Jacob Shaffelburg '19 has been named the state's top boys soccer player for the second year in a row.

Shaffelburg, of Nova Scotia, Canada, earned the 2018-2019 Gatorade Massachusetts Boys Soccer Player of the Year, which recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, as well as high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field.

"The Berkshire community and boys soccer program are so proud of Jacob," said Berkshire head coach Charlie Bour. "The real magic behind Jacob’s talent is his down-to-earth nature and genuine humility. He has worked very hard on his game and we have no doubt that he will continue to excel at the professional level."

Shaffelburg scored 16 goals and tallied 14 assists while leading the Bears to a 19-0 record and the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Class A championship last fall, the team's fifth prep title since 2013. Following the season, he signed a contract to play professionally for Toronto FC of Major League Soccer (MLS). 

Shaffelburg joins former Berkshire soccer standout Jack Harrison '15 as a two-time recipient of Gatorade's state player of the year award. Harrison won the award in 2014 and 2015, and went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft. Harrison played two seasons for New York City FC before signing a contract with the Premier League's Manchester City in 2018.

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year award, Shaffelburg also has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports organization of his choosing.