DEA Bedford Over 30

The 9th Annual DEA Awards Gala at the Bellagio was held recently, and as usual the black tie affair was a smashing success. With celebrities galore, the event is typically one of the 'must-attend' events of the year for Hollywood "A-Listers", Politicians, media, and athletes from throughout the world. The big winner was Chris LaBerge. Named Captain before the start of the year, he wore the arm-band proudly in taking home Four awards. Thankfully, his family was with him (as they almost always are) and helped to carry his cache out the door. So, without further ado, the winners are: Offensive Player of the Year: Chris LaBerge. LaBerge netted 7 goals on the year while splitting time between forward, center midfield, left midfield, and a variety of backfield positions. Not only did he lead the team in total number of goals, but also in quality and importance. Defensive Player of the Year: Tom Labonville. "Bomber" teamed well with runner-up Chris Florek, forming an imposing middle of the backline. Making his DEA O-30's debut, the long-time DEA SummerLeaguer meshed in well with the squad. He was an imposing force in the air all over the pitch. Goalie of the Year: Lucas Hill. Lucas also won the unoffical award for "Most Miles Travelled" as he made the trek from Connecticut for every game but two. He personally stole the first Ipswich game with a series of stunning saves, and was the vocal leader on the pitch. He did nothing to shed his "All-World" tag. Rookie of the Year: Labonville. In the closest vote on the docket, Labonville edged sniper Ryan Carvalho for the honor. DEA's recruitment of the last 30 months has brought a lot of quality and should allow DEA to remain in the running for league honors for the foreseeable future. Goal of the Year: This voting was the closest of any of the categories. The nominees were Willie Davis' chest and volley against Pepperell; Gary DuPlessis' tricycle-winner in the same match; and LaBerge's 45-yard chip to get DEA started against Ipswich. The winner was the LaBerge chip. As Elvis Zukovic, who won the title last year and presented the award this year commented: "Chris' strike was very calculated, against a good team, and gave us some early momentum". Fan(s) of the Year: The LaBerge Clan. They were at virtually every game, and always provided entertainment for the younger crowd. They even assisted with the sausages provided for Mother's Day. MVP: Another close vote, LaBerge edged Jerold White for the honor. Jerold won the title last year, but it looks like the voters went for the sexy stats this year. Either was deserving. Jerold the subtle quartback who game-in and game-out contributed everywhere. LaBerge the emotional leader who carried the load when needed most. Last, the following players received honors for the Lou Gehrig Award, which is awarded for making every game. Never in their history have so many players taken home this honor. That is a major reason for their successful season. -Chris Cloutier -Chris Florek* -Chris Jones -Chris LaBerge (no wonder Willie calls everybody "Chris" out there) -Barry Fitzgerald -Jerold White *Florek's protest about the early start in Pepperell, which cost him the bid for a 900-minute season, was denied by FIFA. It was recommended that he lost all footing when he A) Stayed out extra late the previous night; and B) Wasn't at the field the mandatory 30-minutes early anyway. DEA Management would like to thank everyone for the excellent commitment, quality of play, and positive results. Have a great summer, and get in shape for the Fall Season as it is coming up soon.