Boston University Defenseman Lane Hutson Is Recipient of 71st Walter Brown Award as New England’s Best American-Born Division One Hockey Player

Posted on March 30, 2023 by gridclubboston

Only the Second Freshman Ever, 36 Years after Hockey Hall of Famer Brian Leetch in 1987; BU Coach Jay Pandolfo was Walter Brown Winner in 1996

BOSTON – March 30, 2023– Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Cheryl Duddy Schoenfeld announced today that Boston University freshman defenseman Lane Hutson is recipient of the 71st  Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born Division One college hockey player in New England.

The 5-10, 155-pound Hutson earned a slew of honors in his first season on Commonwealth Avenue.  He is the first defenseman ever to lead Hockey East in scoring, tallying nine goals and 25 assists in league play. He was a unanimous choice for All-League First All-Star team and the conference’s Rookie of the Year. The 29-10 Terriers won both the Hockey East regular season and playoff championships. They will face 28-9-1 Minnesota in the semifinal round of the Frozen Four in Tampa, Florida on April 6.  The other semifinal pits 32-4-3 Quinnipiac against 26-11-3 Michigan.

Nationally, Hutson ranked seventh overall in scoring with 15 goals and 33 assists for 48 points in 38 games.   He was the nation’s top-scoring defenseman and was named a semifinalist for the Hobey Baker Award. A resident of North Barrington, Illinois, he played for the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 Team before enrolling at BU. He was selected in the second round of the 2022 National Hockey League draft by the Montreal Canadiens. His brother Quinn, also a BU freshman, had a solid rookie season as well with 15 goals and 13 assists.  

“Congratulations to Lane on winning such a prestigious award. There were many deserving candidates for this honor, and for Lane to stand out as he has is a testament to his talent as well as to his work ethic and competitiveness. What Lane has achieved is even more impressive when you remember he’s only a freshman and he’s playing as a defenseman in arguably the best conference in college hockey,” said BU coach Jay Pandolfo.

“Our whole program is proud of Lane for what he’s accomplished in such a short timeframe here at BU, and we’re excited to share in his continued success,” continued Pandolfo, who received the Walter Brown Award in 1996 when he led BU to the Hockey East regular-season title and was named the league’s Player of the Year.

The two other finalists from the field of 25 semifinalists were Quinnipiac sophomore forward Collin Graf (Lincoln, MA) and Harvard junior forward Sean Farrell (Hopkinton, MA). Graf ranked third in the nation in scoring with 20 goals and 36 assists for 56 points. Farrell was right behind him at fourth in the nation with 20-33-53.

“While it is highly unusual for a freshman to be considered for the Walter Brown Award, sometimes a candidate is so outstanding that the choice in as easy one. That was the case with Lane Hutson. But you have to go back 36 years, to 1987, before you find another first-year player, Brian Leetch,  who subsequently went on to an 18-year NHL Hall of Fame career,” commented committee chairman Tim Costello.

The nation’s oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor, the Walter Brown Award was established in 1953 by the members of the 1933 Massachusetts Rangers, the first American team ever to win the World Championship Tournament. Brown coached the Rangers to the title in Prague, Czechoslovakia, where the team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in the championship game. The Walter Brown Award will be presented at the New England Hockey Writers’ annual event on Wednesday, April 19, at Prince Restaurant in Saugus.

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Abbate from Plymouth State Wins the 22nd Joe Concannon Award for Best American-Born Division II/III College Hockey Player in New England

Posted on March 23, 2023 by gridclubboston

Skilled forward wins the award over five outstanding finalists representing teams from

  Curry, Endicott, Franklin Pierce, Norwich, and Wesleyan

BOSTON – March  24, 2023 – Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Cheryl Duddy-Schoenfield announced today that Myles Abbate, a senior from Plymouth State University is the winner of the22ndtJoe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England at the Division-II/III level.

The Joe Concannon Award was established in 2001 shortly after the passing of the longtime writer for The Boston Globe, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics.

Abbate, a forward from Norwell, Massachusetts, finished his season with the Panthers by recording 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points with a plus/minus rating of +25 in 25 games played. He earned Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season while leading the Panthers to an undefeated regular season in conference play, a fourth consecutive MASCAC championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament where they bowed out to the University of New England in the first round. Abbate took only one minor penalty during the entire season and surpassed the 100-point mark in just over three seasons of play due to the pandemic.

“This is a great award for Myles, who really deserves it,” noted Plymouth State head coach Craig Russell. ”Having coached him for four years, he is the only player that I have ever seen that empties the tank each and every practice – no days off. He is just so committed and focused on the team results and goals that I am sure that the individual recognition won’t be much for him now, but I do know that down the road he will recognize the importance of winning this prestigious award. He has been a special human being and a pleasure and privilege to coach. I know he is looking at playing opportunities for next year and wherever that is, that team is getting something very special in Myles.”

Abbate outdistanced the remaining finalists in the final balloting. Each of the finalists had stellar seasons, and all were worthy candidates for the award. The remaining finalists include:

Drennen Atherton (Winter Park, FL)– The senior goaltender for Norwich played a big part in the Cadets’ receiving an at-large bid to the national tournament where they lost to Endicott in the quarterfinals. He finished the season with a 1.54 goals-against average, .943 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 games played. He finished the season with a 16-6-0 record, earning a second consecutive Goaltender of the Year and first-team All-NEHC honors.

Conor Foley (Nahant, MA) – The senior forward from Franklin Pierce finished the season with 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 points while leading the Ravens into the NE-10 tournament. Foley was a first team All-NE-10 selection along with being voted the conference’s Player of the Year.

Timmy Kent (Parkland, FL) – The junior forward from Curry College finished the season with 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points while leading the Colonels to the CCC championship game and an at-large NCAA tournament berth. The Colonels won their first-ever game in the national tournament, a 1-0 overtime vistory over Bowdoin where Kent set up the winning goal. Kent was a first team All-CCC selection.

Andrew Kurapov (Corvallis, OR) – The junior forward was a key piece in Endicott’s championship run and first CCC title since 2019. He finished the season with 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points and a plus/minus rating of +21. Kurapov has helped the Gulls reach their first ever Frozen Four, which they will host on March 24 and 26. Named Co-Player of the Year and a first team All-CCC player, he has led the Gulls offense all season.

