Ansonia High School to Receive Walter Camp’s 2013 “Joseph W. Kelly” Award
New Haven, CT – The Ansonia Chargers, the No. 1 team in the state’s high school football season-ending polls, is the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s choice to receive the Joseph W. Kelly Award, which is awarded annually to Connecticut’s top high school football team. It is the fifth time that Ansonia has earned the Kelly Award, moving past Cheshire for the most in state history.
Ansonia’s #1 ranking and Kelly Award recognition in 2013 also snapped a four-year run of honorees from the Southern Connecticut Conference.
“With its potent offensive rushing attack, Ansonia was outstanding on its way to winning the NVL and Class S state titles,” said Walter Camp Football Foundation President James Monico. “We salute Coach Tom Brockett, his staff and players on a phenomenal season.”
Ansonia became the first team in state history to go 15-0 behind the exploits of two-time Walter Camp High School State Player of the Year Arkeel Newsome (3,867 rushing yards and 64 touchdowns). The Chargers won the Naugatuck Valley League title with a 48-7 victory over Woodland on November 20, and followed it up with their third straight Class S state championship. In the quarterfinals, Ansonia defeated Coginchaug, 49-21, and then defeated Rocky Hill, 49-27, in the semifinals. In the Class S championship game on December 13 at Arute Field in New Britain, the Chargers again defeated Woodland, 51-12, for the program’s 19th state title. Ansonia will enter the 2014 season with a 43-game winning streak.
Coach Brockett and the Ansonia team, along with members of the 2013 Walter Camp All-America team, will be honored at the organization’s national awards banquet on Saturday, January 11, 2014 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. In addition, the Foundation will recognize three individuals – former Notre Dame and Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann (Distinguished American), former Penn State and Oakland Raider standout lineman Matt Millen (Man of the Year) and former North Carolina All-American Ken Huff (Alumnus of the Year) – with major awards. The Foundation is offering a “Holiday Ticket Promotion” for the National Awards Dinner. Buy two tickets for $450 (you save $150) before December 31. Please call (203) 288-CAMP (288-2267) for more information.
Also on January 11, Ansonia along with the three other state football champions – Southington (Class LL), New Canaan (Class L) and St. Joseph (Class M) – will be recognized at the Walter Camp Breakfast of Champions, which will be held at Anthony’s Ocean View. That morning, the Walter Camp All-Connecticut Team, High School Player and Coach of the Year will also be announced.
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.
Walter Camp “Joseph W. Kelly Award”
Connecticut High School Champions
2013 – Ansonia
2012 – Daniel Hand (Madison)
2011 – Xavier (Middletown)
2010 – Xavier (Middletown)
2009 – Notre Dame (West Haven)
2008 – New Canaan
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)
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