CASTLETON, Vt. -- The best of last fall's Green Mountain State football season were honored at the 22nd annual National Football Foundation Vermont Chapter Awards Dinner at Glenbrook Gymnasium on the Castleton State College campus on Sunday, April 26, 2015.

From nominees from all 29 of the state's programs, six high school seniors were each awarded a $500 scholarship for outstanding football ability and performance, outstanding academic achievement and outstanding school leadership and example. The honorees included:

Jeff Carter, Mount Mansfield: A three-year varsity starter who led the Cougars in tackles and sacks last fall, he has been on the honor roll for every quarter at MMU and won the Cougar Award for highest grade point average on the football team. A team captain who was named to the Vermont coaches 2014 Division I All-State First Team, he has been active in many community service events and programs for both youths and senior citizens.

Grant Cummings, Colchester: A team leader who was named to the coaches Division I All-State First Team as a linebacker and will play for Vermont in the 2015 Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl, he also has been an honor roll student including high honors as a senior. Off the field he is a volunteer with the Colchester youth football program, officiates, runs practices and been in charge of off-season workouts, also works at youth lacrosse camps and is a volunteer with the Colchester town government. 

Brendan Gleason, Essex: A talented two-way player who was a two-year captain at Essex, he was named first team all-state on both offense and defense. An excellent student, he will attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall after playing in the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl. He is well regarded throughout his school and the town and has volunteered at his church, with at-risk youths and with the Essex youth football program.

Jordan Godfrey, Rutland: Another Division I first team all-state member who will play in the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl, he has maintained high academic honors as well and is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish national honor society. A three-sport captain for the Raiders, his many off-field activities include serving as a youth hockey official. He also was the recipient of Rutland High's Bentley Book Award.

Connor Quinn, Middlebury Union: A two-year, two-way starter for the two-time defending Division I state champions, he also ranks in the top five academically in his class. He also earned D-I first team all-state honors at defensive back and was selected to play in the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl. He also works with youth athletes in several sports and as a mentor or game official, and is active in community service activities.

John Winslow, Otter Valley: A first team, Division III all-state selection at quarterback and kicker, he is a member of the National Honor Society and participated last summer at Boys' State. Also headed to play in the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl, he set several school records on the gridiron for the Otters and was a three-year starter in football, basketball and baseball. He also has been active in many school and community service activities.

The other 2015 High School Hall of Fame nominees honored at the dinner were: Ethan Illingworth, Bellows Falls; Matt Larose, BFA-Fairfax; Anthony Clark, BFA-St. Albans; Amend Noor, Burlington; Wilson Vickers, Burr & Burton; Matthew Goldsborough, Champlain Valley; Ian Misencik, Fair Haven;  John Bielecki, Hartford;  Josh Guyer, Lyndon Institute; Brett Johnson, Mill River; Kiernan Brisson, Milton; Carson Cushman, Mt. Anthony; Eric DeBlasio, Mount St. Joseph; Connor Hogan, North Country; Zach Constantine, Poultney; Chris Jansen, Rice Memorial; Brennan Smith, St. Johnsbury Academy; Ed Hockenbury, South Burlington; Jordan Hanson, Union 32; and Connor Drown, Winooski.

Four student-athletes, one representing each of the state's collegiate programs were named the 2015 Vermont Collegiate Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame Recipients:

Zachary Howe (Bellows Falls, Vt.), Castleton State College, wide receiver: A tireless worker over his four seasons with the Spartans, Howe this season was second on the team in nearly every receiving statistical category and was named to the all-Eastern Collegiate Football Conference second team.

Matthew Benedict (Eden, N.Y.),  Middlebury College, defensive back: He earned first team all-NESCAC honors on the field and also was named to the Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District I Team. He also was named to the NESCAC All-Academic Team for the third straight season and picked up the school's Martin Joseph Durkin III Memorial Football Award.

Dane Pallotto (Westbrook, Conn.), Norwich University, defensive back: A first team all-ECFC selection this fall, he earned all-league honors for the third straight season. He was one of the Cadets captains helping the team to an appearance in the ECAC D-III Northeast Bowl.

J.P. Benoit (Shelburne, Vt.), University of Vermont club, running back and wide receiver: An excellent multi-position athlete, he was one of the Catamounts captains and for the fourth straight year, he was selected to the Academic All-Conference Team.

