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BLITZ Soccer Player of the Year: Austin Ball

May 30, 2024

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Back-to-back BLITZ Player of the Year for Austin Ball, Tallulah Falls’ most decorated soccer player and all-time goals and assists leader.

Framed Print (11×14) – Austin Ball POY

$32.99

BUY FRAMED PRINT – AUSTIN BALL POY

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

34 Goals
9 Assists
6 Hat Tricks
Career: 86 Goals, 48 Assists, 15 Hat Tricks (all school records)

Austin Ball notched 34 goals and 9 assists this season, giving way to several teammates to rack up their own numbers. He had 6 hat tricks, and for his career posted 86 goals, 48 assists, and 15 hat tricks. He is the school’s all-time and single-season leader in goals, assists, and hat tricks. He also has the single-game record of 5 goals, 4 different times.

POY Button (3″) – Austin Ball

$12.00

BUY BUTTON (3 IN) – AUSTIN BALL

VOTING RESULTS

Austin Ball – 51 pts (6 1st-place votes)
Dustin Barrett – 35 pts (3)
Owen Wallace – 28 pts (3)
Pierre Kouadio – 18.75 pts (1)
Caden Coggins – 14.75 pts
Antonio Solorio – 13.25 pts (1)
Dom LeBlanc – 10.75 pts

Voting included our 14-person panel made up of sports reporters, writers, video producers, former coaches, players, GHSA officials, and sports experts. The voting is Heisman-style, with the following points system:
1st place votes: 5 pts; 2nd: 3 pts; 3rd: 2 pts; 4th: 1 pts; 5th-6th: 0.5 pts; 7th-8th 0.25 pts

Ball had 6 1st-place votes to roll through the field. Dustin Barrett and Owen Wallace had 3 1st-place votes each, and a couple other guys grabbed one apiece.

HISTORY OF BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR

2024 – Austin Ball – Tallulah Falls SR F
2023 – Austin Ball – Tallulah Falls JR F
2022 – Kyler Robbins – Union County SR M
2021 – Hayden Gensler – White County SR F
2020 – Brandon Hudson – Jefferson SR F
2019 – Brian Smith – Union County SR F
2018 – Chris Keys – Lumpkin County SR F
2017 – Dennis Pyetsukh – Dawson County JR F
2016 – Dennis Pyetsukh – Dawson County SO F
2015 – Brandon Lund – Dawson County SR F
2014 – Brandon Lund – Dawson County JR F
2013 – Brooks Fulford – Dawson County JR GK
2012 – Jose Lara – Habersham Central SR F
2011 – Vincent Thomas – Union County SR M
2010 – Nolan & Sawyer Hemmer – Habersham Central SR F/D

Ball becomes just the third player ever to repeat as POY. The boys award has largely been dominated by forwards, as 12 of the 16 winners have been so.