Click Here to view this Link.

Our good friends and amazing young man Steven Long of Lake Oswego received a very hard earned award as the Gatorade Player of the Year. The prestigious honor is bestowed upon only the best of the best who have not only the ability to lead on the field but also a history of leading off the field as well.

From Gatorade.com: 'The 5-foot-7, 175-pound senior running back has led the Lakers to a 12-0 record and a berth in the Class 6A semifinals against Jesuit High, scheduled for Dec. 3. Long rushed for 1,822 yards with 33 touchdowns on 235 carries through 12 games. A three-time First Team All-Conference selection, he has averaged a touchdown once every 7.1 touches this season and has averaged 11.1 yards per carry during the 2011 postseason. Long has maintained a 3.14 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of multiple school fundraisers, as part of a substance abuse awareness campaign and as a youth sports referee and umpire"

“[db]Steven Long[/sb] is a special kid who has brought so much to our program,” said Lake Oswego High head coach Steve Coury. “On and off the field, he has been superb all season long. We wouldn’t be where we are without him.”

Long has verbally committed to play football on an athletic scholarship at Portland State University beginning in the fall of 2012.

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 ESPNHS and the Gatorade high school sports leadership team, 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.

Long joins recent Gatorade Oregon Football Players of the Year Brett Smith (2010-11, West Salem High School) JordyJohnson (2009-10, Sheldon), Jack Lomax (2008-09, Lake Oswego High School) and Cory McCaffrey (2007-08, Sisters)among the state’s list of former award winners. To keep up to date on the latest happenings, become a fan of Gatorade Player of the Year on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a complete list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade