Wood and Hall expected to be named to Army All-American Bowl

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It’s late September and you know what that means -- it’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl selection time.

And, for the second consecutive year, it appears a Ventura County running back will be the first player chosen by the selection committee.

The Army All-American folks are staying tight-lipped about why some Army VIPs will be attending a big pep rally at Santa Clara on Thursday, but it doesn’t take some sort of football guru to realize Cierre Wood, above, will be announced as the first selection of the West squad.

Through four games, the Notre Dame-bound Wood has rushed for 751 yards and 10 TDs for the defending Mid-Valley Division champions.

Another event has been scheduled at St. Bonaventure on Friday, and it’s pretty much a given that USC-bound DB/RB Patrick Hall, left, will be chosen as the Southland’s second Army All-American Bowl representative. Hall follows in the footsteps of former teammate Darrell Scott, who became the first player named to the 2008 All-American Bowl team.

Hall is one of the best two-way players in the region, but you would have already known that if you witnessed the Seraphs’ 31-14 victory over Crespi on Friday.

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is considered one of the nation’s top all-star games, featuring many of the top collegiate recruits in the country. The game will be televised live by NBC on Jan. 3, with kickoff scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific time.

-- Austin Knoblauch

-- Wood image by Anne Cusack/Los Angeles Times

-- Hall image by Austin Knoblauch