For the second straight year, Valor Christian running back Gavin Sawchuk was named the Gatorade Colorado Football Player of the Year.
The Oklahoma-bound senior had 284 carries for 2,004 yards rushing and 28 touchdowns on the ground, leading the Eagles to a 13-1 record and an appearance in the Class 5A championship where they lost to Cherry Creek, 21-0. He also added 10 catches for 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“Gavin is an exceptional talent,” Eagles head coach Donnie Yantis said in a news release. “He is, without question, the best running back I have ever coached.”
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Sawchuk is the first Colorado player to win back-to-back awards since former Valor Christian standout Christian McCaffrey in 2012-14. Former Cherry Creek running back Darnell McDonald also received consecutive honors in 1995-97.
Sawchuk is also the third Valor Christian player to be honored, joining Christian and Dylan McCaffrey.
In addition to his accomplishments on the field, Sawchuk also maintains a weighted 3.64 grade-point average and is a member of the Valor Christian Cum Laude Society.
