When Frontier Regional School football player Seth Gewanter met Turners Falls High School’s Quinn Doyle on the gridiron this fall, the meeting was usually a violent collision ending with both players on the ground.
On Sunday, the two got together under very different circumstances.
Doyle, Gewanter and their families shared a table during the 2016 Recorder All-Stars Award Ceremony at Greenfield Community College.
Nearly 50 athletes from around Franklin County were joined by family, friends and coaches in the Cohn Family Dining Commons for The Recorder’s inaugural event. One player from every sport from every school in Franklin County covered by The Recorder was selected as an All-Star. The selections were made by The Recorder sports department with the help of coaches. Players of the Year from each sport were also honored.
Alex Sharp from Frontier Regional School and Meghan Davis from Mohawk Trail Regional High School were the boys’ and girls’ cross country runners of the year, while Audrey Bresciano from Greenfield High School was the field hockey player of the year. Ethan LaFleur from Frontier and Kenzie Tenney from Mahar Regional School were the boys’ and girls’ soccer players of the year, and Seth Gewanter from Frontier was the football player of the year. Jake Willis from Pioneer Valley Regional School was the golfer of the year, and Hope Parker from Athol High School was the girls’ volleyball player of the year.
The event began with players and parents enjoying appetizers and mingling and many of the players who spend time competing against one another were able to socialize.
The ceremony began with comments from Recorder publisher Mike Rifanburg, who then introduced the ceremony’s guest speaker, Jim Smith, who coached football at Deerfield Academy for 36 years and then spent a decade and a half coaching at both Franklin County Technical School and Mohawk.
Smith spoke about his time at Deerfield Academy, including his hiring by legendary headmaster Frank Boyden. He illustrated a number of stories from his coaching career, and spoke about the letters he receives from former players. Those letters talk about the lessons the players learned, according to Smith, such as working hard, being a leader, and putting the team first. He also congratulated the players and parents for all the hard work they have to put in to be successful athletes, and he spoke about the importance of being great student athletes.
“I tell people that the greatest natural resource we have is the youth of America,” Smith said.
After Smith spoke, Recorder sportswriter Jason Butynski joined Smith and Recorder editor George Forcier to hand out awards to each of the all-stars.
Players and parents stuck around after to take pictures and chat.
Greenfield field hockey coach Erin Thayer was on hand to support Bresciano and said having an event like this is just one more way to recognize players for all their hard work. That included a number of players who don’t always do the things that make newspaper headlines.
“It was a really nice event and I loved the fact that The Recorder has done this event and is honoring these athletes,” she said. “I think it’s pretty special for them and it’s one more step beyond their season to honor them for all their hard work.”
Greenfield soccer player Silvian Popusoi was also honored to be recognized.
“It was nice that the paper did this, it was really nice to be recognized,” he said.
For more from the day’s events, see the special section in today’s paper. To view a photo album from Sunday’s gala visit www.recorder.com and view the MyCapture section.