Rochester team picks Dawson
RON SMITH
Sports Editor
The Nazareth Golden Flyers want to start their hockey program with good
players and solid citizens.
With the Rochester-based team icing a team in Division III men's hockey for
the first time in 2012-13, Brockville Braves captain Scott Dawson is going
to be one of the original Golden Flyers.
The 20-year-old Dawson recently committed to join Nazareth after playing
five years in the Central Canada Hockey League, the last two and one-half
with the Braves.
He will be the fifth Braves player to be leaving to play in NCAA Division I
or Division III next year, joining David Roy, Sebastien Gingras, Brandon
Anselmini and Kenny Matheson.
Dawson's talents as a steady defenceman with offensive capabilities and
leadership experience are already known by the Golden Flyers.
The new head coach for Nazareth is George Roll, the father of Braves forward
Chris Roll. In watching his son play over the past two seasons with the
Braves, George Roll has had a front-row seat to Dawson's style and how he
plays.
That probably made it quite easy to include Dawson as a building block for a
new team.
Despite the concussion issues that sidelined Dawson for the final three
months of the Braves' season, he's going to be able to practise and play for
the Golden Flyers this fall.
The six-foot, two-inch, 225-pound Kanata native was acquired by the Braves
from the Nepean Raiders at the trade deadline in 2010 and played a key role
in the team's run to the Royal Bank Cup championships.
Braves head coach and general manager Jason Hawkins named Dawson as the
captain at the start of the 2011-12 season.
He provided experience, a sense of defence and plenty of leadership for the
Braves in his time with the team.
Dawson was enjoying the best offensive season of his junior career before
suffering a concussion at the end of December.
At the season-ending awards banquet for the Braves, Dawson was given the
Mike Daoust Award for his passion, commitment and dedication to the game of
hockey.
Dawson finishes his five-year CCHL career with 20 goals and 90 assists in
255 regular season games with Nepean and Brockville.
