AUBURN — This year’s Lion’s Youth Hockey Tournament, held for the 48th year in a row, was capped off Monday, February 17 with a closing ceremony ending a weekend filled with over 50 games for youth hockey players from ages 4-15. Monday was a day of championship games, awards, prizes, and an open skate filled with hundreds of skaters. Awards were given to winning and runner up teams as well as several very special awards and scholarships were given to deserving players and coaches for their outstanding play and sportsmanship.

Winners of the tournament and special awards were: Mites Division Champions: Maine Gladiator Mite Yellow; Squirt Division Champions: Maine Gladiator Squirt White; Peewee Division Champions: Henniker Huskies (from Henniker, New Hampshire); Bantam Division Champions: Henniker Huskies.

Bob Gladu Award (best defensive player): Lila Theriault; Fern Cloutier Award (best coach): Dylan Nadeau; Coaches Awards (players chosen by the coaches for outstanding sportsmanship and leadership on and off the ice): Romeo St. Pierre, Caleb Harrington, Ezra Tsapis and Allison Domegan; Scholarships to Rousseau Hockey Clinics given by the Maine Referee Association: Fiona Violette, Lydia Costa, Tyler Randell, and Jackson Oliver.

The Maine Gladiators is already accepting registrations for next year’s tournament, which will be the 49th annual event.