PORTLAND – Peter Gwilym became Cheverus High’s first Fitzpatrick Trophy winner Sunday afternoon, beating out Jamie Ross of Deering and Cam Kaubris of Mountain Valley.
Gwilym’s name was announced by former winner Gerry Gelinas of Biddeford as the 40th recipient of the bronze statue that goes to the top senior high school football player in Maine, based on voting by the state’s coaches and the media.
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Vote totals are never revealed.
The award culminated a storybook season for Gwilym and the Stags, who won the Class A state championship and finished with a 12-0 record.
The Stags’ quarterback and defensive back was also named the Maine Sunday Telegram MVP, the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year and the most valuable player in the Southern Maine Activities Association.
“It’s a nice cap to the season,” said Gwilym.
“I don’t think anything separated me from the other finalists. I wouldn’t have been surprised if either one had won it. The voting comes from all over the state so you never know how it will come out.
“It means everything to me to represent Cheverus. You want to win the Fitzpatrick Trophy because it means so much. I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and my coaches.”
Cheverus turned out to honor and support Gwilym at the banquet. Football teammates and coaches, basketball teammates and coaches, Athletic Director Gary Hoyt and other school officials were in attendance.
“Peter typifies what the Fitzpatrick Trophy is all about,” said Cheverus football coach John Wolfgram, who introduced Gwilym.
“He is a great kid in all ways,” said Wolfgram. “In crunch time, he made play after play the whole season. He was the difference for us. Some people have that ability. Peter did everything he could do for us and he did it with self-effacement.”
Gwilym was a wide receiver his freshman year. At the start of Gwilym’s sophomore year, Wolfgram told him that he wanted him to play quarterback.
“I was real nervous about that,” said Gwilym. “At first, I would fumble the snap, and I wasn’t a very good passer.”
But Gwilym got better as the season progressed and settled into the position as a junior, emerging as a running threat and an improved passer. The Stags advanced to the Western Class A final, losing by a point to Windham, the eventual state champion.
This past fall, with Gwilym and other talented senior classmates, Cheverus put it all together under the guidance of Wolfgram. The Stags had some tight games, but their experiences of the season before along with Gwilym’s ability to make clutch plays brought the school its first state title in 25 years. The Stags won half their games with fourth-quarter rallies
“Some people might be surprised that someone from Freeport is the Fitzpatrick Trophy winner,” said Gwilym.
“Through excellent coaching, my teammates, it’s an honor to have progressed enough to be the Fitzpatrick winner. Certainly, my statistics weren’t that impressive.”
Gwilym completed 52 of 88 passes for 763 yards and nine touchdowns. He ran 120 times for 705 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Gwilym was known as a punishing tackler. In his remarks, Wolfgram called him “a linebacker masquerading as a defensive back. “
Not exceptionally big at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Gwilym delivered crunching hits. He finished with 81 unassisted tackles and five interceptions, none bigger than his 106-yard interception return against Deering in the Western Maine final. He also had three forced fumbles.
Gwilym began playing in middle school in the fledgling Freeport youth program.
As an eighth grader, he was encouraged to attend Cheverus by a family friend and Cheverus graduate, Chris O’Neil.
Gwilym went to Cheverus the next year, and four seasons later, the Stags have a state title and a Fitzpatrick Trophy winner.
The Fitzpatrick Trophy selection process starts in November when high school football coaches send in a nomination of a senior football player from their team who they feel is deserving. Teams are allowed to nominate only one player.
A committee evaluates the nominees and selects a list of semifinalists, whose names are put on a ballot and sent to head coaches and media.
Voters select their top three choices, and the votes are weighted, with a first-place vote worth three points, two for second and one for third.
The top three vote getters are announced as finalists in December. On-field performance, academics and character are the chief criteria for the award.
Staff Writer Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at:
tchard@pressherald.com
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