Another tremendous regular season produced a tremendous haul of hardware for the Listowel Cyclones.
In total, the team took home 12 awards, which included a number of All-Star team selections. Co-Captain Caleb Warren, who was also named Best Defensive Player for February, was named the Best Defensive Forward for the season. Warren says that he feels his awards are a direct result of the way the team tries to play on a nightly basis.
“It's very humbling but it's a by-product of Brooksy and his coaching, and the hard work they put in to make us better, and to make us a defensive team. To get this award, it's very humbling but it's a representation of our team. It represents what we did as a team this season, the fewest goals against, and everything we took pride in and that's what made us first place."
Chayse Herrfort was the next to the podium, as he was a co-recipient alongside Brampton’s Patrick Del Vecchio of the Sportsmanship and Ability award. Herrfort had a tremendous regular season, piling up 29 goals, 41 assists and 70 points to lead the team in scoring, while just receiving 18 penalty minutes.
The goaltenders were up next, as Max Wright and Evan Reinhart were recognized for Best Team Goaltending, as the duo only allowed 100 goals all season, well ahead of Stratford’s 146. Wright was also named a first team All-Star, and says that despite coming to a new team this year, he felt his transition would be easy.
“It feels great, I'm happy for Evan, but this team had great success last year, we all know that, and I knew it would be an easy transition stepping into such a great team with such a great defensive core and a solid defensive mindset."
The final individual award, All-Star selections aside, was rightly saved for Head Coach Jason Brooks. Brooks, who has led the Cyclones to back-to-back first place finishes, as well as the club’s second ever Cherrey Cup last year, was named Coach of the Year. Never one to take any credit, Brooks says that his award represents the great staff he works with, and the talented players at his disposal every night.
“I think it's more of a team award than an individual award, I mean I've got a great coaching staff with Todd Norman, Jesse Cole, Mike Brooks, I mean they all contribute. These are important people to our organization, and getting rewarded with Coach of the Year is a testament to them as much as it is my award. Plus, we have a great team, a great group of kids who work their butts of every night, every time we practice, they grind and never quit."
Brooks says the team has big aspirations this year, and that it would be great to potentially repeat as Cherrey Cup champs, and possibly go for the Sutherland Cup title that eluded them last year. Their journey will start Friday at home against the Guelph Hurricanes.
Here's the full breakdown of all the award winners:
Herbert G. Parker Memorial Trophy-1st Place Regular Season: Listowel Cyclones (88 points)
R.J. Noble Memorial Trophy-Rookie of the Year: Kaleb Pearson, Stratford Warriors (Led all rookies in scoring with 67 points)
Kaleb Pearson (left) of the Stratford Warriors accepts the Rookie of the Year Award from Kevin Purdie. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Cory Stoyko Memorial Trophy-Best Defenseman: Ryan Nicholson, Stratford Warriors (Led all defenseman in scoring with 56 points)
Ryan Nicholson (left) of the Stratford Warriors accepts the Best Defenseman award from Darren Dedobbelaer. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Standard Life Insurance Trophy-Sportsmanship and Ability: Chayse Herrfort, Listowel Cyclones (Led Cyclones in scoring with 70 points, just 18 PIMs) and Patrick Del Vecchio, Brampton Bombers (Led Bombers in scoring as a rookie with 66 points, just 26 PIMs)
Chayse Herrfort (left) of the Listowel Cyclones, and Patrick Del Vecchio (right) of the Brampton Bombers accept their award for Sportsmanship and Ability from Wayne Long. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Twin City Trophies Trophy-Best Team Goaltending: Max Wright and Evan Reinhart of the Listowel Cyclones (Wright and Reinhart allowed just 100 goals this year, best in the Midwest ahead of 2nd place Stratford with 146)
Max Wright (left) and Evan Reinhart (right) of the Listowel Cyclones accept their award for Best Team Goaltending from Tom Armbruster. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Joe Veroni Memorial Trophy-Best Defensive Forward: Caleb Warren, Listowel Cyclones (Warren put up 32 points, but was a key penalty killer and defensive force for a team that allowed just 100 goals, also serving as co-captain with Blake Nichol)
Caleb Warren (left) of the Listowel Cyclones accepts his award for Best Defensive Forward from Jeff Snyder. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Leroy Jamieson Memorial Trophy-Outstanding Contributions To One Team: Ethan Skinner, Elmira Sugar Kings (Skinner, a former league MVP, has spent 4 years as a Sugar King, and has done a tremendous amount of work in the community, instilling himself as an all-time great Sugar Kings player and representative)
Ethan Skinner (left) of the Elmira Sugar Kings accepts his award for Outstanding Contributions To One Team from Jeff Grimwood. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Unique Embroidery Trophy-Midwest Scoring Champ: Jack Scanlan, Stratford Warriors (Scanlan had an outstanding offensive year, pacing the Midwest with 30 goals, 60 assists and 90 points in 50 games)
Jack Scanlan (middle) of the Stratford Warriors accepts his award for Midwest Scoring Champ from Paul Jennings and Tom Armbruster. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Frank Santarossa Scholarship Award-Presented by Frank's father Lino: Jonathan Reinhart, Elmira Sugar Kings, and Scott Florence, Leamington Flyers.
