One award, two worthy candidates.
What to do?
The answer is simple. Share it.
Which is how Biddeford sophomore Brady Fleurent and Thornton Academy junior C.J. Maksut came to be named as joint recipients of the Journal Tribune’s Hockey Player of the Year Award.
Both of them pure goal getters, the pair led their teams to remarkable heights during the now completed 2010-11 season.
Fleurent, who has a knack for finding just enough open ice to operate in, was the state’s top scorer during the regular season, popping in 29 goals and 32 assists leading up to the playoffs.
In the process, Biddeford rolled to its second-ever undefeated regular season, and just the third in Maine schoolboy history.
This, on the heels of the Tigers great success in 2009-10, when as a freshman, Fleurent helped Biddeford sweep to its third Class A state title in four years.
In the process, Fleurent became the fourth member of his family to play on a state title winner, joining his brothers Tyler and Trevor, plus his father Steve, in the winner’s circle.
Maksut’s orbit to success was just a little more eliptical.
Although no one in the state came close to equalling Fleurent’s assist total, Maksut’s goal scoring rivaled that of his long time friend from BYHA days.
The speedy youngster tallied 27 times with the bulk of his scores coming down the stretch, when the Golden Trojans shrugged off their mid-season blahs and roared to the school’s first-ever hockey state championship.
However, it was two goals in particular that earned Maksut his place in Maine hockey lore, both of them being scored at the Colisee in Lewiston.
The first came against Biddeford in this year’s Western Region final.
Cruising down the right wing in the final seconds of the middle period, Maksut tucked in the Trojans second goal of the game,
It gave Thornton a lead it would never relinquish and it’s first ever berth in the state championship game.
That was followed less than a week later by his dramatic overtime game winner against Lewiston that made champions of the Trojans.
It was the sort of situation that players with Maksut’s elite skill ”“ think Sidney Crosby at the Vancouver Olympics ”“ usually shine in.
So as to the original question, the reality is that both players would be more than worthy bearers of the Player of the Year mantle.
How fortunate we all were to watch them both, all season long.
— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com or follow on Twitter @DanHickling.
Honorable Mentions
Biddeford: Scott Callahan, Sr., Fwd.; Taylor Reuillard, Jr., Def.; Tyson Nadeau, Jr., Fwd.;
Kennebunk: Kurt Oakman, Jr., Fwd.; D.J. Robinson, Sr., Fwd.; Ned Richard, Jr., Def.; Jordon Kadlik, Sr., G.
Massabesic: Kyle Maclay, Sr., G.; Aaron Gass, Jr., Fwd.; Jordan Levesque, Sr., Fwd.; Patrick Wyman, Jr., Fwd.
Thornton Academy: Robbie Downing, Jr., Fwd.; Andrew Carignan, Jr., Fwd.; Nick Chen, Jr., Fwd.; Dakota Mattews, Sr., Def.; Joe Ferrante, Jr,. G.;
Biddeford Girls: Haley Reny, Sr., Fwd.; Kellie Renk, Sr., Def.; Emily Brassley, Jr., G.; Jenna Roy, Jr., Fwd.; Brandee LeClair, Sr., Fwd./G.
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