Walter Camp Foundation, Inc.

Ansonia High School To Receive Walter Camp’s 2007 “Joseph W. Kelly” Trophy

NEW HAVEN, CT – Ansonia High School, which was ranked No. 1 in the New Haven Register, New London Day, and Hartford Courant season-ending polls, is the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s choice to receive the Joseph W. Kelly Trophy, which is awarded annually to Connecticut’s top high school football team and presented by Varsity Gold (http://www.varsitygold.com).

Ansonia captured the Naugatuck Valley League title on its way to a perfect 13-0 record and the Class S state championship. The Chargers defeated New London, 35-0, in the Class S title game on December 1 behind 240 rushing yards and three touchdowns from senior running back Alex Thomas. Thomas finished the season with a state-record 3,578 yards and 47 touchdowns. Ansonia had previously defeated Northwest Catholic, 25-7 in the semifinals.

It is the second straight year - and fourth overall - that Ansonia has earned the Kelly Trophy (1983, 1989 and 2006). Since 1976, Ansonia is just the third school to repeat as Kelly Trophy recipients, joining Bloomfield (1998 and 1999) and Cheshire (1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995).

“Once again, Ansonia distinguished itself as the premier Connecticut high school football team,” said Walter Camp Football Foundation President John Barbarotta. “We salute Coach Tom Brockett, his staff and players on another remarkable season.”

Coach Brockett and the captains of Ansonia squad, as well as all of the major award winners and members of the 2007 Walter Camp All-America team, will be honored at the organization’s 41st annual national awards banquet on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. In addition, the Foundation will hold its annual Fan Fest on Friday, January 11 at the New Haven Athletic Center from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Dinner ($275.00) and Fan Fest tickets ($10.00) can be purchased by calling (203) 288-CAMP.

Joseph W. Kelly Trophy - Connecticut High School Champions

• 2007 - Ansonia
• 2006 - Ansonia
• 2005 – Xavier (Middletown)
• 2004 – Daniel Hand (Madison)
• 2003 – New Britain
• 2002 – West Haven
• 2001 – New Britain
• 2000 – Fitch (Groton)
• 1999 - Bloomfield
• 1998 – Bloomfield
• 1997 – Daniel Hand (Madison)
• 1996 – Weaver (Hartford)
• 1995 - Cheshire
• 1994 – Cheshire
• 1993 - Cheshire
• 1992 – Cheshire
• 1991 – Notre Dame (West Haven)
• 1990 – Derby
• 1989 – Ansonia
• 1988 – Stratford
• 1987 – East Catholic (Manchester)
• 1986 – Trumbull
• 1985 – Hillhouse (New Haven)
• 1984 – Middletown
• 1983 – Ansonia
• 1982 – St. Joseph’s (Trumbull)
• 1981 – Naugatuck
• 1980 – Trumbull
• 1979 – Newington
• 1978 – Amity (Woodbridge)
• 1977 – Trumbull
• 1976 – Fitch (Groton)

2007_Kelly_Award_Ansonia.pdf">Download the PDF

Walter Camp, "The Father of American football," first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp — a former Yale University athlete and football coach — is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation — a New Haven based all volunteer group — was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All America team.