By JARROD POTTER
UNEARTHING their best and brightest from the inaugural campaign, the Berwick Diamonds Women’s Gridiron Team celebrated the end of the season with their presentation night on Friday.
While the season came to an abrupt end in the Diamonds’ 6-34 Gridiron Victoria semi-final loss to Northern Raiders, an enormous amount of inaugural season positives have given the Diamonds great momentum heading into their first off-season.
After a year with her head over the ball, taking crunching tackles as the team’s starting running-back, Bliss Love was named the Diamonds’ inaugural Most Valuable Player.
Love, 27, endured hit-after-hit but kept charging ahead to give the Diamonds crucial first downs and important gains in all facets of the game.
On offence, quarterback Vanessa Roman was named Offensive MVP, a stellar achievement for a first-season quarterback who relished the chance to star under-centre.
Outside line-backer, and general nightmare to opposition backs, Erin Gubatunga earned the Defensive MVP as well as Best Finals Player to cap off the major awards, presented by head coach Jamie Stafford and the rest of the Diamonds’ coaching and training staff.
Also receiving awards at the presentation night at the Sandhurst Club on Friday 16 January were Barbara Dunlop (Most Improved), Chantelle Baniani (Best Lineman) and the Dale Warren Trophy – named after Berwick Miners’ champion and long-time administrator – was won by co-captain Cat Bouwhuis.
The Berwick Miners men’s program is about to kick off, with preparations for the new season to begin with the club’s Registration Day at Sunday 8 February, 10am at Rawling Field, Endeavour Hills.
BERWICK DIAMONDS AWARDS
OVERALL MVP – Bliss Love. Defensive MVP – Erin Gubatanga. Offensive MVP – Vanessa Roman. Best Finals Player – Erin Gubatanga. Coach’s Award – Larnie Gubatanga. Most Improved – Barbara Dunlop. Dale Warren Trophy – Cat Bouwhuis. Best Lineman – Chantelle Baniani.
