Muskies reel in awards

Fort High handed out some prized hardware to its best and brightest athletes last Thursday evening at the Ukrainian Hall.
Lauren Pierce was named Female Athlete of the Year to go along with MVP honours for girls’ hockey. But she found her experience at the all-Ontarios with the Muskie girls’ soccer team in Collingwood earlier this month was bigger than any of her individual accomplishments.
“It was such a fun experience,” she recalled. “Obviously, the other teams [there] had better passing skills and that, but I think by the second day we started to do those things ourselves and I was just really proud of the whole team.
“It was my sixth time trying to get to OFSAA and to finally do it was great.”
Chris Hill, the Muskie girls’ hockey coach who presented the MVP award to Pierce, praised her work ethic and positive attitude.
“She brings her best and made a difference in every game from day one to the end,” Hill told those on hand for the awards banquet.
“You wish you could have a whole team of her because she was what being a team athlete was all about,” he added.
Garnet Cornell took home the Male Athlete of the Year award to go with a Letterman award (for playing on 10 or more sports teams during his high school tenure—he was on 12 between basketball, soccer, and volleyball).
He also was honoured with the most outstanding contribution nod for boys’ soccer.
“I was kind of expecting Mike Sande to get it because I played with him on a few teams and he was a great athlete and a better teammate,” Cornell said. “I just go out and play and have fun, and the awards are just the topping on the cake.”
Sande ended up with the MVP award for boys’ soccer, as well as the Brent Ogden Memorial (for sportsmanship and perseverance) and a Letterman award.
“I didn’t really expect to be getting anything,” Sande admitted. “Last year I didn’t get to play sports because I hurt my knee with football and was done for the year, so this is a surprise.”
The Strain brothers also had a good showing last Thursday as Jeremy netted MVP honours for senior boys’ basketball to go along with the Douglas Morrow Memorial (for academic and athletic achievement).
But the surprise of the night was when his younger brother, Josh, who represented Fort High at the all-Ontarios in track and field earlier this month, was introduced.
Strain was an impromptu winner after principal Gord McCabe announced a new honour for most outstanding track athlete that would be awarded to him.
Chris Legg, meanwhile, was the boys’ top star on the courts, netting MVP honours for both junior boys’ volleyball and basketball.
Other multi-award winners last Thursday were Taylor Meyers, who received the MVP nod for girls’ soccer and most improved player for senior girls’ basketball, and Jamie Jensen, who hauled in the MVP awards for both senior boys’ volleyball and badminton.
Here is the complete list of the winners:
•Letterman awards—Garnet Cornell, Rachel Dutton, and Mike Sande;
•Outstanding contribution (football)—Tyler Brusven;
•Outstanding defensive player (football)—Tyler Huntley;
•Jr. girls’ volleyball MVP—Angela Copenace;
•Jr. boys’ volleyball MVP—Chris Legg;
•Sr. girls’ volleyball MVP—Kayla Windigo;
•Sr. boys’ volleyball MVP—Jamie Jensen;
•Jr. girls’ basketball MVP—Chelsey Craig;
•Jr. boys’ basketball MVP—Chris Legg;
•Sr. girls’ basketball MVP—Jamie Holliday;
•Most Improved (sr. girls’ basketball)—Taylor Meyers;
•Sr. boys’ basketball MVP—Jeremy Strain;
•Sr. badminton MVP—Tim Desjardins and Jamie Jensen;
•Cheerleeding MVP—Missy Woolsey and Lauren Davis;
•Rookie of the Year (cheerleading)—Marina Jewell and Taleah Henry;
•Girls’ curling MVP—Tirzah Keffer;
•Boys’ curling MVP—Mike Badiuk;
•Girls’ hockey MVP—Lauren Pierce;
•Rookie of the Year (girls’ hockey)—Carlee Bosma;
•Boys’ hockey MVP—David Moen;
•Rookie of the Year (boys’ hockey)—Matt Beck;
•Girls’ soccer MVP—Taylor Meyers;
•Outstanding contribution (girls’ soccer)—Erin Kaemingh;
•MVP boys’ soccer—Mike Sande;
•Outstanding contribution (boys’ soccer)—Garnet Cornell;
•Grade 12 male for academic and athletic achievement—Jeremy Strain;
•Sportsmanship and perseverence—Mike Sande;
•Female Rookie of the Year—Chelsea Hill;
•Male Rookie of the Year—Anniss Seid;
•Female Athlete of the Year—Lauren Pierce; and
•Male Athlete of the Year—Garnet Cornell