Year in Review: Top male & female athletes of ’19

See this week’s Canton Citizen for Team of the Year honors and other sports highlights from 2019.

Male Athlete of the Year: Johnny Hagan

With apologies to ice hockey teammates and Globe Player of the Year winners Ryan Nolte and Michael Staffiere, no Canton athlete had a more impactful or memorable 2019 than Hagan, who dominated in two sports and only lost once throughout the entire calendar year. That lone loss was a heartbreaker to be sure — coming at home against Holliston in the D5 south football title game. But otherwise Hagan’s teams were literally unbeatable, with a combined total of 35 wins and one draw (on a technicality), capped off by two storybook endings: one on St. Patrick’s Day at the TD Garden and the other on Thanksgiving against rival Stoughton. Hagan — the all-star and beating heart of both squads — was of course at the center of both victories, recording a hat trick in the state hockey final and tossing two touchdowns against the Knights for his second career T-Day win.

Female Athlete of the Year: Taylor Harris

It is the ultimate achievement in team sports to earn the moniker of “best player on a championship team,” and Harris was exactly that in 2019 as she guided the CHS volleyball program to its first ever Massachusetts state title. Not only was she a team captain and the Bulldogs’ top offensive weapon, but she came through when the team needed her most, culminating with back-to-back dominant performances against previously unbeaten Minnechaug and Danvers. Statistically, she was also in a class of her own, finishing with a state-leading 434 kills while adding 224 digs and a team-best 42 aces. It all added up to what was arguably the finest campaign in CHS volleyball history and Harris has the hardware to show for it, including MGVCA All-State and Globe Player of the Year honors.

Individual Honorable Mention: Devin Foster (Red Auerbach Massachusetts Mr. Basketball, Hockomock League MVP, set school scoring record, led Bulldogs to a 2nd straight Davenport title)

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Check out the Citizen’s Jan. 9 edition for our All-Decade Team coverage. Click here to subscribe today.

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Jan 10 2020. Filed under Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.