The Bonnyville Bandits, 2015 Tier III provincial champions, celebrated a successful season by honouring players, coaching staff and parents at the Bonnyville Renegades and Bandits annual awards banquet
Twelve players were presented with awards, four players were given honourable mentions, three jerseys were retired and over a dozen graduating players were presented with jerseys at Glendon Hall on Dec. 11.
The team handed out three MVP awards and one Out Hit Heart Hustle award, which is awarded to a Grade 9 player who showed the best team work effort.
The Bandits 75-35 victory against the Cardston Cougars in the championship game saw Evan Fritzler score back-to-back touchdowns less than three minutes into the game. In the biggest play of the game, Fritzler took a hand off from Bonnyville quarterback Silas Fagnan, broke a few tackles and ran the entire length of the field for a 104-yeard touchdown.
For his efforts, Fritzler, a graduating player presented with a Voyageurs jersey, was awarded the prestigious Team MVP award.
“It's crazy, I don't know how to describe it,” Fritzler said after receiving the award, adding that championship game was the toughest of his life and that he's looking forward to playing high school football.
He added, “It's a whole new game, it's high school, we'll just see what happens.”
With the Bandits up 34-14 in the championship game and time winding down in the first half, Fagnan managed to pull off another huge play. The quarterback tossed a perfect spiral 50-yards downfield to Gideon Hunt, who hauled it in and walked in for the score.
For his contributions, Fagnan won the Offensive MVP award and said that he hopes for another undefeated season next year.
“A lot of guys could have got it like the coach said, but I guess I was the guy so it's a great feeling to have, it's a great award, and I would like to thank my coaches for a wonderful year.”
He added, “It means a lot; the coaches, my family, the community that's what helped me get this award and I'm glad and proud of the team and everyone else.”
Portions of the awards ceremony got understandably emotional, as many teary eyed Bandits players came to terms with moving on to high school next year. In a surprise announcement, head coach Dan Jubinville told the audience he is moving up to coach the Voyageurs next season after being head coach of the Bandits since 2009.
“It's kind of a family decision, my youngest boy is moving up so I want to give as much as I can to his last three years of football,” said Jubinville. “I feel good about it but again it is a little sad because I put a lot of time and effort into it.”
Under Jubinville's triumphant season, the Bandits only gave up an average of 13.8 points per game. Undefeated, they went 10-0 in a season that saw the Bandits, Renegades and Voyageurs remain undefeated on Walsh Field.
“We know right from spring league that we were going to be a strong team,” he said. “It was a hard task keeping the boys grounded because the competition level was good but our boys were a step above.”
He added, “There were a couple of teams in the league that were weaker, they were young, and you know what a coach can only dream to have 33 kids like we did this year.”
Although the association hasn't picked a head coach as yet, Jubinville believes there are lots of people in the community and in the football program that have what it takes to fill his shoes.
“I'm leaving them a good legacy for them to build off of and it's great accomplishments not for myself but for the growth of young men and young coaches.”
Brodie Gamble won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, Josh Morgan won the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, Mason Ward won the Grade 8 Most Improved Award, Dustin Antoniuk won the Grade 9 Most Improved Award, Navarone Watchmaker won the Offensive Lineman of the Year Award, Cadence Gislason won the Defensive Lineman of the Year Award, Jacob Gardenas won the Offensive Backfield of the Year Award, Seth Papirny won the Defensive Backfield of the Year Award, Koleton Jubinville won the Defensive MVP Award of the Year and Steven Sawchuk won the Out Hit Heart Hustle Award.
