This year’s regular season is in the books and what a record breaking season it was for this year’s club. Last night the Portage Terriers Auxiliary hosted the Annual Awards Banquets and there were plenty of people on hand to help celebrate. As you can imagine with the season we have had, there were any number of players that could have been chosen for these awards.
The following were the deserving recipients;
Rookie of the year sponsored by The Stinson Family – Dean Stewart and Mackenzie Dwyer
Best Defenseman sponsored by Keystone Sports Excellence – Tanner Jago
Most Improved Player sponsored by Portage Credit Union – Dane Schioler
Top Scorer in Memory of Art Wilkinson – Zack Waldvogel
Most Valuable Player for Central Plains Sponsored by Murray Tufford – Zack Waldvogel
Best Defensive Forward sponsored by Golden West Radio – Garick Gray
Sportsmanship with Ability sponsored by Dr. Brian Graham – Brad Bowles
Community Spirit Award sponsored by the Spiller Family – Ryan Swier
Best Defensive Defenseman in Memory of Brendan Nichol – Landon Peel
Portage Minor Hockey Scholarship sponsored by the PMHA – Zack Waldvogel
Award of Commitment and Dedication in Memory of Doug Connery – Zack Waldvogel and Matt Alexander
Outstanding Team Player sponsored by Portage Cinema Centre – Ryan Swier
Most Valuable Player sponsored by Shoppers Drug Mart – Tanner Jago and Brad Bowles
Veteran Awards;
1 year – Garick Gray, Landon Peel, Tanner Jago, Grant Valiquette, Carson Perreaux
2 year – Jordyn Boyd , Taylor Friesen
3 year – Matt Alexander
4 year – Zack Waldvogel
Fan Appreciation award sponsored by Portage Co-op – Chase Faulkner
Geno Romanow Award of Dedication – Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries – The Killam Family Mark, Leah, Chad and Kamryn
There were also heartfelt speeches given by Captain Tanner Jago and Coach and GM Blake Spiller. The sentiment seemed to be the same that there were a lot of people to credit to this year’s successful season. Blake talked about the depth of his team and how setting the MJHL record for winning percentage in a single season with .917 was no small feat while Jago likes to credit the teams off ice chemistry to their winning ways.
There were even surprise video messages from Terriers Alumni, Canart, S.Pattyn, B.Harms and Mckay congratulating Coach Spiller on being named this year’s MJHL Coach of the Year and wishing the boys luck on their playoff run and Road to RBC.