The season accolades for University boys’ soccer star Joseph Biafora continue to roll in as he claimed the Gatorade West Virginia Boys Soccer Player of the Year on Thursday for the 2018’19 school year.
Biafora, a WVU signee, is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award, which will be announced this month.
The 5-foot-11, 180-pound forward scored 49 goals and passed for 13 assists last season, leading the Hawks (21-1-1) to the Class AAA semifinals. The West Virginia Sports Writers Association Player of the Year, Biafora is a three-time all-state member and was selected as Class AAA Player of the Year by the West Virginia High School Soccer Coaches Association.
“It’s the biggest award you can get in every sport and there’s so many good players in West Virginia that I’m just extremely lucky to be blessed with award,” Biafora said. “If I could give the award to my boys on my team, I would because they deserve every piece of it.”
Off the field, he was a math tutor at UHS and volunteered assisting the elderly and coaching youth soccer players.
The last Monongalia County player to win the award was Morgantown’s Addison Luck, who won it in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Area winners
Joseph Biafora, UHS —2018-19
Addison Luck MHS— 2014-15, 2015-16
Kenzo Koike, MHS — 2001-2002
Eric Dailey, MHS — 2000-2001
Ryan Clawges, MHS — 1999-2000
Michael Myers, MHS — 1998-99
Mitch St. Clair, MHS — 1997-98
Stephen Toth, MHS — 1994-95
John Harris, MHS — 1988-89
