CHICAGO — In its 30th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, has named Steven Moore of Houston County High School as its 2014-15 Gatorade Georgia Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Moore is the first Gatorade Georgia Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Houston County High School.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Moore as Georgia’s best high school boys soccer player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in May, Moore joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook HS, Mich.), Heather O’Reilly (2001-02, East Brunswick HS, N.J.) and Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.).
The 5-foot-9, 161-pound senior forward scored 46 goals and passed for 14 assists this past season, leading the Bears (17-1-1) to the second round of the Class AAAAA state tournament.
The 2015 DiVarsity.com Class 5A Player of the Year and a two-time Region 2-AAAAA Player of the Year, he concluded his prep soccer career with 130 goals and 51 assists.
Moore has maintained an A average in the classroom. He has volunteered locally at the Ronald McDonald House, on behalf of an elementary-school literacy program and as a youth soccer coach.
“Steven Moore is a gifted and complete player,” said Bunky Colvin, head coach of McIntosh High. “Most see his physical attributes of speed, strength and skill, but you cannot fail to consider his soccer IQ. He has the ability to find ways to make his team successful and win games.”
Moore has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on an athletic scholarship at Berry College beginning this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
Moore joins recent Gatorade Georgia Boys Soccer Players of the Year Adam Sheikali (2013-14, McIntosh High School), Salomon Lorenzano (2012-13, McIntosh High School), Holden Fender (2011-12, Walton High School), John "Snoopy" Davidson (2010–11, Rome High School), Jordan McCrary (2009-10, Lassiter High School), Chris Thomas (2008–09, Greater Atlanta Christian School), Connor Barbaree (2007-08, Walton High School), and Jimmy Maurer (2006-07, St. Pius X Catholic High School) among the state’s list of former award winners.
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