By John Packett
Renegades Writer

        With just over two weeks remaining in the regular season for the Southern Professional Hockey League, voters for postseason awards will be making their choices.
 
        Assuming Columbus doesn’t crumble in the closing weeks, Cottonmouths coach Jerome Bechard appears to the favorite for coach of the year. His club is the top defensive outfit in the league and should wind up on top of the standings.

        Robert Sich, who started the year with Florida and moved to Fayetteville when the Seals folded in early January, is the likely player of the year, after leading the SPHL in scoring. Sich has 39 goals in 44 games.

        Richmond center Danny White is one of the prime candidates for rookie of the year with 29 goals and 54 points in 49 games. Fayetteville’s Tim Velemirovich might have the edge for the moment, however, after producing 73 points in 49 games.

        Chad Rycroft will be the goaltender of the year after the season he’s had. Rycroft was 20-8-1 with a 2.89 GAA before a Thursday game against Jacksonville.  Richmond’s Doug Groenestege was battling Rycroft for the honor but a rough road trip in mid-February dropped him into second place, well below Rycroft.

        The defensive player of the year is usually a tough call, but it’s hard to overlook the job done by Richmond’s Brian Goudie this year.  Goudie is on the ice for probably 40 minutes a game, including both special teams and is the Renegades’ fourth-leading scorer with 38 assists and 45 points. His ice time is +6.
 
        The awards are usually handed out during the final week of the regular season, which winds up on March 25. The playoffs are scheduled to begin later that week at three sites.