From the left are Jamestown’s Nick Miraglia, Sean O’Brien, Jaylen Butera, Joey Delgado and Ben Anderson. Submitted photo

AMHERST — At the conclusion of the Western New York High School Sports banquet, the crowd at Classics V stood as one and gave the founder of the event, the late Dick Gallagher, a standing ovation.

Described in the banquet program as “perhaps the greatest single advocate for WNY athletics this area has ever witnessed,” Gallagher passed away 18 months ago at 79. His memory, however, lives on and did so again Saturday with the presentation of dozens and dozens of awards and honors to the best football players in the area.

Athletes from The Post-Journal and OBSERVER circulation areas were well-represented. Below are those local honorees, whose names were printed in the banquet program.

SECTION VI PLAYOFF MVPS

CHUCK FUNKE AWARDS

¯ Class A: Ben Anderson, Jamestown, offense; Sean O’Brien, Jamestown, defense; Jaylen Butera, Jamestown, Most Valuable Player.

¯ Class D: Josh Bush, Randolph, offense; Jaiden Huntington, Randolph, defense; Xander Hind, Randolph, MVP.

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

(as selected by coaches of each division)

¯ Class A South: Jaylen Butera, Jamestown, Player of the Year.

¯ Class C South: Aidan Kennedy, Southwestern Offensive Player of the Year; Matt Lotter, Fredonia, Defensive Player of the Year; Nick Whitfield, Fredonia, Player of the Year.

¯ Class D: Lucas Marsh, Franklinville/Ellicottville, Offensive Player of the Year; Jaiden Huntington, Randolph, Defensive Player of the Year; Xander Hind, Randolph, Player of the Year.

CROSS TRAINING ATHLETICS

FIRST-TEAM ALL-WNY

BIG FIVE CHARACTER AWARD WINNERS

¯ Treyvon Kopta, Clymer/Sherman/Panama.

DICK GALLAGHER

MEMORIAL

“MOUNT CRUSHMORE” HONOREE

¯ Matt Lotter, Fredonia.

BUFFALO NEW ALL-WNY TEAM

¯ First-Team Offense: Jaylen Butera, Jamestown, running back; Xander Hind, Randolph, running back; Joey Delgado, Jamestown, offensive line.

¯ First-Team Defense: Ben Anderson, Jamestown, linebacker; Aidan Kennedy, Southwestern, defensive back.

DICK GALLAGHER BUFFALO NEWS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

¯ Jaylen Butera, Jamestown, running back.

ALL-WNY ACADEMIC TEAM

¯ Ben Anderson, Jamestown; Simon Davis, Fredonia; Nick Miraglia, Jamestown; Kurtis Olson, Clymer/Sherman/Panama; Luke Pagett, Randolph.

JOHN URSCHEL WNY FOOTBALL

SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

¯ Ben Anderson, Jamestown.