After a 2-4 record and a first round playoff loss for the senior Vikings and a 3-0 record for the junior Vikings it was time to honour the players and coaches for the season that was.
Monday, NBCHS held their annual football banquet and with most of the players, coaches and parents in attendance they put the final stamp on the 2010 football season.
Zach Ironstand, who played with the 2010 Canadian Bowl Champion Saskatoon Hilltops and Kody Kipp, of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, were among the handful of former Vikings' alumni who attended the banquet.
Kipp was the guest speaker and in front of a handful of former teammates and all others, he passed on the message of hard work and determination for those players hoping to move on to post-secondary football careers.
"Keep your grades up, work out hard and perhaps I will see you at the U of S," said Kipp.
Jamie Sommerfeld, the senior Vikings' head coach echoed those comments saying Kipp's success was purely attitude driven. He wasn't the best athlete, but he worked as hard as he could to become a better football player.
The main reason of the night was the awards. The junior team handed out six trophies. The junior offensive rookie trophy went to tailback Taylor Reiley. The offensive veteran player award went to offensive lineman Tanner Fraser. The Offensive Most Valuable Player Award was presented to tailback Dion Tederoff.
On defence, the defensive rookie of the year was linebacker Taylor Primeau. Defensive lineman Grady Nash was the winner of the defensive veteran award. The defensive MVP honour went to defensive back Tanner Craig.
Along with the award winners, the 40 players and six coaches were also introduced.
At the senior level, the big winner of the night was Pita Tuiloma. Tuiloma, one of the team captains, was the linebacker of the year and MVP. He was among the team leaders in sacks and tackles and will be one of the senior players the Vikings will miss next season.
Cary Ellis was the defensive back of the year. Senior, John Aubichon was the defensive lineman of the year. Another Grade 12 player, Brendon Elliott, was the offensive lineman of the year. Scott Reiley, who played both ways, won the receiver trophy in his Grade 12 year. The offensive back went to Grade 11 player Cole Tentuik, who had the highest average of rushing yards per game on the Vikings and will be a cornerstone for the offence next season. The undergraduate award went to running back Cody Buziak. The unsung hero went to receiver Eric Charabin, who was injured in the first half of the season and finished with the second highest average of receptions yards per game for the Vikings.
Shay Clark, another senior, received the True Viking Award. The True Viking Award, as Sommerfeld describes, is awarded to someone who is a dedicated and hard working player and someone who, "bleeds navy blue." Clark was one of three graduating offensive lineman and has been working with Sommerfeld on the football field for three years.
The evening, which also included a supper, was capped off with appreciation expressed by the players and coaches. The coaches also reminded the players that football training is year round, as they carry high optimism into next season.
