File photo by Matt DewkettElisa Formiglio, Norwich Free Academy
became the first girl in Connecticut history to play in a state championship football game on Friday night, although her
Norwich Free Academy (Norwich, Conn.) team lost to
Xavier (Middletown, Conn.) 48-14 for the Class LL title.
Formiglio, a senior in her first year of football, also became the first girl to score in a state-title game by kicking two extra points. She finished the year by making 61 of 71 extra-point kicks and a 24-yard field goal in three attempts. She was the team's No. 3 scorer entering the final game.
The former volleyball player and aspiring nurse who was recruited from gym class told the Hartford Courant, "Girls don't get a lot of opportunities to play football. I'm really hoping other girls, or other people in general will just try something new. I didn't know what was going to happen. I was trying something new. I feel that's important - to have the courage to try something new."
Xavier (12-1) was able to hand Norwich Free Academy its first loss and earn its third consecutive state title behind the efforts of
DeAngelo Berry, who rushed for 260 yards and three touchdowns.