LEWISTON — Jeromey Rancourt had just finished his freshman season playing for the Lewiston boys’ hockey team when his senior teammate, Kyle Lemelin, won the Travis Roy Award.
Lemelin was the captain of the Blue Devils and someone that Rancourt looked up to.
Ever since then, it’s been Rancourt who’s been leading Lewiston, whether in points the past three years or as a team captain for the past two — both of which included Class A state championships.
To cap off Rancourt’s senior season, and his Lewiston career, the Blue Devil forward won a Travis Roy Award of his own.
Rancourt became the third Lewiston player to win the award in its 22-year history, as part of the Class A Hockey Coaches Association banquet at Ramada Inn in Lewiston on Sunday.
“It’s unreal, honestly, to be able to cap off this with the same tradition as a couple other players have for Lewiston,” Rancourt said. “I’m still in awe over everything that’s happened in the past two years. Especially with (my teammates), my coaches and the community that has helped me along the way.”
Rancourt beat out Bangor goalie Derek Fournier, Falmouth forward Robbie Armitage and Scarborough defenseman Eric Murray for the award given to the best senior Class A player in the state.
“I’m happy that I won, but they’re just as deserving of this trophy as I am,” Rancourt said. “Those three guys are tremendous athletes, tremendous people, and they’ve touched their communities.”
“What a fitting honor for a kid who’s really been a leader on our team for the last three or four years, and won a couple a state championships along with his teammates,” Lewiston coach Jamie Belleau said. “It doesn’t get any better for him … and I feel fortunate to have been able to coach him and the rest of his teammates.”
“It’s really a tribute to the things he brings off the ice as much as anything else that really sets him apart,” Belleau said. “He’s done a lot of the right things. As good of a hockey player he is, he’s a good human being, he’s a good teammate, he’s got good character.”
Rancourt tied for the Lewiston team lead in points, with 44 — 18 goals and a team-leading 26 assists. He added another goal and five assists during the Blue Devils’ run to a second straight state title.
“He’s obviously recognized as one of the better players from a Lewiston program that’s had a lot of really good hockey players that don’t get this recognition,” Belleau said.
Rancourt follows in the footsteps of Lemelin (2014) and Cam Poussard (2011) as Travis Roy Award winners from Lewiston.
wkramlich@sunjournal.com
All eyes are on the puck as Lewiston’s Jeromey Rancourt chases down the puck during the Class A Championship game at the Colisee in Lewiston on March 11.
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