Windsor Football Moves Into State Semifinals After Opponent Forfeits

WINDSOR, CT — Citing a lack of healthy players, the high school football program known collectively as Northwest United has forfeited its Class MM first-round playoff game scheduled for Tuesday night against top-seeded Windsor.

Comprised of players from four northwestern Connecticut schools - Wolcott Tech, Nonnewaug, Shepaug Valley and Lakeview - NW United won its first nine games, including seven against opponents from the Connecticut Technical Conference, before dropping its regular season finale 42-7 to the Abbott Tech/Immaculate co-op last Wednesday.

The No. 8 seeded Wildcats had been scheduled to visit Windsor Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff, but notified Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) officials of the decision to forfeit Saturday night.

"Northwest United notified the CIAC Executive Director Saturday evening that it does not have enough healthy players to compete in Tuesday night’s quarterfinal playoff game," CIAC Executive Director Glenn Lungarini said in a written statement. "Upon notification, the CIAC Executive Director, Associate Executive Director, Football Committee Chair, and Football Tournament Director discussed all possible scenarios and met with the CIAC Football Committee Sunday evening. The CIAC determined that filling the spot with another team and asking Windsor and the new team to prepare for a different opponent with only two days’ notice could compromise the safety of the student-athletes."

It is believed to be the first time a team has opted to forfeit a CIAC playoff game since the inception of divisional tournaments in 1976.

Windsor will host the winner of Tuesday's contest between Newington and Wethersfield at Jack O'Brien Stadium Sunday at 12:30 p.m.