The Mister Transmission Orillia Jr. B Kings recently celebrated their 2022 season with a banquet at St. Louis Bar & Grill.
Orillia ended its regular season last summer with a 7-12-1 record and squeaked into the playoffs before losing to Nepean, the league’s top team.
The local lacrosse team showed improvement under head coach Jim Meredith and expectations are high going into this summer.
But before putting the focus on the future, the team recognized several players with individual awards.
Noah Quarrington won the team's most valuable player award. The award is given to a "player that leads the team and is inspirational on the floor. He makes everybody around him better and challenges them to follow the example that he sets."
Hayden Goldthorpe worked hard every shift to shut down the opponents' offence, noted Kings coaches. They said over the course of the season, Goldthorpe used his size and strength to become a "dominant defender" and was deserving of the defensive player of the year award.
This year's winner of the most dedicated player was Ethan Marwick, who "most definitely puts the team first. He has shown commitment to improving his game and is determined to stay in the lineup even if injured," noted the coaches.
Trent Tibbett, who steadily improved his game since tryouts last March. earned the team's most improved player award. He has become more confident and contributes each time he is on the floor, the coaches noted.
As the season progressed and Colsen Maracle’s confidence improved, his ability to contribute offensively also grew, noted the coaches. He accepted advice from his coaches and the older players and became an offensive threat over the course of the season and was recognized as the team's rookie of the year
Mark Watters led the team on the scoresheet in most of the games he played this season. "His creativity with and without the ball makes him a threat ... whenever he (stepped) on the floor," said coaches in presenting Watters the Cam Devine offensive player of the year award.
Jack Marwick earned the team's Robert Wilkie most sportsmanlike player award. Coaches noted he "plays the game with class. Not only is he respected by his teammates, he has earned the respect of those he plays against."
The team unveiled a new award this year — The Pride of the Kings — to recognize leadership and dedication. The recipient was Quinton Greenfield, who was chosen by the coaches as a "real difference maker on the team." The new award is sponsored by Dapper Depot and was presented by the store's owner, Steve Orr.
