Vaughan, Hearn named best St. John's athletes

A runner who dominated the local scene while producing outstanding efforts on the national scene, and a rugby player who performed at the highest level of the game are the 2011 St. John's MolsonCoors athletes of the year.

Last year's winner, Kate Vaughan, took the Margaret 'Mag' Davis Memorial Award as female athlete of the year again, while Ciaran Hearn was selected the male athlete of the year and winner of the Tom 'Dynamite' Memorial Award Friday night at the E.B.Foran/Greene Room at St. John's City Hall.

At the Canadian track and field championship in Calgary, Vaughan won the bronze medal in the 5,000 metres, posting a time of 17:04. Later in the year, in Vancouver, Vaughan competed in the Canadian cross-country championship and placed sixth, earning a spot on Canada's team for NACAC cross-country championship.

Locally, Vaughan dominated, winning every race she entered, including the Burtons Pond 5K, Harbourfront 10K, Not So Hilly half-marathon, CHCM 10K, Mews Centre 8K, provincial 5K and the Tely 10. It was her second straight Tely 10 title, winning in 57:43, the eighth-fastest time posted by a woman.

The highlight of Hearn's year was an appearance in the World Cup of Rugby in New Zealand, the third-largest sports spectacle in the world behind the Olympic Games and World Cup of Soccer.

Hearn started for Canada against Tonga (a win) and France (a loss), but was relegated to the bench for games against Japan and New Zealand.

Following his World Cup appearance, Hearn returned to Victoria, B.C. to train before heading to Guadalajara, Mexico for the Pan American Games with Canada's Sevens squad. Hearn helped Canada win the PanAm gold medal.

In warmup matches for the World Cup, Hearn suited up for Canada against the United States in Toronto and Glendale, Colorado, and donned the red and white in the Churchill Cup staged in Worcester, England.

In sevens play, Hearn wore Canada's colours in Hong Kong, Scotland, England and New Zealand tournaments.

A native of Conception Bay South and a member of the Baymen RFC, Hearn also played for the St. John's-based Rock team in the Canadian Rugby Championship league, thus making him eligible for the city's athlete of the year award.

Other finalists for the awards were basketball player Hannah Jardine and soccer player Jane Pope, and runner Colin Fewer and swimmer Owen Daley.

St. John's under-16 girls' soccer team became the first provincial female team to reach a Canadian championship game, losing in the final to powerhouse Ontario.

St. John's finished with a 3-2 record at the U16 nationals.

The team has been together for six years and has never lost an age group game in this province. St. John's also won the Atlantic championship in Fredericton, N.B.

Other teams up for the award were the Colin Thomas curling team and West Side Charlie's senior men's softball team.

THE VOTES

MALE

1. Ciaran Hearn 48 points

2. Colin Fewer 22 points

3. Owen Daly 19 points

4. Ben Taylor 17 points

5. Zach O'Brien 16 points

6. Lee Escott 12 points

FEMALE

1. Kate Vaughan 51 points

2. Hannah Jardine 40 points

3. Jane Pope 26 points

4. Caroline McIlroy 10 points

5. Emma Meulencamp5 points

6. Erika Noonan 3 points

TEAM

1. St. John's Under-16 girls' soccer team 57 points

2. Westside Charlies softball Team 33 points

3. Colin Thomas, MUN curling Team 31 points

Boxe(s):

PAST WINNERS

MALE

1951 - Ferd Hayward

1952 - Ted Gillies

1953 - Ted Gillies

1954 - George Hillier

1955 - George Hillier

1956 - Lloyd Cooke

1957 - Barry Maunder

1958 - Tols Chapman

1959 - Bill Gillies

1960 - Bill Martin

1961 - Doug House

1962 - Charlie Spurrell

1963 - Ian Campbell

1964 - Tony Manning

1965 - Ian Campbell

1966 - Tols Chapman

1967 - Gordon Follett Sr.

1968 - Mac Rideout

1969 - Brian Brocklehurst

1970 - Ford Metcalfe

1971 - Joe Walsh

1972 - Ross Crocker

1973 - Ross Crocker

1974 - Blair Tucker

1975 - Denis Byrd

1976 - Jack MacDuff Rink

1977 - Blair Tucker

1978 - John Dwyer

1979 - Paul McCloy

1980 - Mel Fitzgerald

1981 - Paul McCloy

1982 - Paul McCloy

1983 - Paul Merlo

1984 - Chris Daly

1985 - Paul McCloy

1986 - Paul McCloy

1987 - Paul McCloy

1988 - Colin Abbott

1989 - Colin Abbott

1990 - Paul McCloy

1991 - John Slaney

1992 - Rob O'Brien

1993 - Iain Tennent

1994 - Troy Croft

1995 - Rod Snow

1996 - Andy Crosby

1997 - Peter Benoite

1998 - Harold Druken

1999 - Colin Abbott

2000 - Mark Parsons

2001 - Brad Gushue

2002 - Jeff Saxby

2003 - Jason Hill

2004 - Brad Gushue

2005 - Brad Gushue

2006 - Brad Gushue

2007 - Ted Purcell

2008 - Mike Noftall

2009 - Luke Adam

2010 - Zach O'Brien

2011 - Ciaran Hearn

FEMALE

1969 - Maria Fitzpatrick

1970 - Pam Yetman

1971 - Annette Rossiter

1972 - Kate Jackman

1973 - Peg Baker

1974 - Marg Davis

1975 - Colleen Tapper

1976 - Joanne McDonald

1977 - Marg Davis

1978 - Joanne McDonald

1979 - Kathy Noseworthy

1980 - Paula Kelly

1981 - Gillian Grant

1982 - Debby Power

1983 - Sue Doyle

1984 - Nicola Will

1985 - Sue Doyle

1986 - Joy Burt

1987 - Pam Ennis

1988 - Sherry Morrissey

1989 - Pam Ennis

1990 - Cora McCloy

1991 - Cora McCloy

1992 - Jasmine Wadhwa

1993 - Andrea Hutchens

1994 - Krista Manning

1995 - Michelle Healey

1996 - Michelle Healey

1997 - Ann Murrin

1998 - Cheryl Oldford

1999 - Donna Phelan

2000 - Donna Phelan

2001 - Jennifer Parsons

2002 - Jenine Browne

2003 - Jenine Browne

2004 - Jenine Browne

2005 - Julia Howard

2006 - Laura Breen

2007 - Stacie Devereaux

2008 - Nichole Adams

2009 - Vicki Thistle

2010 - Kate Vaughan

2011 - Kate Vaughan

TEAM OF THE YEAR

2009 - Kelly's Pub Junior Canadians softball team

2010 - The Rock Under-20 rugby team

2011 - St. John's Under-16 girls' soccer team