Skyline High School's Max Browne named Gatorade Washington Football Player of the Year

                                                                                                            CHICAGO  — In its 27th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes,The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPNHS, today announced Max Browne of Skyline High School as its 2011-12 Gatorade Washington Football Player of the Year.  Browne is the third Gatorade Washington Football Player of the Year to be chosen from Skyline 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 Browne as Washington’s best high school football player.  

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award announced in December, Browne joins an elite alumni association of past state award-winners in 12 sports, including Mark Sanchez (2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, Calif.), Wes Welker (1999-00, Heritage Hall HS, Okla.), Terrell Suggs (1999-00, Hamilton HS, Ariz.), Anquan Boldin (1998-99, Pahokee HS, Fla.) and Jerome Bettis (1989-90, Mackenzie HS, Mich.).

The 6-foot-5, 210-pound junior quarterback has led the Spartans to a 10-3 record and a berth in the Class 4A state final against Skyview High, scheduled for Dec. 3. Browne passed for 3,813 yards and 43 touchdowns through 13 games, completing 273-of-389 attempts while throwing just five interceptions. A 2010 First Team All-State selection, he has connected on better than 70 percent of his passes this season and has thrown for more than 200 yards in 12 games in 2011.

Browne has maintained a 3.55 GPA in the classroom. He has volunteered locally on behalf of multiple community service initiatives in association with his church youth group and as a football and basketball camp counselor and referee.

“Max Browne is incredibly poised and efficient, he makes great decisions and is a winner,” said Steve Valach, head coach of rival Liberty High. “In two years, he has thrown about four incompletions against us. His fundamentals are impeccable and he makes the most of his ability.”

Browne will begin his senior year of high school next 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 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. Browne joins recent Gatorade Washington Football Players of the Year Kasen Williams (2010-11, Skyline High School) Jake Heaps (2009-10, Skyline), Jake Heaps (2008-09, Skyline High School) and Tony Heard (2007-08, Edmonds Woodway) 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.com.

--Information from Gatorade