2011 Class LL Championship: Newington Ends Historic Drought in Dramatic Fashion

Newington High School has had enormous trouble winning the Big One in years past, but not last night.  The Newington Indians, as the 17th seed in Class LL, finished off an amazing run by defeating the Southington Knights and their ace pitcher Sal Romano.

Newington High School has not won a state title in a CIAC-sponsored event since 1980.  That's over thirty-years in which no team at Newington has been able to lift the championship trophy.  What Coach Eric Frank and his team accomplished last night was truly remarkable.

The Indians have been in championship games before, but time after time the games would end in heartbreak.  Newington had lost an astounding twelve straight championship games since Football won the title in 1980.

I am not sure if people realize how long this streak was, but now, it is finally over!  The football team lost in title games in 1988, 1990, 1991, and 2008,  girls' basketball fell in 1993, ice hockey in 1998 and 2006, boys' soccer in 2000, boys' volleyball in 2006, 2009, and also on Friday in a five set thriller.  Throw in baseball's loss in 2007, and this team knew it had to make the most of its second chance.

This squad's 12-8 regular season record was not an indication of the type of team they had.  The Indians lost several close games towards the end of the season to some of the toughest competition in the state.  The CCC West is full of talent and although all of Newington's losses were in-conference, they got hot at the right time.

This state title game unfolded as if it was coming straight out of a movie.  Newington had already lost twice to this Southington team, and was the underdog coming in.  Newington did have their ace, Cole Bryant, on the mound. He has been spectacular throughout his career and now got the ball in the biggest spotlight one last time.

Both pitchers were dominant throughout their outings.  A couple of Southington errors led to Newington's first two runs in the second, but it was a pitcher's duel throughout.  The grounds crew battled the rain, and after an hour-long delay, worked the field back to sufficient playing condition.

Southington battled back in the bottom of the seventh to tie it, and now it was only clear that neither pitcher would leave this game.

However, action unfolded in the bottom of the 8th. Middle infielder Armando Soler dropped a lazy fly ball to put Matt Spruill on 1st base.  Then, following a pop out, Southington star Sal Romano laced a double down the left-field line. It looked as if the game was over.

I wasn't watching home plate, because I figured, "wow, the curse lives on and Newington has come in second again!"  But in a matter of seconds, it all changed when Spruill forgot to touch home plate.  Are you serious?  On the biggest stage of any high school athlete's career, he forgot to do what seems so natural.

A celebration ensued for Southington on the pitcher's mound while Newington coaches screamed for an appeal.  Newington appealed, and it was clear the umpire had seen exactly what unfolded.  A nightmare for any Southington fan, and a miracle for all of those in the stands cheering for Newington.  Spruill was ruled out while Romano returned to second base with his head in his jersey, in a state of shock.

I didn't think a second chance of such historic proportions could exist.  Well, it was unfolding right before my eyes.  Cole Bryant remained calm and collective in striking out the final batter of the inning.  Newington knew it had to capitalize on this mistake or it would mean nothing.

Bryant did exactly that when he led off the tenth inning with a single.  A walk by Tinkham put runners on first and second.  Pat Meucci hit a grounder to the shortstop, but an errant throw allowed Bryant to come around to score what would be the winning run.

That winning run didn't come easy. Bryant trotted out to the mound for the final half of the tenth inning.  It would be his last inning, no matter what.  Bryant looked fatigued, but that didn't stop him from pushing forward.

The stage was set once again.  Southington loaded the bases with two outs and reached a full count.  Cole Bryant had thrown 175 pitches on the night.  At that pitch count, I can't even imagine what his arm felt like.

Cole dialed up a two-seam fastball and struck out Tyler Burns looking.  It was his 16th strikeout of the game.  Bryant called it "the greatest feeling in the world," and the Newington celebration began.  A mob-pile began on the field full of joyous embraces, hugs, and jubilation between the coaches and players.

A thirty-year streak weighed heavy on the right arm of Cole Bryant.  His 176th pitch of the night ended that drought and crowned the Newington Indians baseball team State Champions for the first time ever.