CHICAGO (May 13, 2014) — In its 29th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Ridge Brohaugh of Madison Central High School as its 2013-14 Gatorade Mississippi Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Brohaugh is the sixth Gatorade Mississippi Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Madison Central 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 Brohaugh as Mississippi’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, Brohaugh 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-10, 158-pound sophomore midfielder and forward led the Jaguars to a 22-1-2 record and the Class 6A state championship this past season. Brohaugh scored 18 goals and passed for seven assists. The 2014 Class 6A state championship game MVP after scoring two goals in a 3-0 victory over Brandon High, he was a Clarion-Ledger Second Team All-State selection.
Brohaugh has maintained an A average in the classroom. A member of the Madison Central High Homecoming Court, he has volunteered locally with US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer program serving young athletes with disabilities. He has also donated his time to multiple community service initiatives in association with his church youth group.
“Ridge Brohaugh’s work rate is outstanding and he has great vision,” said Kenny White, Brohaugh’s club coach with the Mississippi Fire Juniors. “He can strike the ball very well and he is an accurate passer over short and long distances.”
Brohaugh will begin his junior year of high school 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.
Brohaugh joins recent Gatorade Mississippi Boys Soccer Players of the Year Eli Troutman (2012-13, Ocean Springs High School), Jake Files (2011-12, Clinton High School), Derrick "Ducky" Troutman (2010 – 11, Ocean Springs High School), Jarred Arde (2009-10, Gulfport), Dillon Walker (2008–09 Pearl High School), Chris Williams (2007-08, Pearl), and Barry Prather (2006-2007, Clinton) among the state’s list of former award winners.