Lennox Mordecai, a rising freshman football player at Jordan-Matthews, will play in the North Carolina All State Football Game held at Guilford College Sunday.
Mordecai will compete against some of the top youth football players in the state from sixth to eighth grade.
“I was excited when I heard I got selected to be in that game,” Mordecai said.
Youth coaches help the All-State Game identify top athletes by nominating players. Once players have been nominated, they go through a detailed evaluation process by the All-State Game’s talent selection team of former college athletes, high school coaches and some former and current college coaches. After a seven to 10-day evaluation process, the team informs athletes if they made the roster.
All State Games are also held for boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ soccer and volleyball in different states.
Mordecai played quarterback, running back and wide receiver with the Siler City Jets program last year. He said he’s most excited to showcase his running skills and his ability to play physical in front of the other coaches at the event.
Mordecai is preparing to join a Jordan-Matthews program that’s going through a transition with Kermit Carter replacing Ryan Johnson as the head coach.
The Jets went 2-8 in 2023. Despite the ongoing on-field struggles that Jordan-Matthews has endured over the years, Mordecai believes his selection to the event exemplifies the caliber of youth football talent developed in Siler City.
At the event, the players will go through a three-day itinerary starting Friday. On day one, the players will participate in a combine and media session followed by a team practice and a guest speaker. On day two, the players will end another day of team practice and another guest lecture with a skills showcase. The game will be played on the final day at 9:45 a.m.
The All-State Game event organizer Matt Williams has partnered with local foster care programs to contribute over $250,000 in backpacks, clothes and gift cards to foster kids in need since 2004. The event encourages the athletes’ families to bring gift cards to donate, and in 2023, families raised over $20,000.