Newtown High School football team to be featured at halftime of Steelers-Bills game

Kevin Gorman
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019 7:18 p.m. | Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019 7:18 p.m.

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The Newtown Nighthawks celebrate their win after beating the Darien Blue Wave in the final play of the Class LL state football championship at Trumbull High School Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, in Trumbull, Conn. Newtown won 13-7. Newtown marked the seventh anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School with vigils, church services and a moment of joy when the community’s high school football team, with a shooting victim’s brother as linebacker, won the state championship Saturday in a last-minute thrill.

The Newtown High School football team, which won the Connecticut state championship on a last-second pass on the seventh anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, will be featured at halftime of the Pittsburgh Steelers-Buffalo Bills broadcast on Sunday Night Football on NBC.

Quarterback Jack Street connected with wide receiver Riley Ward for a 36-yard touchdown pass as time expired to give Newtown a 13-7 victory over Darien to win the Class LL championship Saturday. It was the first state title in 26 years for Newtown, which was the tournament’s top seed and finished 13-0.

WOW! Holy crap. Newtown wins the CLASSS LL title 13-7 over Darien I’m the final play Jack Street hits Riley Ward for 36-yard TD #cthsfb

Newtown’s first state title since 1992 pic.twitter.com/BfSMc0rNIy

— Pete Paguaga (@PetePaguaga) December 14, 2019

Newtown High School’s football team is at @NBCSports HQ to see how @SNFonNBC is made!

They’re here one night after a miraculous play in the closing seconds to win the CT state championship. ? pic.twitter.com/QLFeLS4kwt

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) December 15, 2019

Newtown players and coaches will join host Mike Tirico and analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison in-studio at NBC Sports International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.

Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.