Highland senior defensive tackle Tommy Togiai was named the Idaho Gatorade Football Player of the Year, announced Monday.
The honor is given each year to the student-athlete from each state that exemplifies “not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field,” per the Gatorade press release.
Togiai was a dominant force for one of the state’s top defenses this season, racking up 93 tackles, 11 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception en route to a 10-1 season and 5A state championship. Togiai and the Rams defeated reigning Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year, quarterback Colson Yankoff, and Coeur d’Alene 14-8 on Nov. 17 to claim the state title.
“It’s an honor to earn this award,” Togiai told the Journal on Monday. “Shows all the hard work I’ve put into football. It really means a lot.”
Togiai is the fifth Gatorade football honoree from Highland, joining Troy Bell (1995), Jeff Davenport (1997), Taysom Hill (2008) and Tristen Hoge (2013, 14). The four-star recruit will announce where he will play college football Dec. 20.
“Very deserving award for what he was able to accomplish this year as a defensive tackle and for what he meant to our defense,” Highland coach Gino Mariani said.
As a Gatorade Player of the Year, Togiai will select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of the Gatorade Play It Forward program, per the Gatorade press release. Every Gatorade Player of the Year state winner receives a $1,000 grant to donate and will have the opportunity to enter for an additional $10,000 spotlight grant by writing a brief essay explaining why their selected organization deserves additional support.
“In all the years I’ve coached, Tommy Togiai is the best I’ve seen,” Madison coach Mitch Buck said in the Gatorade press release. “He has great technique, size and ability, and he plays from sideline to sideline. He splits double- and triple-teams. He’s demonstrated abilities I’ve never seen before.”
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