Jake Lachance (Andover, MA)– The senior defenseman was a first team NESCAC all-conference player and Player of the Year while recording 7 goals and 19 assists for 26 points in leading Wesleyan to a first-place finish in the regular season. He was among the top three in conference scoring during the regular season while playing in all situations for Wesleyan.

“This season, more than any other in recent memory, has truly shown great balance and talent across the conferences and the region at the D-II/III level,” said Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Committee chairman Tim Costello. “The committee had a difficult time in winnowing the semifinal field but these special players, and Myles in particular, separated themselves from the pack with tremendous individual play and strong impact on team results to garner the special attention of the members. Myles is the first recipient from Plymouth State and only the second from MASCAC, with Nick Stauder from Salem State winning in 2003.”

The Joe Concannon Award will be presented to the winner at the New England College Hockey Writers’ Dinner on April 19 in Saugus, MA.

                                                Joe Concannon Award Winners

2001        Keith Aucoin                           Norwich University

2002        Michael Carosi                        Bowdoin College

2003        Nick Stauder                           Salem State College

2004        Michael O’Sullivan  Curry College                                                                                                                                                                 

Jim Pancyzkowski                         Wesleyan University

2005        Brian Doherty                         Curry College

                Joseph Ori                               Trinity College

2006        Adam Dann                             Bowdoin College

2007        Greg Osborne                         Colby College

2008        Tom Maldonado                      Middlebury College

2009        Jeff Landers                            Amherst College

2010        Coleman Noonan                    St. Anselm College

2011        Josh Harris                              Castleton College

2012        Jeremiah Ketts                         Johnson & Wales University

2013        Colin Mulvey                          Norwich University

2014        Jackson Brewer                       Trinity College

2015        Jamie Murray                          Babson College

2016        Jamie Murray                          Babson College

2017        Brady Fleurent                        University of New England

2018        Colin Larkin                            Massachusetts-Boston

2019        Brady Fleurent                        University of New England

2020        Walker Harris                          Wesleyan University

2021        Not Awarded                          Canceled due to COVID.

2022        Ryan Black                              Babson College

                Conor O’Brien                        Endicott College

2023        Myles Abbate                          Plymouth State University

The Joe Concannon Award

The Gridiron Club established the Joe Concannon Award in 2001 to honor Joe, a lifelong devotee of college hockey, former member of the Walter Brown Award Selection Committee and, as a journalist, a staunch advocate for the amateur athletes he knew and covered.  A native of Litchfield, Connecticut, Joe graduated from Boston University in 1961. He served as sports information director (SID) at Holy Cross before joining the Boston Globe in the late 1960’s to cover college sports.  Joe declined frequent invitations by his editors to write about Boston’s major professional sports teams, preferring to concentrate on the colleges, distance running and golf.  He wrote the book Marathoning with Bill Rodgers and established the highly successful Litchfield Road Race in his hometown.  Joe was a world traveler and was especially proud of his Irish heritage, frequently sojourning to the Emerald Isle.  He passed away in 2000.

2022-2023 Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Selection Committee and Advisory Board: Tim Costello, Chairman; Joe Bertagna, Tom Burke, Jim Connelly, Dick DeCaprio, Bob DeGregorio, John Gravallese, Steve Hagwell, Tyler Murray, John Powers, Paul McNamara, Mike McShane, Richard Umile, and William J. Stewart III.

Press Contacts:        Tim Costello, Committee Chairman

          Phone: 732-425-5922           tim.costello@ymail.com

                                Tom Burke, Communications Director 

   Phone: 617-323-5694             tomburke99@aol.com

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Gridiron Club and Massachusetts High School Football Coaches’ Association to Honor 2022 All-State High School Squad at March 12 SUPER26 Banquet

Posted on March 4, 2023 by gridclubboston

Also Presenting Individual Awards:

Coach of the Year, Courage Award, Top Player in City of Boston, and Outstanding Officials

BOSTON – March 3, 2023 – The 24th Annual Super26 Banquet, honoring the best in high school football for 2022, will be held on Sunday, March 12 at 5:00 p.m. at the Burlington Marriott Hotel.

Sponsored by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston and the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches’ Association, the SUPER26 Banquet honors the top high school football players in the Commonwealth for the 2022 season. Additional awards conferred at the dinner recognize players who have displayed exceptional courage during their high school careers; the best player in the City of Boston; and the year’s top high school coach; and the outstanding football official.

The SUPER26 Team Members for 2022:

Quarterbacks: Tucker McDonald, Wachusett; James Murphy, Reading; William Watson, Springfield Central

Running Backs: David Brown, St. Mary’s; Carson Harwood, Catholic Memorial; Darrell Jones, Catholic Memorial

Receivers: Ian Dixon, Wakefield; Jesse Ofurie, St. John’s Prep

Offensive Linemen: Jayden Bass, Springfield Cathedral; Case Mankins, Bishop Feehan; Braden Marceau-olayinka, Melrose; Jon Mould,  Xaverian; Danny Thompson, Scituate; Joshua Troiano, Seekonk

Defensive Linemen: Josiah Griffin, Springfield Cathedral; Jaden Wiggins, Central Catholic; Chris Sesay,  King Philip

Linebackers: Lincoln Beal, Andover; Owen Howlett, Milton Academy; Angelo LaRose, Worcester South; Preston Zinter, Central Catholic

Defensive Backs:

Joenel Aguero, St. John’s Prep; Liam Donagher, Grafton; Joey Duggan; Nobles; Eric Miles, Bedford; Owen McHugh, Milton   

Also Honoring:

Ohrenberger Award for Coach of the Year: Al Costabile, Shawsheen Valley Tech

Stewart Award for Outstanding High School Official: Ron Annand, ANEFO; Jon Rockwood, AIFO

Henry Smith Courage Award: James Tellier, Braintree

Dr. Joseph H. Burnett Award for Best Player in Boston: Sahmir Morales, Brighton

Dinner Co-Chairmen: Jim Kearney, Tom Lopez, Dick Lawrence

Co-Hosts: Cheryl Duddy Schoenfeld, President, Gridiron Club

Tom Bingham, President, MHSFCA

Master of Ceremonies: Tom Burke

Tickets are $100 each and may be purchased online by clicking paypal.me/gridclubboston

 or by contacting Gridiron Club Secretary/Treasurer Dick Lawrence at 781-23-0372  or by email at rlawr51881@aol.com. Social hour begins at 4:00; dinner will be served at 5:00.

About the Gridiron Club, “Keepers of the Flame”

Founded in 1932, the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston (https://gridclubboston.com) promotes the game of football at all levels and nurtures the ideals of citizenship, sportsmanship, leadership, and athletic and academic achievement. A registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation, the Gridiron Club is supported by membership dues, philanthropic contributions, and proceeds from its annual dinners.  The Club honors exemplary players, coaches and officials at all levels of the sport and supports worthy charitable causes, especially those that assist children.

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Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Announces 33 Semi-Finalists for 22nd Joe Concannon Award

Posted on February 14, 2023 by gridclubboston

Largest-ever candidates’ field includes mix of outstanding players across all New England conferences and independent teams 

BOSTON – February 14, 2023 – In what is likely the most exciting season across DII/III college hockey in many years, Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Cheryl Duddy-Schoenfeld announced today that 33 players are semifinalists for the22nd Joe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born NCAA Division II/III hockey player               in New England.

The Joe Concannon Award was established in 2001 shortly after the passing of the longtime writer for The Boston Globe, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics.

Twenty-five institutions are represented in the slate of candidates that includes five players from the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC), six from the Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10), six from the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), eight from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and six from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). Two independent programs, Anna Maria, and Albertus Magnus, also have nominees this season. The list of nominees includes 20 forwards, nine defensemen and four goaltenders. No school received more than two nominees, reflecting the incredible balance across the DII/III hockey landscape in New England. Babson, Colby, Norwich, Plymouth State, St. Anselm, Trinity, Wesleyan, and the University of New England each have two nominees.

The following is the complete list of semifinalists, by team, with statistics reflecting games through February 13, 2023:

Albertus Magnus: Tim Manning, sophomore forward from Concord, OH (11G – 10A – 21 points; +10)

Anna Maria: Cam Tobey, senior defenseman from Falmouth, MA (8G – 10A – 18 points; +10)

Assumption: Colin Philippon, senior forward from Salem, NH (9G – 17A – 26 points; -3)

Babson: Thomas Kramer, junior forward from Bridgewater, MA (8G – 16A – 24 points; +7); James Perullo, senior defenseman from Revere, MA (5G – 9A – 14 points; +14)

Bowdoin: Andy Stoneman, senior forward from Arrowsic, ME (8G – 12A – 20 points; +14)

Colby: Andy Beran, junior goaltender from St. Paul, MN (1.93 goals-against average, .934 save percentage); Jack Sullivan, junior defenseman from Elmhurst, IL (5G – 13A – 18 points; +8)

Curry: Timmy Kent, junior forward from Parkland, FL (15G – 19A – 34 points; +31)

Endicott: Andrew Kurapov, junior forward from Corvallis, OR (11G – 16A – 27 points +16)

Fitchburg State: Hunter Fortin, senior forward from Westerville, OH (9G – 12A – 21 points; +7)

Framingham State: Dylan Marty, sophomore forward from New Richmond, WI (7G – 15A – 22 points; -3)

Franklin Pierce: Conor Foley, junior forward from Nahant, MA (16G – 18A – 34 points; +5)

Massachusetts-Dartmouth: Jake Maynard, senior defenseman from St. John, IN (2G – 18A – 20 points; +6)

Norwich: Drennen Atherton, senior goaltender from Winter Haven, FL (1.36 goals-against average, .947 save percentage); Clark Kerner, sophomore forward from Kansas City, KS (8G – 11A – 19 points; +15)

Plymouth State: Myles Abbate, senior forward from Norwell, MA (9G – 21A – 30 points; +16); Brendahn Brawley, senior goaltender from Morton, PA (2.22 goals-against average; .930 save percentage)

Post: Nick Weber, freshman forward from Woodbury, MN (14G – 11A – 25 points; +3)

Salem State: Erik Larsson, junior forward from Lake Tahoe, CA (14G – 12A – 26 points; -11)

Salve Regina: Johnny Mulera, junior forward from Rockville, MD (10G – 14A – 24 points; +4)

Southern Maine: Curtis Judd, senior forward from Newton, MA (15G – 10A – 25 points; +8)

St. Anselm College: Matt Hayes, senior forward from Salem, NH (7G – 16A – 23 points; +12); Jack Murphy, senior defenseman from Marshfield, MA (3G – 18A – 21 points +4)

St. Michael’s College: Jeremy Routh, senior forward from Hampden, CT (10G – 16A – 26 points; +9)

Trinity: Gerard Maretta, junior forward from Brick, NJ (13G – 6A – 19 points; +14); Devon Bobak, freshman goaltender from Northwood, OH (1.27 goals-against average; .939 save percentage)

Tufts: Sam Miller, junior defenseman from Milwaukee, WI (7G – 12A – 19 points; +4)

Wesleyan: Wiggle Kerbrat, senior forward from Laguna Niguel, CA (15G – 10A – 25 points +12); Jake Lachance, senior defenseman from Andover, MA (6G – 16A – 22 points; +3)

Western New England: Shane Miller, junior defenseman from Succasunna, NJ (5G – 14A – 19 points -8)

University of New England: Jake Fuss, junior forward from Fairfield, CT (9G – 19A – 28 points; +17); Alex Sheehy, senior defenseman from North Salem, NY (1G – 12A – 13 points +12)

“This year has truly been the most dynamic and competitive at the DII/III level in many seasons” said Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Committee chairman Tim Costello. ”The competitiveness from top to bottom and the number of outstanding individual efforts throughout the season have made this year’s group of nominees the deepest and most diverse the committee has seen in the history of the award. The 33 semifinalists represent our largest field in the 22-year history of the Concannon Award, and it was very difficult to get it down to that number. We expect to see the field sort itself out in the course of the final weeks of the regular season, conference championship tournaments and the NCAA title chase in March.”

The Gridiron Club will announce the finalists and winner of the 22nd Joe Concannon Award in March, following league playoffs and before the start of NCAA Frozen Four on March 24 & 26.

                                                Joe Concannon Award Winners

2001        Keith Aucoin                           Norwich University               

2002        Michael Carosi                        Bowdoin College   

2003        Nick Stauder                           Salem State College

2004        Jim Pancyzkowski                  Wesleyan University

                Michael O’Sullivan                 Curry College         

2005        Brian Doherty                         Curry College         

                Joseph Ori                               Trinity College       

2006        Adam Dann                             Bowdoin College

2007        Greg Osborne                         Colby College

2008        Tom Maldonado                      Middlebury College

2009        Jeff Landers                            Amherst College

2010        Coleman Noonan                    St. Anselm College

2011        Josh Harris                              Castleton College

2012        Jeremiah Ketts                         Johnson & Wales Univ.

2013        Colin Mulvey                          Norwich University

2014        Jackson Brewer                       Trinity College

2015        Jamie Murray                          Babson College

2016        Jamie Murray                          Babson College

2017        Brady Fleurent                        U. of New England

2018        Colin Larkin                            UMass – Boston

2019        Brand Fleurent                        U. of New England

2020        Walker Harris                          Wesleyan University

2021        (None awarded due to COVID)

2022        Ryan Black                              Babson College

                Conor O’Brien                        Endicott College

The Joe Concannon Award

The Gridiron Club established the Joe Concannon Award in 2001 to honor Joe, a lifelong devotee of college hockey, former member of the Walter Brown Award Selection Committee and, as a journalist, a staunch advocate for the amateur athletes he knew and covered. A native of Litchfield, Connecticut, Joe graduated from Boston University in 1961. He served as sports information director (SID) at Holy Cross before joining the Boston Globe in the late 1960’s to cover college sports.  Joe declined frequent invitations by his editors to write about Boston’s major professional sports teams, preferring to concentrate on the colleges, distance running and golf.  He wrote the book Marathoning with Bill Rodgers and established the highly successful Litchfield Road Race in his hometown.  Joe was a world traveler and was especially proud of his Irish heritage, frequently sojourning to the Emerald Isle.  He passed away in 2000.

2022-2023 Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Selection Committee and Advisory Board: Tim Costello, Chairman; Joe Bertagna, Tom Burke, Jim Connelly, Dick DeCaprio, Bob DeGregorio, John Gravallese, Steve Hagwell, Paul McNamara, Mike McShane, Tyler Murray, John Powers, William J. Stewart III and Dick Umile.

Press Contacts:        Tim Costello, Committee Chairman

Phone: 732-425-5922             Tim.costello@ymail.com

                                Tom Burke, Communications Director

Phone: 617-323-5694             tomburke99@aol.com

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Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Announces 25 Semi-Finalists for 71st Walter Brown Award

Posted on February 7, 2023 by gridclubboston

Slate of American-born Division One hockey players in New England includes 16 forwards, eight defensemen, and one goaltender

BOSTON – February 7, 2023 – Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Cheryl Duddy Schoenfeld announced today that 25 NCAA Division One players are semifinalists for the71st Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.

The nation’s oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor, the Walter Brown Award was established in 1953 by the members of the 1933 Massachusetts Rangers, the first American team ever to win the World Championship Tournament. Brown coached the Rangers to the title in Prague, Czechoslovakia, where the team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in the championship game.

Twelve teams are represented in the slate of candidates that includes 16 forwards, eight defensemen, and one goaltender. Fifteen semifinalist nominees are from teams in Hockey East; eightnominees are from ECAC Hockey; two are from Atlantic Hockey.  Boston University leads the way with five semifinalists; Harvard has four, Quinnipiac three, and Boston College, UMass, Merrimack, and Northeastern each have two. American International, Connecticut, Dartmouth, Providence, and Sacred Heart each have one nominee.

The following is the complete list of semifinalists, by team, with statistics through February 5:

American International College: Senior forward Blake Bennett (Grand Island, NY) 17-10-27.

Boston College: Junior forward Nikita Nesterenko (Brooklyn, NY) 5-16-31; junior defenseman Eamon Powell (Marcellus, NY) 3-11-14.

Boston University: Senior forward Matt Brown (Woodridge, NJ) 12-25-37; junior goalie Drew Commesso    (Norwell, MA) 2.67 g.a.a., .909 save pct.; senior defenseman Domenick Fensore (Thornwood, NY) 8-11-19; freshman defenseman Lane Hutson (North Barrington, IL) 9-26-35; freshman forward Jeremy Wilmer (Rockville Center, NY) 9-12-21.

Connecticut: Junior defenseman Andrew Lucas (Alexandria, VA) 2-19-21.

Dartmouth:  Senior defenseman Tanner Palocsik (Aliquippa, PA) 4-16-20.

Harvard:  Junior forward Sean Farrell (Hopkinton, MA) 12-22-34; junior forward Alex Laferriere (Chatham, NJ ) 13-14-27; sophomore forward Matthew Coronato  (Greenlawn, NY) 14-11-25; senior defenseman Henry Thrun (Southborough, MA) 5-18-23.

Massachusetts: Sophomore defenseman Scott Morrow, (Darien, CT) 6-16-22; sophomore defenseman Ryan Ufko, (Smithtown, NY) 4-11-15.

Merrimack: Junior forward Alex Jefferies (Lunenberg, MA) 12-22-34; sophomore defenseman Matt Copponi (Mansfield, MA) 10-11-21.

Northeastern: Senior forward Aidan McDonough (Milton, MA).) 17-15-32; junior forward Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (East Greenwich, RI.) 7-16-23.

Providence: Senior forward Parker Ford (Wakefield, RI) 10-13-23.

Quinnipiac: Sophomore forward Collin Graf (Lincoln, MA) 14-24-38; freshman forward Sam Lipkin (Philadelphia, PA) 6-19-25; senior forward Skyler Brind’Amour (Raleigh, NC) 12-12-24.

Sacred Heart: Senior forward Neil Shea (Marshfield, MA) 8-14-22.

 “This is a superb field of semifinalists, and we’re looking forward to following them closely as the three Eastern leagues head down the stretch toward the playoffs,” noted committee chairman Tim Costello.

“In recent years the semifinalist lists were dominated by forwards and goalies. But with eight defensemen in the running this year, we feel that this list reflects the evolution of the game of hockey. Ever since Bobby Orr arrived on the scene, defensemen have become much more mobile, offensive-minded, and in charge of the game, much like quarterbacks in football and point guards in basketball.

The Gridiron Club will announce the winner of the 71st Walter Brown Award in the final week of March.                            

                            

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The 2022 Bob Whelan College Football Awards Night

Posted on November 21, 2022 by gridclubboston

Where: Burlington Marriott Hotel, Burlington, MA

When: Monday, December 19, 2022. Social Hour 6:00 p.m., Dinner at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets: $100 per person of $1000 per table of ten

Send your check to Dick Lawrence, Treasurer, P.O. Box 571, Ipswich, MA 01938

Or

Click on this link to pay via credit card: www.paypal.me/gridclubboston

This year’s award recipients:

84th annual George “Bulger” Lowe Award for New England’s best players in FBS/FCS Division: Boston College senior wide receiver Xavien “Zay” Flowers (Fort Lauderdale, FL) for offense and Harvard defensive lineman and team captain Truman Jones (Atlanta, GA) for defense.  

