EG's Nick Andreozzi Named Gatorade RI Football Player of the Year

East Greenwich High School Quarterback Nick Andreozzi has been named Gatorade Rhode Island Football Player of the Year -- the first student athlete from East Greenwich to be bestowed with the honor.

Andreozzi found out at school in a surprise announcement (see video below) and is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award, which will be announced in December.

The award “recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field,” according to a press release.

The 5-foot-7 145-pound senior quarterback led the Avengers to an 11-1 record and a spot in the Division III state championship against Classical High School this weekend.

Andreozzi has completed 137 of 199 passes for 2,096 yards this season with 35 touchdowns. And opponents have picked him off just three times. When he wasn’t passing, he rushed for 322 yards and five touchdowns on 47 carries.

Meanwhile Andreozzi maintained a B average at school and “represents one of the state’s top academic candidates in meeting the Gatorade award’s broad criteria,” according to the release.

“Nick Andreozzi is the best quarterback we saw all season,” said Mike Gibbons, coach of Hope High School. “He’s not a big kid but is in full control of his offense and makes plays within his scheme as well as outside of the script. A very accurate passer and quick on his feet, Nick makes plays as they come to him.”

Former Gatorade Football Player of the Year winners include Mark Sanchez, Wes Welker, Terrell Suggs, Anquan Boldin and Jerome Bettis.

The Gatorade Player of the Year award was established in 1985 and has grown to become one of the top accolades in high school sports, covering football, volleyball, cross country, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball and track and field. Players of the year for each sport in each state (602) result in 12 national players of the year. Ultimately one male and one female athlete are named overall players of the year.

For more information, visit http://www.gatorade.com/poy/