The Bonnyville Voyageurs celebrated the ups and downs of the season during their annual year-end banquet.
Players, their families, and volunteers packed into Notre Dame High School (NDHS) on Thursday, Dec. 6 to acknowledge the hard work of the players.
Head coach Larry Godziuk noted for some, it’s their farewell to a game they have been playing since they hit the field as Renegades.
“They’re done high school football... most of these kids will never play football again, not in the way they played football for the last three years. For the Grade 12s that are leaving, it’s significant, because they’re saying goodbye to a game they’ve put their bodies in peril for for years,” Godziuk expressed.
For Silas Fagnan, it was that feeling that hit him when he accepted the special teams player of the year award.
“During the season, you’re thinking football and you’re thinking business trying to make every moment last and to get as far as you can as a group. But, once I realized it was my last year, it’s a feeling that you can never get back, it sucked,” he exclaimed.
While previous years have been easy for coaches to select their winners, Godziuk said rookie of the year and most improved couldn’t be narrowed down to just one.
Newcomers Brenden Smith, John Neumann, and Miles Debler took home the honours as this year’s rookies, while Avery Kaban, Dylan Goodheart, and Mason Griep were chosen as the most improved players.
Next up was the defensive front seven, which went to Cadence Gislason. Gideon Hunt took home the defensive player award with 30 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick. With 25 tackles, four sacks, and two interceptions, Evan Fritzler landed this year’s MVP award.
Fritzler said he loved being part of the Voyageurs, and was surprised to learn the coaches chose him as this year’s recipient of the MVP.
“I didn’t play as many games as I would have liked to, but I came out with it.”
Receiving the award for offensive line was Dakota Gladue, while offensive player went to Drake Boulianne. Jacob Cardenas was awarded the honour of offensive MVP, and he wanted to thank the coaches for choosing him.
“It was a privilege, and it was a good time with the offence. Words can’t describe the feeling of (receiving this award). Football is a game where a lot of emotions hit you from a lot of different ways and angles. It’s a privilege to win this award, and represent the team,” Cardenas detailed.
Godziuk added, “Jacob played game-in and game-out, he was one of our top performers... Without Jacob catching the ball, we just weren’t the same team. It’s just well deserved.”