76th annual Swede Nelson Award for sportsmanship, academics, and athletic achievement: Boston College graduate linebacker Vinny DePalma (Wayne, NJ) in the FBS/FCS Division and Bates senior linebacker Tony Hooks (New Rochelle, NY) in Divisions II/III.  

26th annual Joe Zabilski Award for New England’s best players in Divisions II/III: UMass-Dartmouth junior quarterback Dante Aviles-Santos  (Cumberland, RI) for offense and Wesleyan University senior tackle Nick Helbig (Groton, CT) for defense.

Head Coach of the Year Awards: Bob Chesney of undefeated (11-0) Holy Cross in the FBS/FCS and Jeff Devanney of undefeated (9-0) Trinity College in Divisions II/III.

Assistant Coach of the Year Awards: Merrimack College associate head coach and defense coordinator Mike Gennetti  in FBS/FCS and Endicott College associate head coach and defensive coordinator Matt Popino  in Divisions II/III.

Joseph McKenney Award for top collegiate official: Bill O’Brien, an umpire in the Ivy, Colonial, and Patriot Leagues.

John Baronian Award for Lifetime Contribution to Football: Richard T. Lawrence (Tufts ’53) of Ipswich, who starred for the post World War II Jumbos and who has served the Gridiron Club for 25 years as its president, secretary, and treasurer.

To reserve tickets ($100 each, $1000 for table of ten) for the Bob Whelan College Awards Night, send your check to the Gridiron Club, P.O. Box 571, Ipswich, MA 01938, or click on paypal.me/gridclubboston to pay on line.

Please email us at gridironclub@gridclubboston.com if you have any questions.

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Ryan Black from Babson and Conor O’Brien from Endicott are Co-Winners of the 21st Joe Concannon Award for Best American-Born Division III College Hockey Player in New England 

Posted on March 22, 2022 by gridclubboston

Dynamic duo top the field of five outstanding finalists representing teams from Babson, Colby, Endicott, Plymouth State, and Saint Anselm’s

BOSTON – March  22, 2022 – Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Cheryl Duddy-Schoenfield announced today that Ryan Black from Babson Collegeand Conor O’Brien from Endicott College are the co-winners of the21stJoe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England at the Division-II/III level.

The Joe Concannon Award was established in 2001 shortly after the passing of the longtime writer for The Boston Globe, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics.

Black, a senior forward from Pomfret, Connecticut, finished his season with the Beavers by recording 19 goals and 19 assists for 38 points. Black earned Player of the Year honors in the ultra-competitive New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) while also leading the nation in game-winning goals with nine on the season. He helped the Beavers earn the NEHC title and their first NCAA tournament win since 2013 before losing in the quarterfinal round to Geneseo. He is just the second individual winner of the award and third overall for Babson, whose Jamie Murray won the award back-to-back in 2015 and 2016.

“This is a great award for Ryan, who has been a selfless star for us,” noted Babson head coach Jamie Rice. ”In my time here, nobody has done what he did this year, at the level he did, with such consistency. He is amazingly humble and always happy. He carries himself with a lot of humility and has always just been one of the guys on the team. He has tremendous hockey sense and an innate ability to put himself in the right place on the ice. He took zero penalties this year, scored 100 points in just over three years of playing, and led the nation in game-winning goals and you would never know it with how he carries himself on and off the ice. As good a player as Ryan has been, he really is a better person and has carried that beyond our team to the athletic community and campus here at Babson.”

O’Brien, a senior goaltender from Pinellas Park, Florida, led the Gulls to the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) title game where they lost to the University of New England in overtime. For the season, O’Brien was outstanding statistically with a 1.47 goals-against average and .949 save percentage to go with a shutout and a 19-6-1 record in 27 starts. His performance earned him both the Goaltender and Player of the Year honors in the CCC. He is also the first ever netminder at Endicott to wear the “C” as captain of the team. O’Brien becomes the first Gull to win the Joe Concannon Award.

“From day one, Conor has made our program and community a better place,” said Endicott head coach R.J. Tolan. “He’s the most self-confident and competitive person I have coached. He is so committed to his craft, and he has made it almost impossible not to play him in every game, not only over the last season but for his career here at Endicott. Conor always raises the bar and wills himself to be the very best goaltender, captain and teammate. He has been the backbone of our team, has been a great leader, and is a huge contributor to our success as a program.”

Black and O’Brien outpaced three other outstanding finalists in the final balloting. All were worthy candidates for the award.  They are:

Myles Abbate (Norwell, MA) – the junior forward from Plymouth State finished the season with 17 goals and 23 assists for 40 points while leading the Panthers to their third consecutive MASCAC championship and NCAA tournament berth. Abbate was a first team All-MASCAC selection along with being voted the league’s Player of the Year.

Andrew Andary (Macomb, MI) – the junior forward was a first-team NE-10 all-conference player and Player of the Year He recorded 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points in leading St. Anselm to a second place finish in the regular season. He led the conference in scoring during the regular season while chipping in with two game-winning goals for the Hawks.

Andy Beran (St. Paul, MN) – the sophomore goaltender for Colby played a big part in the Mules’ winning the regular season title in the NESCAC before losing in the tournament title game to Trinity. He finished the season with a 1.62 goals-against average, .937 save percentage and five shutouts in 24 games. He posted a 15-6-2 record, earning Goaltender of the Year and first-team All-NESCAC honors.

“This has been an incredible season at the D-II/III level with so many great players and teams accomplishing so much for the first time since COVID curtailed play in 2020,” said Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Committee chairman Tim Costello. “This is the third time the award has seen co-winners and the first time since 2005. These finalists are truly among the best representation of the outstanding level of play and individual achievement from across each of the conferences.”

“This year showcased a season where there was unparalleled parity and high level of play across New England. For Ryan and Conor, this season was truly a great culmination to a pair of wonderful careers with great league recognitions and now capped off by winning the Joe Concannon Award. The committee really could not come to a single winner, considering their outstanding play on the ice and exemplary character off it. They both are welcome additions to the list of most worthy recipients.”

