Gardner among Bowl honorees Brewer’s Wright record fundraiser

Shey Gardner, a quarterback and safety from Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, is one of three recipients of the second annual John R. Schmidlin Trophy.

Gardner, running back-defensive back Aaron Champagne of Lawrence of Fairfield and fullback-linebacker Devon Brown of Gardiner were honored during halftime of the 18th annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford.

The Schmidlin Trophy is presented by the Maine Football Coaches Association to the top senior high school football players in Classes A, B and C. It is different from the Fitzpatrick Trophy presented to the state’s top senior player regardless of class because the criteria are different, the method of selection is different and the trophies’ namesake is different. Selection criteria for the Schmidlin Trophy recipients are good citizenship, team player, loyalty and reliability.

MFCA member head coaches from throughout the state nominated candidates for the award, then subsequently voted by secret ballot for the recipient in their class.

The 6-foot, 170-pound Gardner was one of five Class C nominees. He quarterbacked the Lynx to the Eastern Maine Class C playoffs and was one of the team’s top tacklers before his senior season ended prematurely due to a dislocated left elbow suffered during MA’s Eastern Maine Class C semifinal win over Bucksport.

Gardner also played basketball and baseball for Mattanawcook and was the valedictorian of MA’s Class of 2007. He plans to study civil engineering at the University of Maine.

Other nominees from Class C were Gene Kim of Stearns of Millinocket, Mike Durrell of Livermore Falls, Dan Willis of Lisbon and Garrick Brown of Madison.

Brown was selected for the Class B honor from a field of four finalists that also included Andy Shorey of Mountain Valley of Rumford, Justin Lindie of Winslow and David Cary of Wells.

Champagne, a Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist who led Lawrence to the 2006 Class A state championship, was the lone nominee in Class A.

The award is named in honor of Schmidlin, a longtime football coach and athletic director at Gardiner Area High School during the 1950s and 1960s who also served as an officer with the Maine High School Coaches Association for 26 years, from 1956 to 1982.

Schmidlin, who played football at the University of Maine, finished his career as AD at the University of Maine at Machias from 1967 to 1976.

Schmidlin’s original intent was to honor recipients from Classes B and C since the Fitzy is won by a Class A player most years, but the MFCA executive committee decided to honor players in all three classes.

A trophy bearing each winner’s name is kept in his school for a year, then passed on to the school of the following year’s recipient. Each winner also receives a plaque.

Wright shines in fundraising

Courtney Wright, a cheerleader from Brewer High School, was recognized as one of four recipients of the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic’s General Chairman’s Award for her fundraising effort on behalf of the Shrine Hospitals for Children, the beneficiary of the annual game.

But not only did Wright set the fundraising pace among East cheerleaders, she set a record for individual fundraising in the 18-year history of the game.

Wright raised more than $5,200, with sources including individuals and businesses, a bottle drive, and a pin fundraiser in conjunction with the Anah Temple Shriners.

Other General Chairman’s Awards recipients were West cheerleader Megan Hodgdon of Boothbay, East player Andrew Leiser of Mount Desert Island and West player Jordan Fields of Biddeford.