Booth, Pietrzak Tabbed Gatorade State Players of the Year

Conor Booth and Kade Pietrzak have been named the Gatorade State Players of the Year for Nebraska and North Dakota, respectively.

The Gatorade State Player of the Year award was established in 1985 to recognize the nation’s most elite high school student-athletes for their athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character.

Booth rushed for 2,956 yards and a Class C2-record 50 touchdowns as a senior at Bishop Neumann High School. The senior running back helped the Cavaliers to an 11-2 overall record and the state title game while rushing for 200-plus yards in 10 consecutive games, setting an all-class record. Booth concludes his prep career as the Class C2 record holder for career touchdowns and tied for the single-game touchdown mark with eight.

In the classroom, Booth has maintained a 3.77 grade-point average. In the community, Booth has donated his time on behalf of the God Teens faith formation group, Neumann FIRE campus ministry and as part of two service-mission trips to Gallup, New Mexico – home to the poorest diocese in the country. He has also volunteered in association with his school by helping the elderly in his community with moving furniture and lawn care.

As a two-way senior lineman at Sheyenne High School, Pietrzak recorded 54 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, 32 quarterback hurries and five sacks while leading the Mustangs to a 10-2 overall record and an appearance in the Class AAA state title game. Pietrzak logged two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He was also the anchor of a line that blocked for an offense that averaged 26.9 points per game.

In the classroom, Pietrzak has posted a weighted 4.05 GPA. Pietrzak has volunteered locally on behalf of Feed My Starving Children and a church league basketball program. He has also donated his time coaching youth athletes in weightlifting and at football camps.