The Joe Concannon Award will be presented to the winner at the New England College Hockey Writers’ Event on May 5 at Prince Restaurant, Saugus.

                                                Joe Concannon Award Winners

2001        Keith Aucoin                           Norwich University

2002        Michael Carosi                        Bowdoin College

2003        Nick Stauder                           Salem State College

2004        Michael O’Sullivan                 Curry College

              Jim Pancyzkowski                    Wesleyan University

2005        Brian Doherty                         Curry College

                Joseph Ori                               Trinity College

2006        Adam Dann                             Bowdoin College

2007        Greg Osborne                         Colby College

2008        Tom Maldonado                      Middlebury College

2009        Jeff Landers                            Amherst College

2010        Coleman Noonan                    St. Anselm College

2011        Josh Harris                              Castleton College

2012        Jeremiah Ketts                         Johnson & Wales University

2013        Colin Mulvey                          Norwich University

2014        Jackson Brewer                       Trinity College

2015        Jamie Murray                          Babson College

2016        Jamie Murray                          Babson College

2017        Brady Fleurent                        University of New England

2018        Colin Larkin                            Massachusetts-Boston

2019        Brady Fleurent                        University of New England

2020        Walker Harris                          Wesleyan University

2021        Not Awarded                          Canceled due to COVID

2022        Ryan Black                              Babson College

                Conor O’Brien                        Endicott College

The Joe Concannon Award

The Gridiron Club established the Joe Concannon Award in 2001 to honor Joe, a lifelong devotee of college hockey, former member of the Walter Brown Award Selection Committee and, as a journalist, a staunch advocate for the amateur athletes he knew and covered.  A native of Litchfield, Connecticut, Joe graduated from Boston University in 1961. He served as sports information director (SID) at Holy Cross before joining the Boston Globe in the late 1960’s to cover college sports.  Joe declined frequent invitations by his editors to write about Boston’s major professional sports teams, preferring to concentrate on the colleges, distance running and golf.  He wrote the book Marathoning with Bill Rodgers and established the highly successful Litchfield Road Race in his hometown.  Joe was a world traveler and was especially proud of his Irish heritage, frequently sojourning to the Emerald Isle.  He passed away in 2000.

2021-2022 Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Selection Committee and Advisory Board: Tim Costello, Chairman; Joe Bertagna, Tom Burke, Jim Connelly, Ned Cully, Dick DeCaprio, Bob DeGregorio, Kevin Fleming, Steve Hagwell, John Powers, Dick Umile, Mike McShane,   Paul McNamara, and William J. Stewart III.

Press Contacts:  Tim Costello, Committee Chairman   Phone: 732-425-5922   tim.costello@ymail.com

                           Tom Burke, Communications Director    Phone: 617-323-5694 tomburke99@aol.com

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Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Announces 30 Semi-Finalists for 21st Joe Concannon Hockey Award

Posted on February 15, 2022 by gridclubboston

Field includes mix of exceptional forwards, defensemen and goaltenders across all of the New England Conferences 

BOSTON – February 15, 2022 – After a year’s absence of D-II/III hockey due to COVID, Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Cheryl Duddy-Schoenfeld announced today that 30 players are semifinalists for the21stJoe Concannon Award, presented annually to the best American-born NCAA Division II/III hockey player in New England.

The Joe Concannon Award was established in 2001 shortly after the passing of the longtime writer for The Boston Globe, who had a great passion for the game of college hockey while always advocating strongly for amateur athletics.

Nineteen teams are represented in the slate of candidates that includes ten players from the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC), six from the Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10), five from the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), five from the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and four from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC). The list of nominees includes 19 forwards, six defensemen and five goalies.  Babson and the University of Massachusetts-Boston lead the nominee list with three each while Southern New Hampshire, New England College, Fitchburg State, Plymouth State, Norwich and Colby have two each.

The following is the complete list of semifinalists, by team, with statistics through February 13:

Just five of the 2022 nominees were semifinalists when the award was last presented in 2020. They are Babson forward Mike Egan; SNHU defenseman Joe Fiorino; Fitchburg State goaltender Brian McGrath; Endicott goaltender Conor O’Brien and St. Michael’s defenseman Sel Narby.

Assumption: Robert Holyoke, senior forward from Middleboro, MA (11G – 12A – 23 points; +20)

Babson: Ryan Black, senior forward from Pomfret, CT (16G – 17A – 33 points; +23); John Corrigan, senior defenseman from Stoneham, MA (2G – 15A – 17 points; +14); and Mike Egan, senior forward from Billerica, MA (12G – 16A – 28 points; +30)

Colby: Andy Beran, sophomore goaltender from St. Paul, MN (1.63 goals-against average, .938 save percentage); Justin Grillo, senior forward from Rockville Center, NY (8G – 10A – 18 points; +14)

Curry: Timmy Kent, junior forward from Parkland, FL (14G – 10A – 24 points; +7)

Endicott: Conor O’Brien, senior goaltender from Pinellas Park, FL (1.18 goals-against average, .957 save percentage)

Fitchburg State: Hunter Fortin, senior forward from Westerville, OH (13G – 13A – 26 points; +16); Brian McGrath, senior goaltender from Worcester, MA (2.06 goals-against average, .938 save percentage)

Franklin Pierce: Conor Foley, junior forward from Nahant, MA (11G – 13A – 24 points; +11)

Massachusetts-Boston: Sam Best, junior goaltender from Woburn, MA (2.31 goals-against average, .917 save percentage); Ethan Nitkin, senior forward from Miami Beach, FL (17G – 13A – 30 points; +4); Chris Peters senior forward from Fairport, NY (12G – 23A – 35 points; +13)

Massachusetts-Dartmouth: Dillon Radin, graduate student forward from Long Beach, NY (11G – 22A – 33 points; +/- 0)

New England College: Trevor Momot, senior defenseman from New Baltimore, MD (8G – 15A – 23 points; +12); Alex LaPlante, senior forward from Londonderry, NH (18G – 10A – 28 points; +20)

Norwich: Drennen Atherton, senior goaltender from Winter Haven, FL (1.79 goals-against average, .934 save percentage); Clark Kerner, freshman forward from Kansas City, KS (13G – 13A – 26 points; +13)

Plymouth State: Myles Abbate, junior forward from Norwell, MA (14G – 15A – 29 points; +13); JR Barone, graduate student forward from West Chester, PA (14G – 10A – 24 points; +12)

