Friday 4 March 2016

Rider Award Winners

The voice of the Ghostrider webcast Dan McSkimming was the MC and team President Barb Anderson gave her annual speech at the Annual Awards Banquet.


Wayne Gowanlock is the Volunteer of the Year. There would be no Fernie Ghostriders without all of the volunteers.

 Ghostriders Annual Awards Banquet on March 3rd 2016. Click on the photos for larger sizes.

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All players Coaches and Trainers
In the front row are some of the people you don't hear nearly enough about.  Head Coach and GM  Craig Mohr, Assistant Coaches Pascal Morency, Gerry Pang and Jeff Zmurchyk. Athletic Therapists Kayla Neufeld and Heather Callahan.




All the Award Winners Coaches and  the Twenty Year Old Players who were given their
Jerseys at the Banquet, #25 Cole Keebler, #24 Dustin Watt, #1 Jeff Orser, #5 Travis Thomsen  and # 18 Coleton Dawson. 
All the best in the future you guys.



Mitch Titus #17 was named as the Ghostriders Rookie of the Year. In a year where injuries were the big story for the Riders Mitch played all 52 games as a 17 year old centre picking up 11 goals and 31 points. The other rookie forwards, of which there were many, were, in no particular order, #13 Centre Ryan Kennedy,  #15, Centre Ty Carron, #27 Mack Differenz, #9 Nolan Legace and AP Centre #12 Evan Traverse.


Keagan Kingwell #4 was named as the Top Defenseman. Great skater and he hit deceptively hard. I'm thinking there was some deliberation on this one as his D partner Ryan Teslak  is just as mobile but maybe not quite as strong, but a year younger and in his second KIJHL season. Ryan played in Castlegar last year. The other D-men were  Kyle Haugo, who missed considerable time with injuries, an emerging Trevor Broad (98)  Kevin Pierce (98) who made some big strides this season not the least of which was in the Kimberley series when one of the Nitro's took a run at him and KP got his arms up blasted him, a little meanness will really help his game. And the Riders two twenties Travis Thomsen and Dustin Watt, both in their fourth years, they were solid on the line  and helped the younger guys find their way in the league.
AP Derek Green filled in admirably as well and is anxious to come back next season.



Cole Keebler #25 was the Riders Most Exciting Player and the Riders Top Scorer with 27 goals and 31 assists in 30 games. Cole missed 22 games with injuries, had he played a full season he was easily on pace to win the KIJHL scoring title and was leading the league in scoring for weeks even after he got hurt.


Zach Befus #14 was the MVP, Befus was a great all around player who could score (25 Goals 28 Assists) make big hits, play defensively and play through injuries as well. Zach is 19 and has some College opportunities for next season.

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The Most Improved player was #7  Dan Burgess. Dan started out on the  blue-line but was moved up to the wing mid season where he found his calling. Unfortunately an injury kept him out of the playoffs. That was probably a hard award for the Coaches as several players improved as the season went on. Ryan Kennedy, Nolan Legace, Trevor Broad, along with Mack Differenz and Aidan Wilson and Evan Reid who went from D last season to forward this year, all got better as the season wore on.

Alex Cheveldave #23 was the Playoff MVP. Alex played as a forward at the start of the year but  by the end of the season he was switched to D where he excelled and was easily the hardest Rider to play against. Honourable mention to Mack Differenz and Aidan Wilson who had 5 and 4 points in the post season.

Goaltender Brandon Butler was named as the Most Inspirational Player. Brandon played with a broken foot all season but persevered. Honourable mention to Coleton Dawson who had surgery on his orbital bone then put on a cage to play in the playoffs, along with Mack Differenz who also played with a cage and no teeth. Many others played hurt through the season as well.


Melanie Jolicoeur (3rd from the Left in the front row) leads her group in a Yoga Pose

96 Tears (if you know that song your probably 96)
Justin Peers finished tied with Zach Befus in scoring with 53 points and they lead a group of 7 19 year old's who are eligible to return next season. The other 96's are Alex Cheveldave, Tayler Sincennes, Brandon Butler, Dan Burgess and Evan Reid. All these guys have their good points, and some other 96's could show up  in September...glad I'm not the one making the decisions, you can only keep 5 of the 1996's.