Posted: Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:56 PM - 9,595 Readers

By: Matt Wixon

Plano's Dillon Powers was presented with the Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award Wednesday at a ceremony in Hollywood, Calif., but the biggest prize went to a future Texas quarterback. Austin Lake Travis quarterback Garrett Gilbert, a UT signee, was named Gatorade's National Boys Player of the Year for all sports.

The ceremony in the Crystal Ballroom at the historic Millenium Biltmore Hotel was still an "unreal" experience, Powers said. Part of the reason was that he met U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan, a presenter at the ceremony.

"I was nervous meeting him," said Powers, who led Plano to the 5A state championship in April. "He's one of the best players in the United States, and I've grown up watching him."

Other presenters at the event included NBA player Kevin Durant, formerly of UT, and former Highland Park quarterback Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 pick in this year's NFL draft. Powers, who has signed with Notre Dame, was among six boys nominees for the player of the year award.

Gilbert led Lake Travis to back-to-back 4A state titles and broke state records for passing yards in a season and a high school career.

Skylar Diggins, a basketball player from Washington High in South Bend, Ind., was selected the Girls Player of the Year.

All of the boys and girls nominees were scheduled to attend the taping of the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night.

"We get to go on the red carpet and meet some stars," Powers said. "It's crazy."

The player of the year award, which was first presented in 2003, is based on athletic and academic achievement. Previous winners include NBA star LeBron James and sprinter Allyson Felix, who won an Olympic gold medal last summer.