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

How important was prom night for the Westhill baseball team? Not as important as a shot at the FCIAC championship, according to one Viking parent. The seniors on the team reportedly left the Friday prom at 10:30 p.m. to get a good night’s sleep before the game against Staples, which began at noon at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard. This was in contrast to the Vikings not getting home until 1 a.m. Thursday after a rain-delayed start to its semifinals win over Norwalk…

David Speer is already a legend for pitching Staples to the FCIAC championship as a sophomore. But he’s not the only 10th-grader to step up for the Wreckers. First baseman Grant Moss delivered a two-out bases-loaded single in the top of the seventh that proved to be the game-winner…

The next batter Westhill senior ace T.J. Hickey faced was Mike Rutski, who walked to make it a 3-1 game. Hickey responded with words for the home plate umpire, and kicked some dirt on the way back to the mound. Certainly he didn’t show the same composure as he had in last-second wins for the Vikings on the football field…

Speaking of Hickey, who likes to have the ball in his hands in big-pressure situations, his costly play in the seventh opened the tide for Staples. Vin Lametta hit a slow-roller towards shortstop and reached out to bare-hand the ball. He dropped the ball, but recovered in time to throw to first-baseman Steve Rivera, who was late getting to the bag and dropped the ball in front of a diving Lametta…

While concession stand prices were a reminder that the FCIAC Championship Game was played in a minor league ballpark, the Bridgeport Bluefish did very little Saturday - if anything - to promote itself in front of hundreds of potential attendees. Let this be a rule of thumb: Parking a Bluefish-wrapped P.T. Cruiser near the entrance and having the team’s URL under the main scoreboard does not guarantee fans coming back to enjoy the main tenant’s product. And with the All-FCIAC teams being honored as well, this was a missed marketing opportunity for the Bluefish, who are struggling at the gate so far this season…

Stamford head coach Bob Augustyn was honored as the FCIAC Coach of the Year on Saturday, just one day after announcing his retirement. He will continue to be a guidance councilor at the school, but said he is looking forward to some of the little things - like April vacation and spring training - that many of us take lightly…