The winners in the Predators’ awards banquet (from left to right), Dillan Cochrane, Offensive Player of the Year; Duncan Fetch, Most Valuable Player; Davin Ikert, Defensive Player of the Year; Matthew Cudmore, Loose Ball Leader; Luke Eggerman, Most Improved Player; Brycen Brule, Most Sportsmanlike Player. (Jeff D’Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D’Andrea

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The Prince Albert Predators awards banquet on Tuesday was a lot more than that. It was a celebration of the ending of three long and fruitful eras in Prince Albert lacrosse.

Ever since Duncan Fetch decided at a young age that he would play lacrosse as his summer sport instead of soccer, his father Tyson Fetch stood behind the bench of each of Duncan’s teams as a coach. Duncan’s longtime friend Dillan Cochrane also made that decision to play lacrosse over soccer, but not until the age of nine. Tyson coached him as well since then and has known Cochrane since kindergarten.

After Duncan and Cochrane’s Predators’ playing careers came to an end following the completion of this season, Tyson also decided to step down in his role as the Predators’ head coach — a role he’s held for six seasons and has been on the Predators’ coaching staff since 2011. Before then, Tyson was the president of Prince Albert Lacrosse and held handfuls of other roles at the same time to fill in absent gaps on the board.

All three of them were honoured with their dedication to the Predators and to Prince Albert lacrosse at the team’s banquet at Kachur’s Golf Course. Duncan and Cochrane received customized Predators’ flasks and commemorative plaques, as is tradition. Tyson also received a plaque and a standing ovation from the players and their parents at the banquet.

During one of his many emotional speeches on Tuesday, Tyson admitted he thought the Predators were “in trouble” after seeing how rusty they were during the team’s tryouts and early practices.

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“I literally couldn’t sleep for three days,” he said

That quickly changed as he saw the team sharpen up their skills, put in the time, and blossom into one of the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League’s better teams. They got to the final, the third consecutive trip to the big dance, but fell to the Saskatoon Jr. Swat 13-7 to end up as the runners-up.

But that early hesitancy he had in the team turned into overwhelming confidence in the Predators, not only this season but in the immediate future.

“I know they will win the next two years,” Tyson said. “I’m stepping down at a bad time, but it’s not about me.”

On top of all of that, the team also handed out its awards. They omitted the “Rookie of the Year Award” as 21 of 25 players on the team were rookies due to the past two seasons being cancelled during the pandemic.

Other award winners included:

• Most Sportsmanlike — Brycen Brule
• Most Improved Player — Luke Eggerman
• Loose Ball Leader — Matthew Cudmore (112 loose balls)
• Defensive Player of the Year — Davin Ikert
• Offensive Player of the Year — Dillan Cochrane
• Most Valuable Player —Duncan Fetch

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow