WSSARIZONA

With the Girls Gatorade Player of the Year being announced today, we now know the Top 2 Soccer Players in the state according to the athletic giants, Gatorade.

Sunrise Mountain Forward Sayan Hobbi and Casteel Goalkeeper Kendall Pechacek have been named the Gatorade Players of the Year for Arizona Boys and Girls Soccer.

Boys Gatorade Player of the Year: Sunrise Mountain FORW Sayan Hobbi (’27)

The winner of the Boys Soccer Gatorade Player of the Year for Arizona was Sunrise Mountain junior Sayan Hobbi.

Hobbi, who was named the Boys Soccer Gatorade Player of the Year last week, was one of the most electric players in the state for a Sunrise Mountain team that struck gold, winning their first Open Division Championship.

Hobbi, a Class of 2027 athlete, racked up 40 goals and 14 assists across 24 games for the champion Mustangs. That’s nearly 1.66 Goals per game and over 2 points per game for those keeping track at home.

A shifty 5’10 Forward who exceled at multiple positions including LW and ST, Hobbi scored in the Mustangs’ Open Division Championship win.

A so-far 3-year starter on varsity for Sunrise Mountain, Hobbi helped lead the Mustangs to their 2nd-consecutive trophy after winning the 2024-2025 5A Conference Championship a season ago.

Hobbi will look to make it 3 championships in a row next winter when he’ll return for the Mustangs in his senior season.

Girls Gatorade Player of the Year: Casteel GK Kendall Pechacek (’26)

The winner of the Girls Soccer Gatorade Player of the Year for Arizona was Casteel senior goalkeeper Kendall Pechacek.

Pechacek anchored an already stacked back-line for the Open Division-winning Casteel Colts. She started 13 games in 2026, finishing a perfect 13-0 with 55 saves and only 5 goals allowed (She did not start in Casteel’s only loss to Hamilton).

The Colts’ starting keeper was incredible all-season long for a Casteel team that dethroned Xavier College Prep, becoming the first team other than XCP to win the Girls Open Division.

Without Pechacek, this might not have been the case.

Despite giving up a ’77 minute goal to XCP’s Olivia Yu, Pechacek held tough in overtime and the eventual penalty shootout, in which she stopped two XCP tries en-route to the Casteel win.

Pechacek is committed to Florida Atlantic University where she will continue her athletic career.