High School Hockey Awards Set For This Weekend
Published on May 4, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Springfield Falcons News Release
The 46th Annual Amo "Betts" Bessone Awards Banquet is set for this weekend. The prestigious event, which will honor several players and supporters of high school hockey throughout Western Massachusetts, will take place this Sunday, May 6th at 1:00pm at The Dante Club on Memorial Avenue in West Springfield, MA.
The afternoons' feature award will be the Amo "Betts" Bessone Award, given to the most valuable high school hockey player in WMass. This years' award winner will be chosen by votes obtained from the coaches, on-ice officials and the Bessone Committee. Finalists for this year's award are Frank Crinella (Senior) of Cathedral High School, Charlie Kelleher (Freshman) of Longmeadow High School, Brendan Martin (Senior) of West Springfield High School, Thane Schinabeck (Senior) of Ludlow High School, and Nick Sibilia (Senior) of Westfield High School.
The Bessone Award and banquet are named after Amo "Betts" Bessone, a native of West Springfield and member of the US Hockey Hall of Fame. Bessone played professional hockey and coached college hockey for many years. He was named college hockey Coach of the Year in 1966, when his Michigan State University team won the NCAA Division I National Championship. Bessone recruited many WMass hockey players to Michigan State and always encouraged his players to strive for academic as well as athletic excellence. Bessone passed away in January, 2010 at the age of 94 at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Other awards to be presented at the banquet include the All-Scholastic Team, the Rookie of the Year Awards, the Division III-A MVP Award, which recognizes the top high school hockey player from a Division III-A school in either the Fay or Wright Divisions, the Eddie Shore Award for top defenseman, the Gene Grazia Award for top forward, the Bruce Landon Award for top goaltender, the Joseph Buchholz "Coach of the Year" Award and the Rob Murray Award for leadership and dedication. The Bill Ryan Sportsmanship Award will be presented to Shelby Cutting, a senior from Amherst High School. Also, this year's Matthew J. Ryan Jr. Award for outstanding contributions to High School Hockey in WMass will be presented to long-time on-ice official Greg Pytka.
Tickets, available at the door, are $5.00 for students and $10.00 for adults and will include a luncheon prepared by volunteers from the Exposition Area Scholarship Fund and members of the Dante Club.
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