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Ihara Voted Florida Gatorade Player of the Year
6/9/2020 9:54:00 AM | Men's Soccer
DURHAM, N.C.—Duke University men's soccer incoming freshman Santa Ihara was named the Gatorade Boys High School Player of the Year for the state of Florida as announced by the Gatorade Company Monday evening. Ihara played at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida.
"Santa Ihara is probably the best holding midfielder in the entire state," said Lake Nona High School head coach Raul Jara. "He is very composed on the ball and controls the tempo of the game single-handedly with his style of play. He works extremely hard on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively."
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 Ihara as Florida's best high school boys soccer player. As the state award winner, Ihara is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced later in June.
This past season, Ihara scored six goals and provided 10 assists as he led the Eagles to a 17-1-1 record. The holding midfielder was a four-year starter for Montverde and was on the losing end only twice during his career. A member of the Orlando City Development Academy Team as well, Ihara was the 2019-20 Montverde Academy Athlete of the Year. During the 2018-19 Orlando City Academy season, he played 14 games and started five as the squad took third in the division.
An outstanding student as well, Ihara has volunteered locally with Central Florida Dreamplex, an organization that services children with special needs.
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 Player of the Year Selection Committee, 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.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit www.Gatorade.com/POY, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatorade.
#GoDuke
"Santa Ihara is probably the best holding midfielder in the entire state," said Lake Nona High School head coach Raul Jara. "He is very composed on the ball and controls the tempo of the game single-handedly with his style of play. He works extremely hard on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively."
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 Ihara as Florida's best high school boys soccer player. As the state award winner, Ihara is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced later in June.
This past season, Ihara scored six goals and provided 10 assists as he led the Eagles to a 17-1-1 record. The holding midfielder was a four-year starter for Montverde and was on the losing end only twice during his career. A member of the Orlando City Development Academy Team as well, Ihara was the 2019-20 Montverde Academy Athlete of the Year. During the 2018-19 Orlando City Academy season, he played 14 games and started five as the squad took third in the division.
An outstanding student as well, Ihara has volunteered locally with Central Florida Dreamplex, an organization that services children with special needs.
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 Player of the Year Selection Committee, 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.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit www.Gatorade.com/POY, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Gatorade.
#GoDuke
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