Sankey, Tymoczko gain top honors Szylvian, Porter, Poulin, Horne each garner two first-team selections

Coach Joel Sankey and senior tailback Nick Tymoczko of Class C state football champion Bucksport were honored as the LTC’s coach and player of the year during the conference’s annual banquet held Sunday night.

Sankey, in his 11th year at Bucksport, guided the Golden Bucks to a perfect 12-0 season and the program’s first state title since 1983.

Tymoczko was a major reason for that success, rushing for 2,741 yards and scoring 40 touchdowns overall – an effort capped off by a 330-yard, three-TD performance in the state final against Jay. The Fitzpatrick Trophy semifinalist set LTC regular-season records with 2,071 yards and 33 touchdowns, then added 670 rushing yards and seven more TDs in three postseason victories.

Balance marks PTC B selections

The four playoff teams in the Pine Tree Conference Class B football ranks dominate that league’s annual all-star squad, with Eastern Maine champion Winslow, Brewer, Belfast and Leavitt of Turner Center accounting for 24 of the 28 first-team selections.

Fourth-place Leavitt actually led the way with seven slots, while Winslow and Brewer had six slots each and Belfast had five.

Eight players earned first-team honors on both offense and defense, including three from Leavitt in seniors Broc Hardacker (utility offensive player, defensive back), Jon Pirruccello (offensive tackle and defensive end) and Ryane Staples (offensive guard, defensive tackle).

Regular-season champion Brewer had a pair of two-way first-teamers in senior Chad Szylvian (offensive tackle, linebacker) and junior Ricky Porter (utility, defensive back).

Winslow’s Andy Poulin (offensive guard, defensive tackle), Belfast’s Garren Horne (running back, defensive back) and Morse of Bath’s Shawn Perkins (running back, linebacker) also were two-way first-team choices.

Among other notables, Fitzpatrick Trophy semifinalist Josh Aldus of Belfast, the conference’s leading rusher, was a first-team running back and second-team defensive back. Brewer’s Kevin McAvoy was recognized at three positions: first-team punter and second-team place-kicker and defensive back.

The offensive and defensive players of the year and coach of the year will be announced at the PTC Class B banquet to be held in Bangor on Dec. 19.