Knox, Bezanson at head of class in 30th Moynihan Awards luncheon

Jun. 20—PEABODY — Over the last 30 years, the Moynihan Lumber Student-Athlete Award program, brainchild of brothers Jack and Gerard Moynihan, has honored not just the best high school students on the North Shore, but some of the best ever from the state of Massachusetts in their chosen sports.

A prestigious list of honorees that includes several future professional athletes, probably the best ever distance runner from Massachusetts (Shalane Flanagan) and one of the best ever women's hockey players from the Bay State (Meghan Duggan as a post-graduate honoree) gained two more "best in class" members Tuesday afternoon.

St. John's Prep junior wrestler Tyler Knox and Danvers High senior soccer player Arianna Bezanson were honored as the Male and Female Moynihan Lumber Student Athletes of the Year at a luncheon at Salem Country Club.

The program, which began in 1991, highlights outstanding students and athletes from the North Shore's communities throughout the school year. Each month, the sports editors of The Salem News, Gloucester Times, Newburyport News and Lynn Item select a boy and a girl as Student-Athletes of the Month from nominations sent in by the area's respective athletic directors and head coaches. The yearly winners are then chosen from among those winners for their excellence both in athletics and in the classroom.

Knox, a junior from Groveland, had a perfect season on the mat for St. John's Prep wrestling at both 126 and 132 pounds. He went a spotless 52-0 with 42 pins, won every conceivable championship in the state and in New England, then won a national title in Virginia. He's currently ranked No. 7 in his weight class in the country and is committed to wrestle at Stanford University.

"Someone asked me if he was the best wrestler ever in Massachusetts. Ryan Malo (a decorated Prep alum) had just texted me to say Knoxy's resume said he was, so if Ryan Malo says it its probably true," said longtime Eagles wrestling coach Manny Costa.

"It's an honor to think Tyler's the best wrestler not only to ever wear a Prep singlet, but to wear any singlet in Massachusetts."

Certainly no slouch in the classroom, Knox carries a 4.39 grade point average and is one of 83 Academic All-Americans at St. John's under Costa's tutelage.

An avid fly fisherman in his spare time, Knox is the third Prep wrestler to be named Moynihan Student-Athlete of the Year along with Malo (2007) and Hunter Costa (2016).

"It really is a honor to share something like this with those guys," Knox said. "I'm very grateful to all my coaches and my parents. This is an award that honors my whole support system."

Prior to his time at St. John's Prep, Knox wrestled two years at Pentucket as an eighth grader and freshman, winning an All-State title and tallying 89 wins. He then transferred to Northfield Mount Hermon and repeated his freshman year before eventually landing back in the area with St. John's Prep.

A two-time All-American in soccer at Danvers, Bezanson graduates as one the Falcons' all-time leading scorers with 122 career points. She was a three-time Northeastern Conference MVP and was one of the most skilled, dangerous scorers in North Shore history while playing with a classy, sometimes unassuming yet always hyper-competitive style.

"I've been coaching for 23 years and Arianna is the best player to ever wear the Falcons' Blue-and-White," said Danvers girls soccer coach Jimmy Hinchion. "There's no question about it."

Carrying a 103.5 grade average, Bezanson is a tremendous student who plans to study medicine while playing soccer at Colgate University and one day hopes to become a surgeon. She also ran track, winning the NEC title in the indoor 300, and is a member of Danvers' DECA Club among other off-the-field successes.

"It means a lot to be recognized, and I'm grateful to all my teammates and coaches and teacher for all their help along the way," Bezanson said. "I'm so excited to start at Colgate in the fall. I'm training already and I've been looking forward to it for a long time. I can't wait."

There were several other awards handed out at Tuesday's luncheon. Lifetime Commitment Awards from outside the schools went to June Murphy, who has been a highly respected basketball official for decades; longtime tireless working Lynn Journal sports writer Cary Shuman; and retiring Bentley University head baseball coach Bob DeFelice, who is always a champion of high school and college athletics.

Veteran local sports broadcaster John Hoffman of Lynn received a Fan Award for his labor of love being the soundtrack of so many local sports tapes over the years. Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt, a guest speaker who won the first Male Moynihan Student-Athlete Award 30 years ago, was honored with a Post-Graduate Award.

"To have kept this award going for 30 years really is amazing," Bettencourt said. "I'm a local sports nut. I love reading about the kids all over the North Shore in paper every day and it always amazes me how many truly great student-athletes we have in this area."

Lifetime Commitment Awards from within the schools went to Margaret "Muffin" Driscoll for her 20 years in the Manchester Essex school system, the last 10 as athletics assistant. Former Marblehead athletic director Mark Tarmey, a steadfast advocate for hockey in the region, was also honored for his Lifetime Commitment.

"All of these adults have the same thing in common: They're great for kids," said Paul Halloran, one of the program's longtime volunteers and directors.

The final Lifetime Commitment Award within the schools went to the late Kathy Strange, who passed away last February and served as athletic secretary at Peabody High for 23 years. She was also a hockey cheering and girls tennis coach and was always a champion of the Moynihan program.

"If a coach didn't put a nomination in, they got a call they wouldn't forget from Kathy," said former Peabody athletic director Phil Sheridan, who shared an office with Strange for 18 years and often called her his 'work wife.'

"She always said there was a reason student came first in student-athlete. Even if they didn't win, she wanted people to know kids were nominated just so they knew how important the academics and the complete package were."

"She was our 'head coach'," former Peabody girls basketball coach and longtime friend Jane Heil added. "She was a mentor to all of us in the department and the super glue that held it all together. I feel blessed to have been a player on her team."