Seymour's Mike Osiecki has been named the 2008-09 Gatorade Connecticut Football Player of the Year.

Osiecki is the first Gatorade Connecticut Football Player of the Year to be chosen from Seymour 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 Osiecki as Connecticut's best high school football player.

Osiecki is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award to be announced in December.

The 6-foot-2, 212-pound senior fullback and linebacker had rushed for 1,759 yards and 25 touchdowns on 184 carries at the time of his selection. Osiecki also had caught 25 passes for 419 yards and six touchdowns.

On defense, the 2007 Class SS First Team All-State selection had amassed 132 tackles (106 solo) and six sacks to lead the Wildcats (11-1) into the Class SS state final against New London on Saturday.

Osiecki has maintained a record of achievement in the classroom and has volunteered with multiple community-service initiatives, especially as a coach for the Seymour Pop Warner football program.

"He has a major impact on every snap in the game," said Tom Brockett, head coach of rival Ansonia High. "He's not missing anything football-wise. He's as fine as any two-way player to step on the field. He's the type of guy, when you watch him on film you start to cheer for him-except when you're playing him."

Osiecki has verbally committed to a football scholarship at the University of Connecticut next fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field. The selection process is administered by ESPN RISE Magazine, which works with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Osiecki joins recent Gatorade Connecticut Football Players of the Year Alex Thomas (2007-08, Ansonia HS), Aaron Hernandez (2006-07, Bristol Central HS), and Matt Kelleher (2005-06, Southington HS) among the state's list of former award winners. For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, a list of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit gatorade.com/playeroftheyear.