The Sun Valley Spartans senior quarterback Sam Howell has been selected and named the Gatorade North Carolina Football Player of the Year for 2018.

The Florida State commit, had an outstanding season and career.  This season he completed 179-299 pass attempts for a 59.9 percent.  Howell accumulated 3,250 yards and 36 touchdowns with only eight interceptions.  He also rushed for 1,392 yards and 17 scores on 175 carries for an average of 7.9 yards per attempt.

The powerful 6’2″ 225 pound quarterback ended his high school career as Union County’s all-time leader in passing yards with 13,415 and 145 touchdowns.  With this seasons offensive totals he established a new state record for total offensive performance.  Howell, throughout his career at Sun Valley amassed a total of 17,036 combined yardage in both passing and rushing to set the new record.

Howell’s career rushing yards 3,621 ranks him ninth all time among Union County players.  Others performers are running backs so from a quarterback position this makes him a prolific two-way threat that many college coaches cannot resist.

The only other quarterbacks who have been nominated for this honor are Will Grier, Chazz Surratt and Chris Leak since its inception.  Howell is the first Union County football player to win the coveted award.

He has been an outstanding and terrific high school athlete and is expected to be successful at the collegiate level.