Grayson's 5-foot-9 senior midfielder/forward Ella Stevens has been named Gatorade's Georgia Girls Soccer Player of the Year for a second year in a row.
Stevens is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award - to be announced in May. She joins a list of past state winners that includes such names as Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Candace Parker (2001-02, Naperville Central HS, Ill.), Heather O’Reilly (2001-02, East Brunswick HS, N.J.) and Derek Jeter (1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, Mich.).
As the returning Gatorade State Player of the Year, Stevens scored 25 goals and passed for 11 assists this past season, leading the Rams (14-4) to the second round of the Class AAAAAA state tournament. Stevens was a member of the U.S. Soccer Under-20 Women’s Team during its successful World Cup qualifying campaign in December 2015.
She concluded her high school soccer career with 74 goals and 84 assists, while maintaining a weighted 3.62 GPA in the classroom.
“Ella Stevens willed that team to win and put them on her back,” said Chad Carithers, head coach of Brookwood High. “I think that speaks not only to her soccer ability but also her leadership and don’t-give-up attitude.”
Stevens has signed to play at Duke this fall.
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