Georgia's Rachel Gibson named MaxPreps/NFCA Player of the Week

Rachel Gibson of Heritage (Ringgold, Ga.) garnered the final 2020-21 MaxPreps/NFCA High School Player of the Week honor for the fall season. Gibson was recognized for her efforts in leading the Generals to a third straight Georgia High School Association (GHSA) AAAA state title.

Gibson started seven playoff games, posting a 4-1 mark with five complete games, three shutouts and two no decisions. The senior posted a 0.50 ERA, allowing eight runs, only three of which were earned, and struck out 68. She scattered 20 hits and walked nine in 41 innings of work. She posted two shutouts in the GHSA state playoff final against Bainbridge and then saved the other one for the winner-take-all title game against Central.

Against Bainbridge, Gibson twirled three and two-hit shutouts, respectively. She fanned 13 in a 1-0 game-one victory and followed that with 11 more punchouts to help secure the Generals' spot amongst the final four. Following a wild 16-5 10-inning win in the state opener, Gibson struck out 17 and surrendered two unearned runs in a tough eight-inning defeat against Central High School.

Following two shutout innings against West Laurens, Gibson dug deep and provided 14 pivotal innings against Central. She tossed a one-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks to force the deciding game. In her final prep start, Gibson scattered five hits, fanned ten and again did not issue a walk in a 4-0 victory. Over the course of the championship day, she allowed two unearned runs on six hits in 16 innings. She struck out 22 and did not walk a batter, while also driving in two runs at the plate.

MaxPreps.com, the official high school statistical provider of the NFCA, provides all statistics for the NFCA High School Player of the Week award. To nominate a player a coach must enter his or her athlete's game stats into MaxPreps.com by Sunday evening to be eligible for that week's award.

The MaxPreps/NFCA High School Player of the Week is announced on NFCA.org every Monday during the fall season, with one representative chosen from the participating regions. During the spring campaign, a player from each of five separate high school regions is selected.

MaxPreps is a free stat tool that is available to high school coaches across the country and is one of the most recognized and respected high school athletics websites on the internet. Coaches who enter their team's stats on MaxPreps will not only be nominating their players for this award, but they will be getting their team's information out to thousands of high school sports fans, as well as college coaches across the country.