The undefeated Nonnewaug Co-Op football team played for one of their own in the first game of the playoffs Wednesday night.

Nonnewaug High School senior and starting offensive tackle Jonathan Cheung was diagnosed recently diagnosed with leukemia. He watched the game over FaceTime from the hospital.

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“We told the kids before practice and it was definitely shock and some disbelief, some water eyes," Scott Lynch, Nonnewaug Chiefs head coach, said.

Scott Viveros said he's known Cheung since eighth grade and the two raised money for leukemia research last year. He said Cheung's absence inspires them to play hard.

"It gives us something to fight for, because since he can't be here, we got to do something that he can't, a

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