Helmets and cleats were exchanged for dress shirts and ties when the Bengals and Lions met for their annual Appreciation and Awards Night on Dec. 3. The event took place in the gymnasium of the St. Paul Regional High School, where family and friends joined the players and coaches for a night of celebration and thanks.
The Lions were there to wind up their 2014 campaign, one that saw them struggle through the Wheatland Football League regular season before coming on strong in the Division Two playoffs, eventually taking home the Division Two crown.
Head coach John Lumby took the podium to address the crowd and sum up the season. He spoke of a young Lions team, one that lost 16 of 32 players from the previous year due to graduation.
“We did have some talent this year,” he said. “We felt we had some potential, but we also had a lot of inexperience – and at times, that inexperience showed.”
An up-and-down season culminated in a rubber match between the Lions and the Westlock Thunderbirds in the Division Two championship game.
“As the season progressed, the players did get some experience behind them, and we started to see a change,” Lumby said. “I’ll tell you, that game at the end, that really defined who we were by the end of the season, because that was a tough team – a Tier I team – and our boys really came out fighting in that game, and we beat those guys. It was a great way to finish off the season.”
Todd Tanasichuk then took the stage to talk about his first season as the Bengals’ head coach.
“In some ways it was a real challenge, but in other ways it wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be,” he said of his move to the Bantam ranks. “This was mainly due to the players, and the assistant coaches that we had.”
The Bengals made the playoffs in 2014, but were then presented with the tough task of dealing with a strong team from Cold Lake – a task they fell short of completing.
“We were very inexperienced as a group, similar to the Lions,” he said of his team. “We had 10 returning players, and very few of them were starters in 2013. But the boys bought in to the belief that we would be much better in late October than we were in early September. That materialized, as was shown in our playoff game, when we gave Cold Lake a very good battle.”
The ceremony was a great success, as coaches and players were given the chance to express their appreciation to a number of deserving individuals who often go unnoticed. This included the parents, the coaches’ wives, the sponsors, and a litany of other volunteers. A video presentation produced by Carmen Dion was also shown to the crowd, one that included photos and highlights from the season. Afterwards, individual awards were presented to various players on both teams.
“It’s really about recognizing what a lot of people have done to make this all work – to make football in St. Paul happen – and to make it the great success that it is,” Lumby said of the event. “It’s great to have family members come and see the results of all the practices and everything. I think people get a feel for how much is involved with running these two teams, and how much people do behind the scenes. It’s also an opportunity to recognize individuals for their achievements.”
Coach Tanasichuk was also happy with the evening, and what it represented.
“What we’re doing, I believe, is something special. We do have a strong program, and we want to make it stronger,” he said. “When you are on the top, you can’t assume you’re always going to be there, and when you’re not, you’ve got to work harder to get there. We’re a small town compared to some of our opponents, and it forces us to work harder. We have to be more dedicated, we have to be more committed, and we have to pay a larger price to win.”
St. Paul Lions 2014 Award Winners
Best Offensive Back – Donovan Campeau
Best Receiver – Simon Chamberland
Best Offensive Lineman – Corey Wozniak
Best Defensive Lineman – Clinton Labine
Best Defensive Back – Patrick Dion
Best Linebacker – Max Lumby
Most Improved Player – Christian Spacil
Yaremko Family Most Heart Award- Clinton Labine
Leadership Award – Reuben Johnson
Randall Krys Ironman Award – Corey Wozniak
Rookie of the Year – Madison Brousseau
Most Valuable Player – Donovan Campeau
Claude Vachon Most Contribution/Least Recognition Award– Liam Krys
St. Paul Bengals 2014 Award Winners
Rookie of the Year – Henri Laidley
Best Offensive Player – Shayne Hurtubise
Most Heart Award – Noah Villard
Leadership Award – Matt Kotowich
Most Outstanding Grade 7 – Dustin Dubrule
Most Outstanding Grade 8 – Owen Breast
Most Improved – Cody Diamond
Best Offensive Lineman – Matt Kotowich
Best Defensive Lineman – Alex Smith
Best Defensive Skill Position – Christian Laramee
Most Valuable Player – Parker Lumby
