BOISE, Idaho — Bishop Kelly High School senior running back Peter Minnaert on Wednesday was named the 2023-2024 Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year after helping guide the Knights to their first 4A state title since 2015.
Minnaert turned 166 carries into 1,646 yards and 30 touchdowns this fall as Bishop Kelly rolled to a perfect 13-0 record. He also tallied 175 yards and two scores on nine receptions, and averaged 41.8 yards on five kickoff returns.
In the Knights' 29-26 title win over Hillcrest on The Blue, Minnaert posted 138 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound standout committed to Carrol College on Dec. 26 after an impressive career in the Southern Idaho Conference.
Minnaert joins recent Gatorade Idaho Player of the Year honorees Kenyon Sadiq (Skyline), Colston Loveland (Gooding), Ben Ford (Eagle) and Austin Bolt (Borah). He is the fourth player from Bishop Kelly High School to ever receive the award, Wednesday's announcement said.
The Knight senior has maintained a 4.14 weighted GPA and volunteered serving food to the unhoused in association with St. Vincent de Paul Idaho. Minnaert also served also a peer tutor and is an usher as a devoted member of the St. John's Cathedral church community.
Last summer in New Orleans, he participated in a week-long service trip to help rebuild homes through the Saint Bernard Project. Minnaert still runs his own seasonal lawn care business, which he started as a freshman in high school.
“Our game plan centered around stopping Peter. We have elite linebackers and felt we could be successful if we got our linebackers one-on-one with him. He blew up that plan," Skyview head coach David Robinson said. "Peter was on another level compared to any other player we saw this year. I watched him carry his team to the state championship and he’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball. In my opinion, he was the difference between Bishop Kelly and a very talented Hillcrest team.”
Each year, Gatorade recognizes a player of the year in each of the 50 states and District of Columbia that sanction prep football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field. A Gatorade National Player of the Year is also awarded in each sport.
Each Gatorade Player of the Year receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. According to Wednesday's news release, grants have helped more than 1,600 organizations with a total of more than $4.9 million.
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