Candidates for Massachusetts' 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year

It’s that time of the year when considerations for candidates for numerous awards becomes the topic of discussion and one of the more notable of them all is the Gatorade Player of the Year for high school football players.

Each state has a player named for the prestigious honor and as the season begins ending for many across the country, the question starts popping up of who should be up for the very honor Gatorade Player of the Year?

Rivals examines state-by-state the unofficial candidates for the Gatorade Player of the Year, with next up being the Old Colony State of Massachusetts. Check out the five Gatorade POTY potential candidates we have selected and believe should be up at the forefront for the award.

(All candidates were selected by Rivals’ Andy Villamarzo)

Christian McIntyre, ATH, Xaverian Brothers

Whether the 6-foot-1, 185-pound senior athlete is asked to play on offense of defense for the Hawks, McIntyre is sure to deliver for one of Massachusetts’ top high school football teams. McIntyre has been a menace for opposing secondaries to cover, with the senior wide receiver scoring 21 touchdowns this season. Flipping over to the defensive side of the ball, McIntyre jumps into the secondary and becomes a ball hawk as he’s picked off three passes this fall. Though McIntyre may not be the big name folks might look for in the award, he surely deserves to be a Gatorade POTY candidate with his play on the field.

Peter Bourque, QB, Tabor Academy

A junior quarterback that we have to have this list is Bourque, a Michigan commitment, out of Tabor Academy. The 2027 signal caller has played up against some of the best competition the NEPSAC has to offer as Bourque through 10 games has put up arguably the most efficient numbers of any player in the state of Massachusetts. Bourque accounted for 2,929 all-purpose yards with 33 total touchdowns and led the Seawolves to a dominating, 42-21 win over Buckingham Browne & Nichols School for the John Papas Bowl title. To think that Bourque has one more season under his belt after this highly productive junior campaign one is a scary thought for opposing defenses.

Osiris Lopez, QB, Leominster

One of the state’s most exciting players on any given Friday night was the Coastal Carolina commitment. The Leominster senior quarterback had himself a monster senior season, which saw Lopez 3,191 all-purpose yards and 42 total touchdowns for the Blue Devils. Lopez’s best performance of the season is when he went off for Leominster in a 48-32 loss to St. John’s Preparatory School in a Round of 8 MIAA playoff matchup, totaling 459 all-purpose yards and five total touchdowns against Massachusetts’ No. 2 ranked team. This might be the easiest pick of them all on this list.

Jareth Staine, QB, Springfield Central

A sensational junior we have to throw onto this Gatorade POTY potential candidate list is Staine of Springfield Central, which is currently a contender for Massachusetts’ Division I state championship and has a massive matchup this week against St. John’s Preparatory School. The quarterback-ecentric matchup the first time around saw the 2027 passer put up arguably his best game of the season, completing 17 of 25 passes for 330 yards and accounting for three total touchdowns. the junior has the Golden Eagles at 9-1 and one step away from reaching a state championship game.

Christopher Vargas, QB, St. John’s Preparatory School

When you’re quarterbacking one of the state’s best teams and playing at a pretty high level, it’s hard to leave off a passer a talented as the sophomore four-star. Vargas a few weeks ago in a 43-28 victory over Catholic Memorial completed 20 of 29 passes and accounted for four touchdowns in the win. This week is the stepping stone before the Thanksgiving showdown with Xaverian Brothers, which could be a preview of the MIAA’s Division I state championship game. Vargas had one of the best performances of the season in St. John’s Preparatory’s 47-21 victory over Central Catholic back on Sep. 19 when the signal caller completed 18 of 24 passes for 287 yards and four touchdowns.

How to Follow Massachusetts High School Football

For Massachusetts high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Old Colony State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the state of Massachusetts.