Press release
JACOB MURRELL NAMED 2021-22 GATORADE NATIONAL BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
OWINGS MILLS, Md., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 37th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Jacob
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[{"type":"text","content":"OWINGS MILLS, Md., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 37th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Jacob Murrell of McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Md. is the 2021-22 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Murrell won the prestigious award for his accomplishments on and off the field, joining an impressive group of former Gatorade National Boys Soccer Players of the Year who have combined for 12 National Championships and 13 MLS first round draft picks.\nMurrell was surprised with the trophy by his family, coaches and teammates at school. Check out a video of the announcement here.\nThe 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 Murrell as the nation's best high school boys soccer player. The Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others to evaluate candidates, selected Murrell from nearly half a million other student-athletes who play boys soccer nationwide.\nCompetition for the national award was fierce. Murrell topped the list of state winners in boys soccer who collectively boast an incredible list of accomplishments, including 16 First Team All-State honorees, 25 who are committed to play soccer at Division I colleges/universities and 18 with a GPA of 4.0 and above.\n\"Jacob delivered one of the most amazing seasons in MIAA history under odd circumstances,\" said Sheldon Shealer, national editor of prepsoccer.com. \"McDonogh opted out of organized team athletics in the fall of 2020, so he entered his senior season with only two years of playing defender under his belt at the high school level. While his club success (with Pipeline SC) gave us insight that he could be a significant high school player this past season, I don't think anyone could have foreseen him scoring 41 goals in a highly competitive league where 20 goals is considered exceptional. He is a gifted athlete and exceptionally hard worker with a rare combination of pace and strength, but he also has the ability to be clinical on his finishes. He can score in so many ways, beating defenders and keepers 1v1, scoring from distance, scoring with placement and/or power, or scoring on crosses. H...