Newtown Gridders Get Taste Of Fall

By Andy Hutchison

The Blue & Gold Stadium stands were empty, no chilly October bite in the air, but there was plenty of pigskin action on the hot turf field. As the late-spring sun beamed down on the players, decked out in shoulder pads and all, it was football season — well, sort of — for ten days in early to mid-June.

Newtown High School’s football program’s annual spring practice session, culminating with the Blue & Gold Game, an intrasquad scrimmage on June 15, gave coaches and players a taste of the campaign that is nearly three months away.

Newtown High Coach Steve George notes that school football teams have the option to practice or not, and he believes it is beneficial to the coaching staff and players alike to hit the field at the end of each school year. Every weekday afternoon, for a week and a half, the players participated in drills directed by George and his staff.

“The reason I like to do it is to see what you have for next season because we had a lot of graduation [from last year’s team] and we have a lot of returning players next year, but there are some really good underclassmen that are challenging people for positions,” George said. “It’s a good time to compete before the summer, to get the kids motivated so they can get into their exercise and strength routine.”

“It’s kind of a preview of things to come and it’s exciting to see who we have coming back,” senior-to-be receiver Dan Hebert added during a brief water break last week.

Returnees for the Nighthawks include a bulk of players in the skill positions, including Hebert and quarterback Drew Tarantino. “We’re looking good so far. It’s just fun to see how everyone does,” Tarantino, who will be a senior, said.

Among the losses to graduation from a team that reached the South-West Conference championship game for the second straight year last fall is Lou Fenaroli, who set the school’s all-time rushing record. George said it will be determined who will succeed Fenaroli as the team’s go-to ball carrier.

Both lines, offensive and defensive, comprise young players. The offensive and defensive lines may be young and inexperienced, but they do have size on their side, the coach said.

The Blue team defeated the Gold squad 26-21 in the annual scrimmage. Hebert had a 75-yard kick return and Julian Dunn had a 60-yard TD pass for the Blue team. Justin DeVellis had an interception and scored two touchdowns, Chris Devaney had four catches for 84 yards, Josh Krapf had an excellent effort with five tackles and four hurries, and Will Dalton had an interception for the Gold team. Tarantino, who took snaps for both sides, had five TDs and an interception.

As in the past, George and speed training coach Cody Foss will hold the Newtown High School Team Training Program, designed for injury prevention and strength building, at NHS this summer.

Newtown High’s football game schedule is set to open with a visit to New Milford on September 14. The first game at Blue & Gold is September 21 when Pomperaug of Southbury comes to town in another South-West Conference battle.