Sports
Mater Dei sophomore Mark Bowman fits profile of a tight end
Fourth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Mark Bowman, Mater Dei tight end.
Imagine seeing 6-foot-4, 230-pound sophomore Mark Bowman gliding on a snowboard down a mountain. You’d want to get out of his way because if there’s a collision, the likely outcome is doom for the other person.
Luckily, Bowman’s snowboarding days are pretty much on hold. He has moved from Colorado to Huntington Beach and now plays tight end for Santa Ana Mater Dei.
“I don’t do it anymore because I don’t want to get injured,” he said.
There aren’t many 16-year-old tight ends projected to be better than Bowman, who caught four touchdowns among his 11 receptions as a freshman, runs a 4.6-second 40-yard dash and makes defensive backs uncomfortable when they see him lined up and wonder how they’re going to deal with his size, physicality and athleticism.
The player he identifies with is first-round NFL draft pick Brock Bowers.
“That’s who I see as a tight end who doesn’t just have his hand in the dirt,” Bowman said of the former Georgia Bulldog now with the Las Vegas Raiders. “You can put him anywhere on the field and make something happen. Running, blocking, going out for a pass. It’s versatility.”
Bowman is 20 pounds heavier than last season but still fast and getting stronger. There’s little doubt that over the next three seasons playing high school football, he could develop into a distinctive weapon, something seen in college and the NFL with tight ends who are versatile.
Mater Dei’s new coach, Raul Lara, knows what a good tight end looks like since he was the coach at Long Beach Poly when future Hall of Famer Marcedes Lewis was on the team in 2001. Bowman will need to read up on Lewis, who signed up for his NFL record 19th season playing tight end.
“I heard he’s a good player,” Bowman said.
Bowman was a quarterback until he moved to San Diego in eighth grade and attended a sports academy.
“I started to secretly play receiver and tight end,” he said.
His father liked him as a quarterback, but Bowman was right to focus on receiving with his good hands and growing body. By freshman year, he enrolled at Mater Dei. He remembers his first practice.
Mark Bowman (19) celebrates with teammate Marcus Harris after after scoring Mater Dei’s first touchdown against San Mateo Serra in the CIF Open Division state championship bowl game Saturday at Saddleback College.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
“I show up with a buzz cut. I walk in, ‘Who’s this guy?’” Bowman said.
By the fall, he was mature and physical enough to earn playing time. By season’s end, when Mater Dei won the Southern Section Division 1 title and Open Division bowl game, his reputation as a possible future standout was well known.
He certainly understands the attitude and requirements to play tight end.
“You have to be really smart,” he said. “All the people I talk to, ‘Yeah, our guy was a quarterback.’ You have to be able to see the field, read the coverage, find the open spots, do run blocking.”
Sophomore tight end Mark Bowman of Mater Dei.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
The big focus for Bowman this season is to improve what he does after he catches a pass.
“The big thing for me is breaking tackles,” he said. “Going straight from Pop Warner to varsity was a big jump. The first time I got tackled, it was, ‘All right, this is how they tackle.’”
Bowman said a major reason for coming to Mater Dei was preparation for college. He’s going against future college opponents or teammates every day in practice.
Bowman still thrives on extreme sports. He’ll be happy to demonstrate his skills as a skateboarder or mountain bike rider. Yet that and more was put on hold to fulfill his destiny to be a top tight end.
Friday: Jake Flores, JSerra offensive lineman.
Tight ends to watch
Stevie Amar; Oaks Christian; 6-4; 225; Sr; Had 35 receptions, six touchdowns as a junior
Mark Bowman; Mater Dei; 6-4; 230; So.; Sky’s the limit for the growing sophomore
Zach Giuliano; Corona del Mar; 6-6; 230; Sr.; Stanford commit continues school’s tight end tradition
AJ la; Orange Lutheran; 6-6; 240; Sr; Arizona State commit has size to push around opponents
Vander Ploog; Troy; 6-6; 225; Sr; Washington commit used athleticism, physicality to become standout
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Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach: reports
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Mike Tomlin is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to multiple reports.
Tomlin’s decision on Tuesday came after a blowout loss against the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs. It marked the Steelers’ seventh straight postseason defeat.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
Sports
UCLA receives $17.3 million from a late donor to support football and men’s basketball
Bob Chesney and Mick Cronin have a new major ally in their bid to compete in the Big Ten.
A $17.3-million gift from late alumnus and longtime donor Lawrence “Larry” Layne will benefit the UCLA football and men’s basketball programs, giving them essential financial resources as they try to keep up with their cash-infused conference counterparts.
