Walton's Fender Gets Gatorade Honor

Walton High School soccer standout Holden Fender has been named the Gatorade Georgia boys' player of the year for 2011-12.

Fender, a 6-foot-1 midfielder, scored 10 goals and had 13 assists for the Raiders, who were eliminated from the Georgia Class AAAAA quarterfinals on Saturday. 

An integral part of Walton's state championship team last year, Fender is the second Raiders' player in recent years to win the Gatorade award, joining Connor Barbaree (2007-08).

Fender has been selected for the U.S. Soccer Under-17 men's national team and competes with the Sandy Springs-based Concorde Fire Club. As Concorde coaching director Gregg Blasingame told GHSA.net: 

“Holden has a couple of strengths that set him apart from the rest. He totally controls the tempo of the game. He knows when to slow it down or pick up the pace. He reads the game very well and can switch the play better than any midfielder I’ve seen.”

Last week, Fender signed a college scholarship offer from UCLA.