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Preds still sticking together at awards banquet

Jul 5, 2017 | 9:22 PM

As is the case at this time every year, the Prince Albert Predators junior lacrosse team held their awards banquet at Kachur’s Golf Course on Wednesday. But this was the first time Tyson Fetch ran the ceremonies as the Preds’ head coach.

Fetch joked during the celebration that he fell into the role, after replacing Darryl Frenette after he joined the coaching staff for the Saskatchewan Junior A squad. But despite the new faces behind the bench and the rookie-filled roster, the cohesion of the team kept everything glued together.

During his opening remarks, Fetch recalled the last road trip of the season. He and the rest of the coaches were delivering pizzas up to the players in their hotel rooms one evening, and figured they’d had to visit each room to get send the pies in. But to their surprise, all 20 players were crammed into one room to spend their final weekend as a team together– literally and figuratively.  

“That was easy to deliver their pizzas,” Fetch said. “It really was a cohesive group of people. It started with our leadership I think, there was no divide among them. There usually is some sort of divide, I don’t know what it was before. This year, it really did translate well on the floor. They looked out for each other.”

Ashton Hall was the big winner, taking home four awards for the Predators’ Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Top Scorer and Loose Ball Award. Hall also received MVP honours from the Prairie Gold Lacrosse League, as well.

Kurtis Peifer was the other multi-award winner, taking home the Spirit of Lacrosse Award and Most Gentlemanly Player.

Predators Awards

Spirit of Lacrosse Award: Kurtis Peifer
Loose Ball Award: Ashton Hall
Most Improved Player: Scott Tillmans
Most Gentlemanly Player: Kurtis Peifer
Defensive Player of the Year: Travis Dryka and Carson Remy
Top Scorer: Ashton Hall
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Brandon Tillmans
Bring the Intensity Award: Brendan Beaulac
Heart and Soul: Jordan McDougall
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tanner Vancoughnett
Offensive Player of the Year: Ashton Hall
Team MVP: Ashton Hall

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW