A soccer ball at Griff Galyon’s feet is a sight to behold.
His touch on the ball is light and elegant, as Galyon’s feet absorb the ball like a sponge. The Hutchinson High junior can then dance with the ball with pizzazz and excitement, more resembling John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever” than a soccer player. Galyon’s speed adds to what is already a complete package for an attacking soccer player. Simply put, opposing defenders won’t likely win many races against Galyon.
Galyon’s ability to create and score goals makes him an easy selection for Ad Astra Radio’s area soccer player of the year.
The Salthawks played a brutal schedule this year. They took on six teams that won a regional championship, went 8-9-1 and finished as a Class 5A regional runner-up.
Despite the difficult schedule, and opponents tracking Galyon closely at times with multiple defenders, Galyon still scored 18 goals and dished out 11 assists in the 17 games he played.
“Griff is a gifted player that has used his natural talent, paired with hard work and dedication, to become one of the best players in the state,” said Hutchinson coach Cidy Vargas. “Since the day Galyon put on a Salthawk jersey, he has been an integral part of our offense, which is apparent in his stats this year, reaching double digits in both goals and assists. With Griff’s speed, creativity, love for the game and his family support system, we know his soccer future is bright.”
Galyon was named first-team All AVCTL Division 1, a conference that included 5A runner-up Maize South, and 5A quarterfinalist Salina South.
Galyon will continue to hone his soccer skills for his club team, FC Wichita, which plays nationally. Galyon was named to the Elite Clubs National League all-conference team and player of the year last season.
