If there was any doubt about the greatness of
Arkeel Newsome, he made them disappear Saturday morning with a brilliant performance to lead
Ansonia (Conn.) to a
38-0 victory against Ledyard (Conn.) to win the CIAC Class M championship at Rentschler Field.
File photo by Jonathan Bloom
Arkeel Newsome, Ansonia
Only a sophomore, the 5-foot-7, 173-pound running back carried 42 times for 364 yards and three touchdowns in the title game. He ended the season with a state-record rushing total of 3,763 yards. The previous record was 3,596 by another Ansonia star, Yale's Alex Thomas, in 2007.
Newsome also extended his own state records for most touchdowns in a season (62) and rushing touchdowns in a season (58). He scored three times on pass receptions and once on a punt return.
The Chargers also became Connecticut's first team to win 17 state titles in any classification and the first to go 14-0, according to the New Haven Register.
MaxPreps Connecticut Class M state football bracketsEarlier this year Ansonia athletic director Tony Piccolo told MaxPreps, "I've been (involved in sports) for 36 years. They keep saying, 'Is he that good?' He has a big line (which averages 243 pounds).' He does some things you can't teach."