Sara Stewart, captain of the UPEI women Panthers, and Simon Hood, a member of the Holland College Hurricanes men’s team that reached the national final, were named the P.E.I. Soccer Association senior players of the year at its annual awards dinner in Charlottetown recently.
Stewart, from Dunstaffnage, had an outstanding season on defence for the nationally-ranked Panthers, who finished atop of the Atlantic University Sport standings and finished runner-up at the AUS championship tournament.
She scored the winning goal against Cape Breton in semifinal play and was named an AUS all-star and second team Canadian Interuniversity Sport all-Canadian.
Hood has the unique honour of winning the junior and senior award in consecutive years, following a fall season that almost resulted in a national gold medal.
Hood, a fiercely competitive fullback, was captain of the Hurricane team which went unbeaten in Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association play and won two games at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament before an overtime loss in the final.
Hood was named an ACAA all-star and was a finalist for the Bob Coe Award for combining ability with sportsmanship and leadership.
Junior player awards
The junior player awards were won by James Mallard of the Winsloe-Charlottetown Royals under-18 male team and Morgan Thorburn of the Eliot River-Central Queens under-16 female team.
The versatile Mallard was dominant on defence for the Royals, who finished third in the senior men’s league and won the provincial championship.
At Acadia University, he enjoyed a fine freshman season with the Axemen in AUS play.
He is excellent technically, can pass and is a fine reader of the game.
Thorburn, from Cornwall, is one of the most exciting talents in the region, earning selection to the Atlantic team which participated in the national all-stars championships and helping her Central Queens/Eliot River team to a provincial club title and a place at the Canadian club championships.
A striker with a great shot and fierce determination, she is already on the radar of many universities.
Referee, coach, team awards
Cory Deagle of Montague (senior) Ellen Burnett of Charlottetown (junior) won the referee awards.
Burnett has shown consistent improvement in her three years as an official, and in 2011 she received high-level assignments at the Atlantic under-14 all-stars championships and the provincial championships.
Deagle continues to progress and handled some key games this past season, including the senior men’s Challenge Cup, the boys’ P.E.I. School Athletic Association high school final and the Eastern Canadian masters championship in Charlottetown.
Melis Visser was named coach of the year, and his team, the Winsloe-Charlottetown under-14 boys, won the team award, following a fine performace at the Canadian club championships where they finished seventh.
The squad defeated Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, tied Alberta and had two narrow losses to Ontario and British Columbia, resulting in the finest performace ever by an P.E.I. under-14 team at the club nationals.
Volunteer awards
The association also honoured some fine volunteers.
Tammy Wall of the Stratford Foxes was named administrator of the year, Bernie Dykerman of Central Queens took home the Alan Godfrey Volunteer of the Year Award, and Keira Coady, also of Central Queens, won the Lowell Stewart Memorial Award for her fine sportsmanship and the work she has done with the club’s mini program.
The association also recognized outgoing technical director Lewis Page with a special presentation, while the referees’ association also paid tribute to Justine Lewis, who is also leaving her position.
