SEATTLE — The Seattle Sounders won the 2017 Story of the Year at the 82nd annual Sports Star of the Year awards at the Paramount Theatre on Wednesday night after winning their first MLS title in December.
Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer, head coach Brian Schmetzer, forward Jordan Morris and Chief Operating Officer Bart Wiley accepted the award, one that meant a little something extra to the Seattle native Schmetzer.
“It’s great for all the fans who have been here for a long time,” Schmetzer said. “It’ll take a few more years of reflection. I’m very proud to be a part of the Seattle sports scene for a long time.
“I’m a Seattle sports guy,” he continued. “For me, I don’t know if I can really understand it all now, it’ll probably take me a few years, but I was certainly proud of the players I was able to coach.”
Mercer Island’s Morris was just as humbled. He signed as a Homegrown Player before the start of the 2016 season and then led the team in scoring en route to being named the MLS Rookie of the Year.
“It’s so cool to play for my hometown team and bring a championship back, it’s pretty surreal,” Morris said. “It’s funny, when [defender Chad Marshall] and I were at [United States national team] camp, sometimes we would wake up in the morning and walk into practice and be like, ‘Oh, we won the MLS Cup,’ I don’t know if it’s [fully] hit me yet, but every once in a while it does, so it’s exciting.”
Morris was also an individual finalist for Male Athlete of the Year, which went to Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner.
“That’s a list you don’t expect to see your name on,” Morris said. “It’s a true honor, and Bobby 100 percent deserves it. Leading the NFL in tackles, that’s unreal.”
Added Schmetzer: “He should have been [nominated], it was deserved. He had a super rookie year. He’s a tremendous kid, well-grounded, great athlete, great soccer player...His time will come.”
