Football Hands Out End of the Year Awards

Heidelberg second-year head football coach Mike Hallett and his coaching staff held its annual post season recognition banquet on Sunday, January 25 at Camden Falls in Tiffin, Ohio. The banquet was a time to gather to revisit the accomplishments from the 2008 season, recognize the senior class and take a look at what lies ahead.
 
The Berg finished the 2008 campaign winners of three of its last four outings to stand at 4-6 overall. Within the OAC, the Berg was 3-6, earning road victories at Baldwin-Wallace College, Marietta College and Muskingum College. Heidelberg opened the year with a convincing 62-27 win over visiting Westminster College, which is tied for ninth for points in a game. 
 
The evening was highlighted by the recognition of all the members of the team individually by their respective position coaches. Eight players earned their fourth-year letters: Brian West (Huron, Ohio / Huron), Lucas Bauer (Huron, Ohio / Huron), Dawond Roddy (Sidney, Ohio / Sidney), Vic Bolgna (Bellaire, Ohio / Harrison), Jimmy Bright (Ashland, Ohio / Ashland), James Blankenship (Perrysburg, Ohio / Northwood), Cameron Fitzpatrick (Lorain, Ohio / Admiral King) and Horace Smith (Hollywood, Fla. / South Broward).
 
Closing out their careers is the above mentioned four-year letter winners, along with Shawn Shriver (Bellevue, Ohio / Western Reserve), Ellison Dure (Orlando, Fla. / Winter Park), Jimmy May (Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Darby), Chris Cola (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville), Garrett Nash (Rock Creek, Ohio / Jefferson Area), Greg Tyson Jr. (Lima, Ohio /Lima Senior) and Kyle Kissling (Swanton, Ohio / Swanton).
 
Hallett had a lot of praise for the work that the seniors put in not only this season, but for their careers. “This senior class is a big part of this program. They helped to develop where we are headed in the future. Everyone single one of them fought hard on and off the field and have left this team in a better spot heading into the coming years.”
 
Members of the team voted on individual award recipients for the year. Blankenship, a two-time Ohio Athletic Conference Offensive Lineman was tabbed the Offensive Lineman of the Year, while fellow dual OAC honoree Matt Grieves (Huron, Ohio /Huron) was voted the Defensive Lineman of the Year.
 
The Offensive Skill Player of the Year honor went to Bauer, after turning in another all-conference performance on the year, while Shriver was playing in his first season of collegiate football took a spot in the secondary and was named the Defensive Skill Player of the Year.
 
For the second year in a row all-league placekicker Jesse Hawkins (Georgetown, Ohio / Scott County) was named the Special Operations Player of the Year.
 
The individual awards were closed out with the Most Valuable Players for the year on both offense and defense. Grieves led the defensive unit, while Roddy provided a solid spark on offense the entire season.
 
Defensive line coach Corey Fillipovich handed out the Brian J. Hoke Award, which honors the most underrated player on the team. Sophomore wide receiver Mike Preston (Maple Heights, Ohio / Euclid) earned the honor. “Mike goes out and gets the job done,” commented Fillipovich. “He could always be seen down field clearing out the defensive backs for a breakthrough play for the Berg.”
 
Recognized as 2008 captains was Fran Cavotta (Highland Heights, Ohio / North Olmsted), West, Bauer and Roddy.
 
The evening concluded with a look ahead to 2009. “We are actively working our guys to a championship level,” Hallett commented. “With hard work we are limitless.”