FINAL: Newington Knights (CT) 8, University Cougars (FL) 6

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Knights Crusade to Victory Over Cougars

The Newington Knights were victorious over the University Cougars in their third consecutive Pop Warner Championship appearance. The Knights team which has moved up the levels together showed their team unity and positioned themselves to continue to the next round in the Jr. Midget League.

Both teams displayed dominating efforts on defense in the first quarter. However the Knights were able to put the first points on the board with a 60 yard pass into the end zone. The 2 point PAT gave the Knights an 8-0 lead.

The Cougars were raring to fight back in the second quarter and pushed their way down field into Knights' territory making a statement by scoring 6 points before the end of the half. The PAT was no good leaving the Knights up by two going into halftime.

As each team attempted to score in the third quarter, the defenses were too strong and both teams were unable to get into the end zone. With a scoreless Third quarter the Cougars were poised to make their move in the fourth and fight back against the Knights.

Unfortunately, a few plays after the Cougars forced the Knights to punt, the Cougars fumbled the ball on their own 31 yard line and it was recovered by the Knights. Looking to add on to their lead the Knights pushed their way up field with the help of a personal foul called on the Cougars giving the Knights an automatic first down. However, penalties brought on by the offensive line pulled the Knights away from the end zone bringing up a fourth and long which they were not able to complete.

The Cougars used their strong defensive efforts to spark the opportunity for one final shot at a scoring drive. A string of incomplete passes, however, forced the Cougars to turn the ball back to the Knights on downs as the final seconds ticked off the clock, leaving the final score at 8-6.

Congratulations to both teams in the hard fought battle on the field. The Newington Knights go on to play the West Valley Falcons in the semi-final game on Friday at 1:00 p.m.