Greater Fort Erie puts student-athletes in spotlight

Enthusiasm and “positivity” topped the menu when Greater Fort Erie Secondary School closed out 2021-22 with an athletic awards banquet.

Besides celebrating team success, such as a Southern Ontario Secondary Schools Association championship title in girls badminton for Hannah Bourdon and Riley Hutton in doubles, and a Zone 3 title in senior girls basketball, school and team awards were presented at the get-together at the school.

Athletic director Betsy Oort called sports an “instrumental component in getting school life back on track.”

“The buzz around the athletic banquet was full of excitement and positivity,” she said. “It was a great way to recognize the hard work and dedication of our student-athletes.”

John Gignac, the most valuable player on the Gryphons baseball team, was also selected as the top player at an all-star game featuring squads from zones 3 and 4.

Following are the Greater Fort Erie student-athletes who received school and team awards:

SCHOOL AWARDS

Athletes of the year: senior, Hannah Bourdon, female; Patrick Longboat, male; junior, Scarlett Ioanidis, female; Noah Gmoser, male.

Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations Colin Hood Award: Riley Hutton, Isaiah Vernon.

Gryphon Spirit Award: Jack Sutherland, Justine Veltman.

Gryphon Coach of the Year: Marianne Borich.

TEAM AWARDS

Badminton: senior, Hannah Bourdon, Riley Hutton, most valuable; junior, Chad Phillips, Bo Train, most valuable; novice, Ksenia Rungi-Ruston, most valuable.

Baseball: John Gignac, most valuable; Chase Munn, Silver Slugger.

Basketball, boys: senior, Tyson Lewis, most valuable; junior, Noah Gmoser, most valuable.

Basketball, girls: Hannah Bourdon, most valuable; Riley Mueller, most valuable.

Cheerleading: Annie Potestio, most valuable.

Cross country: Lucas Pronik, most valuable.

Field lacrosse: Patrick Longboat, most valuable; Hunter Hidalgo, rookie.

Football: senior, Kaiden Craft, most valuable, offence; Torrey Sowden, most valuable, defence; junior, Aaron Akharoh, Chad Phillips, most valuable.

Golf: Adam Scarlett, most valuable.

Hockey, boys: Jonny Pardoe, most valuable.

Rowing: Mya Denham, most valuable.

Soccer, boys: Morgan Winstanley, most valuable; Isaiah Vernon, Sportsmanship Award.

Soccer, girls: Madison Boone, Chloe Briggs, most valuable; Sierra Boone, Sportsmanship Award.

Tennis: Noah Groulx, most valuable.

Track and field: senior, Doniyah Soso, most valuable; junior, Jake Coopman, most valuable; novice, Angel Blackwood, most valuable.

Volleyball, boys: senior, Kaden Smith, most valuable; junior, Noah Gmoser, most valuable.

Volleyball, girls: senior, Emma Gmoser, most valuable; junior, Courtney Vandermeer, most valuable.

Original Article