Draycen Hall picked up Arizona Football Gatorade Player of the Year honors Monday, the first player from Higley to earn the award.

The running back/wide receiver/punt returner/kickoff returner slashed his way to a 41 touchdown, 3,908 all-purpose yard 2016 season. Hall led his team to the 4A Conference semifinals while also balancing admirably his classwork (4.13 GPA) and volunteer work.

The junior has volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America, Feed My Starving Children and a home for people with disabilities. For his work in the community, Gilbert’s Town Council named Hall its September Citizen of the Month.

The Gatorade Player of the Year award “not only recognizes outstanding athletic excellence but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.” By earning Gatorade Player of the Year, Hall automatically becomes a finalist for the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award.