This year’s banquet marked the end of the line for a number of players on each of the VHSHL’s 13 teams, including Liam Carmichael, one of eight graduating seniors on the provincial D-2 champion NKEC Titans. Carmichael says he will miss high school hockey, even though he only played one year.
“I’m looking forward to graduation and moving on to university,” said Carmichael, who is bound for St. F.X. this fall to study business. An avid golfer, he is also looking forward to golf season.
Carmichael realizes his hockey career is likely over, “other than intramurals and res hockey.” He added, “I enjoyed this year,” which ended in a provincial banner.
Ben Gordon, who will graduate from Horton in June, played three seasons with the Griffins.
“We played D-2 this year, for the first time,” he said. “It was a lot of fun.”
Gordon said the VHSHL “is a great league,” and he had “a good bunch of teammates.”
The Port Williams native is bound for the Nova Scotia Community College campus in Port Hawkesbury this fall to study power engineering.
Riley Guest completed his third year with the Central Kings Gators this season, and served as team captain.
“It’s been fun, the most fun I’ve had playing hockey,” he said. “We were able to qualify for D-2 provincials, and ended up third overall,” missing out on a berth in the provincial final by one goal.
Guest, who will attend Acadia this fall to study engineering, admitted to having mixed emotions at the end of his high school athletics career, which also included soccer.
“It’s good to move on to other things,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve made some good friends (through hockey and other sports), and I’ll leave with lots of memories.”
This year’s banquet marked the end of the line for a number of players on each of the VHSHL’s 13 teams, including Liam Carmichael, one of eight graduating seniors on the provincial D-2 champion NKEC Titans. Carmichael says he will miss high school hockey, even though he only played one year.
“I’m looking forward to graduation and moving on to university,” said Carmichael, who is bound for St. F.X. this fall to study business. An avid golfer, he is also looking forward to golf season.
Carmichael realizes his hockey career is likely over, “other than intramurals and res hockey.” He added, “I enjoyed this year,” which ended in a provincial banner.
Ben Gordon, who will graduate from Horton in June, played three seasons with the Griffins.
“We played D-2 this year, for the first time,” he said. “It was a lot of fun.”
Gordon said the VHSHL “is a great league,” and he had “a good bunch of teammates.”
The Port Williams native is bound for the Nova Scotia Community College campus in Port Hawkesbury this fall to study power engineering.
Riley Guest completed his third year with the Central Kings Gators this season, and served as team captain.
“It’s been fun, the most fun I’ve had playing hockey,” he said. “We were able to qualify for D-2 provincials, and ended up third overall,” missing out on a berth in the provincial final by one goal.
Guest, who will attend Acadia this fall to study engineering, admitted to having mixed emotions at the end of his high school athletics career, which also included soccer.
“It’s good to move on to other things,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve made some good friends (through hockey and other sports), and I’ll leave with lots of memories.”
Noah Turner of NKEC received the John MacAskill Trophy as player of the year when the Valley High School Hockey League boys’ division handed out its 2014-2015 awards April 7 in Berwick.
Traditionally, the VHSHL player of the year award criteria is based on a combination of athletics, academics, citizenship and community service. The award recipient is regarded as the top student-athlete in the league.
Turner, a graduating student who was described as “an athlete, a scholar and an outstanding example of a good citizen,” was the choice of the VHSHL player of the year selection committee from among a list of nominees.
“Noah is a leader in the school, a member of the student government executive, and also volunteers in the community at a local nursing home and as a mentor/coach with Acadia Minor Hockey,” said VHSHL executive member Scott Russell, adding that Turner “truly is the definition of a student-athlete.”
On the ice, Turner’s season was limited to 10 games and 598 minutes played due to an injury, but he compiled a 9-1 record and a 2.61 goals against average. He was in top form in the post-season, helping lead NKEC to the regional and provincial banners.
Turner also received the John Prall Award as the league’s top goalie, one of only a few times the league’s player of the year has received a second award.
This was a groundbreaking season in many ways for the VHSHL boys’ division, which operated with a record-high total of 13 teams. The league welcomed Yarmouth, Ecole Par en Bas, Barrington and Bridgewater for 2014-2015, while Middleton was granted a year’s leave of absence.
Other major award winners for the boys’ division included Bridgetown’s Terry Saunders, who received the John MacAskill Award as coach of the year.
Tristan Bowlby, also of Bridgetown, was recognized as the league’s leading scorer. Bowlby had 32 goals, 26 assists and 58 points in 23 games played.
A highly-contested competition for the Corey Chapman Memorial Trophy for the league’s top defenceman resulted in Brett Wyman of Par en Bas receiving the award.
Long-time Central Kings team manager Andrea Best was presented with the Art Lightfoot Memorial Award for dedication and support of high school hockey.
“It’s hard to find a good manager, and we had one of those individuals in Andrea. I never had to worry about off-ice issues, as I knew they would always be taken care of. I only had to coach,” said CK head coach Dave Allen,
Best, who retired from her position at the end of this season, “will truly be missed,” he added. “(She) helped turn the program around, and leaves it on a sound financial footing.”
A special award was also presented to Peter Selig, who is also retiring, for his many years of service to the league and to high school hockey throughout Nova Scotia.
The league’s teams also handed out team awards, as follows:
Avon View – Coaches awards: Peter MacDougall, Luke Jillett.
Barrington – MVP: Justyn Newell; coaches award: Bret Penney.
Bridgetown – MVP: Tristan Bowlby; coaches award: Caleb Medicraft.
Bridgewater – Co-MVPs: Mark Rogers, Josh Savage.
Central Kings – Coaches awards: Ben Best, Riley Guest.
Digby – Co-MVPs: Noah Thomas, Logan Carmen.
Forest Heights – MVP: Connor Nauss; coaches award: Alex Miller.
Horton – Coaches awards: Gabe Morgan, Bryden Dunphy.
NKEC – Coaches awards: Justin Allen, Henk Ueffing.
Ecole Par en Bas – MVP: Brett Wyman; coaches award: Alexander Shaw.
Park View – Coaches awards: Ian Kaulback, Connor MacQuarrie.
West Kings – Coaches awards: Lorne Ogilvie, James Hunter.
Yarmouth – Co-MVPs: Braydon Donaldson, Cole Jacquard.
