Monday, March 23, 2009

The Fernie Ghostriders Junior Hockey Club ended another successful KIJHL season with their Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony held at the Fernie Alpine Resort in the Grizz Inn up on the scenic ski hill. Each year the Club honors the players and the volunteers who help run the show with what is always a pretty good banquet and party. The main part of the ceremonies are the player awards and that’s what we’re going to feature here.

One of the first players up for an award was Ghostrider Captain Scotty Traverse who the Coaches named as the Most Exciting Player this year. Traverse played as a twenty year old this season and ended up with 22 goals and 58 points despite being hampered with injuries down the stretch. Many of his goals were highlight reel game winning goals as were several of the battles he fought over the years as a Rider. (This guy didn’t wrestle) We first saw Traverse in 2004 when he broke into the league as fifteen year old affiliate player (AP) in the Ghostriders inaugural KIJHL season. For the first couple of years Scotty found himself on a very effective checking line but all the hockey watchers could see he was destined for bigger and better things. By his third season Traverse was known throughout the league as a guy who could do it all, score, check, hit and fight, there was only one thing missing. The next step in Traverse’s evolution was last season when he was named as the Riders Captain. Scotty went on to Captain his team to a Bronze Medal in the Cyclone Taylor Cup last year and a Division win this year. The Ghostriders Hockey Club and the fans will miss the exciting Traverse next year and wish him all the best in his future. Scott is planning on going to school in September and was named as one of the two players who received a $1000 scholarship from the Ghostriders Hockey Club. For the record Traverse won the MVP and Most Inspirational Awards last season.

Next up is the Most Inspirational Player Award won by a most inspirational player in Joe DeLuca. The same year as Scott Traverse came to the Riders another young Valley Boy also showed up as a fifteen year old AP and that was defenseman Joe DeLuca. Joe went the same route as Traverse and over time earned more and more ice and became one of the top D men eating up lots of minutes. DeLuca was a totally fearless player who would go into the corners first, make big hits, fight (another non-wrestler) and score a few goals along the way. Joe was the top scoring defenseman this year in the regular season and in the playoffs. In the last game of the year the Most Inspirational cut is nose so deeply he had to go to the hospital for several stitches but against Doctor’s orders was back on the ice in the third period and for the final shift of the season. Good luck in the future Joe, you were a pleasure to be around. More for the record- both DeLuca and Traverse won two KIJHL Championships and two Division titles.

This year’s Top Scorer was also named as the regular season’s Most Valuable Player. Three years ago in October a small but skilled player from the Calgary Midget AAA Royals showed up at the Riders camp. The young forward had an assist in his first game and since then Dave McIvor has never looked back. McIvor lead the Ghostriders in scoring for the last two years and he also lead the team in highlight reel style goals. Dave was a great scorer but he also sacrificed his body blocking shots at timely parts of the game. McIvor is finished junior now and is planning to go to school with Scott Traverse. (McIvor is the other recipient of the $1000 Ghostrider scholarship) Good luck Dave, your skills made you one of this writers favorite players to watch and you were a key part in two KIJHL Championships.

The Best Defenseman Award this year went to twenty year old Torin Brusven. Torin came to Fernie late in November after not playing for eight months and was a little rusty. But within a few weeks he turned into one of the most steady D men the Riders had by using is smart positioning and long reach to his advantage. Brusven had points in eight of the last ten games of the season and was a big factor in helping the Riders get second place in the standings and P/O wins over Golden and Kimberley. The Ghostriders organization wishes Torin all the best in the future.

The Most Improved Player Award went to seventeen year old first year defenseman Zach Traverse. Zach is a Valley Boy but came to the Riders from Cranbrook where he played AAA Midget last year. At the start Zach was in and out of the lineup but was mostly in after a trip to Merritt of the BCHL where he played a couple of games and came back a more confident player. Zach is the cousin of Scott Traverse but is much bigger making it improbable that he will be in a Rider uniform next season. Good luck at the next level Zach.

This year’s Rookie of the Year was also the Scholastic Player of the year too. Sixteen year old Jordan Hirano is one of the most dedicated players we’ve seen lately, this guy gives everything he’s got both on the ice and at the gym. (He’s pretty good in school too). On the ice Jordan punishes with big hits whoever has the puck and he skates full tilt right to the end of his shift all the way to the bench. Hirano has a shot at Jr.”A” and will be attending a few camps in the spring. Good Luck in the BCJ Jordan.

Jesse Niemi hadn’t played hockey for a year and a half before coming to Fernie in January. Niemi, a nineteen year old, worked like a slave in practice and at the gym and gradually earned a spot in the lineup. All the hard work paid off for both player and team as Jesse lead the Ghostriders in playoff scoring. Niemi also played in your face hockey in the post season and was named as the Playoff MVP this year. Have a great summer Jesse.

The Unsung Hero for the Ghostriders was defenseman Lee Klapp. Lee is the heavyweight champion of the KIJHL and his presence gave the Riders confidence all year long. There are times when your team loses, and times when your team loses and gets pushed around. With Klapp in the lineup no team even tried to push the Riders around. Lee played on the Championship winning 2006-07 team then went to Quesnell of the BCHL last year and at nineteen still has a year left. Have a great summer Lee, hope to see you in the fall.

The Most Sportsmanlike Player went to the skilled Karl Weberg. Karl was one of the most consistent scorers the Riders had getting 1.4 points a game and was on several occasions easily the best player on the ice. All year long it seemed like it was either Weberg, Traverse McIvor or Greenwell who was the best player and sometimes it was hard to tell. Karl is nineteen and has another year left, if he plays hockey I hope it’s here in Fernie.
Have a great summer to all the players.