SOUTH MUSKOKA - The South Muskoka Shield may not have won the 2010 Russell Cup, but the team took home the most individual Greater Metro Jr. A Hockey League (GMHL) awards.
Shield general manager Gord Carey said members of the South Muskoka squad won five of the 10 awards, while cup winners Deseronto Storm won two. In total, four of the 11 teams in the league took home awards.
“I think it’s great that we got five,” said Carey. “That’s a great feat in itself for five personnel to be awarded winners.”
Coach Dallyn Telford was declared the winner of the Ken Girard Award, presented to the GMHL coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success.
“It’s nice to win an award and be recognized by the other members of the league,” Telford said. “We won some big awards and a couple back-to-back. It’s a reflection of the players, management and coaching and training staff.”
Captain Chad Meagher won his second consecutive Naz Marchese Award for best defensive forward. He was also nominated for the Marshall Uretsky Award for most valuable player. The award went to Deseronto’s Brad Clark.
Dylan Sontag was the recipient of the Sportsmanship Award for the second year in a row. The award goes to the player who displays sportsmanship and gentlemanly-like conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.
Sontag was also nominated for the Norm Clark Award for best forward. The award was given to Artem Podshendyalov of the Bradford Rattlers.
Shield goalie Mark Wardell won the Gerry St. Onge Award for best goaltender. In 20 games, Wardell earned 16 wins. His goals-against average was 2.99, behind Shield goalie Rob Sutherland with a 1.7 goals-against average and a 0.94 save percentage after 13 games in the regular season.
Carey said signing Sutherland to the Shield midway through the season gave the team the two best goalies in the league. He was disappointed both goalies couldn’t take home the award.
Lastly, Adam MacBeth won the Mark Trost Award for best defenceman, earning 53 points in the season and another 11 during playoffs.
Carey said he agreed with the award selections, but also felt best rookie nominee Trevor Smith was a true contender for the Dan Garneau Award. The award instead went to Rattlers player Matus Matis.
“Trevor had a good year, and possibly should’ve been rookie of the year,” said Carey. “In his first year he scored 12 goals and 20 assists in the regular season, and added another nine points in playoffs.”
The Garrett Hamel Award for most heart was awarded to Edward Sedivy of the Elliot Lake Bobcats.