On seventh anniversary of Sandy Hook shooting, Newtown High School wins state football title
On the anniversary of the most tragic event in their town’s history, the football players of Newtown High School added a positive note to the date of Dec. 14.
The Newtown Nighthawks, representing the school that Sandy Hook Elementary feeds into, won the Connecticut Class LL football championship on Saturday, seven years to the day after the horrific shooting that killed 26 people, including 20 children.
What’s more, the team won the game on a walk-off 36-yard touchdown pass.
Newtown High School (the school that Sandy Hook feeds into) wins a state championship on a 36 yard TD pass on the final play of the game. Oh my goodness. pic.twitter.com/QMPeL942E6
— Eagle-Eyed Social Media User Dan Why-Ner (@DanWeiner) December 14, 2019
The title is Newtown’s first since 1992, according to the Associated Press. Newtown linebacker Ben Pinto’s brother Jack was reportedly among those killed in the shooting.
FINAL — Oh. My. God.
Street hits Riley Ward for a 36-yard game winning touchdown as time expires in the fourth quarter.
Newtown 13, Darien 7.
The Nighthawks (13-0) are your Class LL state champions. pic.twitter.com/qCIF3E5Ruu— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) December 14, 2019
Per the Hartford Courant, Newtown fans wore mostly green apparel to honor the Sandy Hook victims, with cheerleaders also wearing green bows and many Newtown players wearing green tape and paint. Even fans from their opponents at Darien High School reportedly wore green.
“Our whole town showed out tonight,” Newtown linebacker Jared Dunn said, according to GameTime CT. “That’s all I can ask for; there’s nothing better (than) to win it for your town, especially on a day like today. We remember everyone, and credit to Darien.”
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