By Pat Payton
A 30-win season and a third-place finish have brought individual awards to the St. Marys Lincolns.
The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) recently announced its 2019-20 award winners for the Western Conference, and Lincs received three special honours.
The biggest award involving the Lincolns went to head coach Trent McClement and assistants Tyler Duarte and Cole Stewart. They won the Pete’s Sports Award for coaching staff-of-the-year. Other assistants (not on the bench) include: goalie coach Terry Wickam, Brett Whitehead, Carson Brookshaw and Jordan Paola. They guided the Lincs (30-13-3-4) to their first 30-win season in 10 years.
Two St. Marys players, meanwhile, were named to conference all-star teams. Kyle Curtin was chosen first-team all-star goaltender, and forward Ryan Burke was selected to the rookie all-star squad.
Curtin, regarded as one of the best goalies in the entire GOJHL, had an outstanding season. The 18-year-old sophomore from St. George made 35 regular-season starts, posting a 19-11-2 record. Curtin had a 2.39 goals-against average, a .922 save percentage, and two shutouts.
Burke had 13 goals and 41 points, playing in all 50 games. The Londoner finished third overall in team scoring. Burke, who is a very good passer and plays with a lot of poise, recently turned 17.
Other first-team all-stars are: defencemen Jaydon Fetter (Leamington Flyers) and Logan Mailloux (London Nationals), and forwards Cal Davis (London Nationals), Nolan DeGurse (Sarnia Legionnaires) and Dario Beljo (Komoka Kings).
Others named to the rookie all-star team are: goalie Sami Molu (LaSalle Vipers), defencemen Mailloux and Spencer Lecot (LaSalle Vipers), and forwards Jacob Chantler (London Nationals) and Nicholas Beneteau (Leamington Flyers).
Other major award winners
Other major award winners in the Western Conference are as follows:
Nationals’ blue-liner Logan Mailloux was honoured with three more awards. The London Knights’ draft pick won the Roy Bruhlman Memorial Award for rookie-of-the-year, the Phibbs Incorporated Award for most outstanding first-year defenceman, and the Southland Insurance Award for most points (68) by a rookie.
London centre Cal Davis gets his name on two league awards. The 20-year-old Peterborough native won the CHOK player-of-the-year award for the second straight season. Davis also led the entire GOJHL in scoring (30-70-100) and receives the Hugh McLean Award for top scorer in the Western Conference.
Another member of the first-place Nats, goalie Shawn Wiranata, takes home the Roy Caley Award for lowest goal-against average (2.12) during the regular season.
Jaydon Fetter, of Leamington, wins the Uni-Fab Award as top defenceman in the conference. The 20-year-old Windsor native had 14 goals and 51 points in 45 games.
Sarnia centre Nolan DeGurse is this year’s winner of the Chester Pegg Memorial Award for outstanding ability and sportsmanship. The 18-year-old from Brights Grove had 37 goals and 68 points in 37 games.
Leamington Flyers’ Dylan Weston receives the Kevin McIntosh Award for top defensive forward in the league. The 19-year-old from Belle River had 21 goals and 51 points in 44 games.
Three other awards were also announced.
London Nationals (42-5-1-2) get the Stan Moore Award for finishing in first place in the West.
The Kelly Hearn Award for outstanding volunteer goes to Don Adams of Komoka Kings.
The 2019-20 winner of the Western Conference Convener’s Award is Randy DeWael of Chatham Maroons.
