La Salle's Michael Hofstetter named Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Soccer Player of the Year
La Salle's Michael Hofstetter has been named the 2021-22 Gatorade Rhode Island Boys Soccer Player of the Year after the senior led the Rams to a 17-0-1 record and the Division I state championship during the fall season.
Hofstetter tallied 17 goals and 16 assists and scored the lone goal in La Salle’s 1-0 win over North Kingstown High in the state championship game. The Division I Player of the Year and the state tournament MVP is also a United Soccer Coaches High School All-American selection.
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“Mikey was exceptional this season — he always came in ready to leave his mark on every match with his speed, technical ability and capitalizing on goal-scoring opportunities,” said Oscar Zorrilla, head coach of the Wheeler boys soccer team. “He loved the crucial, crunch-time moments because that’s when he would step up his game and make big plays for the Rams.”
Hofstetter joins a group of elite alumni
The Gatorade award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field. Hofstetter has volunteered as a youth soccer coach in the area.
The 5-foot-9-inch, 155-pound Providence Journal All-Stater is the eighth Gatorade RI Boys Soccer Player of the Year from La Salle and is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced later this month.
He joins an elite alumni association of state award-winners, including Alexi Lalas (1987-88, Cranbrook High School, Mich.), Steve Cherundolo (1996-97, Mount Carmel High School, Calif.), Abby Wambach (1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy School of Young Women, N.Y.) and others.
Previous Gatorade RI Boys Soccer Players of the Year include Nathan Lagoa (2020-21, La Salle Academy), Roy Barrios (2019-20, Tolman High School), Luis Blanco (2018-19, Tolman High School) and Jon Sherman (2017-18, South Kingstown High School).
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Gatorade RI Boys Soccer Player of the Year: Michael Hofstetter
