GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Chicago – In its 30th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA Today High School sports, announced Thursday that Darrell Henderson of South Panola High School as its 2014-15 Gatorade Mississippi Football Player of the Year.

Henderson is the third Gatorade Mississippi Football Player of the Year to be chosen from South Panola High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Henderson as Mississippi’s best high school football player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Football Player of the Year Award announced in December, Henderson joins an elite alumni association of past state award winners in 12 states including Mark Sanchez and Jerome Bettis.

The 5’9″, 190-pound senior running back has led the Tigers to a 14-0 record and a trip to the 6A state championship.

He leads the Tigers with 2,057 yards on 269 carries and has scored 30 times. In 11 of 14 games Henderson has 100 plus yards. He averages 146.9 yards per game. 

A preseason Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen selection, he ran for 214 yards and two scores in the 2012 Class 6A state title game.

He remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.