PORTLAND — Wells running back/linebacker Louis DiTomasso tackled many accomplishments in the 2011 football season.

But of all he achieved, there will be one award that escaped his grasp.

It was Leavitt quarterback/safety Jordan Hersom who won the 41st James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy Saturday afternoon at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.

The Fitzpatrick Trophy, or the “Fitzy” as it’s called, recognizes Maine’s top senior football player.

Members of the media vote on the award.

Hersom had a tremendous season for the Hornets, passing and rushing for more than 1,000 yards while leading Leavitt to the Maine Class B state championship game, losing to Wells 21-13. In his two years as a starting quarterback, Hersom had a record of 22-2, including a Class B title in 2010.

Hersom’s family is the first to win multiple Fitzpatrick trophies. Jordan’s cousin, Jack Hersom, won the award in 2007 for Lawrence High School.

“It’s a good feeling,” Jordan Hersom said. “I just wanted to give a special shout out to my coaches and my teammates for making me become the best football player I could become.”

Hersom comes from a long football lineage. His grandfather, Lawrence “Doc” Hersom, was a longtime Edward Little coach in the 1970s, winning multiple state championships. Jordan’s father, Jim, was a head coach at Brunswick, Livermore Falls and Edward Little. He is currently the offensive coordinator under Mike Hathaway at Leavitt. His uncle, John Hersom, has been a head coach at Morse and Messalonskee, and is currently the head coach at Lawrence.

“Growing up in a football family, I couldn’t ask for anything more,” Hersom said. “My dad, always being there for me. It’s just something the whole community deserves. It’s not about me as an individual, the recognition goes to everyone who supported Leavitt football, my coaches and my teammates. I love them to death. I’m going to miss high school football. It’s amazing.”

But winning the Fitzy didn’t come without stiff competition. Cheverus’ Spencer Cooke rushed for 1,100 yards and scored 19 touchdowns while missing the playoffs with a broken bone in his lower leg.

DiTomasso, who was named the Campbell Conference Player of the Year and the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year, scored 18 touchdowns while rushing for more than 1,500 yards and making 133 tackles.

Though he said he was disappointed, DiTomasso said he was relieved when the Fitzy ceremony was over.

“You win some, you lose some. It’s all right,” DiTomasso said. “I was honored to be a part of it.”

Apparently, neither DiTomasso nor Hersom hold any bad blood from the state title game, to which Hersom alluded in his acceptance speech.

“After the state game, I really didn’t like Louis that much,” Hersom said to a chorus of laughs. “He’s a great guy, and we made a friendship.”

Each respective head coach introduced the finalists. Wells head coach Tim Roche, who was battling the flu, listed DiTomasso’s accomplishments not only as a football player, but also as a person.

“He was a great leader for us,” Roche said. “I’d be proud to say that he was my son.”

After each introduction, players gave speeches on what being a finalist for the Fitzy meant to them.

Bob Giroux, the former Thornton Academy running back who won the Fitzy in 1986 after the Golden Trojans beat Bangor 28-6, completing a perfect season, was the guest presenter. Giroux, who played at the University of Maine for a brief period before leaving football, gave advice to each of the three finalists.

“Looking back, I think I was in too much of a hurry to become an adult while I was still just a teenager,” Giroux said. “Eighteen years old, faced with some of the most crucial choices of your life. Even though you don’t know it yet, the choices you make over the next year will have a huge impact on the rest of your life. My advice is to go to college and play sports if you can. Four more years will go by, and your adult life will still be waiting for you.”

Joining Hersom, DiTomasso and Cooke during the award banquet were the nine semifinalists for the award: Shaun Carroll of Lawrence, Sam Chaves of Massabesic, Logan Mars of Scarborough, Donald Clark of Cape Elizabeth, John Doyon of Hampden Academy, Dominic Mowrer of Orono, Izaiha Tracy of Mt. Blue, Graham Strondak of Westbrook and Luke Libby of Thornton Academy.

Julius “Yudy” Elowitch, the founder and president of Yudy’s Tire Company, created the Fitzpatrick Trophy in 1971. The award is named after James J. Fitzpatrick, Elowitch’s head coach at Portland High School. Fitzpatrick, a top athlete in his time, was known for striking out Babe Ruth twice and beating football legend Jim Thorpe in a kicking competition, as well as leading Boston College to a victory over Yale in 1919 when Fitzpatrick kicked the winning field goal. His exploits are captured in the film “The Iron Major,” starring Pat O’Brien, which was made in 1943.

Ron Marchand of Biddeford won the first Fitzy in 1971, which was presented at the Steve White Gym at Biddeford High School. York County has produced 14 Fitzy winners ”“ not including Bonny Eagle, which has two Fitzy winners, but has players residing in both Cumberland and York counties. Biddeford has the most Fitzy winners for one school with seven.

— Contact Staff Writer Dave Dyer at 282-1535, Ext. 323 or follow on Twitter @Dave_Dyer.