Brighton High soccer star Taylor Fankhauser is the 2011-2012 Gatorade Utah Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Fankhauser, who plans to play for Brigham Young University this fall, is the second player from Brighton to earn the honor.
With the award, Taylor joins 2009-2010 winner Thomas Loomis on the list of Brighton students chosen by the sports-drink company as the state’s top athlete in boys soccer. Gatorade has sponsored the program for 27 years.
The 5-foot, 7-inch senior forward/midfielder led the Bengals to a 13-1 record in the regular-season, during which he scored nine goals and passed for 13 assists. He was a First Team All-Region honoree in 2011 and Second Team All-State selection by the Salt Lake Tribune.
Taylor also was chosen for his excellence off the soccer field. Taylor maintains a 4.0 grade point average, is a peer tutor, and volunteers for the Salvation Army and a local food bank. His Eagle Scout project provided Christmas gifts for children of migrant workers.
Each year the Gatorade Player of the Year program 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 and field. The program awards one national Player of the Year in each sport.
Fankhauser now qualifies to be considered for the overall national award.
