The 2016 season is in the books for the Aroostook Huskies Football Club.
The exciting season began with high hopes for success on the field when 23 players turned out for the start of practice. With an ambitious schedule including two league games apiece with the Valley Mustangs, Central Maine Eagles and Damariscotta Eagles, as well as games with a club team from New Hampshire and a Friday night lights Homecoming affair with Camden Hills Regional High School, the Huskies looked set to compete successfully for a league title.
Unfortunately it was not to be. Injuries devastated the team all season as, at one point, as many as nine players were sidelined. In one game, the team ended with only 12 able-bodied players.
Despite being outmanned and not experiencing on field success in the 0-8 season, the Huskies developed a reputation for never quitting and playing hard to the final whistle. They were cited by most opponents as demonstrating the best sportsmanship of any team encountered.
The fairly potent offense was led by quarterback Apollo Grondin, fullback Jed Grant and running backs Ethan Carter, Caleb Libby and Will Belyea. The fairly inexperienced offensive line was anchored by center Brandon Tully, guards Jarred Jordan and Jared Kilcollins and tackles Cody Anderson and Bryce Roix.
Wide receivers were Andrew DeChaine, Evan Leach and Karson Albert. Bench depth was provided by Ethan Grant, Brendan Johndro, Jared Green, Thomas Stitham, Eric Argraves. Brad Tilley, Tyler Wright and Lucien Belanger.
The defense struggled with tackling when senior captain Jed Grant, the best tackler on the team, missed several games due to injury. Playing in coach Taylor DeFelice’s 3-4 defense, the rotation of linemen included Tully, Jordan, Kilcollins, Anderson, Roix and Green. The linebacker corps was represented by Jed Grant, Carter, DeChaine, Albert, Johndro, Stitham and Argraves. The defensive back spots were manned by Grondin, Libby, Leach, Tilley, Ethan Grant and Wright.
At the season-ending awards celebration, Jed Grant was named the team MVP, Grondin was named the Offensive Player of the Year and Libby was voted Defensive Player of the Year.
Grondin was voted the President’s Award for best representing the values football teaches about life.
At that event, it was announced that the Aroostook Huskies proposed football field was selected to be the special project for this year’s Presque Isle Rotary Club, with plans to build the field next spring and summer. Anyone interested in this project can contact Rotary Club officials by going to http://www.aroostookfootball.org and clicking the “Contact Us” link.
