Casa honors present, while remembering the past

The current Casa Grande High School football team was honored Sunday night, but behind the awards and accolades, drum beats of the past could be plainly heard.|

The current Casa Grande High School football team was honored Sunday night, but behind the awards and accolades, drum beats of the past could be plainly heard.

On a night of celebration and emotion, top honors were bestowed not only on the best players, but also on the best and most inspirational young people who are carrying on the legacy of “Gaucho Family” from those who have gone before.

The Ken Hahn Coaches’ Award was presented to Alex Gonzalez, who saw little game time but was a catalyst in practice, willing to play any where as a member of the scout team. His teammates thought enough of the senior to buy him his letterman’s jacket.

“What his teammates did and what he contributed is the meaning of team,” said Casa Grande head coach Trent Herzog.

Hahn was the long-time videographer for Casa games who passed away in 2015.

The CJ Banasek Strong Award for strength and courage went to quarterback Frank Gawronski, who not only symbolizes those qualities, but was also a close friend of CJ, who fought a long and courageous battle with leukemia before passing away in 2014 at age 13.

The award was presented to Gawronski by CJ’s parents, Cas and Heather Banasek, along with his grandfather, also Cas Banasek, a former Gaucho football coach.

The second-ever James Forni Gaucho award, named in honor of the former Casa basketball and football coach and teacher, was presented to Brian Kolodin. The award in honor of the popular coach who passed away in 2015 was presented to standout Casa two-way starter Kolodin by Forni’s wife, Mary; mother, Jan; and brother, Chris.

Other varsity awards went to quarterback Garrett Buffo, Back of the Year; receiver/kicker Brandon Keefer, Offensive Player of the Year; receiver/defensive back Trevor Naugle, Most Valuable Player; defensive end Billy Brown, defensive Lineman of the Year; offensive/defensive lineman Tommy Luchese, Overall Lineman of the Year; linebacker Travis Voight, Defensive Player of the Year; and Jacob Voight, Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Also honored were Casa Grande’s All-North Bay League team players led by Specialist of the Year Keefer, who was not only one of the team’s key receivers and an outstanding defensive back, but also the team’s leading scorer with nine field goals and seven touchdowns for 85 points.

Also chosen to the first team were Luchese, Naugle, Travis Voight and Kolodin. Brown and Jacob Voight were placed on the second team.

Four-year-player awards went to Spencer Torkelson, Buffo, Mikey Morarity, Keefer, Matthew Kubes, Naugle, Tony Pleinnikul, Kolodin, Dulio Froes, Luchese, Travis Voight, Jacob Voight and Dylan Korte.

Although the Gauchos were 4-7 for the season, Herzog called it “a very special team,” noting that Casa battled back for all four of its wins, including a victory over Maria Carrillo that saw it come back from a 30-point deficit in the fourth quarter for what the coach called “Casa Grande’s greatest win.”

“This team went through thick and thin together,” he said. “I have never seen a team so decimated by the kind of injuries we had, but they didn’t quit.

“I will always remember your heart, effort and the way you guys stuck together,” he told his team.

Former Casa Grande linebacker Miles Gardea, the NBL’s Defensive Player of the Year at Casa and later a standout for Santa Rosa Junior College, was the guest speaker for the evening.

“The best football experience you will ever have is in high school,” Gardea told the players. “The most important part is just being with your teammates as part of a family you can rely on.”

He added that football can be a gateway to an education, something he is continuing to experience as he considers opportunities to play and study at a four-year university.

Junior varsity awards went to: Nate Busse, Coaches’ Award; Vincent Cabrena-Menique, Gaucho Award; Carson Kerrigan, Offensive Player of the Year; Justin Naugle, Lineman of the Year; Sebastian Reyes, Defensive Player of the Year; and Ike Seymour, MVP.

Freshmen awards went to: Cort Gago, Offensive Player of the Year; Matt Herrera, Defensive Player of the Year; Morgan Morarity, Offensive Lineman; Lucas Proulx, Defensive Lineman of the Year; and Cole Santander, MVP.

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