Parker, Howard voted Gatorade High School Athletes of the Year.

It probably shouldn't have been a surprise. When nine of the 10 2003-04 Gatorade National High School Players of the Year gathered in Hollywood in July, Candace Parker of Naperville (IL) Central was instantly installed as the unofficial "mother hen." And why not? The mistress of dunk had been there, done that.

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The Tennessee-bound Parker was the only repeater among the current year's Gatorade national award winners and one of only three athletes ever to win her sport's Player of the Year award more than once in the program's 19-year history. (The others: three-time winner Marion Jones in 1991-93 and LeBron James, a two-time winner, in 2002-03.)

For the second straight year, the ESPY Awards at Hollywood's Kodak Theater provided the setting for the gathering of the Gatorade winners. Since 1985, the Gatorade High School Player of the Year Award has become, arguably, the most sought-after award in high school sports. That's because of Gatorade's commitment to honoring only outstanding young men and women who excel on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. And, beginning in 2003, the company added the Male and Female Gatorade National High School Athlete of the Year award to the program. It's selected by a distinguished panel of sportswriters and broadcasters from throughout the nation. Olympian Allyson Felix and James won the initial AOY awards in 2003.

Again, the field was most impressive. In addition to Parker, the rest of the nominees included:

Football's Jeff Byers, the amazingly quick (a 4.7 40) 6-4, 287-pound center from Loveland, CO, the first O-linemen ever selected as the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year. 2004-05: USC.

Cynthia Barboza of Long Beach, CA, the only high schooler training with the U.S. National Volleyball team prior to Athens, 2004-05: Long Beach Wilson HS.

Patrick Phelan of Enfield, CT, a defensive mainstay for the U.S. National Under-18 and Under-20 national teams. 2004-05: Wake Forest.

Ashlyn Harris of Satellite Beach, FL, projected as the next great U.S. national team goalkeeper, and captain ofthe U.S. Under-19s. 2004-05: UNC.

Dwight Howard of Atlanta, the top choice in the 2004 NBA Draft. Often called "the next Kevin Garnett," he can shoot from outside, pass, and handle the ball. 2004-05: Orlando Magic.

Anjelica "Jelly" Selden of Fairfield, CA, one of the most dominant prep pitchers ever. How about a career 0.06 ERA? 2004-05: UCLA..

Mark Rogers of Orr's Island, ME, the first Down Easter to win Gatorade national honors in any sport. The second high school player in the 2004 draft (#5 overall). 2004-05: Milwaukee Brewers.

Jason Richardson of Cedar Hill, TX, the nation's premier high school hurdler and one of the best ever. 2004-05: South Carolina.

Shalonda Solomon of Englewood, CA, one of the nation's top sprinters, won the 200-meters at the World Junior Championships. 2004-05: South Carolina.

Two of the program's most distinguished alumni, basketball's Lisa Leslie (1990) and football's Peyton Manning (1993), presented the national Athlete of the Year awards to Parker and Howard, respectively. For Candace, who had lost to Felix in 2003, the victory was especially sweet. Dwight's selection made it two straight years that the NBA's top draft pick had won the boys' award.

And what about 2005, the 20th anniversary of the Gatorade High School Player of the Year program? Only one of last year's sport winners, Barboza, is back for another try. That makes her the early favorite for the role of unofficial AOY "mother hen!"