Down the Byline Wizards Team Awards

The Wizards season is over and it's time to look at the year end awards. First let's look at the team's year end awards. This year the team handed out 5 awards, Golden Boot, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year, and Bob Gansler KCW Juniors Player of the Year.

MVP and Golden Boot both went to Kei Kamara for his 10 goals and 6 assists this season. Defensive player of the year went to goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen, Humanitarian went to Jimmy Conrad, and the Juniors player of the year went to defender Konner Knoll. The media got to vote on 3 of those awards, MVP, defensive player of the year, and humanitarian. So as a voting media member, who got my vote? MVP and humanitarian were the same person on my ballot, Kamara. My defensive player of the year went to Michael Harrington who had himself a very big season for the Wizards. In fact, award winner Nielsen finished 3rd on my ballot behind Harrington and Roger Espinoza. Here are my awards, the same as last year.

Rookie of the Year
Teal Bunbury
Probably the easiest selection this year, mainly because the only competition for Bunbury was Korede Aiyegbusi who played in a little over 100 minutes this season. Still Bunbury finished his rookie season with 5 league goals and 2 assists along with a goal in the US Open Cup qualifier against Colorado.

Defender of the Year
Michael Harrington
As I stated above, Harrington finished at the top of my official ballot. Harrington had a season that brought back memories of his rookie season where he looked like a potential option for the US at the outside back position, if he's healthy enough I'd hope he'd get a look in the January camp, if not a surprise call up for the upcoming South Africa friendly.

Goal of the Year
Josh Wolff vs Houston
While Birahim Diop's strike against San Jose was a thing of beauty, Kamara's goal where he channeled Roger Milla was fantastically taken, and Davy Arnaud's curling goal against Chicago was world class, I have to agree with Gooch on this one and give the goal to Josh Wolff for his winner against Houston. It was a beautiful ball by Harrington and a very nice finish by Wolff. Combine that with the timing of the goal and how huge it was at the time this goal takes it. Check the goal out again below.



Performance of the Year
Birahim Diop vs San Jose 10/23
It was the final game of the season, but Diop's performance against San Jose was great. There were 3 very good finishes and that last one was world class. Diop may not have done a lot in some of his other performances, but this one was the top performance of the season.

MVP
Kei Kamara
As I started above, Kamara was the Wizards MVP this season, he played a roll in many of the Wizards goals this season, even ones that he didn't get an assist on. Jimmy Nielsen was an early favorite, but he faded a bit down the stretch and while Harrington was solid defensively, he wasn't flashy enough to be a big MVP candidate.