JUNE 26, 2012
WARWICK BEACON
ALL CITY 2011-2012
ALL CITY TEAMS • ATHLETES OF THE YEAR • COACHES OF THE YEAR
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Ryan Brannigan When football coach Keith Croft was preparing to give a speech about Ryan Brannigan at Bishop Hendricken’s athletic banquet, he didn’t have to think too hard about the theme. It was an easy choice. “The word that comes to mind when I think of Ryan is winning,” Croft said. And with good reason. Brannigan graduated from Hendricken this year with a pretty full trophy case. He won two football state championships, two track state championships and four individual race titles at state track meets. Throw in a Division I Super Bowl MVP award, and you’ve got one of the most decorated athletes to come through Hendricken in years. It was a dream career. “I’ll definitely remember the two football state championships, track All-States, track championships,” Brannigan said. “It was a lot of fun.” When Brannigan arrived at Hendricken four years ago, he immediately impressed Croft and his coaches while playing for the freshman team. No matter where he was on the field, his speed and athleticism stood out. That combination made him a
natural fit for track, and he ran with his potential in that sport. As a junior, he was on the firstplace winning 4x400 relay team at indoor track states, a finish that helped the Hawks win the team title. He ran the same relay at outdoor states, taking first again. This winter, Brannigan was a key part of two more winning relays at indoor states. The Hawks won both the 4x400 and 4x200. For a lot of athletes, that’s a pretty good high school career in itself, but the track wasn’t even where Brannigan made his biggest mark. On the football field, he shined. “He was phenomenal,” Croft said. “He played in three straight Super Bowls, won the last two, and just willed us to victory in arguably the greatest upset in Rhode Island football history.” Brannigan was a contributor as a sophomore when the Hawks lost to Barrington in the Super Bowl. The next year, Brannigan was a junior standout on a senior-laden squad that broke Hendricken’s 13-year title drought. Brannigan, who had played mostly receiver, switched to running back when
Ethan Ferreira got hurt late in the year, and he ended up scoring the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl. That, too, would have been enough for a great high-school career, but for Brannigan, there was an encore. As a senior this past season, he moved to quarterback and captained an inexperienced squad to a monumental upset of La Salle in the Super Bowl. “It was pretty awesome,” Brannigan said. “Winning my junior year, I thought that was the best. But coming back, I always wanted to go out on top. To be able to do it against La Salle, our rivals, I couldn’t think of anything better, especially with us being counted out.” The Rams were 8-0 and heavily favored. They had blown out the Hawks in a regular-season meeting. But that was early, when the Hawks were still finding their way. And, when Brannigan was still finding his way. “He brought a calming presence, and he was a leader,” Croft said. “Even though he’d tell you he wasn’t where he wanted to be statistically – and maybe wasn’t where we wanted him to ■
PAGE 18
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Susie Cavanagh Susie Cavanagh is from an athletic family, and she’s always played sports. When she got to high school, she didn’t hesitate to fill up her calendar. Field hockey in the fall, ice hockey in the winter and golf in the spring. “I wouldn’t really want it any other way,” Cavanagh said. “It’s fun. I feel like I was kind of born to play sports. It runs in the family, so why not play?” And in Cavanagh’s case, why not play well? Every step of the way, that’s what the 2012 Pilgrim High School graduate did. She was a first-team AllStater in field hockey, she was a key contributor on the Pilgrim boys’ hockey team, and she finished second at the girls’ state golf championship. It was a fitting senior year for one of the best athletes the school has ever seen. “She’s one of the most talented female athletes Pilgrim’s ever had,” said field hockey coach Nisa San Giovanni. “I’ve been here 27 years and I could put her in the top two or three. She’s one of those kids who can just do anything. If she had played softball, she’d probably be first-team All-State.”
Cavanagh grew up playing a lot of sports, but as part of a family full of hockey stars, she gravitated to the ice. At Pilgrim, though, she wasn’t content just focusing on one sport. She went out for field hockey as a freshman and made the varsity squad right out of the gates. She’d never played before, but her hockey skills, for the most part at least, translated well “You could see it right away,” San Giovanni said. “It took her a little while to get used to the game, and she wasn’t used to the rules. It’s a lot slower, and she liked the speed of ice hockey. But it didn’t take her long.” Cavanagh became a standout immediately and helped the Pats to a 12-2-2 record as a sophomore. After that, Pilgrim was moved up to Division I. It was a challenge, and the Pats won three games each year. But Cavanagh still made an impression, earning All-State honors in spite of the team’s record. “She basically carried us,” San Giovanni said. “When she wanted to take over, she could.” In the winter, Cavanagh returned for her third year as a member of the Pilgrim boys’ hockey team. She had played for the Warwick girls’ hockey co-op team in her freshman
year, but she decided before her sophomore season that playing boys’ hockey gave her a better chance to improve her game. It was a decision that still sticks with her head coach at Pilgrim, Dave Tober. “She just has this unselfishness,” Tober said. “She basically passed up three years of accolades, scoring titles, All-States to play on a boys’ Division II team, and it was all because she wanted to better herself as a hockey player.” After not making a huge splash in her first two years, Cavanagh became a key part of the team this season. She centered the second line for the Pats, and helped lead the team to an 11-6-1 regular season and a spot in the Division II semifinals. She finished the year with six goals and four assists. “That was awesome,” Cavanagh said. “I got a lot better as a player and to have the boys accept me was cool. It’s good hockey. It’s fast.” In addition to her contributions on the ice, the fact that she was part of the team at all set the tone for the rest of the squad. “The message she sent by being willing to give up the ■
PAGE 22