BESSONE AWARDS BANQUET THIS SUNDAY

HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY AWARDS SET FOR THIS WEEKEND

 

The 42^nd 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 3^rd 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 top 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 Vincenzo Spagnuolo and Kyle DiFranco of East Longmeadow High School, Patrick Lenihan of Holyoke High School, and Dan Fenton and Keith MacDonald of Cathedral 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.

 

Other awards to be presented at the banquet include the Coaches All-Division Teams, the All-Academic and All-Scholastic Teams, the Rookie of the Year Awards, the Eddie Shore Award for top defenseman, the Bruce Landon Award for top goaltender, the Coach of the Year Award, the Bill Ryan Sportsmanship Award and the Rob Murray Award for leadership and dedication.   Also, this year’s Matthew J. Ryan Jr. Award for outstanding contributions to High School Hockey in WMass will be presented to retired President and now current Chairman of the Board of Directors for Westfield Bank, Mr. Don Williams.

 

There will also be two new awards being presented at this years’ banquet.  The Gene Grazia Award for the top forward in Western Massachusetts as well as the Division III-A Most Valuable Player Award, which will recognize the top high school hockey player from a DIII-A school in either the Fay or Wright Divisions.

 

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.

 

Contact:  Bob Oliver (Bessone Committee Member) 413-739-3344 (work) / 413-222-7180 (cell)