Kingsville Comets Celebrate Successes Of 2007-08

Photo and story courtesy of the Kingsville Reporter

   The Kingsville Comets honoured their finest at their season ending banquet last week. Pictured above are the team award winners including (left to right) Most Valuable Player Mike Baker, Most Sportsmanlike Ian Farquharson, Playoff MVP Dustin Reeves, Rookie of the Year Chris Bondy, and Defenceman of the Year Ryan Knell.

Photo by Steve I’Anson

  Some would say the Kingsville Comets overachieved in 2007-08. Icing a very young line-up, and with a rookie coaching staff, the Comets exceeded expectations by finishing fifth overall with a record of 17 wins, 21 losses, one tie and one overtime loss. The season culminated with an admirable performance in an opening round playoff loss to the Belle River Canadiens.

   Last Wednesday, the Comets celebrated the successes of the season with their annual year-end banquet. Following a meal at Vernon’s Tap & Grill, several individual awards were handed out.

   The first group of honourees were the team’s nominees for the league awards. These included Ryan Knell for top defenceman, Chris Bondy for Rookie of the Year, Ian Farquharson for Most Sportsmanlike Player, and Dustin Belton for Most Sportsmanlike Player.

   As for team awards, Knell, Bondy and Farquharson scooped the same honours. Mike Baker, ineligible for league awards as an overage player, was chosen as the team’s regular season Most Valuable Player. Receiving Most Valuable Player honours for the playoff run was goaltender Dustin Reeves.

   Honoured this year as Volunteers of the Year were Jo-Ann Scratch and Kevin Hood.

   The most emotional presentation of the night was the Ryan Scratch Memorial Award. This award is presented to a player on each of the Kingsville Travel teams, as well as a Comet. Presented in honour of the former Comet, the award is a testament to those who go above and beyond the normal call of duty for the team and are valued for their contributions on and off the ice.

   This year’s honourees were Nathan Leili of the Novice team, Nathan Hunter of the Atom team, Liam Pearce of the Pee Wee team, Jake Valo of the Bantam team, Cody Gow of the Midget team, and Dustin Belton of the Comets.

   As is customary, players who spent four years with the team received rings. Mike Baker and Saundro Del Brocco were with their hometown team for the past four seasons.

   “This year was by far the most fun,” said Baker. “How often do you get to play in front of over a thousand people twice in one season. The thing I will remember the most is the friendships.”

   Added Del Brocco, “So much has happened and there are so many memories. The most recent memory was late in game six after I scored on a penalty shot. The tears just started flowing and as I remembered all the great people I’d played with.”

   Both Baker and Del Brocco told of how every young kid in Kingsville grows up dreaming of playing for the Comets and they were not different.

   For head coach Mike Charron, his first year behind a Junior C bench was a challenging one.

   “It was a real roller coaster ride,” he said. “The streaks we went on where we would lose six and then win five were very frustrating.”

   Charron was most proud of his team’s finish to the season. “With four games left we had a meeting and set a goal to win those last four games. We then gave Belle River a real scare in the playoffs.”

   Charron hopes to return up to 14 players next season and looks forward to improving on this year’s finish. “Obviously we want to improve the record. If we don’t, that falls on me. We should be able to prove we can play with the big boys.”