The last time Matteo Mele played a snap at Arizona Stadium, he fell to Scottsdale Saguaro in the 2017 Class 4A state championship as the starting right tackle for Salpointe Catholic High School.Β
Now a redshirt freshman for the Washington Huskies, Mele will make his first career start at center against the Arizona Wildcats Saturday night at Arizona Stadium, per the Seattle Times' Mike Vorel. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound Mele will start in place of senior starter Nick Harris.
Mele graduated from Salpointe Catholic in 2018 after he led the Lancers to a 12-2 record and a spot in the state title game. Mele committed to Washington over the UA, ASU, Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA and Cal among other schools. Mele's grandfather, Bill Leuck, was a former all-conference offensive lineman for the Wildcats and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in 1968.Β
Kickoff for Arizona-Washington is set for 8:04 p.m. Make sure to follow The Wildcaster on Twitter for live updates.Β
