Newington beats Wethersfield on field goal with :26 left!

For the first time since 1993, the Newington High School football Indians won at Wethersfield this morning, beating their annual Thanksgiving Day rivals by a score of 9-7. Woohoo! [UPDATE: According to commenter Dave, the Indians won on a field goal with 26 seconds left. Wow! It was a 31-yard kick by quarterback/kicker Bobby Hemmann. More than 2,000 people were in attendance to watch the most dramatic NHS-WHS ending in many years.]

The Newington victory breaks a six-game Eagles home winning streak against the Indians that began my freshman year at NHS. Overall, counting games at both schools, NHS has now taken 3 of the last 4 after losing ten straight to WHS.

If not for Masuk's 17-14 comeback win over Newtown last night, Newington would be celebrating more than just a win over Wethersfield right now -- they'd also be celebrating a spot in the state playoffs. Instead, the Indians finish #5 in Class L, and they'll have to be satisfied with a 9-1 record, Newington's best winning percentage in 27 years. (Details after the jump.)

NHS is one of just three teams in the state to finish with one loss yet be denied a playoff berth. The others are Avon and Jonathan Law of Class M. Twelve other one-loss teams are still alive for a state championship.

Newington's only loss was a 31-6 defeat at Bristol Eastern on October 20. The Lancers finished 10-0 and are the #1 seed in Class M.

It'll be interesting to see how Newington does next season without superstar tailback Nathan Pagan, a 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior who is being recruited by several Division I-AA colleges. Coming into the Wethersfield game, Pagan had 1,816 yards and 32 touchdowns on 232 carries this season, and he ranks third all-time in Connecticut for both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in his career. His arrival at NHS directly coincided with the Indians' return to glory: they were 13-89-2 (.135) during the decade before he enrolled, then 31-9-1 (.768) during his four-year career. Will the 2008 season, the first of the post-Pagan era, be a return to the bad old days, or will Newington be able to maintain the momentum of the past four years? Only time will tell.

For now, I'm just glad they beat Wethersfield. I think a recitation of the fight song would be in order, eh?

We're the boys of Newington High
The best team on the field
And we are the boys that do or die
The team that will not yield
(Rah! Rah! Rah!)
With our colors gold and blue
We're out to win this game
'Cuz we are the boys that
Fight! Right! Through!
Bring Newington High to fame!

Here is a rundown of Newington's record each season for the last 29 years:

1978: 8-2
1979: 11-0 (state champion)
1980: 11-1 (state champion)
1981: 7-3
1982: 7-1-1
1983: 8-2
1984: 8-2
1985: 9-1-1
1986: 5-5-1
1987: 6-4
1988: 8-3 (state runner-up)
1989: 3-7
1990: 9-2 (state runner-up)
1991: 10-2 (state runner-up)
1992: 6-3-1
1993: 7-3
1994: 0-9-1
1995: 0-10
1996: 2-8-1
1997: 0-11
1998: 1-9
1999: 1-9
2000: 0-10
2001: 3-7
2002: 3-8
2003: 3-8
2004: 9-2 (state semifinalist)
2005: 7-3
2006: 6-3-1
2007: 9-1

Note: Prior to 1995, there were no state semifinals; only the top two teams in each class made it to the playoffs.

(Information via Ken Lipshez and ctsportswriters.org.)

Comments

[Dave]

Boy it was packed there. Well over 2,000 people. Newington wins 9-7 on a 31 Yard field goal with 26 seconds left in the 4th quarter. The field goal was made by Quarterback and kicked Bobby Hemmann.

[jlr]

1995: 0-10
1996: 2-8-1
1997: 0-11
1998: 1-9

Ah, those were the days. GO INDIANS.