Barkley best in USA

Newport Beach resident and Mater Dei High junior quarterback Matt Barkley will officially be named the Gatorade National Player of the Year during a school assembly at Mater Dei this morning.

Barkley, a three-year starter, becomes the first non-senior to win the award.

He was named California’s Gatorade Player of the Year in November. He was the second football player in Monarchs history to be named a finalist for the Player of the Year award. Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart was the first to claim that statewide honor.

Barkley learned he was chosen as the overall player during a surprise dinner Wednesday night, according to a Gatorade spokesman.

The Gatorade award recognizes exceptional high school athletes who are also doing well academically and contributing to their communities.

Barkley threw for 3,576 yards in 11 games this season. Mater Dei (9-2) fell 48-26, to Crespi in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division playoffs.

He averaged 325 yards per game and had a 63% completion rating, throwing for 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Barkley has maintained a 3.77 grade point average and helped raise more than $100,000 for a charity which helps families of wounded and fallen Marines through Mater Dei’s Monarchs for Marines initiative.

Barkley is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year award, to presented at a special ceremony the afternoon prior to The ESPY Awards in July.

In 2003, Barkley was the quarterback of the undefeated Newport-Mesa Junior All-American Seahawks team.

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at soraya.mcdonald@latimes.com.