Bezanson named Gatorade Player of the Year for girls soccer
Jun. 15—It's hard to make history in a program that's had as much success as the Danvers High girls soccer team. Yet Arianna Bezanson continues to do things no Falcon has ever done before.
The junior forward became the first Danvers High athlete to earn Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year honors, earning the prestigious statewide award for girls soccer announced by Gatorade on Tuesday. It's the 36th year Gatorade has been honoring the best high school athletes by state in the country and she is now a finalist for national Player of the Year honors.
"We're all so happy for Arianna," said Falcons coach Jimmy Hinchion. "It's a tremendous honor and its well deserved."
The Salem News Player of the Year last fall, Bezanson guided the Falcons to a perfect 11-0 season while scoring 22 goals with six assists. She earned United Soccer Coaches All-America honors in addition to All-State and All-New England nods and is committed to play in college at Colgate University.
"She's a phenomenal player with a lethal combination of technical skill, power and intelligence," Beverly coach Samantha Charest said. "She's relentless. Most games it wasn't a matter or if Arianna would score but when and in what fashion."
A 4.01 grade point average student, Bezanson has volunteered at local hospitals and hopes to be a surgeon one day. She's the secretary of Danvers' junior class and has organized shoe donations for disadvantaged youths, in addition to other community service. As part of the Gatorade award, she'll be able to nominate a local sports organization for a $1,000 grant.
Among other recent Gatorade Players of the Year from the Northeastern Conference are Marblehead's Loeden Rodrigues (boys cross country, 2020); Peabody's Marcelo Rocha (boys cross country, 2016); Peabody's Hayley Dowd (girls soccer, 2011) and Peabody's Catarina Rocha (girls cross country, 2011 and 2012).
