For the third year in a row, a soccer player from Clark County has been named the best in the state.
Shaela Bradley is the 2023-24 Gatorade Washington Girls Soccer Player of the Year. Last fall, the senior midfielder scored 35 goals in 22 matches to lead La Center to the Class 1A semifinals.
Bradley’s honor comes one year after Columbia River’s Alex Harris was named Gatorade boys soccer player of the year for the second time. She’s also the second local Gatorade honoree this season — Columbia River’s Lauren Dreves was named state volleyball player of the year in January.
Like Harris, who earned Ivy League freshman of the year honors last season at Cornell, Bradley has high hopes for college. The Rutgers signee was ranked as the nation’s No. 57 recruit in the Class of 2024 by Top Drawer Soccer.
Bradley is also in United States Soccer’s under-19 Women’s National Team player pool and was a 2023 United Soccer Coaches Youth All-American from her club play in the Portland Thorns organization.
A standout for all four years at La Center, Bradley ended her high school career with 137 goals and 49 assists.
Gatorade doesn’t just consider athletic achievements when deciding its player of the year. The company also cited Bradley’s 3.81 GPA and her volunteer efforts as a soccer referee and coach with Unified Sports.
Bradley also excelled in track and field. She was named The Columbian’s All-Region girls track and field athlete of the year for a second time after reaching the state meet podium in four events, including second-place finishes in the 400 meters and long jump.
Bradley was also named The Columbian’s 2023-24 girls multi-sport athlete of the year at the All-Region Awards Ceremony on June 5 at the Kiggins Theatre.
