NEWS will present the Warner and Osborne MVP awards to top players

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Playing in the Eastern Maine tournament is the goal of every high school basketball player in the region.

With the Bangor Auditorium and, most recently, the Augusta Civic Center serving as their stages, a select few players spearhead their teams to championships.

Those standouts who shake off the postseason pressure and make the tough shots, sink the clutch free throws, and come up with timely steals will be remembered for years to come.

The Bangor Daily News continues its tradition of honoring the best tourney performers with the selection of the All-Tournament teams and the 14th annual William C. Warner and Owen O. Osborne Most Valuable Player awards.

In 1994, the BDN established two MVP awards to honor former longtime sports editors Warner and Osborne, both of whom were fixtures at tourney games during their careers.

The Osborne Award is presented to the outstanding female player in each class, while the Warner Award goes to the top male performers.

Winners are selected by a vote of tourney media, Maine Principals’ Association representatives, tourney officials, and other veteran observers.

Osborne served as sports editor for more than 20 years until his death in 1978. Warner succeeded Osborne and held the BDN Sports Editor post until shortly before his death in 1994.

Since the inception of the BDN’s MVP awards, a star-studded list of 85 winners from 44 different schools have been honored. In 2005, Dexter’s Ashley Ames joined Lanna Martin of Calais as the only players, male or female, to be honored three times.

Danielle Clark of the University of New Hampshire, a former standout at Nokomis High in Newport, is among eight players to win the Osborne Award twice. Bracey Barker of Mount Desert Island and UMaine, and Shelby Pickering of Lee Academy and Husson College, also were repeat girls winners.

Among the boys, Hampden Academy’s Jordan Cook last year joined Josh Madden of Calvary Chapel Christian in Orrington and Bangor Christian, Ralph Mims of Brunswick, Sam Henderson of Hodgdon, and Andrew York of Central Aroostook in select company as the repeat winners of the Warner Award.

Madden broke new ground, becoming the first player to be named MVP playing for two different schools. He won it with Bangor Christian in 2003 and Calvary Chapel in ’04.

Calais High and Camden Hills (formerly Camden-Rockport) have produced the most BDN Most Valuable Players, logging eight each in 13 years. The Windjammers have turned out six boys winners and the Blue Devils six on the girls side.

Cony of Augusta has churned out seven MVP winners, with the Rams doing so all on the girls side of the bracket. Dexter checks in with six MVPs.

This year, eight more players will earn the distinction, etching their names permanently into the Eastern Maine tournament history books.

William C. Warner MVP

Award Winners (Boys)

2006 – Class A: Jordan Cook, Hampden Acad.; Class B: Ryan Martin, Maranacook; Class C: Brandon Tomah, Calais; Class D: Andrew York, Central Aroostook

2005 – Class A: Jordan Cook, Hampden Acad.; Class B: Tim Stammen, Camden Hills; Class C: Chris Rabideau, Dexter; Class D: Andrew York, Central Aroostook

2004 – Class A: Ralph Mims, Brunswick; Class B: Matt Donar, Erskine Acad.; Class C: Mark Socoby, Houlton; Class D: Josh Madden, Calvary Chapel Christian

2003 – Class A: Zak Ray, Bangor; Class B: Micah Grant, Winslow; Class C: Travis Patterson, Dexter; Class D: Josh Madden, Bangor Christian

2002 – Class A: Ralph Mims, Brunswick; Class B: Tyler Warren, Camden Hills; Class C: Joe Footer, Calais; Class D: Pat McCleary, Bangor Christian

2001 – Class A: Joe Campbell, Bangor; Class B: John Knutson, Camden Hills; Class C: Buddy Leavitt, Piscataquis; Class D: James Godley, East Grand

2000 – Class A: Nick Loukes, Bangor; Class B: Ryan Garland, Hermon; Class C: Jeremy Allen, Penquis; Class D: Brandon McCarthy, Katahdin

1999 – Class A: Jed Johnson, Lawrence; Class B: Jim Wilson, Camden-Rockport; Class C: Ryan Rivera, Central; Class D: Josh Knowlton, Jonesport-Beals

1998 – Class A: Braden Clement, Skowhegan; Class B: Jon Masin-Peters, Camden-Rockport; Class C: Brandon Ashby, Washington Academy; Class D: B.J. Alley, Jonesport-Beals

1997 – Class A: Travis Gilmore, Mt. Blue; Class B: Steve Smith, Bucksport; Class C: Erik Benge, Narraguagus; Class D: Nick Wiberg, Deer Isle-Stonington

1996 – Class A: Corey Thibodeau, Old Town; Class B: Jason White, Orono; Class C: Sam Henderson, Hodgdon; Class D: Matt Townsend, Central Aroostook

1995 – Class A: Matt Kinney, Bangor; Class B: Marc Corliss, MDI; Class C: Sam Henderson, Hodgdon; Class D: Tim Manchester, Machias

1994 – Class A: Josh Nash, Medomak Valley; Class B: Mike Geisler, Camden-Rockport; Class C: Mark Farmer, Schenck; Class D: Tim Brewer, Central Aroostook

Owen Osborne MVP

Award Winners (Girls)

2006 – Class A: Cassie Cooper, Cony; Class B: Katie Delong, Presque Isle; Class C: Sabrina Cote, Dexter; Class D: Michelle Ferry, Woodland

2005 – Class A: Katie Rollins, Cony; Class B: Amanda Byrne, Winslow; Class C: Ashley Ames, Dexter, Class D: Shelby Pickering, Lee Acad.

2004 – Class A: Katie Rollins, Cony; Class B: Samantha Wiley, Camden Hills; Class C: Ashley Ames, Dexter; Class D: Shelby Pickering, Lee Acad.

2003 – Class A: Danielle Clark, Nokomis; Class B: Bracey Barker, MDI; Class C: Ashley Ames, Dexter; Class D: Kaitlyn Leeman, Woodland

2002 – Class A: Jauna Andrews, Cony; Class B: Bracey Barker, MDI; Class C: Lanna Martin, Calais; Class D: Ashley Marble, Woodland

2001 – Class A: Danielle Clark, Nokomis; Class B: Melissa Gott, MDI; Class C: Lanna Martin, Calais; Class D: Ashley Marble, Woodland

2000 – Class A: Heather Ernest, Mt. Blue; Class B: Meg Cressler, Camden-Rockport; Class C: Lora Trenkle, George Stevens; Class D: Tricia Carver, Jonesport-Beals

1999 – Class A: Heather Ernest, Mt. Blue; Class B: Lora Trenkle, George Stevens; Class C: Lanna Martin, Calais; Class D: Sara Ricker, Shead

1998 – Class A: Janet Riese, Cony; Class B: Susan Gardner, Orono; Class C: Holly Quint, Hodgdon; Class D: Tracy Guerrette, Wisdom

1997 – Class A: Kim Condon, Presque Isle; Class B: Erin Shaw, MDI; Class C: Holli Tapley, Calais; Class D: Janna Walker, Southern Aroostook

1996 – Class A: Amy Vachon, Cony; Class B: Susan Gardner, Orono; Class C: Holli Tapley, Calais; Class D: Jan Beal, Jonesport-Beals

1995 – Class A: Amy Vachon, Cony; Class B: Cara Moir, Stearns; Class C: Carrie Cram, Schenck; Class D: Kelly Copp, Machias

1994 – Class A: Cindy Blodgett, Lawrence; Class B: Liza Doughty, Hermon; Class C: Kelly Dow, Calais; Class D: Sandi Carver, Jonesport-Beals