Roger Pearl, a member of the Northern Connecticut Chapter of the National Football Foundation, presented Granby Memorial High School seniors Connor Field and Dominic Pagano the foundation’s annual scholar-athlete award on March 31.
Made up of administrators, coaches and businessmen, the local committee chooses recipients on the basis of academic achievement, athletic accomplishments and community leadership. Pearl noted that Field and Pagano had received the highest possible scores in academics and exceptionally high scores in athletics, as well. The boys will be honored with other award-winners at a banquet at the Aqua Turf on Sunday, May 15.
Both Field and Pagano served as captains of the GMHS football team and were named All Conference during their junior and senior years. They were also named First Team All State as seniors — Field as running back and Pagano as defensive back.
Connor, son of Brad and Sandy Field, holds the state record for most consecutive games with over 300 yards rushing, which is four in his case. He was one of three football seniors profiled in an article in the Hartford Courant in January for his excellence on and off the field.
Each of the young men addressed the stigma of the classic football player being a big brute who lacks scholarship. In fact, most of the players have learned how to balance challenging academics with the hours spent practicing and playing their sport. In Field’s case, the academics during his senior year include AP calculus, AP physics, computer programming, journalism and Chinese. He will attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall, majoring in engineering and playing football.
Given their commitments to their sports and academics, it seems as if there would not be time to help out in the community, but both Field and Pagano do not shirk in that area, either. As members of the Honor Society, they participate in many activities that benefit others such as the Empty Bowls event in support of the Granby and Hartland Food Banks. Volunteering for Special Olympics and helping at the Granby Youth Football Clinics are also on their resumes.