Two of the leaders on the Warriors men's hockey team have been recognized for their strong 2010-11 campaigns.
Assistant captain Kyle Sonnenburg (Waterloo, Ont.) was named OUA west defenceman of the year for the second straight year. Sonnenburg was also named an OUA first-team all-star for the third straight year. The smooth skating, offensive defenceman has the ability to control the tempo of the game and make game changing plays for his Waterloo Warriors. He had six goals and 10 assists in 24 regular season games played.
Captain Chris Ray (Kelowna, B.C.) was recognized as the OUA west most sportsmanlike player while joining Sonnenburg as an OUA west first-team all-star. This season marks the third straight year Ray has been honoured as a first-team all-star. The fast skating, skilled centreman had a remarkable season posting 27 points in just 19 games played. If it wasn't for an early season injury and games missed due to the World University Games, Ray was on pace to lead the OUA in points.
Sonnenburg and Ray both missed four games with the Warriors playing for team Canada at the World University Games in Turkey. The duo came away with a bronze medal defeating Kazakhstan 3-1. Ray scored three goals throughout the tournament while Kyle Sonnenburg (Waterloo/) had five points (2g, 3a), including the third goal in a 3-1 bronze medal game victory.
OUA West Men's Hockey All-Star Release by: Ontario University Athletics
HAMILTON, Ont. - Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks goaltender Ryan Daniels (Pickering, Ont.) was the overwhelming standout player in the West as Ontario University Athletics (OUA) named the 2010-11 Men's Hockey West major award winners and All-Stars.
Daniels took home hardware for most valuable player and goaltender of the year for the 2010-11 OUA hockey season. The go-to netminder played in all 28 games for the Hawks, more than any other goalie in the league. In his 1687:22 minutes played in the regular season, Daniels turned away 926 shots, allowing only 71 goals for a 0.929 saves percentage. The second-year Business major recorded two shutouts in the regular season against UOIT and Windsor and stood on his head in Laurier's overtime shoot out win over Brock. Daniels was also named First Team All-Star.
Matt Abercrombie (Sarnia, Ont.) of the Brock Badgers was named OUA West rookie of the year. He led all West rookies in points with 32 from 18 goals and 14 assists. Abercrombie played all 28 games for the Badgers, helping his team make their first playoff appearance since the 2007-08 season. He is also a member of the West All Rookie Team.
Waterloo Warrior Kyle Sonnenburg (Waterloo/) (Waterloo, Ont.) was named West defenceman of the year. He played in 24 games for the Warriors, and his 6'2 frame adding presence by the net. Sonnenburg had an offensive touch with six goals on the season, including two on the powerplay, ranking him tied for second among West defencemen. His award also earned Sonnenburg a First Team All-Star nod for the third consecutive year.
Sonnenburg's Waterloo teammate Chris Ray (Kelowna/) (Kelowna, B.C.) was named West most sportsmanlike player, adding to his list of honours from last season's MVP award. Ray topped Waterloo's scoreboard with 27 points from nine goals and 18 assists in only 19 games this season. This is also Ray's third straight year named to the First Team All-Star list.
Nathan Spaling (Drayton, Ont.) of the UOIT Ridgebacks was the OUA West nominee for the Randy Gregg Award, given to the player who best exhibits outstanding achievement in hockey, academics and community involvement. He is the first Ridgeback to receive this honour. The fourth-year captain played in all 28 games for UOIT this season, leading his team with 10 goals and 16 assists. Spaling has played in every UOIT game in their four year history and is the team's all-time leading scorer. Off the ice he excels in the classroom and in his community. He is a two-time CIS Academic All-Canadian, two-time UOIT Ridgebacks Scholastic award winner, two-time winner of the UOIT Ridgebacks Men's Hockey Top Scholar Athlete award, and the inaugural James-Baun Cup Recipient as the male hockey student-athlete who best represents commitment, dedication, perseverance, academic responsibility, leadership and excellence at UOIT. Spaling is a mentor at the Eastview Boys and Girls Club in Oshawa, assisting with outreach to at-risk youth and for the last three years has acted as an instructor at the Craig Fisher Hockey School assisting youth with development of skills.
