Along with three members of the Wilkie Outlaws, one player from each of Hafford, Macklin, Biggar and Edam were recognized for their outstanding 2023-34 play in the Sask West Hockey League when award winners were announced last week.
Brock Harrison picked up the League MVP award, while teammate Derek Keller was named Top Defenseman. This is the ninth consecutive year Keller has won the Top Defenseman title, starting in 2013-13. (There was no season and thus no awards in 2020-21 year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
As well as being named League MVP, Harrison was the Top Scorer in the league, ending the season with 49 points in 16 games, 10 ahead of linemate and runner-up Brett Boehm, also an Outlaw.
The Bill Cey Hardest Working Local Memorial Award went to Rick Cey of the Wilkie Outlaws. League president Joe Cey, and son of the late Bill Cey, said each team chose a player to nominate for this honour, and then he and four of his brothers who regularly watch SWHL games made the selection based on specific criteria they decided on beforehand.
The other players nominated by their respective teams were Alex David, Unity Miners; Cody McKinnon, Macklin Mohawks; Derek Argue, Biggar Nationals; Joel Blaquiere, Edam 3 Stars; Kobe Kindrachuk, Hafford Hawks; and Jarrett Reichert, Kindersley Klippers.
Rick Cey’s nomination read, in part, “He is an absolute integral part of our team, and by far the hardest working player we have ever seen. So much so that he annoys the opposition! He also coaches minor hockey and is the president of the minor hockey association.”
The Outlaws took three of the six spots on the first all-star team, and two on the second. The first all-stars were Wilkie forwards Brett Boehm and Brock Harrison along with Jeremy Boyer of Hafford; defensemen Wilkie’s Derek Keller and Edam’s Jordan Fransoo, with the goaltender being Brett Matlock of Biggar.
The second all-star team was comprised of Kindersley goalie Logan Drackett, defensemen Tyler Baier of Macklin and Will Rathje of Wilkie, with forwards Biggar’s Jonathon Redlich, Hafford’s Jordan Braid and Wilkie’s Ryan Keller.
Macklin’s Cody McKinnon of the Macklin Mohawks was named Best Defensive Forward.
Rookie of the Year was Biggar’s Wyatt Versluis.
The Most Gentlemanly Player award went to Jeremy Boyer of the Hafford Hawks.
Biggar Nationals’ coaches Colter Zarubiak and Kyle Laturnus won the Coach of the Year award.
Nationals’ manager Ken Kernohan won the Harvey Somerville Memorial Award, which is given annually in recognition of service and dedication to senior hockey and the SWHL.
Two nominations came in for Kernohan. One read: “Senior hockey is very important. Fans having a team to watch, players having a place to play and for local minor hockey kids to have something to look forward to. Keeping a team together and finding players to compete in a very competitive league takes time and dedication. Ken has been involved with the team for many years and … [gives] the time and effort to keep Senior Hockey going in Biggar.”
