National Distributors and KeyBank Announce 2024 Finalists for Gaziano Lineman Awards
The Gaziano Awards selection committee has selected the finalists for the 2024 Frank J. Gaziano High School Scholarship and Awards.
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SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – January 10, 2025 - The Gaziano Awards selection committee has selected the finalists for the 2024 Frank J. Gaziano High School Scholarship and Awards. The list of six finalists consists of three defensive linemen and three offensive linemen from high schools across the state. From these finalists, two winners will be announced on Friday, January 24, 2025. The winners receive $5,000 each and a trophy, and four runners-up will receive $1,000 each and a trophy.
The Gaziano Awards are the largest high school scholarships of their kind in the country and honor the memory of the late Frank J. Gaziano who was a college football All-American and professional player before founding National Distributors Inc. in South Portland. In the past 13 years, National Distributors has donated $178,000 to Maine students. For the fourth year, KeyBank will co-sponsor the awards in partnership with National Distributors and will provide the four runners-up scholarships. National Distributors will continue to award the two top awards.
The three finalists for the
Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Defensive Lineman Award are:
Kyle Doody, Gardiner Area High School, Gardiner ME
Position: Defensive End
Kyle Doody of Gardiner Area High School is a finalist for the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Defensive Lineman Award for his accomplishments as a Defensive End. He stands out due to the sheer force he unleashes at each snap of the ball, with lightning quick reflexes, speed, and agility leading to tackles and disrupted plays. Doody’s leadership and sportsmanship result in deserved recognition – his teammates voted him as a 2024 Team Captain and coaches leaguewide selected him as 2024 Pine Tree Conference Player of the Year. Head Coach Patrick Munzing reports, “From the first day Kyle jogged on the field, I was immediately aware that he was something special…a throwback kind of player…doesn’t take plays off and does whatever is asked of him…(he) has always had a Team First, not a me first, mentality…the type of player that you build a scheme around.” Results for 2024 prove Doody’s game impact: 67 tackles (28 for a loss), 2 forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. No stranger to adversity off the field, Doody draws upon his life experience as he builds his promising future, developing adaptability and wisdom from hardships of significant instability at home throughout his early years. He plans to matriculate to the University of Maine at Orono with a goal to earn a Bachelor of Science in Physics.
Joseph Dube, Lewiston High School, Lewiston ME
Position: Defensive End
Joseph Dube of Lewiston High School is a finalist for the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Defensive Lineman Award for his accomplishments as a Defensive End. On the football field, he demonstrates all the hallmarks of a top defensive player – discipline, awareness, and athleticism. Dube has honed his skills as a four-year starter, serving as Team Captain in his Junior and Senior seasons. He has been recognized as an All-Conference player in each of his four seasons and is the 2024 Class A North Defensive Lineman of the Year with 87 tackles (14 for a loss), 6 pass breakups, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, and both a blocked field goal and punt. Head Coach Jason Versey describes, “Joseph cares about every player on the team. He’s compassionate, empathetic, and humble…he’s also a fearless competitor who leads by his example on and off the field.” Dube excels in his academics, earning Honor Roll every quarter and membership in the National Technical Honor Society, plus ranking in the top 5% of his class. For Dube, community service and hard work go hand-in-hand, as he led off-season workouts without fail while also working 10-hour days for his uncle’s excavation and paving company. He plans to matriculate to Husson University to study Business and join the Football Team.
Porter Gahagan, Medomak Valley High School, Waldoboro ME
Position: Defensive Tackle
Porter Gahagan of Medomak Valley High School is a finalist for the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Defensive Lineman Award for his accomplishments as a Defensive Tackle. His playmaking derives from a combination of strength, technique, and recognition. A team captain his Senior Year, Gahagan’s accomplishments include three All- Conference Defensive Tackle awards and 2024 Defensive Lineman of the Year in Class C North. He set records at Medomak Valley for most tackles in a game (16) and career tackles. Head Coach Ryan Snell states “He has not only been one of the top players to come through our program, but also is one of the most well-rounded individuals I’ve had the pleasure of working with… He wants to win…He cared about us doing well this year, but wanted to make sure the younger players saw the individual sacrifices it takes to be solid year in and year out.” Winning habits are evidenced by Gahagan’s career playoff berths: three Regional Championship games and one State Championship game. Off the field, service work is constant, including work as a volunteer firefighter, membership on student council and PAWS (Peers Assisting with Sincerity), and coaching youth football. For the past two years, he has worked as a sternman on his father’s lobster boat via Medomak Valley’s co-op work-study program. After graduation, Gahagan plans to continue his vocation as a lobsterman and pursue educational opportunities.
