An awful lot can change in four years.
From depth forward to captain, Darren Bordt’s gradual ascension up the Okotoks Jr. B Bisons ranks led him to the ultimate honour as the latest inductee to the team’s Wall of Fame alongside long-time executive Judy Devries to highlight the team’s Awards Banquet on April 22.
“Darren’s the pinnacle of our organization process,” said Bisons head coach Mike Hannigan. “He started off his first year, played maybe 12 games, it was a struggle. A top player on his team in Midget and came to us having to earn his stripes, earn his spot.
“A few years later the process finished off with him being our team captain.”
The affable Okotokian put up a career-high 40 points in his Junior swan song and was a reliable force at both ends of the ice.
Along with fellow graduates Zak Johns and Bryce Honish, he was the last remaining player from the team’s 2013 provincial championship roster.
“The coaches had a lot of trust in me and I had a good four years with those guys,” he said. “It’s a great feeling and something anyone on our team hopes they can get. I have to thank all the guys that got me here.”
Bordt also picked up the President’s Award, Leadership Award and Most Dedicated honours.
The two-time league champion joins a quartet of former teammates on the Wall of Fame in Phil Dillon, Matt Howatt as well as Okotokian blueliners Michael Savage and Tyson Arnholtz.
“Coming through there as a kid and looking up at the wall and not really knowing what those names meant yet and eventually playing on the team was a big accomplishment,” Bordt said.
“I told Tyson I want to be up there beside him. Nice to be up there with some buddies.”
One of those peers shared a prolific night of awards himself.
Mark McLeod was voted team MVP along with picking up the Top Scorer and Top Plus/Minus honours after putting up a team-high 47 points in his third season with the herd.
“There is honestly a lot of guys they could have chosen. To be selected for it as a great honour,” McLeod said. “My first year I came in and was more of a defensive player for the team. To develop my game to more of an offensive role was definitely huge for me and a goal I set out for this year.”
After starting his career in a more defensive role, the relentless worker has seen his responsibilities shift more into the other end of the ice. No matter the zone, the trademark work ethic is always there.
“I don’t really know any different. I’ve always played as hard as I could,” he said. “If you’re going to play you might as well play hard and try to win every game, win every shift.”
Bison Harrison Smith won Most Defensive Player after making a seamless adjustment from forward to defence. Graduate Spencer Barlow was named Hardest Working Bison - the only award voted on by the players.
Sophomore winger Robbie McLean was Playoff MVP after putting up six goals and a pair of hat-tricks in six games while hard-nosed defenceman Taylor McNeill won the Heat, Pride, Sacrifice Award.
Smooth-skating defenceman Caleb Eefting was Rookie of the Year while fellow freshman Stephen Shikaze won Most Sportsmanlike Player. Johns, whose final season was mired by a leg injury, took home the Perseverance No Guts/No Glory Award for his efforts in rehabilitation.
Volunteers of the Year were Darryl and Brenda Honish who went not refereeing on the ice can be seen donating their time as off-ice officials at countless hockey games at the Junior level.
For more information on the team go to okotoksbisons.com
