×

Virus cancels ‘Hometowne’ Awards

Hometowne Lumber Athlete of the Year has been awarded since 1981

KINGSFORD — For the first time since its inception in the spring of 1981, the Hometowne Lumber male and female Athlete of the Year awards will not be awarded for 2020. Impacts due to the coronavirus have left the five-person committee unable to select the remaining monthly award winners.

“It’s unprecedented and very unfortunate for all the athletes, their families and coaches, but it is the right thing to do considering the circumstances,” said committee chairman Mike Caruso. “Congratulations to this year’s monthly winners and nominees.”

Due to the MHSAA cancelling the remainder of the winter sports season, the March/April award winners were unable to be selected. The spring sports seasons were also cancelled by the MHSAA, wiping out the possibility of the May selections being made. Once those selections are made, the committee selects four at-large nominees, two male and two female, out of the pool of monthly nominees throughout the 2019-20 school year.

Therefore it is the consensus of the selection committee and Hometowne Lumber owners Joe and Patti Bronzyk that without the final four (two male and two female) monthly selections unable to be made as well as the at-large selections, it’s in the best interest of the award and out of fairness to the student athletes involved, that the awards are not given out this year.

The Bronzyks have decided to cancel the annual banquet scheduled for June 3 at Recreation Lanes. This year’s guest speaker at the banquet was going to be 1997 Hometowne Lumber male athlete of the year and Norway native Tony Ebeling. The former Northern Michigan University and Arena Football wide receiver is currently an administrator in the Suamico, Wis. school district.

Ebeling , who was a standout in football, basketball and golf for the Knights noted that he’d be more than happy and honored to be the guest speaker at a future banquet.

The August/September Athletes of the Month were Toby Wheeler of Florence and Caleb Evosevich-Hynes of Iron Mountain, both for football, Melanie Wenzel of Kingsford for cross country and volleyball player Cassie Gill of Niagara.

The October Athletes of the Month were Marcus Johnson of Iron Mountain for football and Brianna Smith of North Dickinson for volleyball.

The November Athletes of the Month were Bryce Pietrantonio of Iron Mountain for football and Maggie Strehlow of Kingsford for volleyball.

The December Athletes of the Month were Shawn McGuire of Iron Mountain for wrestling and Sydney Scott of Kingsford for swimming.

The January Athletes of the Month were Kody Hendricks of Norway and Alyssa Cretton of Niagara for basketball.

The February Athletes of the Month were Logan Parolini of Norway and Ashton Hord of North Dickinson for basketball.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today