Stearns, Broncos top LTC honorees> Bangor’s Clarkson suffers knee injury

The major award winners for the previous season were announced at the LTC Football awards banquets Sunday and to no one’s surprise, Hampden Academy and Stearns of Millinocket took away most of the prizes.

In Class B, it was a clean sweep for the Broncos. Senior tight end-defensive end Josh Dickinson was named the player of the year, Bob Sinclair was coach of the year, and Hampden was awarded the sportsmanship award.

Dickinson caught seven passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns, but was downright indispensable on defense, intercepting a pass for a touchdown, leading the team in sacks (nine), fumble recoveries (one), and amassing 58 tackles in the regular season.

Sinclair led the Broncos to their first Eastern Maine championship on the way to a 10-2 season and the school’s first three home playoff wins ever.

In Class C, senior two-way tackle Peter Richardson won player of the year honors after dominating the league this season. Stearns coach Tom Bertrand was named coach of the year and Dexter was presented the sportsmanship award.

The 6-foot-6, 300-pound Richardson, who recently verbally committed to attend the University of Maine, was simply unstoppable on both sides of the line, routinely driving through double- and triple-teams. Richardson led the team with four sacks and was third in tackles with 62 in the regular season.

Bertrand left very little room for improvement in future years as he guided the Minutemen to a 12-0 season and the school’s sixth Class C state title and 10th state title overall in his first season as varsity coach.

Hampton Clarkson, a starting forward for the Bangor High basketball team, has been sidelined with an injury to his right knee.

Coach Roger Reed said Clarkson’s knee “locked up” on him during Saturday’s Class A game against Caribou. The 6-foot Clarkson is expected to have arthroscopic surgery Wednesday on the knee to determine the extent of the problem.

Reed explained Clarkson, who had the knee scoped last summer to remove cartilage, did not experience any problems during the football season. Clarkson is a leading candidate for the Fitzpatrick Trophy, given annually to the state’s top senior football player.

Clarkson’s absence will affect Bangor’s interior presence at both ends of the floor.

“He’s strong. He gives us defense and he can get out and play a big man hard,” Reed said.