Salve Regina: Mitch Walinski, senior forward from Lincoln, RI (16G – 13A – 29 points; +20)

Southern New Hampshire: Joe Fiorino, senior defenseman from Willow Grove, PA (4G – 14A – 18 points; +15); George Thurston, senior forward from Plymouth, MA (17G – 11A – 28 points; +7)

St. Anselm College: Andrew Andary, junior forward from Macomb, MI (15G – 17A – 32 points; +9)

St. Michael’s College: Sel Narby, senior defenseman from Huntington, NY (7G – 12A – 19 points; +1)

Trinity: Jax Murray, sophomore forward from Minneapolis, MN (8G – 9A – 17 points; +7)

Tufts: Tom Tresca, senior defenseman from Newton, MA (6G – 6A – 12 points; +2)

Wesleyan: Matt Zandi, senior defenseman from Mount Kisco, NY (4G – 10A – 14 points; -2)

University of New England: Jake Fuss, junior forward from Fairfield, CT (8G – 19A – 27 points; +13)

“After more than a year away from competition, it has been fantastic to see all of the conferences back in action and at such a high level of play from the drop of the first puck” said Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Committee chairman Tim Costello. ”It is amazing what the players, coaches and institutions have been able to do to get the games played and this year’s nominees reflect the great commitment that all players across the region have to perfecting their craft and playing the game with passion and enthusiasm. The number of semifinalists matches our highest number from 2020, and many more were worthy of consideration for this year’s award. It will be a challenge to pick a winner from this terrific field.”

The Gridiron Club will announce the finalists and winner of the 21stJoe Concannon Award in March, following league playoffs and before the start of NCAA Frozen Four in Lake Placid, NY.

                                                Joe Concannon Award Winners

2001        Keith Aucoin                           Norwich University

2002        Michael Carosi                        Bowdoin College

2003        Nick Stauder                           Salem State College

2004        Jim Pancyzkowski                  Wesleyan University

                Michael O’Sullivan                 Curry College

2005        Brian Doherty                         Curry College

                Joseph Ori                               Trinity College

2006        Adam Dann                             Bowdoin College

2007        Greg Osborne                         Colby College

2008        Tom Maldonado                      Middlebury College

2009        Jeff Landers                            Amherst College

2010        Coleman Noonan                    St. Anselm College

2011        Josh Harris                              Castleton College

2012        Jeremiah Ketts                         Johnson & Wales University

2013        Colin Mulvey                          Norwich University

2014        Jackson Brewer                       Trinity College

2015        Jamie Murray                          Babson College

2016        Jamie Murray                          Babson College

2017        Brady Fleurent                        University of New England

2018        Colin Larkin                            Massachusetts-Boston

2019        Brady Fleurent                        University of New England

2020        Walker Harris                          Wesleyan University

2021        Canceled for COVID

The Joe Concannon Award

The Gridiron Club established the Joe Concannon Award in 2001 to honor Joe, a lifelong devotee of college hockey, former member of the Walter Brown Award Selection Committee and, as a journalist, a staunch advocate for the amateur athletes he knew and covered.  A native of Litchfield, Connecticut, Joe graduated from Boston University in 1961. He served as sports information director (SID) at Holy Cross before joining the Boston Globe in the late 1960’s to cover college sports.  Joe declined frequent invitations by his editors to write about Boston’s major professional sports teams, preferring to concentrate on the colleges, distance running and golf.  He wrote the book Marathoning with Bill Rodgers and established the highly successful Litchfield Road Race in his hometown.  Joe was a world traveler and was especially proud of his Irish heritage, frequently sojourning to the Emerald Isle.  He passed away in 2000.

2021-2022 Gridiron Club Hockey Awards Selection Committee and Advisory Board: Tim Costello, Chairman; Joe Bertagna, Tom Burke, Jim Connelly, Ned Cully, Dick DeCaprio, Bob DeGregorio, Kevin Fleming, Steve Hagwell, Dick Umile, Mike McShane, John Powers, Paul McNamara, and William J. Stewart III.

Press Contacts: 

Tim Costello, Committee Chairman       Phone: 732-425-5922             Tim.costello@ymail.com

Tom Burke, Communications Director    Phone: 617-323-5694             tomburke99@aol.com

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Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Announces 25 Semi-Finalists for 70th Walter Brown Award

Posted on February 8, 2022 by gridclubboston

Slate of American-born Division One hockey players in New England includes 14 forwards, seven defensemen and four goaltenders 

BOSTON – February 7, 2022 – Gridiron Club of Greater Boston president Cheryl Duddy Schoenfeld announced today that 25 NCAA Division One players are semifinalists for the70th Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.

The nation’s oldest nationally-recognized college hockey honor, the Walter Brown Award was established in 1953 by the members of the 1933 Massachusetts Rangers, the first American team ever to win the World Championship Tournament. Brown coached the Rangers to the title in Prague, Czechoslovakia, where the team defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime in the championship game.

Twelve teams are represented in the slate of candidates that includes 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and four goaltenders. Fourteen nominees are from teams in Hockey East; seven nominees are from ECAC Hockey; and four are from Atlantic Hockey.  Harvard University has four nominees; Providence and Quinnipiac have three each; American International, Boston College, Boston University, UMass, Merrimack, and Northeastern each have two; and Bentley, New Hampshire, and Sacred Heart each have one.  

Six of the 2022 nominees were semifinalists a year ago: Boston College forward Marc McLaughlin; Boston University forward Jay O’Brien, Northeastern defenseman Jordan Harris, Providence goalie Jaxson Stauber, New Hampshire forward Jackson Pierson, and UMass forward Bobby Trivigno, who was the 2019 Walter Brown Award winner. The following is the complete list of semifinalists, by team, with statistics through March 6:

American International College: Sophomore goaltender Jake Kucharski, Erie, PA (2.62 g.a.a, .902 save pct.);and grad student forward Brian Rigali, Green Oaks, IL (10-9-19).

Bentley University: Sophomore defenseman Drew Bavaro, Bradenton, FL (9-14-23).

Boston College: Senior forward Marc McLaughlin, North Billerica, MA (18-6-24); and senior defenseman Jack St. Ivany, Manhattan Beach, CA   (4-16-20).

Boston University: Sophomore goaltender Drew Commesso, Norwell, MA (2.48 g.a.a, .915 save pct.); and junior forward Jay O’Brien, Hingham, MA (6-9-15).

