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Topping 40% in all three voting categories (media, players and club), Jordan Morris has become the first Seattle Sounders player to win Rookie of the Year as a Sounder. Morris scored 12 goals, assisted four times and appeared in every regular season match.
“It’s a huge honor and it was one of my goals going into the year," Morris told SoundersFC.com. "But there were some other amazing rookies this year and they had some awesome years. Just to be a finalist with the two other great players was so cool. It’s obviously a huge honor.”
The vote totals indicate the race was not close, as was expected.
Prior to Morris’ winning, DeAndre Yedlin was the best finisher in Rookie of the Year voting, placing 3rd back in 2013. Steve Zakuani was not even a finalist in 2009.
Jordan finished second in MLS in game-winning goals with six, behind only Bradley Wright-Phillips. His year was so strong that while Cristian Roldan was being interviewed about Morris, Morris scored.
Jordan Morris was called up to the United States National Team for their match against Mexico on Nov. 11, but due to injury he returned to Seattle. The Sounders hope to have him healthy by their Western Conference Finals match against Colorado on the 22nd.
Early in the season Morris struggled, but by the end year he had a second scoring streak with four goals in four matches for a second surge. His game developed playing on the left wing and as a center forward. Through the season he started using his weaker left foot as teams adjusted to their inability to stop his right.