Ryan Price Named 2009 Florida Dairy Farmers Boys’ Soccer Player-of-the-Year

GAINESVILLE (May 4) --- Melbourne High School’s Ryan Price has been named the 2009 Florida Dairy Farmers Boys’ Soccer Player-of-the-Year.

Price, a junior forward scored 32 goals and had 12 assists this season, helping lead his team to a 27-2 record and the Class 6A state title.

The winner of the 17th annual Boys’ Soccer Player-of-the-Year Award, sponsored by Florida Dairy Farmers, Inc. and the Florida Athletic Coaches Association, was determined in voting by a statewide panel of high school soccer coaches and prep media representatives.

“Florida’s dairy farmers congratulate Ryan for a job well done and we salute him with a milk toast,” said Matt Lussier, a Gainesville area dairy farmer. “We take a lot of pride in watching a winner such as Ryan represent our industry and this award in such a positive manner and we wish him continued success.”

Price, who was earlier chosen as the Class 6A Player-of the-Year, finished ahead of Class 4A Player-of-the-Year Filip Ivanov of Ponte Vedra Nease, as well as winners in the three other state classifications. Price received four first-place votes and totalled 60 points with Ivanov finishing second with two first-place votes and 54 points.

Brennan Hyler of Orange Park Fleming Island, the Class 5A Player-of-the-Year, finished third with 43 points followed by John Rush of Jacksonville Bolles (Class 3A) with 31 points and Jimmy Merrit of St. John’s Country Day (Class 2A) with 18 points.

The Florida Dairy Farmers Sports Awards program exemplifies Dairy Farmers Inc.'s commitment to the state's youth. While honoring the state's top athletes and coaches in all 25 FHSAA-sanctioned sports, the program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.







Dairy Farmers Boys’ Soccer Player-of-the-Year Winners



1993 – Frankie Cipolla, Longwood Lyman

1994 – Michael McIlwane, Tampa Berkeley Prep

1995 – Kevin Alvero, Dunedin

1996 – Chris Welling, Naples

1997 – Mark Pizzulo, St. Thomas Aquinas

1998 – Sheldon Barnes, St. Thomas Aquinas

1999 – Jeremy Plokemba, Tampa Jesuit

2000 – Rob Daly, Tampa Jesuit

2001 – Justin Brandt, Miami Sunset

2002 – Hunter West, Bradenton Manatee

2003 – Jason Poole, Brandon

2004 – Tyler Davis, Tampa Berkeley Prep

2005 – Fabrice Noel, Palm Beach Lakes

2006 – Hansen Woodruff, South Fork

2007 – Eugene Starikov, Palm Harbor University

2008 – Luis Yamashita, Miami Varela

2009 – Ryan Price, Melbourne