High school soccer: Bonneville's Thornock named player of the year

WASHINGTON TERRACE — During her three seasons playing soccer for Bonneville High, Jaiden Thornock has helped the Lakers reach unprecedented heights. Now Thornock is earning some major recognition for her efforts on the soccer field.

Last week, the junior forward was selected as the Gatorade Utah Girls Soccer Player of the Year for the 2009-10 season. Thornock is the first Bonneville soccer player to receive the award and is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award, which will be announced in May.

Thornock joins Kealia Ohai (2007-08, 2008-09) and Megan Ohai (2006-07) — both former Alta standouts — as recent recipients of the award.

For Thornock, receiving the award represents a sweet fruit of her continual efforts at becoming a better soccer player.

"This award helps me be able to realize that my hard work is recognized and that if I continue to work this hard I'll be able to succeed in much bigger things," Thornock said.

Gatorade player of the year awards not only take into account what a player does in their respective sport, but what they achieve in the classroom and what they do in their local community. In those areas, Thornock has also excelled. She carries a 3.98 grade point average and volunteers her time both as a local youth soccer instructor and at an assisted living facility.

The spotlight will definitely shine bright on Thornock coming into the 2010 girls soccer season. In three seasons with Bonneville, she has scored 54 career goals and she helped lead the Lakers to their first-ever 4A championship in 2008.

Thornock scored 26 goals and 10 assists this past season to help Bonneville return to the 4A title game, where the Lakers lost to eventual 4A champ Timpanogos.

Getting another crack at a state title is high on her list of priorities.

"I definitely want to be able to work a lot harder this senior season," Thornock said. "I really want to have another state championship before I'm out of school."

Thornock has verbally committed to play for BYU starting in fall of 2011. She chose the Cougars over the University of Utah and Portland, in part, because she felt good about what the soccer program there had to offer.

"I love their style of play," Thornock said. "I really clicked with the coaches. I felt like they were the perfect coaches for me."

EMAIL: jcoon@desnews.com