Devon Achane won 2019 UIL 5A state championships in the 200m, 4x100 Relay, 4x200 Relay, as well as the team championship
This morning, Fort Bend Marshall senior sprinter Devon Achane was named Gatorade's 2020 Texas Boy's Player of the Year (POY) for track and field.
For 35 years, Gatorade has selected the best high school athletes in every sport to represent their state as the (POY). The award, does not only recognition to outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character.
Achane helped his Marshall squad to another state championship in 2019 by winning the 200m and running legs on both the winning 4x100 and 4x200 relays. In the 200m, Achane ran the US. No 1 ranked time with his 20.46, eclipsing the elite 21.00 barrier an unbelievable five times throughout the 2019 season.
This season, Achane didn't really get things rolling to his typical level yet as he was being cautiously maintained by the coaching staff. Essentially, Achane had participated in football going deep into the playoff season in each of his four years including the state championship game in both his junior and senior seasons. He would then head right into indoor and outdoor track and back into football with some appearances in the summer/club track seasons.
However, even though he hadn't reached peak performance fitness for 2020, he was still able to run 10.53 in the 100m and 21.57 in the 200m this season before it was ended due to COVID-19.
As previously mentioned, Achane also played football and found both team and individual successful success. He signed to play on the college level at Texas A&M University.
To qualify for the Gatorade award, Achane maintained a B average and was a local volunteer locally on behalf of an elementary school reading initiative, per the Gatorade press release.
Achane joins fellow Fort Bend Marshall 2014 graduate, and current Atlanta Falcons starting CB Kendall Sheffield as Gatorade POY winners.
