The Gatorade Company with collaboration from ESPN Rise has named Cody Helbling (Sr., Lake City High) and Kinsey Gomez (Jr., Coeur D'Alene High) Gatorade Players of the Year for Idaho. The award is given to a player who not only shows excellence in their sport but also in the classroom. The athlete must also show strong character on and off the course.
Helbling won the Bonner's Ferry Invitational, the Silverwood Coaster Invite and the Super 1 Farragut Invite. He placed 2nd in the Idaho State Cross Country Championships and 3rd at the Foot Locker West Regionals sending him to Foot Locker Nationals for the second time. Helbling finished 30th at the National race.
Gomez has had a string of wins starting with the Bonner's Ferry Invitational, the Tracy Walters Invitational, the Super 1 Farragut Invitational, the Eric Anderson Invitational and the Sandpoint Invitational. She also won the Idaho State Cross Country Championships. Gomez just missed qualifying for Foot Locker Nationals placing 11th at Foot Locker West. The top ten from each region go to Nationals.