NLL Insider ‘09 Junior of the Year Awards, Plus All-Canadian Teams

August 29th, 2009 by Paul Tutka

Orangeville Northmen JOTY finalist, Adam Jones. (Photo: Ward Laforme Jr.)

NLL Insider is proud to announce our second annual National Junior of the Year Awards, along with our All-Canadian First and Second Teams.

Selections were made based on ‘09 regular season performances, hardware handed out to this year’s top player, defender, goalie, rookie and coach, playing or coaching in BC, Alberta or Ontario.

Last year’s winners included Cody Jamieson (player), Curtis Manning (defender), Nick Rose (goalie), Cody Bremner (rookie) and Matt Sawyer (coach).

After the jump, find out who took this year’s honours and who landed a spot on ’09’s All-Canuck Teams. Check back on Monday for NLL Insider’s Playoff Performer of the Year (‘09 winner Adam Jones).

JUNIOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

ADAM JONES

Team: Orangeville Northmen
Position: Forward
From: Owen Sound, Ontario
NCAA: Canisius College
‘09 Stats: 16GP, 39G, 52A, 23PIM, 31 Special Team Pts, 3GWG

Jones, who also was named the OLA’s Most Outstanding Player (Jim Veltman Award) this past summer, averaged 5.68 points per game during the Northmen’s regular season, an average that would have likely seen him take the country’s overall scoring title had he played in all 22-regular season games. Orangeville’s offensive leader played in virtually any and every possible scenario on the court throughout the season, dominating games like few others. His 31 special team points (PP & SH combined) led the OLA, while his 3 game winning goals also led the province, leading Orangeville to a 19-2-1 regular season record, the teams 39 point total the highest the OLA has seen since the undefeated ‘02 St. Catharines Athletics (20-0-0).

Finalists: Robert Church (Coquitlam), Kevin Crowley (New Westminster), Curtis Dickson (New Westminster), Simon Giourmetakis (Edmonton), Jesse Guerin (Peterborough), Trevor Moore (Coquitlam), Andrew Potter (Brampton/St. Catharines), Corbyn Tao (Coquitlam) and Matt Yager (Victoria)

Honorable Mentions: Carson Barton (Edmonton), Kyle Clancy (Peterborough), Kiel Donahue (Calgary), Scott Jones (Port Coquitlam), Ryan Learn (Burlington), Sean Reid (Edmonton), Joey Resetarits (St. Catharines), Kyle Rubisch (Brampton), Carlton Schuss (Delta), Randy Staats (Six Nations) and Andrew Suitor (Orangeville)

DEFENDER OF THE YEAR

KYLE RUBISCH

Team: Brampton Excelsiors
Position: Defender
From: Brampton, Ontario
NCAA: Dowling College
‘09 Stats: 22GP, 7G, 8A, 27PIM

This year’s top pure defensive stud? Although some may bring some extras to other areas of their game, from a pure defensive standpoint, Kyle Rubisch brought it to the floor every night like few others in ‘09, also landing the OLA’s nod for the province’s Most Outstanding Defender (Gus McCauley Memorial Award). The Excels’ defensive leader and team captain plays a hard hitting, gritty, fundamental brand of D that has gained Brampton the rep as maybe the best overall defensive unit in the country.

Finalists: Matt Beers (Coquitlam), Damon Edwards (Orangeville/Toronto), Andrew Suitor (Orangeville) and Brandon Turner (Coquitlam)

Honorable Mentions: Reed MacPhail (Victoria), Ben McCullough (Brampton), Dan McRae (Burlington), Brandon Miller (Calgary), Brett Mydske (New Westminster), Steve Priolo (St. Catharines), Erik Sage (Victoria), Holden Vyse (Six Nations) and Garrett Werschke (Calgary)

GOALIE OF THE YEAR

NICK ROSE

Team: Orangeville Northmen
Position: Goalie
From: Orangeville, Ontario
NLL: Boston Blazers
‘09 Stats: 914Mins, 12W-2L-1T, 6.57GAA, .820SV%

The Northmen’s backstop takes this year’s top tender honour again, throwing up another stellar year in Orangeville’s cage. The Blazers’ keeper prospect very rarely had an off night through all of ‘09, living up to his rep as the junior loop’s biggest clutch goaltender, the ability to shift the momentum of any game with one of his monster blocks. Rose also brings a leadership and winning attitude to the Horn Heads’ camp, which for the second straigh year, sees Orangeville gunning for Canada’s greatest junior honour.

