National Distributors and KeyBank Announce Gaziano Scholarship Award Winners 2024
The Gaziano Awards selection committee has selected Joseph Dube and Henry Mahoney at the 2024 Winners of Gaziano Lineman Awards.
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National Distributors and KeyBank Announce Gaziano Scholarship Award Winners
Each student receives a $5,000 scholarship, the largest of its kind in the country.
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Photo caption: Defensive lineman Joseph Dube(left) and |
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SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine - January 24, 2025 - Today, National Distributors and KeyBank jointly announce the scholarship winners of the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Defensive and Offensive Linemen Awards. Joseph Dube of Lewiston has been named the top senior football defensive lineman and Henry Mahoney of Saco has been named the top offensive lineman in the state based on their hard work on the field, in the classroom and in their communities. National Distributors will present the winners with $5,000 scholarships and trophies, while KeyBank will present $1,000 scholarships and trophies to the remaining finalists: defensive linemen Kyle Doody of Gardiner Area High School in Gardiner and Porter Gahagan of Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro, and offensive linemen Charles Majkowski of Kennebunk High School in Kennebunk and Cole Tomuschat of Scarborough High School in Scarborough.
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, the Gaziano Awards program has awarded $178,000 in scholarships to Maine students. For the fourth year in a row, KeyBank has co-sponsored the awards, with National Distributors providing scholarships to the winners and KeyBank providing scholarships to the other finalists.
Joseph Dube, Lewiston High School, Lewiston ME
Position: Defensive End
Joseph Dube of Lewiston High School is the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Defensive Lineman Award winner for his accomplishments as a Defensive End. On the football field, he demonstrated 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 said “Joseph cares about every player on the team. He is compassionate, empathetic, and humble. He is also a fearless competitor who leads by example on and off the field.” Dube excelled 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 their football team.
Henry Mahoney, Thornton Academy, Saco ME
Position: Right Tackle
Henry Mahoney of Thornton Academy is the Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Offensive Lineman Award winner for his accomplishments as a right tackle. He produced dominant blocking at the line of scrimmage and into the second level of the defense, with focus on footwork and technique. His strength created space for his offense to produce. These capabilities 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 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.
For more information on the scholarship program, visit 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 $187 billion at December 31, 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
203-913-8468
Karen_crane@keybank.com
KEY MEDIA: www.Key.com/newsroom