CKCO TV Trophy-MVP: Jack Scanlan, Stratford Warriors (Scanlan was league scoring champ, and helped guide his team to a 2nd place finish in the Midwest)
Jack Scanlan (right) of the Stratford Warriors accepts his award for MVP from Matt Fidlin. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
The Kearnsy Memorial Trophy-Coach of the Year: Jason Brooks, Listowel Cyclones (Brooks led the Cyclones to back-to-back first place finishes, this year pacing the Midwest with 88 points, and the best defensive record with 94 goals against, alongside the second best offensive total with 232 goals)
Jason Brooks (left) of the Listowel Cyclones accepts his award for Coach of the Year from Doug Black. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
1st All-Star Team-Forwards: Jack Scanlan (Stratford Warriors), Cullen Mercer (Listowel Cyclones), Ethan Skinner (Elmira Sugar Kings) Defense: Max Coyle (Listowel Cyclones), Ryan Nicholson (Stratford Warriors) Goalie: Max Wright (Listowel Cyclones)
L-R: Ryan Nicholson (Stratford Warriors), Jack Scanlan (Stratford Warriors), Ethan Skinner (Elmira Sugar Kings), Max Coyle (Listowel Cyclones) and Max Wright (Listowel Cyclones) accept their 1st Team All-Star awards. Not pictured is Cullen Mercer (Listowel Cyclones). (Photo by Ryan Drury)
2nd All-Star Team-Forwards: Jakob Lee (Listowel Cyclones), Sam Cherry (Waterloo Siskins), Chayse Herrfort (Listowel Cyclones) Defense: David Kiss (Kitchener Dutchmen), Tyler McBay (Elmira Sugar Kings) Goalie: Ruan Badenhorst (Stratford Warriors)
L-R: Sam Cherry (Waterloo Siskins), Ruan Badenhorst (Stratford Warriors), David Kiss (Kitchener Dutchmen), Tyler McBay (Elmira Sugar Kings), Jakob Lee (Listowel Cyclones) and Chayse Herrfort (Listowel Cyclones) accept their 2nd Team All-Star awards. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
All-Rookie Team-Forwards: Sean Kawalec (Kitchener Dutchmen), Patrick Del Vecchio (Brampton Bombers), Kaleb Pearson (Stratford Warriors) Defense: Jagger O'Toole (Listowel Cyclones), Justin Zuber (Waterloo Siskins) Goalie: Jet Greaves (Guelph Hurricanes)
L-R: Sean Kawalec (Kitchener Duthcmen), Patrick Del Vecchio (Brampton Bombers), Jet Greaves (Guelph Hurricanes), Jagger O'Toole (Listowel Cyclones), Justin Zuber (Waterloo Siskins) and Kaleb Pearson (Stratford Warriors) accept their All-Rookie Team awards. (Photo by Ryan Drury)
Marilyn Craig Memorial Trophy-In honour of longtime Elmira Sugar Kings volunteer Marilyn Craig, who worked with the team for over 42 years. The trophy was presented to Marilyn's children, her son Scott and daughter Colleen.
Colleen Craig (left) and Scott Craig (right) accept the award created in their late mother Marilyn's name from Dave O'Donoghue. (Photo by Ryan Drury)