Finalists: Steve Fryer (Brampton), Dan Lewis (Coquitlam), Brodie MacDonlad (Burnaby) and Neil Tyacke (New Westminster)

Honorable Mentions: Zach Bowen (St. Catharines), Blake Duncan (Delta), Adam Hickey (Victoria), Randy Johnson (Six Nations), Adam Shute (Calgary) and Cameron Watts (Burlington)

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

ROBERT CHURCH

Team: Coquitlam Adanacs
Position: Forward
From: Coquitlam, British Columbia
NCAA: Drexel University
‘09 Stats: 19GP, 45G, 62A, 10 hat tricks, 18 Special Team G, 3GWG

The Adanacs’ rookie sensation did things on the floor this summer that hasn’t been done in BC since the likes of Kevin Alexander, Church leading the province in scoring this year (107), the first time a rookie has done that since Alexander did the same in ‘74 with Victoria. At times Church would find the back of the net at will, leading the scoring charts almost since Day 1 this summer. The first year Jr. A Adanac landed the BCJALL’s rookie of the year nod, but more impressively also hauled in the loop’s MVP honour too, again, stuff kids Church’s age just aren’t “supposed” to do. Church was also a finalist for NLL Insider’s JOTY this year as well.

Finalists: Michael Burke (Brampton), Karsen Leung (Victoria), Tyler Digby (New Westminster) and Steve Fryer (Brampton)

Honourable Mentions: Tim Nolte (Edmonton), Shayne Adams (St. Catharines), Brodie MacDonald (Burnaby), Blake Duncan (Delta), Casey Jackson (Victoria) and Dan Lintner (Whitby)

COACH OF THE YEAR

BRUCE CODD

Team: Calgary Raiders
From: Orangeville, Ontario
NLL: Calgary Roughnecks
Additional Role: ALA Technical Director

It didn’t take long for the recent Champion’s Cup winner to make a huge impact on Alberta’s Jr. A game, guiding the Calgary Raiders to one of this summer’s biggest turnarounds from just 365 days ago. Codd, who packed his bags in Ontario to take a role with the Alberta Lacrosse Association, including taking over the coaching reins with the Raiders, brought accountability, new systems and a renewed pride to Calgary, coming within a win of taking the Raiders to the Minto Cup for the first time since ‘05. The Raiders finished a single point out of first place during the RMLL’s regular season, a far cry from last year’s disappointing 2-12-3 season before Codd’s arrival.

Finalists: Shawn Cardy (Burlington), Dan Perreault (Coquitlam), Greg Rennie (Delta) and Matt Sawyer (Orangeville)

ALL-CANADIAN TEAMS

FIRST TEAM

G Nick Rose Orangeville Northmen
D Kyle Rubisch Brampton Excelsiors
T Andrew Suitor Orangeville Northmen
F Adam Jones Orangeville Northmen
F Trevor Moore Coquitlam Adanacs
F Robert Church Coquitlam Adanacs

SECOND TEAM

G Steve Fryer Brampton Excelsiors
D Matt Beers Coquitlam Adanacs
D Damon Edwards Orangeville Northmen (formerly Toronto Beaches)
F Curtis Dickson New Westminster Salmonbellies
F Andrew Potter Brampton Excelsiors (formerly St. Catharines Athletics)
F Kevin Crowley New Westminster Salmonbellies