Marco Jones becomes the first-ever player to receive prestigious award twice in a row ,Image via Ig@the_halfrican10

4-star Texas A&M signee Marco Jones becomes the first-ever player to receive prestigious award twice in a row

Modified Dec 13, 2024 18:27 GMT

In an unprecedented achievement, Marco Jones, a four-star signee for Texas A&M, has made history as the first player in the 28-year history of the Peter Villa Award to win it twice in a row.

This honor, bestowed upon the top high school football player in California's North Coast Section, was presented during a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial Building. Bryce McGovern, a former Monte Vista football standout and 2010 Peter Villa Award winner, was the guest speaker at the event.

The award was given to Jones because of his two-way star status: as a linebacker and a tight end. His total superiority on the field made him the best among a group of excellent players, including a California, Section, best Jhadis Luckey, the junior running back who got 2,053 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Other finalists included Jones’ teammate Rhett Thompson, who threw for 2,874 yards and 37 touchdowns in his first season as a starting quarterback, and Monte Vista running back Julian McMahan, who amassed 1,436 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns before signing with Washington.

Jones' exceptional stats this season included 125 tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 10 sacks, culminating in career totals of 440 tackles and 56 tackles for loss. His leadership propelled the Wolves to an impressive 11-2 season, with a remarkable three-year record of 33-8.

Coach Becker, who has been with the program for over two decades, praised Jones:

"His career has been the cornerstone of perhaps the greatest three-year run in school history. Marco is without a doubt the best player I have ever coached and he has evelvated our entire program to its highest level."

The Peter Villa Award, established in 1997 by the Danville Rotary Club in honor of youth coach Peter Villa, has previously been awarded to three players who later advanced to the NFL, including current Saints quarterback Jake Haener.

Marco Jones Honored as 2025 Navy All-American

On Nov. 28, Marco Jones was recognized as a 2025 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation. This event was part of the nationwide Road to the Dome tour, highlighting 100 Navy All-Americans through live and virtual ceremonies.

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Marco Jones is set to showcase his talent in the annual East vs. West showdown, held at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the game will be broadcast live on NBC and Peacock at 1 p.m. ET.

The All-American Bowl Selection Committee, which includes representatives from the Bowl, 247Sports and NXGN, chose Jones for this honor.

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Aman is a journalist who has been covering college sports at Sportskeeda since 2023. Graduating with a specialization in Transportation Technology, he believes his educational background, although seemingly unrelated, helped him develop the research, analysis and critical thinking skills important for his current role.

Aman is adept at contextualizing current events within historical narratives. He is also good at technical deep dives and presenting comprehensive report strategies, coaching tactics, and player performances with precision. Through meticulous research, multiple sourcing, timeliness, transparency, and adherence to ethical standards, Aman works to ensure accuracy and relevance in articles.

Caitlin Clark's recent achievement of becoming the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer is his current favorite college sports moment. He also admires Clark and Angel Ree¬se, Caleb Williams, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. Iowa Hawkeyes basketball, LSU, Alabama Football, Michigan Football are his all-time favorite college teams.

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