The three finalists selected for the
Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Offensive Lineman Award are:
Henry Mahoney, Thornton Academy, Saco ME
Position: Right Tackle
Henry Mahoney of Thornton Academy is a finalist for the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Offensive Lineman Award for his accomplishments as a right tackle. He produces dominant blocking at the line of scrimmage and into the second level of the defense, with focus on footwork and technique. His strength creates space for his offense to produce. These capabilities have led to success: 2024 First-Team All-Conference Offensive Line, 2024 Gerry Raymond Lineman of the Year in the Southern Maine Athletic Association, and 2024 Team Captain. A three-year starter on the offensive line, his team achieved berths in the Class A State Championship Game all three years,
with a victory in 2023. Head Coach Kevin Kezal describes Mahoney as a, “…a quality person, personifying the characteristics all educators and coaches look for when working with young adults” and states he has “innate work ethic”. Mahoney proves this true in his academics alongside athletics, ranking in the top 5% of his class while taking eight Advanced Placement and ten Honors Courses. He is a member of the National Honor Society and earned Outstanding Final Portfolio Recognition in a dual enrollment English course at the University of Maine. He has volunteered with youth football, Little League, Middle School Track and Field, and Partners for World Health. He plans to matriculate to a four-year college to study Environmental Engineering, with top choices of Bowdoin, Middlebury, WPI, and RPI.
Charles Majkowski, Kennebunk High School, Kennebunk ME
Position: Left Tackle
Charles Majkowski of Kennebunk High School is a finalist for the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Offensive Lineman Award for his accomplishments as a left tackle. He demonstrates disciplined, smart play backed by imposing physicality. He thrives at the point of attack and in reacting to the pass rush. Sportsmanship is evident at the whistle, cementing his all-around respect for the game. It is with these attributes that Majkowski helped his team win two consecutive Maine Class B Football Championships in 2023 and 2024. He also earned selection to the 2024 Varsity Maine All-State Team. Head Coach Keith Noel explains, “…he shines as an offensive lineman. He consistently seeks feedback, asks insightful questions, and demands to run drills again if he feels he hasn’t executed them properly. His drive to improve and his attention to detail are unmatched.” Majkowski’s drive for excellence draws from his deep commitment to family and faith. He recognizes the critical importance both have had in guiding him to succeed with high character. His personal values align with community service, with extensive activity including with the Travis Mills Foundation, adaptive horseback riding for those with disabilities, and significant fundraising for the Maine Cancer Foundation in honor of his mother and two grandmothers being breast cancer survivors. Majkowski plans to matriculate to a four-year college to play football, having received nineteen verbal offers and five scholarship offers.
Cole Tomuschat, Scarborough High School, Scarborough ME
Position: Offensive Tackle
Cole Tomuschat of Scarborough High School is a finalist for the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Offensive Lineman Award for his accomplishments as an offensive tackle. At each snap, he reacts with determined focus on his assignment with clear intention to dominate. For two seasons, Tomuschat has served as Team Captain, a role he credits with teaching him leadership amidst adversity. He has been a three-year starter, with achievements that include 2023 Class A South Second Team Offensive Line and 2024 Class A South First Team Offensive Line. Head Coach Patrick Malia states, “Cole is a coach’s dream. He is incredibly smart, extremely competitive, and dedicated to doing whatever it takes to make the team successful…his combination of leadership skills, character, intellect, and mental toughness have set Cole apart from his peers.” Tomuschat is a dedicated student, earning Honor Roll every quarter and membership in the National Honor Society, challenging himself with four Advanced Placement and eleven Honors courses. He is a leader in the school community, serving as Class President for four years and he has given back to those who will follow him, coaching youth football and mentoring elementary school students. He states that, “My goal is to serve my country, play football, and continue to build leadership skills both on and off the field.” Tomuschat plans to matriculate to the United States Merchant Marine Academy, the United States Coast Guard Academy, or the United States Naval Academy.
For more information on the scholarship program, visit the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Offensive and Defensive Lineman Awards - Maine Football Scholarships (gazianolinemanawards.org).
About National Distributors:
Established in 1960, National Distributors Inc. is a family-owned company that has been providing quality beverages to retailers for the benefit of consumers for more than 50 years. Though predominantly servicing retailers in southern Maine, the company continues to provide a variety of products and expand their distribution to central and coastal Maine. National Distributors maintains a strong vision for a greener future with an active environmental program. The company and its more than 170 employees also continue to be proud community leaders and promote the responsible consumption of their products. For more information, visit www.nat-dist.com.
About KeyBank/KeyCorp:
KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation’s largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $190 billion at September 30, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.
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CONTACT:
Karen Crane
203-789-2752
karen_crane@keybank.com
KEY MEDIA: www.key.com/newsroom