The football team will receive $9.6 million and the men’s basketball program $7.7 million as part of Layne’s more than $40-million pledge to various university programs. The donation to the athletic department is believed to be the biggest in more than a decade.
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for Larry’s longstanding history of generosity to both campus and the athletic department, including this transformational gift,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement. “I am fortunate to have spent time with Larry and get to know his deep passion for UCLA Athletics, particularly his desire to help our football and men’s basketball programs thrive in this new era of collegiate sports. His investment in our programs positions us, and future generations of Bruin athletes, for long-term success.”
A former men’s rugby player and women’s rugby coach at UCLA, Layne received his master’s of business administration from the school in 1977 and went on to found Nova Storage. He was a fan of multiple Bruins sports and a donor for six decades, his generosity extending beyond his passing in December 2024 at 75.
Layne has supported UCLA athletics since giving to the women’s rugby club in 1979 and becoming the team’s first coach. He also supported the renovation of Pauley Pavilion and the construction of the Wasserman Football Center. Over the years, he’s also given to UCLA baseball, softball, women’s tennis and men’s water polo, his gifts totaling $18.8 million, including his latest donation.
“As a former UCLA student-athlete and coach, Larry fully understood the hard work and determination that was needed to be at his best both on and off the field,” Chesney said, “and this incredibly generous gift will make a big impact on helping us build a championship football team. I am very grateful to Larry and his wife Sheelagh for their support of UCLA and our football program. We will make sure that Larry’s legacy lives on by continuing to support our student-athletes and upholding our university’s True Bruin values.”
Layne’s gift also includes $11.4 million to UCLA Health, assisting research in cardiology and hepatology; $5.7 million to the UCLA Anderson School of Management to support entrepreneurial and real estate studies; $3.8 million to men’s rugby; and $1.9 million to UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance.
Cronin, who has spoken about wanting to be the moneyed Dodgers of college basketball instead of the cash-strapped Cincinnati Reds, will now be closer to reaching that status thanks to this gift.
“I would like to thank Larry for his generosity and long-time support of our athletics department, specifically toward our men’s basketball program,” Cronin said. “This university has so many fantastic resources for its student-athletes, but we simply would not be able to thrive if not for the generosity of our many loyal donors such as Larry. His generous gift will help us in the future as we continue to build a basketball program with elite young men who all of our fans can be proud to support.”
A graduate of Sylmar High, where he was captain of the football team, Layne later raised money to install lights for the school’s football field and went on to attend Occidental College before going to UCLA for graduate school. His lifelong love of rugby took him to London to play for the Harlequins, and his Los Angeles team was known as the Flying Pumpkins.
Sports
Texans defense suffocates Aaron Rodgers, Steelers in playoff win
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Crunch.
That was the sound of Houston Texans players colliding with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in the fourth quarter of their Wild Card Round matchup, causing him to lose the ball. Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins picked the ball up and ran it to the end zone for what felt like the knockout blow even though there was still a lot of time left to play.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) loses possession of the ball while being tackled by Houston Texans defensive end Danielle Hunter (55) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
It was that type of game for both teams – a defensive struggle – as Houston put together a 30-6 victory. It was the franchise’s first road playoff victory.
There were big hits and little room for error. Houston had a 7-6 lead at halftime thanks to a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud to Christian Kirk.
Even as the Texans turned the ball over three times between the first half and the third quarter, the Steelers could only muster up three points. Houston’s defensive prowess was on display on each snap as Rodgers was left with little to no time to make a decision.
When he did have time to throw, wide receivers like DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith and Calvin Austin III either dropped the ball or were just a hair off. Rodgers also had a few of his passes deflected.
Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (13) runs to the end zone for a touchdown while defended by Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols (26) during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)
BEARS’ BEN JOHNSON POURS GASOLINE ON PACKERS RIVALRY: ‘I JUST DON’T LIKE THAT TEAM’
Steelers fans let the team hear it with plenty of boos. Pittsburgh extended its playoff losing streak to seven games.
Texans running back Woody Marks ran for 100 yards for the first time in his career and scored a touchdown to really seal the win. Texans defensive back Calen Bullock returned an interception for a touchdown late in the game.
Stroud finished 21-of-32 with 250 passing yards and the touchdown pass. The Texans’ defense sacked Rodgers four times. Rankins was good for 1.5 sacks.
The Steelers almost had no offense throughout the game. The team was held to 175 yards and outscored 23-0 in the fourth quarter.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud throws during the first half of NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Houston will take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round.
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