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

Thirty of Fairfield County’s finest football-playing scholar-athletes were honored April 10 by the Ralph DeSantis chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. Also honored at the dinner at Continental Manor in Norwalk were the head and assistant coaches of the year in the SWC and FCIAC, as well as two officials of the year.

Three players received $500 scholarships to be used towards their college education as well: William Bass (Bassick), Richard Holmes (Danbury), and Chris Payne (Wilton).

Wilton’s Tim Eagen was introduced as the FCIAC’s coach of the year by his mentor, Tom Fujitani, who he served under as an assistant coach for several years, and thanked his assistant coaches and the Warriors’ booster club for its efforts in helping to build a top-notch program. Ridgefield’s Kevin Callahan introduced one of his former players, New Fairfield’s Andy Buchsbaum, as the SWC’s coach of the year.

Carl Cairo (Greenwich) and John Pereira (Pomperaug) received their league’s respective assistant coach of the year awards.

The scholar-athletes honered were:

• William Bass, Bassick
• Nick Verderosa, Bethel
• Chris Green, Brien McMahon
• Kenneth Cobb, Bridgeport Central
• Steven Moss, Brookfield
• Jeffrey Farrell, Bunnell
• Greg Passineau, Canterbury
• Richard Holmes, Danbury
• George Rhein, Darien
• Matthew O’Laughlin, Fairfield Ludlowe
• Thomas Marx Jr., Fairfield Warde
• Jonathan Meyers, Greenwich
• Scott Hickling, Joel Barlow
• Victor Ciancetta, Masuk
• Chris Lemoine, New Canaan
• Patrick Cassidy, New Fairfield
• Jonathan Henion, New Milford
• Eric Puffer, Newtown
• Cyprian Oyomba, Norwalk
• Patrick Purrell, Notre Dame-Fairfield
• Stephen Barton, Pomperaug
• Tyler Strittmatter, Ridgefield
• Michael Dinihanien, St. Joseph
• Jason Zins, Staples
• Justin Shumyhora, Stratford
• John O’Leary, Trinity Catholic
• Jameson Cherilus, Trumbull
• John Midy, Westhill
• Dylan Hannum, Weston
• Chris Payne, Wilton

Also honored were a few unsung heroes of the game, the referees. Without them, of course, the games wouldn’t count in the standings. Bob Seirup, who has been working with the Fairfield County Football Association for 54 seasons, was honored as its official of the year. Bill Vasutro was the Colonial Football Association’s honoree.