The West coach of the year was Western's Clarke Singer. The bench boss lead his Mustangs to first in OUA West with a 20-3-5 record, five wins more than second seeded Laurier. Singer earned his first coach of the year honour in the 1999-2000 season and since then has gone on to receive the distinguished award six times.
The other First Team All-Stars are Laurier forward Jean-Michel Rizk (Dunham, Que.), Lakehead left winger Matt Caria (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) and Guelph defender Tim Priamo (Guelph, Ont.). This is Rizk's third All-Star nod, being named to the Second team last season, and First team the season previous. The right winger split his offensive efforts evenly between goals and assists with 12 of each in 25 games. Caria was the Thunderwolves top producer, putting out 36 points in 23 games for Lakehead. Priamo led all West defenders this season in points with 24 from seven goals and 17 assists. He is the first Gryphon to be named to the All-Star list since Jesse Pyatt in the 2005-06 season.
The Western Mustangs overpower the Second Team All-Star list with forwards Kevin Baker (Georgetown, Ont.), Keaton Turkiewicz (Brantford, Ont.), defender Scott Aarssen (London, Ont.), and goaltender Anthony Grieco (Brampton, Ont.) all getting the nod for the purple and white. Baker and Turkiewicz lead the Mustangs in points this season with 32 and 30, respectively, while Aarssen led all Western defenders with 19 points. Grieco split time between the pipes this season playing 15 games and recording a 2.57 goals against average.
Rounding out the Second Team All-Star list were Guelph's Thomas Kiriakou (Richmond Hill, Ont.), who led the Gryphons with 11 goals and 18 assists in 21 games, and Lakehead defender Jordan Smith (Sault Ste Marie, Ont.), a three-time OUA West All-Star.
Joining Abercrombie on the All Rookie Team were forward Steve Reese (Dorchester, Ont.) of Western who was second in league rookie scoring with 28 points, and Thomas Middup (Richmond Hill, Ont.) of Laurier who was second in Hawks scoring with 25 points. Lakehead defender Mike Quesnele (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) got the nod for leading all Thunderwolves rookies in points with 24. Guelph named two players to the team in defender Ken Peroff (North Bay, Ont.) and goaltender Andrew Loverock (Elmvale, Ont.). Peroff was the top rookie defender for Guelph and added eight points offensively. Loverock played the most games in the Gryphons goal, recording a 0.904 saves percentage over 16 games.
2010-11 OUA WEST MEN'S HOCKEY MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
WEST MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Ryan Daniels (Laurier)
WEST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Matt Abercrombie (Brock)
WEST DEFENCEMAN OF THE YEAR
Kyle Sonnenburg (Waterloo/) (Waterloo)
WEST GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Daniels (Laurier)
WEST MOST SPORTSMANLIKE PLAYER
Chris Ray (Kelowna/) (Waterloo)
WEST RANDY GREGG AWARD NOMINEE
Nathan Spaling (UOIT)
WEST COACH OF THE YEAR
Clarke Singer (Western)
WEST FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
F - Chris Ray (Kelowna/) (Waterloo)
F - Jean-Michel Rizk (Laurier)
F – Matt Caria (Lakehead)
D – Tim Priamo (Guelph)
D - Kyle Sonnenburg (Waterloo/) (Waterloo)
G – Ryan Daniels (Laurier)
WEST SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
F – Thomas Kiriakou (Guelph)
F – Kevin Baker (Western)
F – Keaton Turkiewicz (Western)
D – Scott Aarssen (Western)
D - Jordan Smith (Lakehead)
G – Anthony Grieco (Western)
WEST ALL ROOKIE TEAM
F – Matt Abercrombie (Brock)
F – Steve Reese (Western)
F – Thomas Middup (Laurier)
D – Mike Quesnele (Lakehead)
D – Ken Peroff (Guelph)
G – Andrew Loverock (Guelph)
