The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Newtown’s Class LL win is a finalist for ESPY award
In less than a year, it has become one of the most iconic moments in Connecticut high school sports history.
Few will ever forget Riley Ward hauling in a 36-yard touchdown from Jack Street as time expired, giving top-seeded Newtown a 13-7 win and the Class LL championship over No. 3 Darien on Dec. 14.
It was the first title for Newtown since 1992 and completed a 13-0 season, but it meant so much more to those from Newtown as it came on the seventh anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
Video of the winning score was seen millions of times by people around the globe.
Now the play could be on the verge of winning an ESPY at ESPN’s yearly award show honoring people and events from the sporting world.
The Newtown football team has reached the final four in voting for the Can’tStop-Watching Moment for the 2020 ESPYS.
Jack Street tweeted:
“Thank you to everyone that voted !!!! More to come.”
Newtown entered the voting as a No. 10 seed in the format.
They are joined in the final four by No. 8 Jackson State basketball team manager, Thomas “Snacks” Lee; No. 5, softball player Riley Sartain-Vaughan; and No. 11 seed, high jumper Obed Lekhehle.
Newtown coach Bobby Pattison has been updating the voting on Twitter and said after the first round: “I am so proud of this team and what we have accomplished! Good things happen when you set goals and work hard everyday. Honored to be nominated! Please take a moment to vote.”
Fans can vote for the award online.
The winner will be announced during the ESPYS on ESPN at 9 p.m. on Sunday.