Amity wins game on emotional day for all

STAMFORD — Westhill wide receiver Nasir Thornton could not bring himself to look at the spot on the offensive line where his best friend Jordan Martinez was supposed to be.

Thornton and the Westhill football team returned to the field to play against Amity on Monday afternoon, a little over a week after Martinez, a senior lineman on the team, was killed in a car accident, and less than 24 hours after the team attended his funeral.

“Knowing him the best, I

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hung out with him every day since sixth grade; going to his funeral hit me,” Thornton said. “When we came out for the game, I couldn’t bear to look at the line. He’s been there at left guard since sixth grade. I did every football play with him. I looked at the picture we had up of him and I knew by his smile he wouldn’t want me looking down … It hurts.”

On Westhill’s first possession, the team went on the field with 10 players, leaving Martinez’s left guard spot open.

The Vikings intentionally took a delay of game penalty on the play, which Amity graciously declined.

Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Westhill football player Jordan Martinez died in a single car crash in Greenwich on Sept. 25. He was honored by fans and teammates at Westhill's football game against Amity on Monday, the team's first game since his death.