Barkley up for Joe Montana award again

Matt Barkley, a Newport Beach resident and a Mater Dei High senior, is one of 32 finalists up for the Joe Montana High School Quarterback of the Year Award.

The award will be presented to the nation’s best high school quarterback and will be chosen by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana and Steve Clarkson, quarterback expert and President of DeBartolo Sports University.

The quarterbacks will be graded and evaluated through DeBartolo Sports University’s scouting division, which is comprised of former college and NFL coaches. A watch-list of the nation’s top 100 quarterbacks was created in November, and was narrowed down to the 32 national finalists. The winner of the award will be announced next month.

Barkley won the award last season in its inaugural year.

He threw for 2,877 yards, 23 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, connecting on 176 of his 322 passes. He led the Monarchs to an 8-4 record and to the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division semifinals.

— From staff reports