Patrick Marchal Of Green River Wins 2018 Wyoming Boys Soccer Gatorade Player Of The Year

In its 33rd year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, announced Patrick Marchal of Green River High School as its 2017-18 Gatorade Wyoming Boys Soccer Player of the Year.

Marchal is the first Gatorade Wyoming Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Green River 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 Marchal as Wyoming’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 June, Marchal joins an elite alumni association of past state soccer award-winners, including Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook HS, Mich.), Steve Cherundolo (1996-97, Mt. Carmel HS, Calif.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy, N.Y.), Heather O’Reilly (2001-02, 2002-03, East Brunswick HS, N.J.), Matt Besler (2004-04, Blue Valley West HS, Kans.), Jack Harrison (2013-14, Berkshire HS, Mass.), Mallory Pugh (2014-15, Mountain Vista HS, Colo.).

The 6-foot, 190-pound senior goalkeeper posted 12 shutouts and a goals-against average of 0.44 this past season, leading the Wolves (16-3-2) to a third-place finish in Class 4A.

The school’s career leader in shutouts (30) and saves (504), Marchal is a two-time First Team All-State selection.

A mentor for freshmen in his school, Marchal has volunteered locally on behalf of blood-donation drives, the Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Green River Parks and Recreation Department.

“Patrick Marchal is an all-around amazing goalkeeper,” said Lyndon Klein, head coach at Rock Springs High. “He has very quick reflexes, he can read players’ body movements and his positioning is always spot on. He made so many saves this season that most goalies simply wouldn’t have made. He’s also one of the smartest players that I’ve seen, always a step ahead of the opposing team.”

Marchal has maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom.

He will attend Michigan State University 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 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.

Marchal joins recent Gatorade Wyoming Boys Soccer Players of the Year Ross Elliott (2016-17, Cheyenne Central High School), Cameron Campbell (2015-16, Laramie High School), Tristan White (2014-15 & 2013-14, Riverton High School), Will Horstmann (2012-13, Jackson Hole High School), Vitor Nazareth (2011-12, Laramie High School), Kasey Esponda (2010–11, Buffalo High School), Kevin Cox (2009-10, Cheyenne Central High School), Ben Borin (2008–09, Cheyenne East High School), Zach Johnson (2007-08, Kelly Walsh High School), and Sam Hayden (2006-07, Jackson Hole High School) among the state’s list of former award winners.

As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Marchal will be able to select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program.

Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support. 12 spotlight grants – one for each sport – will be announced throughout the year.