The top athletes at Dryden High School were recognized Thursday night at the 46th Annual Awards Banquet.
Football and Basketball standout Jed Benham was named Male Athlete of the Year.
He says it was a complete surprise when he heard his name, as he states the award usually goes to someone who plays three or four sports.
Jed’s father won the very same award in 1983.
He was also named the top Lineman for the Eagles Football team.
Kyla Lindquist and Andi Wood were co-winners of the Female Athlete of the Year award.
Lindquist says the main highlight of the year was her trip to OFSAA with the Hockey team.
She says playing with all of her teammates will leave her with lasting memories and stressed she wouldn’t be up on the stage without their support.
Lindquist was also named the Most Dedicated player for the Girls Hockey Team and was the co-winner of the Most Valuable Player award in Soccer.
She shared the honour with Emmy Arsenault.
Andi Wood says she was surprised to win the major award, noting this is one of the deepest talent pools ever seen for female players.
Wood thanked her coaches and volunteers.
She cleaned up at the Awards banquet with five awards.
Wood also took home trophies for Most Valuable in Track and Field (sharing the award with Elisa Mawby), Most Valuable in Cross Country and Most Valuable in Nordic Skiing.
The skiing event was a first for Wood as she had little experience.
She also received the Mike Smith Award as the top student athlete in the region handed out by NorWOSSA.
Jacquie Grandmont won the first ever Lions Club award for community involvement.
Here is a list of all award winners, with Sponsors in brackets.
Sportswoman of the Year (Fenton Family): Chelsea Martel
Sportsman of the Year (Schultz Family): Bruce Anderson
Female Rookie of the Year (Zilkalns Family): Corrin Kuzemchuk
Male Rookie of the Year (McDonald’s Restaurant): Thomas Moline
Female Athlete of the Year (UNIFOR Local 105): Andie Wood/Kyla Lindquist
Male Athlete of the Year (Domtar): Jed Benham
Lions Club Award for Community Involvement: Jacquie Grandmont
NorWOSSA Mike Smith Award: Andi Wood
Individual Teams
Cheerleading
Most Dedicated (Casually Hip): Kelsey Fenwick
Most Improved (Eagles Booster Club): Maya Oversby
Girls Soccer
Most Valuable (Masala Restaurant): Kyla Lindquist/Emmy Arsenault
Most Improved (Dryden Youth Soccer): Payton Boyko
Boys Soccer
Most Valuable (Gould’s Brand Source): Brendan Bartlett
Most Improved: Graham Oliphant
Junior Boys Volleyball
Most Valuable (Home Hardware): Devan Schmidt
Most Improved (Riverview Lodge): Xavier Korzinski
Junior Girls Volleyball
Most Valuable (Riverview Lodge): Monica Tourond
Most Improved (Best Western): Maya Nickle
Junior Boys Basketball
Most Valuable (Husky House Restaurant): Jacob Bilous
Most Improved (Subway): Jared Vandenbrand/Mike Bell
Junior Girls Basketball
Most Valuable (Dryden GM)-Jessica Carter/Sarah Benson
Most Improved (Tim Horton’s)-Marcie Coles
Senior Girls Volleyball
Most Valuable (Dryden Volleyball Club): Chelsea Martel/Elisa Mawby
Most Improved (Dairy Queen): Celena Brosseau
Most Dedicated-Pat Collins Award (Extra Foods): Chelsea Martel
Senior Boys Volleyball
Most Valuable (Northern Lights Credit Union): Devon Noel
Most Improved (Walmart): Zach Lugli
Senior Girls Basketball
Most Valuable (Standard Insurance): Emmy Arsenault
Most Improved (Tremonti Family): Jayne Pateman
Most Dedicated-Kathy Sanders Award (Sanders Family): Chelsea Martel
Senior Boys Basketball
Most Valuable (Gardam Family): Brandon Thompson
Most Improved (Gillon’s Insurance): Bruce Anderson
Football
Defense (McLeod Chiropractic): Jacob Bilous
Offence (Domino’s Pizza): Braydon Hansson
Lineman (Cran Family): Jed Benham
Most Improved (Pizza Hut): Kyle Johnston
Track and Field *All trophies sponsored by PRT
Most Valuable: Andie Wood/Elisa Mawby
Rookie: Taylor McLarty
Cross Country *All trophies sponsored by PRT
Most Valuable: Andi Wood
Rookie: Corrin Kuzemchuk
Outstanding Performance: Jeremy Braun
Boys Badminton
Most Valuable Junior (McKinstry Chrysler): Thomas Moline
Most Valuable Senior (Safeway): Jacob Mousseau
Girls Badminton
Most Valuable Junior (Iron Range Bus Lines): Monica Tourond
Most Valuable Senior (Young Drivers of Canada): Jordan Bakos
Boys Hockey
Most Valuable (Dingwall Ford): Matt Pitchenese
Outstanding Contribution Award in Memory of Neil Fadden (Murphy’s Trophy Depot): Keith Wrolstad
Girls Hockey
Most Valuable (Hagens Dressing): Cara Balla
Most Improved (Dryden Girls Hockey): Jacquie Grandmont
Most Dedicated (Kano Reid): Kyla Lindquist
Golf
Boys Most Valuable (Krantz Family): Cam Zapitelli
Girls Most Valuable (Bryck Family): Rachel Getson
Nordic Skiing
Most Valuable (Dufresne Furniture): Andie Wood
Most Improved (Canadian Tire): Corrin Kuzemchuk
Wrestling
Most Valuable (Eagles Booster Club): Tristan Thibault
