Standout seasons recognised with fairest and best awards

Reece Curwen and Elsa Piggott have become dual winners of the Lower Great Southern Hockey Association men’s and women’s A-grade fairest and best awards respectively after the pair were recognised for stellar seasons last Saturday night.

Curwen, who made the bold switch during the off-season to join new side Mt Barker, again had a superb season in the midfield and led Spencer Park and last year’s winner Sam Brown by four votes heading into the final five rounds of the regular season.

Despite only polling one vote in the last five rounds, Curwen was able to prevail, finishing on 18 votes to add to the fairest and best honour he won back in 2013 while playing for Manypeaks.

Brown finished second on 14 votes, followed by Peaks’ Chris Metcalfe and North Albany’s Joel Hitchcock (12 votes), Mt Barker’s Alex Fergie (9) and Park’s Jack Dawson and Mt Barker’s Brendan Havercroft (8).

Piggott capped off a successful night for the pair after she also claimed her second fairest and best crown, winning after a tense final few rounds of the count.

Peaks star Courtney Robinson and Piggott were locked on 17 votes and Mt Barker’s Jess McPartland was close behind on 16 votes heading into the final five rounds of the home-and-away season. The polished Park midfielder, however, collected three votes in the final five rounds to claim the win on 20 votes, while Robinson and the fast-finishing Julia Keymer, of Tigers, tied as runners-up with 17 votes apiece.

McPartland was next on 16 votes, followed by Redbacks young gun Sophie McDonald (13) and Peaks pair Alice Lydiate and Renae Parsons (12). It was back-to-back victories for Piggott, having won last season’s award by one vote.

In the B-grade fairest and best awards, Great Southern Grammar’s Michelle Ericsson won the women’s gong with 21 votes while Redbacks’ Dean Schoof was the men’s winner on 17.