One of the more bizarre scenes of the fall sports season took place this afternoon at Wethersfield High School. The Stamford High field hockey team won its second straight state title after playing Simsbury to a 1-1 tie to produce co-champions.
It was strange enough to have a deadlock that denied both teams the kind of celebration associated with a championship.
Because the CIAC was not prepared for the outcome, it had just one plaque and set of medallions for the winning team. It was decided that Simsbury would take home the plaque and Stamford the medallions.
Though the Black Knights will eventually get a plaque, the players wanted to get a picture on the field with it. So Emily Powers, one of the team’s senior co-captains, went up to Simsbury coach Pamela Hammersmith and asked if she could borrow the plaque. Hammersmith would not relinquish it.
Powers is one of the friendliest and least imposing looking players on the team. Did Hammersmith think Powers was going to take the plaque and make a dash for the bus?
In the end, the Stamford players used the same resourcefulness it took to win their second straight state title. They posed with the runner-up plaque and made sure to cover up the part that said “runner-up.”
