Bend HS sophomore invited to play in national football showcase

(Update: Adding video, comments by Emery)

Alexander Emery still weighing his options, holding out hope for HS season

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend High School sophomore Alexander Emery has been invited to a football showcase in Nashville to compete with the best underclassmen in the country -- but he's not ready to accept the invitation quite yet.

The 16-year-old quarterback just returned from Texas, where he played in an Offense-Defense All American Bowl with other freshmen and sophomores.

It was an opportunity no other Central Oregon football player had ever received, and one Emery admitted he was shocked to get.

"I thought it was going to be a longshot, but apparently I got it," Emery told NewsChannel 21 Tuesday. "I mean, I've been putting in a lot of hours at this, so I was really excited to go be able to showcase my skills at cowboys' stadium."

That's right: Emery and the other all-stars suited up on the field at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

"When we first ran out of the tunnel, I was like, 'Wow, this place is big!' Emery said. "You just look around, and you would see the Ring of Honor and all of that. Just playing in the middle of that felt really special."

But between the whistles, it was all business. The 6-foot-2 quarterback stood out, not just because of his size, but because of his ability.

He even reached into his bag of tricks to complete an underhand pass.

Plays like that earned Emery an invite to the National Championships in Nashville.

"It's pretty much the highest possible stage," Emery said.

It's an amazing accomplishment, but Emery does not want to accept the invitation quite yet.

The National Championships are scheduled for mid-March, which could conflict with a much-delayed high school football season in Central Oregon.

As of now, though, that season does not look likely. The scheduled start date for contact practice sessions is next Monday -- less than a week away.

At the moment, 25 counties in Oregon, including Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook, are all in the state's "Extreme Risk" category for COVID-19, which prohibit contact sports.

The office of Gov. Kate Brown also reiterated to NewsChannel 21 Tuesday that contact sports remain a high-risk activity.

Even with all the signs pointed in the wrong direction, Emery said he is still committed to the Lava Bears, for now.

"Quarterback is a leadership position," he said. "I feel like building a bond with my teammates and people that I'll be playing with for years and years to come is more important than doing something right now -- something that I might have another opportunity to do."

If there is no season, though, Emery said his next stop will be Nashville.