Diamond Bar High School’s varsity football team gained recognition once again as two athletes, seniors Jeremy Torres and Henry Liang, were nominated for the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes Award. 

Both Liang and Torres attended an awards banquet as letter winners and multi-year all-league scholar-athletes on Feb. 28. The requirements for the award included a minimum 3.0 GPA, lengthy extracurriculars, and excellence in community service and football.

“It was really an honor to coach both of them because they are both very good athletes,” head football coach Matt Castaneda said. “But more importantly they are really good people, they have good qualities,leadership skills and good work ethic.”

In addition, both Torres and Liang set themselves apart from other athletes by joining in other extracurriculars and academics. 

“It is important to get good grades,” Torres said. “I also participated in Best Buddies. I’m on the board for them.”

Castaneda explained the rewards for winning a Scholar Athletes award were especially plentiful. 

“[It is] $1200 for the scholarship,” Castaneda said. “And [Torres] also won Rose Bowl tickets to next year’s 2025 Rose Bowl game and parade.”

While Liang said he had no plans to continue playing football, Torres said he would like to play football in college, but neither of them had decided on where to go. 

“The more knowledge you know, the slower the game is, and the easier it gets,” Torres said.