-out list of athletes playing in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, January 7, 2006 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The classic East vs. West match-up will be played and televised live on NBC January 7th at 12:00 p.m. (CST) and will feature the top 78 prep football student-athletes in the country.

&#8220It is a great pleasure to have this fine young man selected to represent his school and community as a U.S. Army All-American,” said Colonel Thomas Nickerson, Director of Strategic Outreach for the U.S. Army Accessions Command. &#8220He has proven himself to be a superior athlete who, like our Soldiers, takes pride in making a difference and turning in outstanding performances.

&#8220Our slogan, ‘An Army of One,’ recognizes the strength of the individual in achieving team goals. Jai demonstrates how football, like the Army, makes you a stronger person not just for today, but into the future. A national audience will see this when he takes the field in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl,” said Col. Nickerson.

Eugene is a standout cornerback at Destrehan High School and was one of 400 players nominated nationally and one of 78 selected to participate by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee consisting of Scout.com, the web’s largest independent sports network and Tom Lemming, one of the nation’s most respected recruiting experts.

&#8220A quarterback first in high school, Jai has tremendous athleticism. He sees the game extremely well, and has the physical tools to star at corner on the college level,” says Scout.com.

&#8220Jai shows big-time speed, instincts, and always gets a good break on the ball,” says Lemming. &#8220He takes good angles to the ball and shows tremendous range.”

Eugene is also being considered for the PARADE All-America High School Player of the Year honoring the nation’s best prep football player at the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Awards Dinner on January 6, 2006 in San Antonio. The PARADE Player of the Year is high school football’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy. The winner will receive a trophy fashioned in the likeness of high school’s all-time leading rusher Ken &#8220The Sugar Land Express” Hall of Sugar Land, Texas.

Also given out at the U.S. Army All-American Awards Dinner will be the Walter Payton Trophy. This award will be bestowed upon the nation’s fastest, strongest and most dedicated high school football player. The trophy presented to the winner is set in the likeness of the Hall of Famer and NFL Great.

The winning team of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl will receive the Herman Boone Trophy named after the legendary Virginia high school football coach who was immortalized in the Disney feature film, Remember the Titans. The game MVP will receive the Pete Dawkins MVP Trophy, named after 1958 Heisman Trophy winner, Brigadier General (retired) Pete Dawkins.