PRIDE of Vermont Award is presented to the state's premier football player from three finalists from each division. The ninth annual award is sponsored by the Dolphin Foundation of South Burlington with PRIDE being an acronym for 'Personal Responsibility for Individual Daily Effort'.

Austin Robinson of Middlebury Union earned the PRIDE of Vermont Premier Player Award after helping the Tigers to a second straight unbeaten season and Division I state title. He was the Vermont State Gatorade Player of the Year and earned D-I first team all-state honors by the coaches at quarterback.

Chris Jansen of Rice Memorial High in South Burlington was the Division II finalist. He was a D-II first team all-state selection at three positions, quarterback, linebacker/defensive end and kicker. He helped Rice to the Division II state championship.

Luke Langelier of Bellows Free Academy, Fairfax, the Division III state champion was the finalist in his division. A two-year captain of the Bullets, he was a first team D-III all-state linebacker and second team running back.

2015 Most Courageous Athlete Award and Scholarship, presented by Fred Peet, Attorney at Law. went to Judah Ward of Missisquoi Union High in Swanton, Vt., An inspirational winner,  Ward, who as a youth was the main caregiver for his ill mother, was able to play on his first athletic team as a senior at MVU, the fledgling T-Birds football team last fall.

2015 Robert Stafford High School Athlete Community Service Award and Scholarship went to Matt Larose, a senior multi-sport standout at Bellows Free Academy, Fairfax who was his school's Hall of Fame nominee.  In addition to his athletic feats and being an award-winning student and member of the concert band at BFA Fairfax, Larose unselfishly gives his time to an abundance of local and statewide community efforts. He serves on the BFA School Board, helps with several blood drives and cancer fundraisers and chips in with programs assisting youth, in school, in athletics and after school. The senior has already received appointments to the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy.

The Vermont Youth Football Achievement Award went to Kari Lamb of Barre.  A longtime board member of the Barre Youth Football Association, she serves as its current president.

The Vermont Contribution to Amateur Athletics Award went to former longtime Hartford (Vt.) High head coach and current Norwich assistant Mike Stone of Wilder. Prior to stepping down at Hartford after the 2013 campaign, Stone spent close to 30 years as the coach of the Hurricanes where his teams captured 10 state titles, five recently in Division I and five previously in Division II. He earned the high school state coach of the year award numerous times and now is the defensive backs coach at his collegiate alma mater.

The state's high school coaches gave the 2014 Vermont High School Coach of the Year Award to Mike Williams of BFA Fairfax for leading the school to its first-ever state title in only its eighth season as a varsity program. The Bullets captured the D-III state title last fall.

The Vermont Football Officials Association presented its annual awards at the dinner. The VFOA honored veteran official George Lucia of Westminster with its 2014 Vermont Official of the Year Award. It also gave its season-long team sportsmanship awards, the Stan Amadon Trophy for the North to Bellows Free Academy, Fairfax, and the James Howard Trophy for the South to Mount Anthony Union High of Bennington.

Next season will be the 23rd for the Vermont chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame. The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame was founded in 1947 as a non-profit educational organization to run programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people.

 

The 2014-15 NFF Vermont Chapter High School Honorees. Front Row, L-R: Jordan Godfrey, Rutland;  Brendan Gleason, Essex; Grant Cummings, Colchester. Back Row, L-R: John Winslow, Otter Valley; Jeff Carter, Mt. Mansfield; Connor Quinn, Middlebury. 

The 2014-15 NFF Vermont Chapter College Honorees, L-R: Zachary Howe, Castleton State; Dane Pallotto, Norwich University; Matt Benedict,  Middlebury; JP Benoit, University of Vermont Club Team.

NFF Vermont Chapter President Mickey Heinecken presents BFA Fairfax Coach Mike Williams the High School Coach of the Year Award.

NFF Regional Coordinator Howie Vandersea presents Judah Ward of Missisquoi Union High with the 2015 Most Courageous Athlete Award and Scholarship, sponsored by Fred Peet.

Former Hartford (Vt.) High head coach and current Norwich assistant Mike Stone responds after accepting the Vermont Contribution to Amateur Athletics Award.

Kari Lamb of Barre, a longtime board member of the Barre Youth Football Association and the current president, accepts The Vermont Youth Football Achievement Award.