Harvard: Junior forward Nick Abruzzese, Slate Hill, NY (5-16-21); sophomore forward Sean Farrell, Hopkinton, MA (8-11-19); sophomore forward Alex Laferriere, Chatham, NJ (11-9-20); and junior defenseman Henry Thrun, Southboro, MA (4-17-21).

UMass–Amherst: Freshman defenseman Scott Morrow, Darien, CT (10-16-26) and senior forward Bobby Trivigno, Setauket, NY (14-16-30).

Merrimack: Junior defenseman Declan Carlile, Hartland, MI (6-14-20); and junior forward Liam Walsh, Bridgeville, PA (6-14-20).

New Hampshire: Senior forward Jackson Pierson, Zionsville, IN (11-7-18).

Northeastern: Senior defenseman Jordan Harris, Haverhill, MA (5-11-16); and junior forward Aidan McDonough, Milton, MA (17-7-24).

Providence: Sophomore forward Brett Berard, East Greenwich, RI (14-18-32)); junior forward Parker Ford, Wakefield, RI (12-12-24); and junior goaltender Jaxson Stauber, Plymouth, MN (2.02 g.a.a, .927 save pct.)

Quinnipiac: Senior forward Wyatt Bongiovanni, Birmingham MI(13-11-24); senior defenseman Zach Metsa, Delafield, WI (7-21-28);and grad student goaltender Dylan St. Cyr, Northville, MI (1.33 g.a.a, .929 save pct.).     

Sacred Heart: Senior forward Austin Magera, Suwanee, GA (7-13-20).                                 

“With all of the teams back in action this season after an abbreviated campaign last year due to Covid, we have six more semifinalists than we had a year ago. This field of candidates shows strong representation from all three conferences and a balanced blend of forwards, defensemen, and goalies,” remarked selection committee chairman Tim Costello.

The Gridiron Club will announce the finalists and winner of the 70th Walter Brown Award in late March, before the start of NCAA Tournament play.

   

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Gridiron Club Announces 2021 New England College Football Awards

Posted on December 17, 2021 by gridclubboston

Brown Quarterback EJ Perry and Harvard Linebacker Jack McGowan Win 83rd Bulger Lowe Award; Club to Forgo Annual Banquet and Present Awards in Person

BOSTON – December 17, 2021 – Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Awards Committee chairman Tim Whelan today unveiled the club’s slate of college football awards for the 2021 season and announced that two Ivy League players, quarterback E.J. Perry (Andover, MA) of Brown and linebacker Jack McGowan (Canton, MA) of Harvard are winners of the 83rd annual Bulger Lowe Award.

The Bulger Lowe, given to the best players on offense and defense in in the NCAA Bowl Subdivision/Football Championship Subdivision (FBS/FCS) is the nation’s second-oldest nationally recognized college football award, after the Heisman Trophy. Perry played a year at Boston College before transferring to Brown. He played two seasons there and passed for 5,981 yards and 45 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,132 yards. Both Perry and McGowan were first team All-Ivy League as seniors. McGowan had 50 tackles and two interceptions in leading the 8-2 Crimson’s defense.   

The 75th annual Swede Nelson Award, for sportsmanship, academics, and athletic achievement was awarded to Holy Cross senior running back Peter Oliver (Auburn, MA) in the FBS/FCS Division and Tufts running back Mike Pedrini (Melrose, MA) in Divisions II/III. Oliver was the Patriot League Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2021. He led the league in rushing with 780 net yards on 150 carries, and four touchdowns. He is a chemistry and Spanish double major, carrying a 3.95 cumulative GPA. Pedrini, the only three-year captain in Tufts history, is a political science and government major, carrying a 3.23 GPA. Both Pedrini and Oliver were semifinalists for the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s William V. Campbell Trophy.

The Gridiron Club customarily honors the athletes, coaches and officials of all New England college football levels at its annual Bob Whelan College Football Awards Night in December.  This year, however, the dinner will not be held due to lingering concerns about Covid-19.

“It was a difficult decision to forgo College Awards Night for the second year in a row,” said Whelan. “Our committee members will be making the presentations in person. We’ll make the rounds individually, to meet with our award recipients at a time and place of their choice.”

Cheryl Duddy Schoenfeld, Gridiron Club president, added, “Our primary concern is the health of all – players, coaches, officials, their families, and friends. I’m sure we’ll be back in full force in 2022. College Night is the highlight of our year.”

The 25th annual Joe Zabilski Award, which recognizes New England’s top offensive and defensive players in Divisions II/III, has co-winners in the offensive category in Williams College senior quarterback Bobby Maimaron (Duxbury, MA) and Stonehill senior running back Justin Felder (Hollis, NY).  Maimaron led Williams to an undefeated season and was also the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year, with over 1,600 yards passing and 500 yards rushing. Felder led Stonehill to an 8-2 record, with 1,127 yards rushing and 17 TDs. The Zabilski Award for defense goes to Bentley University graduate linebacker Cole McCubrey (Boylston, MA). He led Bentley to the playoffs with 114 tackles.

Head Coach of the Year Awards to Bob Chesney of 10-3 Holy Cross in the FBS/FCS and Bill Kavanaugh of  9-2 Bentley University in Divisions II/III.

Assistant Coach of the Year Awards to Jon Poppe, coach of the secondary and special teams at Harvard in FBS/FCS; and Bill deLuze, defensive line coach at Curry College, in Divisions II/III.

The Joseph V. McKenney Award for top collegiate football official to Ryan Flynn of Arlington, MA, a field judge in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Ryan has been named to the officiating crew for the NCAA championship football game in Indianapolis on January 10.

The John Baronian Award for Lifetime Contribution to Football to Framingham State director of athletics and head football coach Tom Kelley. Tom returned to the coaching ranks unexpectedly in the eve of the 2021 current season and led the Rams to and 8-3 record and a berth in the national championship tournament after opening the season with a pair of losses. Tom has been head coach at Framingham for a total of 17 seasons and has been the school’s director of athletics for 25 years.

About the Gridiron Club, “Keepers of the Flame”

Founded in 1932, the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston (www.gridclubboston.com) promotes the game of football at all levels and nurtures the ideals of citizenship, sportsmanship, leadership, and athletic and academic achievement. A registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation, the Gridiron Club is supported by membership dues, philanthropic contributions, and proceeds from its annual dinners.  The Club honors exemplary players, coaches and officials at all levels of the sport and supports worthy charitable causes, especially those that assist children.

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