By Tim Parry

There may have only been four schools involved - and technically only three teams - in the first-ever Pamby Motors Strongest Man Competition, but it looks like the foundation has been built for the future.

Football players from Ridgefield, Bridgeport Central, Newtown, and Stamford high schools competed in such events as the tire roll, the truck pull, and the Viking press today at Ridgefield High School’s Tiger Hollow.

How do these events relate to football? On the surface, they may not seem to translate. But as Ridgefield strength and conditioning coach Pete McLean (see video below) explained, what the kids did on the field is equal to their individual offseason training programs.

Even the sandbag shuttle - where athletes have to carry a sandbag 40 yards, drop it on a mat, and sprint back for another bag - is part of the everyday conditioning.

“It’s 200 yards with a sandbag,” said Ridgefield fullback Mike McKnight, who won that individual event. “You can feel your legs getting heavier as it goes on.”

Based on the final event - the tug-of-war - Newtown took home the first title, and a $1,000 donation to its athletic department from Pamby Motors. Though undersized, the Nighthawks had no problem knocking off Bridgeport Central in the finals.

The big winner on the day was Stamford junior linebacker Khairi Fortt, who won two events, placed second in one, and placed in all six.

Individual results:

Truck Pull:

1. David Bray, Newtown
2. Jaydell Roy, Central
3. John Aminiti, Newtown
4. Anthony Julbes, Stamford
5. Stephen Saprenza, Newtown
6. Khairi Fortt, Stamford

Tire Flip:

1. Julbes
2. Joe Sullivan, Ridgefield
3. Patrick Wrabelesky, Stamford
4. Soprenza
5. Fortt
6. Giovanni Marmalejas, Stamford

Stone Carry:

1. Fortt
2. Bray
3. Wrobleski
4. Sullivan
5. Mike McKnight, Ridgefield
6. Mike Sheldon, Ridgefield

Dead Lift and Hold

1. Fortt
2. Wrobeleski
3. Jubles
4. Sullivan
5. Soprenza
6. Bray

Viking Press:

1. Albert Wright, Central
2. Roy
3. Wrobeleski
4. Marmalejas
5. Sean Brown, Central
6. Dan Sheldon, Ridgefield, and Fortt

Sand Bag Shuttle

1. McKnight
2. Fortt
3. Shaquan Amour, Stamford
4. Wright
5. Sullivan
6. Stephen Supienza, Newtown