Standing in front of a group of raucous George Washington High classmates, Justin Moody formally accepted an invitation on Friday afternoon to play in January's Semper Fidelis All-American football game.
The 6-foot-3, 270-pound senior lineman has made a name for himself in the Public League for his quick ability to rush off the edge.
"It's really special to me," said Moody, who is from Germantown. "I can't wait to get out there and just play against the competition."
The game will be played on Jan. 4 at the Home Depot Center, just outside Los Angeles.
Joining Moody from the Philadelphia area will be Imhotep Charter's David Williams, Penn Charter's Mike McGlinchey, Woodbury's Anthony Averett, and Glassboro's Corey Clement.
Along with being presented his All-American jersey, Moody was honored with a designation from state Rep. Brendan Boyle. Moody's Eagles teammates, cheerleaders, the school's marching band, and select Washington classmates attended the ceremony.
Moody hasn't made his college decision yet but has whittled his 12 scholarship offers to a final list of five: Temple, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Syracuse, and California. Moody has yet to schedule an official visit and said he's in no rush to make his choice.
His interest in the Owls isn't hinged on the program's Big East membership. Instead, he likes that the university is close to home.
"They're in my backyard," Moody said. "It's like home to me."
Contact Matt Breen at mbreen@phillynews.com or follow @matt_breen on Twitter.
